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Finding Dory
Charlotte Observer
Lawrence Toppman
The movie has plenty of heart and a message which, if not always subtle, remains worth hearing: All of us have strengths and weaknesses, while qualities that disable us in one way might enable us in another.
3/5
5
3
5
false
4
9
2
1,208
Forsaken
Charlotte Observer
Lawrence Toppman
True, we have seen almost all the elements in "Forsaken" in a hundred Westerns of the past. But they're assembled with such care that there's room for version 101.
3/5
5
3
5
false
4
9
2
1,208
Green Room
Charlotte Observer
Lawrence Toppman
We can't ask for more from this genre, and we often get much less.
3/5
5
3
5
false
4
9
2
1,208
Hail, Caesar!
Charlotte Observer
Lawrence Toppman
"Hail, Caesar!" Hail? No. Maybe a faint nod of mild approval, but that's all.
2/5
5
2
5
false
2
9
2
1,208
I Saw the Light
Charlotte Observer
Lawrence Toppman
The best thing about this movie may be that it drives people to seek out the original.
3/5
5
3
5
false
4
9
2
1,208
Keanu
Charlotte Observer
Lawrence Toppman
The real surprise is not that the high-strung Key and grounded Peele have rapport - their sketches demonstrate that - but that it can be used to anchor a full-length comedy.
3/5
5
3
5
false
4
9
2
1,208
Lamb
Charlotte Observer
Lawrence Toppman
Ross Partridge directed, wrote the screenplay (from a novel by Bonnie Nadzam) and delivers the strong central performance. He keeps us on edge in all three capacities ...
3/5
5
3
5
false
4
9
2
1,208
London Has Fallen
Charlotte Observer
Lawrence Toppman
No characterization. A plot you could write on a single sheet of toilet paper. Sadistic violence we're meant to cheer. A surprise that wouldn't fool anyone who left the theater after the opening credits and came back for the last 10 minutes.
1/5
5
1
5
false
0
9
2
1,208
Money Monster
Charlotte Observer
Lawrence Toppman
I couldn't tell whether the film was intended to be a comedy; as it became more and more improbable, both predictable and ludicrous at once, I heard audience members chortle again and again. Were they laughing with "Money Monster" or at it?
2/5
5
2
5
false
2
9
2
1,208
Mustang
Charlotte Observer
Lawrence Toppman
Ergven and Winocour hold education up as the solution; only when girls get schooling can they figure out how to change male-dominated behavior, at least as far as their society will allow.
3.5/5
5
3.5
5
false
5
9
2
1,208
Son of Saul
Charlotte Observer
Lawrence Toppman
Hungarian writer-director László Nemes makes an extraordinary feature-length debut with this film, which requires us to put together bits of information and leaves us guessing at a few missing pieces.
3.5/5
5
3.5
5
false
5
9
2
1,208
Spectre
Charlotte Observer
Lawrence Toppman
At the center of the film, like a man trying to pull a donkey out of a peat bog, stands Craig: inexpressive, uninflected and obviously tired.
1.5/5
5
1.5
5
false
1
9
2
1,208
Steve Jobs
Charlotte Observer
Lawrence Toppman
Perhaps the strangest thing about the film is that Steve Jobs never seems capable of inspiring anyone: He's the smartest kid in the class and the biggest bully.
2.5/5
5
2.5
5
false
3
9
2
1,208
The Finest Hours
Charlotte Observer
Lawrence Toppman
From the first gentle meeting of its hero and heroine to the last line of dialogue, "The Finest Hours" executes all the traditional moves beautifully.
5/5
5
5
5
false
8
9
2
1,208
The Jungle Book
Charlotte Observer
Lawrence Toppman
This story is a new look at a narrative that was already ancient when Kipling wrote 12 decades ago.
3.5/5
5
3.5
5
false
5
9
2
1,208
The Nice Guys
Charlotte Observer
Lawrence Toppman
Laughter trumps logic here, and the laughs flow freely.
3/5
5
3
5
false
4
9
2
1,208
The Witch
Charlotte Observer
Lawrence Toppman
The film works as a grim historical document, but it might also be a metaphor for our own society: Instead of banding together to solve problems and protect each other, we disintegrate into unfounded accusations and blame-passing.
3/5
5
3
5
false
4
9
2
1,208
A Simple Favor
Charlotte Sometimes Goes to the Movies
Charlotte Harrison
Just like the film as a whole, we never know what to expect or who to suspect.
3.5/5
5
3.5
5
false
5
9
2
1,209
Emma.
