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Tim Burton's Corpse Bride
Sci-Fi Weekly
Michael Szymanski
This is a death story that's fun for the whole family. It's typical Burton, and that's what makes it so subversively fine...
A-
long_letter
null
null
false
15
18
1
2,145
Doom
Sci-Fi Weekly
Michael Szymanski
After something goes horribly wrong at a science lab, Martian monsters get to smell what The Rock is cookin'
C+
long_letter
null
null
false
11
18
1
2,145
Herbie: Fully Loaded
Sci-Fi Weekly
Michael Szymanski
Hopefully, this movie will neither encourage the trend of guys naming their cars -- or body parts -- nor bring back the VW bug...
C-
long_letter
null
null
false
9
18
1
2,145
The Hills Have Eyes
Sci-Fi Weekly
Michael Szymanski
It was going to take a lot to sell me on the remake. It delivered.
A
long_letter
null
null
false
16
18
1
2,145
Ice Age 2: The Meltdown
Sci-Fi Weekly
Michael Szymanski
It's all about Scrat, that plain-looking Every-squirrel who never gives up, and it's only a matter of time before he gets his own feature.
B-
long_letter
null
null
false
12
18
1
2,145
The Illusionist
Sci-Fi Weekly
Michael Szymanski
It's tough to mix SF and romance successfully in a costume period film, but so far, this is the Somewhere in Time of this millennium
A
long_letter
null
null
false
16
18
1
2,145
Just Like Heaven
Sci-Fi Weekly
Michael Szymanski
Ever wonder about having a relationship with someone who would just disappear every so often? Well, that materializes here-and sometimes it doesn't look too bad
B+
long_letter
null
null
false
14
18
1
2,145
The Lake House
Sci-Fi Weekly
Michael Szymanski
Time-travel films often bring up a lot of questions, and they often fall apart with thoughtful scrutiny, but that's part of the fun. However, one shouldn't be wondering that the only benefit these two have with this magical mailbox connection is that they
D-
long_letter
null
null
false
6
18
1
2,145
Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro (Rupan sansei: Kariosutoro no shiro)
Sci-Fi Weekly
Tasha Robinson
Monkey Punch's lanky, flapping heroes contrast somewhat oddly with Miyazaki's fine-featured, trim subsidiary characters, but "Castle" moves along at such a brisk pace that it's hard to concentrate on anything but keeping up with the ride.
A
long_letter
null
null
false
16
18
1
2,145
Monster House
Sci-Fi Weekly
Michael Szymanski
This is not only going to make the little ones jump, but it made a few big ones (like me) jump, too! It's scary
B+
long_letter
null
null
false
14
18
1
2,145
Over the Hedge
Sci-Fi Weekly
Michael Szymanski
As a film buff I certainly appreciated the obscure film references, but gosh, some of these are way dated
C
long_letter
null
null
false
10
18
1
2,145
Perfect Blue
Sci-Fi Weekly
Tasha Robinson
Perfect Blue's success lies in the twisted, self-referential storyline that intercuts reality with fantasy so fluidly that viewers inevitably take on Mima's shattered point of view, unable to distinguish the truth until the stunning conclusion.
A
long_letter
null
null
false
16
18
1
2,145
Scary Movie 4
Sci-Fi Weekly
Michael Szymanski
Has the fourth of any film series ever worked? This does! It's a franchise that could keep on scaring up the spoofs and mixed metaphors till the cows come home to roost.
B+
long_letter
null
null
false
14
18
1
2,145
Silent Hill
Sci-Fi Weekly
Michael Szymanski
As a fluke, I took my mom (also named Rose) to the screening. She doesn't like SF or horror and doesn't even know what a video game is, yet she ended up really liking it! How weird is that?
A-
long_letter
null
null
false
15
18
1
2,145
Tamara
Sci-Fi Weekly
Michael Szymanski
You know things aren't going well when it gets tedious watching a teen girl strut around in short shorts and a loose top and you're waiting for her to use the ax and get it over with
D-
long_letter
null
null
false
6
18
1
2,145
The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D
Sci-Fi Weekly
Michael Szymanski
My 3-year-old kept his glasses on through most of the film, he remembered characters' names and he didn't potty in his pants. That alone is worth the price of admission.
C+
long_letter
null
null
false
11
18
1
2,145
The Messengers
Sci-Fi Weekly
Staci Layne Wilson
The Messengers does deliver on jump scares, compelling characters, top-notch acting from the entire cast, nice atmosphere and excellent cinematography augmented by a lush color palette.
B-
long_letter
null
null
false
12
18
1
2,145
UNDEAD
Sci-Fi Weekly
Michael Szymanski
Aliens, zombies, meteors, viruses, flying saucers -- you truly have to appreciate how these guys mixed genres and kept up a level of humor and action ...
