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Irréversible
Modamag.com
Brian Orndorf
Contains crippling, extended acts of sexual violence and general inhumanity, yet, under the bleeding rawness of it all, was a film of brilliant technical achievement and unrivaled, unrelenting ferocity.
A
long_letter
null
null
false
16
18
1
1,832
Kill Bill: Volume 1
Modamag.com
Brian Orndorf
A head-spinning dream project of extraordinarily bi-polar, nutso invention, Vol. 1 is a candy store rampage, cheering on Tarantino's fetishes as he built a colorful war machine of ideal double-feature dementia.
A
long_letter
null
null
false
16
18
1
1,832
Lost In Translation
Modamag.com
Brian Orndorf
A relationship picture with elegant connective tissue; it's brittle and real, focused on the nuances of body language and unspoken desire, while indulging in a cheeky bit of knowing absurdity when the mood strikes.
A
long_letter
null
null
false
16
18
1
1,832
Open Range
Modamag.com
Brian Orndorf
Range is handed a stunning period scope by Costner's directorial eye, while forming an unexpectedly tender core to help endear these character past their grizzled exterior.
A
long_letter
null
null
false
16
18
1
1,832
Punch-Drunk Love
Modamag.com
Brian Orndorf
While certainly sweet, Love is more compelling as a veiled threat, with Anderson jerking the audience around, wielding abrasive characters and hostile situations in a manner I've come to adore.
A
long_letter
null
null
false
16
18
1
1,832
Reign of Fire
Modamag.com
Brian Orndorf
The tale requires suspension of disbelief on a scale that rivals The Great Wall Of China. But the film is an enjoyable enough romp through dragons and destruction that has the right ideas for this genre, if not the best script to execute them to end game.
B
long_letter
null
null
false
13
18
1
1,832
Sanctum
Modamag.com
Harvey S. Karten
Lacking plot and witty dialogue, this deserves a 'fresh' strictly for its photography.
B-
long_letter
null
null
false
12
18
1
1,832
Summer Catch
Modamag.com
Brian Orndorf
The element of Summer Catch that sours it all for good is that so many actors decided it would be a good idea to be in this film.
F
long_letter
null
null
false
1
18
1
1,832
The Royal Tenenbaums
Modamag.com
Brian Orndorf
The filmmaker's great conjunction picture, where every element, from casting to cinematography, found perfect alignment, bringing about Anderson's most emotionally pulling, visually arresting feature.
A
long_letter
null
null
false
16
18
1
1,832
True Grit
Modamag.com
Harvey S. Karten
Its great strength is its contrast between a brash young innocent and a seen-it-all, laid-back older man.
B
long_letter
null
null
false
13
18
1
1,832
Water for Elephants
Modamag.com
Harvey S. Karten
One of the better pics from Hollywood but you won't want to run away to join this circus.
B
long_letter
null
null
false
13
18
1
1,832
X2: X-Men United
Modamag.com
Brian Orndorf
For this brief shining moment, the "X-Men" universe held perfect pitch, and funny book movies had a new standard of execution to live up to.
A
long_letter
null
null
false
16
18
1
1,832
Rent
Modern Fabulousity
Gabriel Shanks
Heart is the core and foundation of Rent, and it is what powers the film past its flaws into a truly transformative experience.
A
long_letter
null
null
false
16
18
1
1,833
The New World
Modern Fabulousity
Gabriel Shanks
In Malick's hands, Pocahontas' story becomes a metaphoric seduction straight out of Nabokov.
C-
long_letter
null
null
false
9
18
1
1,833
For Your Consideration
Modern Fabulousity
Gabriel Shanks
For Your Consideration feels under-cooked, with easy potshots at an indulgent Hollywood studio system and a pervasively dull atmosphere.
C-
long_letter
null
null
false
9
18
1
1,833
Across the Universe
Modern Fabulousity
Gabriel Shanks
The thin narrative wobbles like an alcoholic after last call.
C-
long_letter
null
null
false
9
18
1
1,833
Australia
Modern Fabulousity
Gabriel Shanks
A wildly enjoyable experience, reconstituting some of the great traditions of the art form in engaging, unexpected ways.
B+
long_letter
null
null
false
14
18
1
1,833
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
Modern Fabulousity
Gabriel Shanks
The real kudos should go to screenwriter Kelly Masterson, who provocatively mixed a crime drama premise into a film exploring the legacy of damage family members impose upon one another.