Charlotte Sometimes Goes to the Movies
Charlotte Harrison
Much like the film overall, it's a perfect match - of sumptuous sets, intimate cinematography, perfect scoring, stunning costumes, charming performances and witty screenplay. Just superb.
5/5
5
5
5
false
8
9
2
1,209
nan
Charlotte Sometimes Goes to the Movies
Charlotte Harrison
With a running time of 99 minutes, Plus One is a charming and delightful take on the romcom. A refreshing and spirited sorbet to the many saccharine movies that pop up around this time of year.
4/5
5
4
5
false
6
9
2
1,209
Bad Education
Charlotte Weekly
Sean O'Connell
Paints vivid noir suspense with extremely broad brushstrokes, often pushing style to the forefront at the expense of story
C-
long_letter
null
null
false
9
18
1
1,210
Bride and Prejudice
Charlotte Weekly
Sean O'Connell
Faithfully adapts Jane Austen's (work) without sacrificing any of the frivolous joy that infects most Bollywood productions.
B
long_letter
null
null
false
13
18
1
1,210
Constantine
Charlotte Weekly
Sean O'Connell
I spent the better half of Constantine wondering what in the Hellblazer was going on.
C
long_letter
null
null
false
10
18
1
1,210
Hitch
Charlotte Weekly
Sean O'Connell
Proves how the occasional TV actor (or two) can, indeed, make a smooth transition to motion pictures.
B-
long_letter
null
null
false
12
18
1
1,210
Hotel Rwanda
Charlotte Weekly
Sean O'Connell
Despite the shocking realities, you'll leave Rwanda discussing one positive above all the negatives, and that's Cheadle's tremendous performance.
B+
long_letter
null
null
false
14
18
1
1,210
The Jacket
Charlotte Weekly
Sean O'Connell
This thriller knows where it wants to go, and won't let science stand in its way.
B-
long_letter
null
null
false
12
18
1
1,210
Ong-Bak (Ong Bak: Muay Thai Warrior)
Charlotte Weekly
Sean O'Connell
Your jaw will hit the floor and stay there as (Tony) Jaa persistently defies both gravity and physics.
B+
long_letter
null
null
false
14
18
1
1,210
Grey Gardens
ChaseWhale.com
Chase Whale
GREY GARDENS is an American classic.
A
short_letter
null
null
false
5
6
1
1,211
The Wailing (Goksung)
ChaseWhale.com
Chase Whale
THE WAILING doesn't rely on many jump scares and what makes it so horrifying is the story. It challenges Heaven and Hell, good versus evil, God, and the Devil, and faith. I'm certain this would be John Milton's favorite film if he were alive today.
A
short_letter
null
null
false
5
6
1
1,211
1917
Chatham News + Record (NC)
Neil Morris
1917 would have been a great silent film, and that's a purposely backhanded compliment.
B
long_letter
null
null
false
13
18
1
1,212
Abominable
Chatham News + Record (NC)
Neil Morris
"Abominable" doesn't live down to its title, but it doesn't scale any summits, either.
C-
long_letter
null
null
false
9
18
1
1,212
Bombshell
Chatham News + Record (NC)
Neil Morris
Bombshell restricts itself to plucking low-hanging fruit
C+
long_letter
null
null
false
11
18
1
1,212
Cats
Chatham News + Record (NC)
Neil Morris
Seemingly scooped out of the litter box, it's best viewed under the influence of catnip or some other hallucinogenic substance.
C-
long_letter
null
null
false
9
18
1
1,212
Dolemite Is My Name
Chatham News + Record (NC)
Neil Morris
It's darn difficult to steal scenes from Eddie Murphy, but Wesley Snipes does just that ...
B
long_letter
null
null
false
13
18
1
1,212
Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw
Chatham News + Record (NC)
Neil Morris
The bickering bromance between Johnson and Statham is the only reason to endure this illogical, temporally-challenged, cartoonish CGI fest.
C-
long_letter
null
null
false
9
18
1
1,212
Frozen II
Chatham News + Record (NC)
Neil Morris
It gives us more of Elsa, Anna, Olaf, and the rest of the "Frozen" favs. But beyond nostalgia, it's ultimately a series of pretty portraits hung around a rather rudderless story.
B-
long_letter
null
null
false
12
18
1
1,212
Hustlers
Chatham News + Record (NC)
Neil Morris
Whereas Scafaria's script is sometimes slipshod, her pacing, framing, and visual aplomb are spectacular.
B+
long_letter
null
null
false
14
18
1
1,212
Joker
Chatham News + Record (NC)
Neil Morris
Fleck is a literal amalgam of both Thalia and Melpomene, an intriguing interpretation that positions his internal tension as the source of Joker's madness.