B-
long_letter
null
null
false
12
18
1
2,145
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
Sci-Fi Weekly
Michael Szymanski
An Oscar-winning comedy duo finally debuts in a feature film, and it's just as harebrained as you'd expec
B-
long_letter
null
null
false
12
18
1
2,145
Zathura: A Space Adventure
Sci-Fi Weekly
Michael Szymanski
When two kids discover a futuristic board game in the basement, the results prove to be out of this world
B
long_letter
null
null
false
13
18
1
2,145
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
SciFi.com
Todd Gilchrist
A film with the epic scope of a crowd-pleaser but the subtlety of an introspective character study, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is at once intimate and sweeping, and one of the year's very best films.
A
short_letter
null
null
false
5
6
1
2,146
Orphan
Scotland on Sunday
Rosanna Chianta
If Esther materialises silently and unexpectedly once at the edge of the camera, she does it a dozen times - but this is merely the film warming up its trash aesthetic before heading onwards to a memorably queasy finale.
3/5
5
3
5
false
2
5
1
2,147
A Most Violent Year
Scotland on Sunday
Siobhan Synnot
A Most Violent Year may lack originality but there are fine performances throughout, especially from Isaac.
4/5
5
4
5
false
3
5
1
2,147
Amour
Scotland on Sunday
Siobhan Synnot
The performances of the two astonishing French actors in Amour makes this a gripping and possibly provocative drama.
5/5
5
5
5
false
4
5
1
2,147
Annie
Scotland on Sunday
Siobhan Synnot
This remake updates the musical to include hip-hop stylings, Twitter updates and YouTube references, but any charm has been left behind in John Huston's 1982 film.
2/5
5
2
5
false
1
5
1
2,147
Arbitrage
Scotland on Sunday
Siobhan Synnot
This may be the role that Gere has been suited for since he first threw on the Armani for American Gigolo.
4/5
5
4
5
false
3
5
1
2,147
Birdman
Scotland on Sunday
Siobhan Synnot
As a flight of fancy, Birdman swoops gleefully on artistic tropes and tics, but it never soars.
3/5
5
3
5
false
2
5
1
2,147
Black Sea
Scotland on Sunday
Siobhan Synnot
Director Kevin Macdonald creates some great scenes of subaquatic tension, but Law's Aberdonian accent makes Groundskeeper Willie sound authentic.
3/5
5
3
5
false
2
5
1
2,147
Joe
Scotland on Sunday
Siobhan Synnot
Moody, melancholy and well-intentioned, Joe works better as a character study than the melodramatic parable that it eventually embraces.
3/5
5
3
5
false
2
5
1
2,147
Kick-Ass 2
Scotland on Sunday
Siobhan Synnot
This time the transgressive punch-ups feel awfully forced.
3/5
5
3
5
false
2
5
1
2,147
Kingsman: The Secret Service
Scotland on Sunday
Siobhan Synnot
Firth is the lynchpin of Kingsman. It's a pleasure to watch him take down a pub full of heavies, but Firth also brings a suave wit to his line readings and a moral core to the over-caffeinated violence.
4/5
5
4
5
false
3
5
1
2,147
Men, Women & Children
Scotland on Sunday
Siobhan Synnot
A new film, but the themes are old and tired.
2/5
5
2
5
false
1
5
1
2,147
Quantum of Solace
Scotland on Sunday
Siobhan Synnot
Maybe Bond is still an action figure whose default setting is beating up bad guys, pulling out a gun and running across roofs. But if boys have to be boys, it's a huge relief to know the new Bond age is confident enough to keep them conflicted about it.
3/5
5
3
5
false
2
5
1
2,147
Skyfall
Scotland on Sunday
Siobhan Synnot
Overall, Skyfall is an accomplished action movie which allows Bond a little more psychological complexity and stronger emotional beats.
4/5
5
4
5
false
3
5
1
2,147
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Scotland on Sunday
Siobhan Synnot
Every shot is gorgeously framed, with screwball rhythms patterned after 1930s European ironists such as Ernst Lubitsch and Billy Wilder.
5/5
5
5
5
false
4
5
1
2,147
The Hunger Games
Scotland on Sunday
Siobhan Synnot
Does it really matter that this is not an entirely new idea? Nope.
3/5
5
3
5
false
2
5
1
2,147
The Wolverine
Scotland on Sunday
Siobhan Synnot
It's laudable that Wolverine tries to show cultural curiosity outside all-American heroism. It's just unfortunate that whenever the action stops, Wolverine in Japan has the same kind of clunk as You Only Live Twice.
3/5
5
3
5
false
2
5
1
2,147
The Ugly Truth
Scotland on Sunday
null
The ugly truth about this limp misfire is that its plotting springs not from a lack of imagination, but from a lack of respect for light romance and the audience. It's only a "chick flick" and we're only sentimentalists - so who cares?
2/5
5
2
5
false
1
5
1
2,147
Unbroken
Scotland on Sunday
Siobhan Synnot
The problem is that Jolie cannot bring herself to be selective, instead cramming all of these incidents into one movie. The result is a picture that never hits its stride.
3/5
5
3
5
false
2
5
1
2,147
X-Men: Days of Future Past
Scotland on Sunday
Siobhan Synnot
I like that X-Men eschews the hipster cynicism of other superhero movies, and that Singer encourages the cast to give their performances Shakespearian vigour.