B+
long_letter
null
null
false
14
18
1
1,833
Boy Culture
Modern Fabulousity
Gabriel Shanks
Brocka leaps into the small circle of leading queer filmmakers of our time, sculpting an unpredictable romance that is complex, sophisticated and thoughtful.
A-
long_letter
null
null
false
15
18
1
1,833
Children of Men
Modern Fabulousity
Gabriel Shanks
Whatever else may or may not work, Children of Men at least has this: a great idea. It is too bad, then, that the movie surrounding the idea is not equally great.
B-
long_letter
null
null
false
12
18
1
1,833
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Modern Fabulousity
Gabriel Shanks
The most important word in the title of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is "curious."
B-
long_letter
null
null
false
12
18
1
1,833
Defiance
Modern Fabulousity
Gabriel Shanks
Undercuts its own dramatic concerns by alternating heavy-handed moralism with the style of contemporary action franchises, dulling and smoothing out the horrifying edges of murder.
B-
long_letter
null
null
false
12
18
1
1,833
Dreamgirls
Modern Fabulousity
Gabriel Shanks
A triumph of execution, of a marvelous narrative and iconic characters, of a dazzling score and a winning production design.
A
long_letter
null
null
false
16
18
1
1,833
Frost/Nixon
Modern Fabulousity
Gabriel Shanks
An indisputably superb entertainment with a dubious claim to veritas.
B
long_letter
null
null
false
13
18
1
1,833
Hairspray
Modern Fabulousity
Gabriel Shanks
A film that nearly screams its desire to please in every frame; in its very design, it demands your attention, has you tapping your toes before the opening montage is through, and frames its soft messages of tolerance so broadly that only Hitler could be
B+
long_letter
null
null
false
14
18
1
1,833
The History Boys
Modern Fabulousity
Gabriel Shanks
The move to celluloid has defanged the piece, leaving a shaggy, smartassed and sentimental dramedy in its place.
C+
long_letter
null
null
false
11
18
1
1,833
Into the Wild
Modern Fabulousity
Gabriel Shanks
Contrary to the lessons we learned in Werner Herzog's Grizzly Man, large bears will not always eat irritating hippie man-children. Damn shame.
C
long_letter
null
null
false
10
18
1
1,833
I've Loved You So Long
Modern Fabulousity
Gabriel Shanks
Watching this sublime actress, utilizing a minimum of text and a slow-burn intensity, is one of the more exhilarating experiences to be had in a cinema
B
long_letter
null
null
false
13
18
1
1,833
Juno
Modern Fabulousity
Gabriel Shanks
A quirky comic indie with a too-too-clever screenplay, dialogue that seems tailored to the club-kid generation, and a sentimental streak a mile wide.
B-
long_letter
null
null
false
12
18
1
1,833
Kinky Boots
Modern Fabulousity
Gabriel Shanks
Far too insubstantial to make any interesting use of its social agenda, and the easy answers it finds about prejudice and bigotry strain credibility.
C
long_letter
null
null
false
10
18
1
1,833
The Kite Runner
Modern Fabulousity
Gabriel Shanks
Fights a losing battle to reconcile authenticity with performances that vary widely in quality.
C
long_letter
null
null
false
10
18
1
1,833
The Last King of Scotland
Modern Fabulousity
Gabriel Shanks
Whitaker and McAvoy inhabit their roles so fully that the film around them transforms into a major document of 1970's cultural myopia.
A-
long_letter
null
null
false
15
18
1
1,833
Live Free or Die Hard
Modern Fabulousity
Gabriel Shanks
In this fourth film, John McClane becomes a retrofitted icon; unadorned and simple, brutally back-to-basic, he's an action hero for an America uncomfortable with the rapid changes of the new millennium.
B
long_letter
null
null
false
13
18
1
1,833
The Lookout
Modern Fabulousity
Gabriel Shanks
This unlikely heist movie is really another showcase for rising star Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
A-
long_letter
null
null
false
15
18
1
1,833
Match Point
Modern Fabulousity
Gabriel Shanks
A surprising return to form for the venerated director, recalling (if not matching) his best work from the 80's.
B
long_letter
null
null
false
13
18
1
1,833
Memoirs of a Geisha
Modern Fabulousity
Gabriel Shanks
Instead of revealing the inner sanctum of Japan's traditionalist heart, Geisha wades clumsily through a series of beautiful sets, hackneyed plots and stunning costumes.
C
long_letter
null
null
false
10
18
1
1,833
Michael Clayton
Modern Fabulousity
Gabriel Shanks
In some scenes, Clayton is the kick in the pants the whodunit genre desperately needs
B+
long_letter
null
null
false
14
18
1
1,833
Milk
Modern Fabulousity
Gabriel Shanks
In Van Sant's hands, it's both a story for the ages, and a story for our age.