B
long_letter
null
null
false
13
18
1
1,212
Judy
Chatham News + Record (NC)
Neil Morris
Like Garland's career, "Judy" is blessed with a talented star and starts out with much promise, only to become more uneven and unfulfilling towards its end.
B+
long_letter
null
null
false
14
18
1
1,212
Jumanji: The Next Level
Chatham News + Record (NC)
Neil Morris
Its charm resides in both the evolving rapport between its main characters and the comedic adroitness of Johnson, Hart, Gillan, Black, and now Awkwafina.
B
long_letter
null
null
false
13
18
1
1,212
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil
Chatham News + Record (NC)
Neil Morris
Jolie is the macabre somnolent beauty, practically sleepwalking through a fable with excessively hard-hitting aims and regrettably banal execution.
C+
long_letter
null
null
false
11
18
1
1,212
Marriage Story
Chatham News + Record (NC)
Neil Morris
It isn't about the joys of nuptial bliss, but rather the throes of matrimonial disunion.
B+
long_letter
null
null
false
14
18
1
1,212
Once Upon a Time In Hollywood
Chatham News + Record (NC)
Neil Morris
But as the film's title portends, "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" is also a fairy tale where the party never ends, the pretend heroes become actual ones, and everyone lives happily ever after.
B
long_letter
null
null
false
13
18
1
1,212
Onward
Chatham News + Record (NC)
Neil Morris
Onward would merit high marks if it was meant as a meta Pixar self-critique.
C+
long_letter
null
null
false
11
18
1
1,212
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Chatham News + Record (NC)
Neil Morris
Rey and Kylo's love-hate tête-à-tête remains front and center in "Rise of Skywalker," even amid some mind-numbing periphery.
B-
long_letter
null
null
false
12
18
1
1,212
The Gentlemen
Chatham News + Record (NC)
Neil Morris
There's a flair and sure-handedness here that will please Ritchie's fans, even if it feels like he's preaching to the converted.
B
long_letter
null
null
false
13
18
1
1,212
The Invisible Man
Chatham News + Record (NC)
Neil Morris
The audience finds itself questioning the veracity of a woman claiming terror at the hands of her domestic partner. #MeToo? Y tú.
B
long_letter
null
null
false
13
18
1
1,212
The King of Staten Island
Chatham News + Record (NC)
Neil Morris
Apatow offers Davidson a platform to exorcise demons and amplify his pain to friends, family, and the general public.
B
long_letter
null
null
false
13
18
1
1,212
The Lion King
Chatham News + Record (NC)
Neil Morris
It's Disney's version of the circle of life, but here it feels more like cannibalization.
C+
long_letter
null
null
false
11
18
1
1,212
The Peanut Butter Falcon
Chatham News + Record (NC)
Neil Morris
[The] pitch-perfect casting and rustic setting lend its familiar tale an edginess that somehow both offsets and enhances its inherent sweetness.
B+
long_letter
null
null
false
14
18
1
1,212
The Way Back
Chatham News + Record (NC)
Neil Morris
This well-made redemption tale appeared heading for a tidy, familiar finale until O'Connor inverts that trope, reminding us that winning the big game isn't a cure-all.
B
long_letter
null
null
false
13
18
1
1,212
Them That Follow
Chatham News + Record (NC)
Neil Morris
"Them That Follow" needed more bite, but instead its screenplay feels defanged.
C+
long_letter
null
null
false
11
18
1
1,212
Where the Heart Is
CheckOut.com
Ed Scharf
[Portman] shows just how comfortable she can be carrying a major motion picture.
6/10
10
6
10
false
5
10
1
1,213
Road Trip
CheckOut.com
Ed Scharf
The actors manage to lift Road Trip's humor over the top.
6/10
10
6
10
false
5
10
1
1,213
The Patriot
CheckOut.com
Ron Harner
The storyline remains engaging to the very last shot.
8/10
10
8
10
false
7
10
1
1,213
Loser
CheckOut.com
Tim Bennett
I felt completely threatened, my sensibilities thoroughly offended.
5/10
10
5
10
false
4
10
1
1,213
Bait
CheckOut.com
Tim Bennett
Bait is a relentless assault on the senses, heart-pounding and manifest.
8/10
10
8
10
false
7
10
1
1,213
The Contender
CheckOut.com
Ed Scharf
Rod Lurie, with the help of some great performances, has pieced together a smart political thriller that can hold its head high among the rest of its beltway brethren.
7/10
10
7
10
false
6
10
1
1,213
Almost Famous
CheckOut.com
Ed Scharf
[Crowe] has crafted a cast of fresh characters in a realm where cliches often fester, and he is blessed with actors who fulfill their promise.
8/10
10
8
10
false
7
10
1
1,213
A Hard Day's Night
CheckOut.com
Ron Harner
The rock and roll movie against which all others are measured.
10/10
10
10
10
false
9
10
1
1,213
Best in Show
CheckOut.com
Ron Harner
There's trendy funny and there's enduring funny. Christopher Guest has always steered away from the easy laughs and obvious parodies and delivered comedies that last.
9/10
10
9
10
false
8
10
1
1,213
Billy Elliot
CheckOut.com
Tim Bennett
Manages to thoroughly entertain, evoking laughter and tears.
7/10
10
7
10
false
6
10
1
1,213
Cecil B. Demented
CheckOut.com
Tim Bennett
Cecil B. Demented is John Waters' best film and certainly the funniest movie this year.
8/10
10
8
10
false
7
10
1
1,213
Dancer in the Dark
CheckOut.com
Ed Scharf
No matter how bizarre or off-putting the film may be at times, it is infinitely more engrossing.
9/10
10
9
10
false
8
10
1
1,213
Dr. T and the Women
CheckOut.com
Tim Bennett
The thing to keep in mind is that when Altman isn't great, he still doesn't suck.
7/10
10
7
10
false
6
10
1
1,213
Frequency
CheckOut.com
Ed Scharf
Sure it's a little hokey and it may get a little tidy there near the end, but overall, it's a well-done movie.
7/10
10
7
10
false
6
10
1
1,213
Girlfight
CheckOut.com
Tim Bennett
Kusama and her cast make the stale fresh with solid, gutwrenching performances and a firm commitment to instilling an edgy, perhaps feminine, spirit and energy to the classic sports story.
7/10
10
7
10
false
6
10
1
1,213
Gladiator
CheckOut.com
Tim Bennett
Gladiator has all the fixin's for wonderful drama.
8/10
10
8
10
false
7
10
1
1,213
Hollow Man
CheckOut.com
Ron Harner
A sub-par script.
5/10
10
5
10
false
4
10
1
1,213
Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas
CheckOut.com
Tim Bennett
A testament to the love and respect and diligence of director Ron Howard and his crew, screenwriters Jeffrey Price & Peter S. Seaman and committed, wonderful performances by the cast.
9/10
10
9
10
false
8
10
1
1,213
The Legend of Bagger Vance
CheckOut.com
Ron Harner
Lays up a little short in the character development department.
6/10
10
6
10
false
5
10
1
1,213
Little Nicky
CheckOut.com
Ron Harner
Nobody expects any character development or a real story from anything in the Sandler catalogue, but at least make the stupid jokes original.
2/10
10
2
10
false
1
10
1
1,213
Men of Honor
CheckOut.com
Tim Bennett
The story is inspiring. But Men of Honor just isn't inspired.
6/10
10
6
10
false
5
10
1
1,213
Mission: Impossible 2
CheckOut.com
Ed Scharf
Instead of being the next great John Woo masterpiece, it is yet another in the growing roster of action flicks that merely seem to reek of his influence.
6/10
10
6
10
false
5
10
1
1,213
Pay It Forward
CheckOut.com
Tim Bennett
The only thing this film pays forward is the trend of celebrating the bland, ballyhooing empty sentiments and honoring filmmaking by-the-numbers.
4/10
10
4
10
false
3
10
1
1,213
Quills
CheckOut.com
Ed Scharf
While it may not have delivered a knock out, Quills certainly does pack a solid punch.
7/10
10
7
10
false
6
10
1
1,213
Red Planet
CheckOut.com
Ed Scharf
There are only so many life or death deadlines we can be expected to stomach in one trip to Mars as the impossible repeatedly becomes the inevitable in these all or nothing scenarios.
5/10
10
5
10
false
4
10
1
1,213
Shanghai Noon
CheckOut.com
Tim Bennett
The story is compelling enough on its own to make a good (albeit overdone) action flick.
7/10
10
7
10
false
6
10
1
1,213
The 6th Day
CheckOut.com
Ed Scharf
It's tough not to think that, despite the cutting edge subject matter, it's Arnold himself that's a little out of date.
5/10
10
5
10
false
4
10
1
1,213
The Cell
CheckOut.com
Tim Bennett
A fascinating dreamscape of mythic imagery and Biblical undertones.
8/10
10
8
10
false
7
10
1
1,213
Unbreakable
CheckOut.com
Tim Bennett
Sets a new standard for genre pictures.