B+
long_letter
null
null
false
14
18
1
1,833
Tell No One (Ne le Dis à Personne)
Modern Fabulousity
Gabriel Shanks
Easily one of the best films of the year.
A-
long_letter
null
null
false
15
18
1
1,833
No Country for Old Men
Modern Fabulousity
Gabriel Shanks
Like The Crying Game, Pulp Fiction and other films that shift paradigms in mid-stream, there's more happening than meets the eye....Stark and spare, it's often a gasp-inducing, armrest-clutching experience.
A
long_letter
null
null
false
16
18
1
1,833
Once
Modern Fabulousity
Gabriel Shanks
Astonishing...it cleaves through the conventions of the musical form, leaving the raw emotion but junking the showy glitz.
A-
long_letter
null
null
false
15
18
1
1,833
The Painted Veil
Modern Fabulousity
Gabriel Shanks
[The] finest moments are the small, barely perceptible pinpricks of human cruelty...especially those induced by race, gender, and class.
B+
long_letter
null
null
false
14
18
1
1,833
Pan's Labyrinth
Modern Fabulousity
Gabriel Shanks
Too adult for children and too simplistic for most adults, it ultimately leaves us with some of the prettiest cinematic pictures of the year. And nothing more.
D
long_letter
null
null
false
7
18
1
1,833
The Producers
Modern Fabulousity
Gabriel Shanks
Carries its lumpy theatrical bulk like a rucksack instead of as the dazzling firecracker it is.
C-
long_letter
null
null
false
9
18
1
1,833
Quantum of Solace
Modern Fabulousity
Gabriel Shanks
Owes more of a karmic debt, in stylistic terms, to Paul Greengrass' Bourne Supremacy than to the amused elegance of Sean Connery.
B+
long_letter
null
null
false
14
18
1
1,833
The Reader
Modern Fabulousity
Gabriel Shanks
One of the most eloquent documents of personal awakening ever to be committed to celluloid.
B+
long_letter
null
null
false
14
18
1
1,833
Revolutionary Road
Modern Fabulousity
Gabriel Shanks
An actors' showcase for its iconic duo...and both have grown impressively since they last swooned shipside.
B
long_letter
null
null
false
13
18
1
1,833
The Savages
Modern Fabulousity
Gabriel Shanks
Eloquently makes the case that Philip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney are the most dextrous actors of their generation.
A-
long_letter
null
null
false
15
18
1
1,833
Southland Tales
Modern Fabulousity
Gabriel Shanks
If Mulholland Drive had a prettier, younger, and developmentally-challenged sister, it would be Southland Tales.
C-
long_letter
null
null
false
9
18
1
1,833
The Devil Wears Prada
Modern Fabulousity
Gabriel Shanks
If fashion is indeed a special brand of terrorism, then Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep), editrix of the fictional magazine Runway, is the Osama bin Laden of Fifth Avenue.
B+
long_letter
null
null
false
14
18
1
1,833
The Fountain
Modern Fabulousity
Gabriel Shanks
You have to look back to Malick or Kubrick to find an American filmmaker offering up such a challenging vision to a mainstream audience without apology.
B+
long_letter
null
null
false
14
18
1
1,833
The Science of Sleep
Modern Fabulousity
Gabriel Shanks
Even though the visual fireworks of Gondry's mind keep you attentive, his clumsy stutterings about love and honesty are painfully underdeveloped.
C+
long_letter
null
null
false
11
18
1
1,833
The Wrestler
Modern Fabulousity
Gabriel Shanks
The slow-burning engine at the heart of the film is Rourke, whose tender, subtle turn is a revelation.
B+
long_letter
null
null
false
14
18
1
1,833
United 93
Modern Fabulousity
Gabriel Shanks
It has more to say about our collective failure, our rage, our sadness, our faith, our courage, our mistakes, and our regret than a million reviews (including this one).
A
long_letter
null
null
false
16
18
1
1,833
What Doesn't Kill You
Modern Fabulousity
Gabriel Shanks
Little more than a middling variation on gangster thematics, better explored in The Sopranos and elsewhere.
C-
long_letter
null
null
false
9
18
1
1,833
Game of Death
Modern Horrors
Luke Rodriguez
Game of Death doesn't care about your socially charged sub-plots; it only wants mayhem, and that's exactly what it delivers.
7.3/10
10
7.3
10
false
63
91
10
1,834
Uncle Peckerhead
Modern Horrors
Luke Rodriguez
Hyperviolent deaths, a hilarious script, and a pitch-perfect cast of lovable weirdos make Uncle Peckerhead the first must-see horror comedy of 2020.
7/10
10
7
10
false
60
91
10
1,834
24 Hours on Craigslist
Monsters At Play
Scott Weinberg
The flick itself gets a B-, but the DVD is grade-A impressive all the way.
3.5/5
5
3.5
5
false
5
9
2
1,835
Creepshow 2
Monsters At Play
Scott Weinberg
If you already know and love Creepshow, the sequel's something you'll probably enjoy...in a Jaws 2 or Halloween 2 kind of way.
3.5/5
5
3.5
5
false
5
9
2
1,835
Harlequin (Dark Forces) (The Minister's Magician)
Monsters At Play
Scott Weinberg
Quaintly entertaining little horror chestnut...if you're into old-fashioned Rasputin-lite rehashes and late 70's decor.
2.5/5
5
2.5
5
false
3
9
2
1,835
Evilspeak
Monsters At Play
Scott Weinberg
Recommendable only to the staunchest of horror geeks, like myself, Evilspeak is a fairly noteworthy little horror chestnut for a variety of colorful reasons.
3/5
5
3
5
false
4
9
2
1,835
Gothika
Monsters At Play
Scott Weinberg
An ceaseless stream of Fake Scares, Dream Sequences, and Shrieking Halles.
1.5/5
5
1.5
5
false
1
9
2
1,835
The Driller Killer
Monsters At Play
Scott Weinberg
There's a grim, grimy and rather unsettling vibe to the thing; this is not the sort of horror movie where you "root" for the oft-maligned misfit.
3.5/5
5
3.5
5
false
5
9
2
1,835
Men at Work
Monsters and Critics
Ron Wilkinson
How many Iranian skiers does it take to tear down a mountain?
3.5/4
4
3.5
4
false
5
7
2
1,836
Aftermath (Poklosie)
Monsters and Critics
Ron Wilkinson
An atmospheric triumph.
4/5
5
4
5
false
6
9
2
1,837
Control (Kontroll)
Monsters and Critics
Ron Wilkinson
A fascinating story and film about the down-under in us all.
4/5
5
4
5
false
6
9
2
1,837
Monogamy
Monsters and Critics
Ron Wilkinson
Music supervisor Bernheim and DP Doug Emmett are able to choreograph the action in conjunction with the music to generate fantastic resonance in the scenes.
3.5/5
5
3.5
5
false
5
9
2
1,837
The Death of Mr. Lazarescu
Monsters and Critics
Ron Wilkinson
It's rainy and dark as death in Bucharest in a tale of that last ride on Medicare.
3.5/5
5
3.5
5
false
5
9
2
1,837
I'll Be There
Montreal Film Journal
Kevin N. Laforest
Little more than What a Banger Sister's Girl Wants Over the Still Crazy Cuckoo's Nest.
26/100
100
26
100
false
25
100
1
1,838
Kedma
Montreal Film Journal
Kevin N. Laforest
Seems slow and aimless for half of its running time, but the last stretch is riveting and thought-provoking.
44/100
100
44
100
false
43
100
1
1,838
La Petite Lili
Montreal Film Journal
Kevin N. Laforest
A reflection on film itself, setting up a conflict between cinema as art and as an industry, between movies that reach for lyricism and those that just try to entertain.
67/100
100
67
100
false
66
100
1
1,838
Aguirre, the Wrath of God (Aguirre, der Zorn Gottes)
Montreal Film Journal
Kevin N. Laforest
One of the best films ever made.
5/5
5
5
5
false
4
5
1
1,839
Eddie Murphy Raw
Montreal Film Journal
Kevin N. Laforest
Made me laugh until my jaw literally hurt.
5/5
5
5
5
false
4
5
1
1,839
Even Dwarfs Started Small (Auch Zwerge haben klein angefangen)
Montreal Film Journal
Kevin N. Laforest
Weirdest movie ever.
3/5
5
3
5
false
2
5
1
1,839
Hook
Montreal Film Journal
Kevin N. Laforest
The Peter Pan story is a great one, so that keeps this modern retelling going for the most part, but on the whole it's too corny and not magical enough.
2/5
5
2
5
false
1
5
1
1,839
Seconds
Montreal Film Journal
Kevin N. Laforest
Criminally underseen sci-fi masterpiece.
5/5
5
5
5
false
4
5
1
1,839
Canvas
Montreal Gazette
John Griffin
It's worth hanging on for where Greco goes with this.