7/10
10
7
10
false
6
10
1
1,213
Urban Legends: Final Cut
CheckOut.com
Ed Scharf
Hey, 'ja ever hear the one about the guy who was forced to watch yet another teen ensemble slasher flick? You know, the one where the guy can't take it any more, so he runs from the theater screaming?
4/10
10
4
10
false
3
10
1
1,213
The Way of the Gun
CheckOut.com
Ed Scharf
What makes for another intriguing plot is blown apart by unnecessarily long gun battles and a roster of distant, unsavory characters.
5/10
10
5
10
false
4
10
1
1,213
Whipped
CheckOut.com
Tim Bennett
This isn't clever. This isn't smart. It's just bad.
5/10
10
5
10
false
4
10
1
1,213
X-Men
CheckOut.com
Ron Harner
This is what a summer blockbuster should look like -- smart, sexy, tight in all the right places.
10/10
10
10
10
false
9
10
1
1,213
10,000 B.C.
Chicago Daily Herald
Jeff Bayer
Visually, historically and creatively, this film dishonors the year 10,000 B.C.
2/10
10
2
10
false
1
10
1
1,214
The Road
Chicago Daily Herald
Jeff Bayer
This is a dramatic, slow moving Mad Max with a kid along for the awful ride. It's a survival tale, and The Road should be seen for those who want to keep carrying the fire.
8/10
10
8
10
false
7
10
1
1,214
Mad Money
Chicago Daily Herald
Jeff Bayer
Comedy is difficult, but it seems like Mad Money didn't even try. It's very hard to find the jokes.
3/10
10
3
10
false
2
10
1
1,214
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Chicago Daily Herald
Jeff Bayer
Normally it's a terrible thing if a film only gives us one good character ... except when it's Indiana Jones, with a whip at his side. A terrible story can't totally ruin Jones. Thank God.
6/10
10
6
10
false
5
10
1
1,214
The Other Boleyn Girl
Chicago Daily Herald
Jeff Bayer
There isn't an enjoyable character in the bunch of this tragedy that constantly spirals downward.
5/10
10
5
10
false
4
10
1
1,214
The Secret in Their Eyes (El Secreto de Sus Ojos)
Chicago Daily Herald
Jeff Bayer
They even nail a cliche like saying goodbye at a train station. Great thriller, romance and most importantly, film.
9/10
10
9
10
false
8
10
1
1,214
Semi-Pro
Chicago Daily Herald
Jeff Bayer
The problem is that you sit down waiting to laugh, so every time you aren't, it's really noticeable.
5/10
10
5
10
false
4
10
1
1,214
Snow Angels
Chicago Daily Herald
Jeff Bayer
I just don't know anyone that I could recommend this sober film to go see. Yes, Rockwell is impressive, but it's in a role I would rather forget.
5/10
10
5
10
false
4
10
1
1,214
Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins
Chicago Daily Herald
Jeff Bayer
For all the comedians, there just aren't enough jokes unless you are shooting for the revolting variety.
2/10
10
2
10
false
1
10
1
1,214
Vince Vaughn's Wild West Comedy Show: 30 Days & 30 Nights - Hollywood to the Heartland
Chicago Daily Herald
Jeff Bayer
It is supposed to be a raucous ride of laughter, but it's thin on one important aspect: the jokes.
6/10
10
6
10
false
5
10
1
1,214
Hitchcock
Chicago Daily Herald
Dann Gire
What Hitchcock lacks in substance it makes up for with a bravo cast.
3/5
5
3
5
false
2
5
1
1,215
It
Chicago Daily Herald
Dann Gire
Creepy, killer clowns have been around for a long time, and [Bill] Skarsgard's Pennywise is one of the nastier incarnations, expressing joyous schadenfreude in the fear of the children he takes.
3/5
5
3
5
false
2
5
1
1,215
mother!
Chicago Daily Herald
Dann Gire
With its constantly prowling camera, shrewd cuts, astonishing set designs and the promise of something awful lingering on every scene, mother! makes a magnificently immersive thriller, but a superficial one.
3/5
5
3
5
false
2
5
1
1,215
Great Expectations
Chicago Reader
Megan Girdwood
This remake is the victim of its own loyalty, forgetting that the confounding of expectation is what brought the story to life in the first place.
6.2/10
10
6.2
10
false
26
46
5
1,216
All the Little Animals
Chicago Reader
Jonathan Rosenbaum
The adoption of 19th-century-melodrama conventions seems motivated mainly by a desire to tap into the emotional intensity they offer. I was enthralled by these tactics, but some viewers might gag.
3/5
5
3
5
false
2
5
1
1,217