3/4
4
3
4
false
4
7
2
1,840
Dheepan
Montreal Gazette
T'Cha Dunlevy
Despite its violent dénouement, this is for the most part an understated, cinematically rich, shrewdly observational film.
4/4
4
4
4
false
6
7
2
1,840
Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and Rebel
Montreal Gazette
John Griffin
Those who consider Hefner a man who made fortunes by exploiting women in his magazine should find no reason to change their minds after watching this fascinating, illuminating document of America during a time of profound change.
3.5/4
4
3.5
4
false
5
7
2
1,840
Whiplash
Montreal Gazette
T'Cha Dunlevy
The riveting tale of a power-tripping music teacher who pushes his star pupil to - and beyond - the brink.
4/4
4
4
4
false
6
7
2
1,840
Alone
Morbidly Beautiful
Stephanie Malone
A riveting remake of a 2011 Swedish film, John Hyams' gripping survival thriller "Alone" blends unrelenting tension with well-written characters, strong realism, and stunning cinematography.
4/5
5
4
5
false
6
9
2
1,841
The Curse of Buckout Road
Morbidly Beautiful
Stephanie Malone
Puts a clever new spin on urban legends while paying loving homage to midnight horror
4/5
5
4
5
false
6
9
2
1,841
Uncle Peckerhead
Morbidly Beautiful
Stephanie Malone
A fun, Faustian tale with a horror comedy twist, "Uncle Peckerhead" delivers heart, humor, punk rock mayhem, and a heavy dose of well-executed gore.
3.5/5
5
3.5
5
false
5
9
2
1,841
Up on the Glass
Morbidly Beautiful
Stephanie Malone
With compelling performances and strong direction, Up on the Glass will keep you on the edge of your seat...
3.5/5
5
3.5
5
false
5
9
2
1,841
Home of the Brave
Mount Desert Islander
Kam Williams
Patriotic claptrap masquerading as a touchy-feely salute to the troops.
1/4
4
1
4
false
0
4
1
1,842
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Ken Hanke
Strained, obvious slapstick played at full volume by an overly energetic cast trying way too hard to sell the movie's weak gags.
2/4
4
2
4
false
2
7
2
1,843
Black Christmas
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Ken Hanke
Just another slasher flick that stopped off at the theater on its way to the $5.50 dump bin at Wal-Mart.
2/4
4
2
4
false
2
7
2
1,843
Self Medicated
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Ken Hanke
A daunting and impressive debut.
3.5/4
4
3.5
4
false
5
7
2
1,843
The Heat
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Ken Hanke
I chuckled once.
1.5/4
4
1.5
4
false
1
7
2
1,843
Annie
Movie Bitches
Andrew Galdi
I really hated it. It was so awful in so many regards.
3/10
10
3
10
false
4
19
2
1,844
Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes
Movie Bitches
Andrew Galdi
It was competently made... for the most part.
6.5/10
10
6.5
10
false
11
19
2
1,844
A Goofy Movie
Movie Bitches
Avaryl Halley
A childhood favorite with tons of heart and a lot of laughs!
10/10
10
10
10
false
18
19
2
1,844
A Goofy Movie
Movie Bitches
Andrew Galdi
Yes, there's a lot more murder than I remembered, but this movie is great!
9.5/10
10
9.5
10
false
17
19
2
1,844
Inherent Vice
Movie Bitches
Andrew Galdi
It's like watching a film noir while stoned... Nothing makes sense.
6.5/10
10
6.5
10
false
11
19
2
1,844
Interstellar
Movie Bitches
Andrew Galdi
I guess the take away is all you need is love... and morse code?
7/10
10
7
10
false
12
19
2
1,844
Into the Woods
Movie Bitches
Andrew Galdi
I wish... this movie was better.
5.5/10
10
5.5
10
false
9
19
2
1,844
Jupiter Ascending
Movie Bitches
Andrew Galdi
I don't think I can recommend it.
5/10
10
5
10
false
8
19
2
1,844
Lucy
Movie Bitches
Andrew Galdi
It's like it's the prequel to "Her."
5.5/10
10
5.5
10
false
9
19
2
1,844
Money Monster
Movie Bitches
Andrew Galdi
I was pleasantly surprised by this movie.
7.5/10
10
7.5
10
false
13
19
2
1,844
Pitch Perfect 2
Movie Bitches
Andrew Galdi
It's basically the "Hangover 2" of a cappella movies.
5/10
10
5
10
false
8
19
2
1,844