3/5
5
3
5
false
2
5
1
2,147
Old Dogs
Scotsman
Alistair Harkness
You've never experienced horror until you've seen Robin Williams in a Speedo getting a spray tan.
1/4
4
1
4
false
0
4
1
2,148
The Ghost Writer
Scotsman
Damon Smith
Polanski polishes the lacklustre material and his impeccable style creates the illusion of suspense where our steady pulse tells us there is none.
3/4
4
3
4
false
2
4
1
2,148
Repo Men
Scotsman
null
The film bounces from knockaround black comedy to gruesome action film to not-quite-clever-enough sci-fi mindbender, without ever establishing a consistent tone or a style that works.
2/4
4
2
4
false
1
4
1
2,148
Remember Me
Scotsman
Alistair Harkness
Pattinson, while unlikely to win over doubters, acquits himself well enough to suggest a career beyond moody bloodsucking.
3/4
4
3
4
false
2
4
1
2,148
Cemetery Junction
Scotsman
null
A romanticised but still truthful look at how difficult it is to cut the ties to the hometown of your childhood and actually strike out on your own...
3/4
4
3
4
false
2
4
1
2,148
City of Life and Death
Scotsman
null
It's a tough watch, but it will leave you stunned in a way that war films don't often manage.
4/4
4
4
4
false
3
4
1
2,148
Clash of the Titans
Scotsman
Mike McCahill
Cheesier than the fondue at a Roman orgy.
2/4
4
2
4
false
1
4
1
2,148
Dear John
Scotsman
null
Prettifies heartache and hardship to the point where it barely has any meaning at all.
2/4
4
2
4
false
1
4
1
2,148
Dolittle
Scotsman
Alistair Harkness
Aside from an intriguing opening that introduces us to Dolittle as a grief-stricken recluse living in a country mansion with a menagerie of exotic animal pals, the film fails to enchant on any level.
1/4
4
1
4
false
0
4
1
2,148
Exit Through The Gift Shop
Scotsman
Alistair Harkness
It's very funny and offers an amusing take-down of the pretentiousness of the art world and the way that it can be corrupted and co-opted by big money.
4/4
4
4
4
false
3
4
1
2,148
I Am Love
Scotsman
Alistair Harkness
This lavish Italian melodrama has had festival crowds and critics cooing, but it's hard to see what all the fuss is about beyond the luscious visuals and American composer John Adams's off-kilter score.
2/4
4
2
4
false
1
4
1
2,148
I Love You Phillip Morris
Scotsman
Alistair Harkness
Carrey demonstrates an ability to successfully flit between the kind of flat-out slapstick physical humour with which he made his name and that darker, more disturbing strain of comedy he never quite nailed in early efforts such as The Cable Guy.
3/4
4
3
4
false
2
4
1
2,148
Iron Man 2
Scotsman
Alistair Harkness
Iron Man 2 feels less like a proper sequel and more like an extended, very expensive infomercial for Marvel's future superhero movie slate.
2/4
4
2
4
false
1
4
1
2,148
Nanny McPhee Returns
Scotsman
Alistair Harkness
Writer/producer/star Emma Thompson resurrects the titular, magic-practising child-carer of her 2005 Mary Poppins-riffing hit for yet more old-fashioned, family-centric fun in this slightly improved sequel.
3/4
4
3
4
false
2
4
1
2,148
The Spy Next Door
Scotsman
Alistair Harkness
[It] may be a sign that age has finally caught up with this once most agile of action heroes.
2/4
4
2
4
false
1
4
1
2,148
Storm (Sturm)
Scotsman
Alistair Harkness
Shot in an appropriately dry, non-sensational style, German director Hans-Christian Schmid's courtroom thriller does a decent job of exposing the complexities of the issue and the way bureaucratic cowardice can blight and skew morality.
3/4
4
3
4
false
2
4
1
2,148
The Infidel
Scotsman
Alistair Harkness
The film slugs along, never bad, exactly, but never funny either, and as it works towards its vaguely farcical resolution, it starts to resemble every other lame Brit-com.
2/4
4
2
4
false
1
4
1
2,148
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Scotsman
Alastair McKay
The best thing about The Return of the King is Ian McKellen, who lends Shakespearean gravitas to his portrayal of the weary wizard.
3/4
4
3
4
false
2
4
1
2,148
Valhalla Rising
Scotsman
Alistair Harkness
It's not the easiest film to get a handle on, but there's something great about how unashamedly wigged-out and strange it is, and it confirms Refn as one of the most fascinating directors working.
4/4
4
4
4
false
3
4
1
2,148
Hamlet
Scott Mantz' Movie Reviews
Scott A. Mantz
If you're looking for a unique and modernized version of a timeless classic, then this Hamlet is the thing.
4/4
4
4
4
false
3
4
1
2,149
Chuck & Buck
Scott Mantz' Movie Reviews
Scott A. Mantz
Despite its disturbing surface, it remains a touching and heartwarming story.
4/4
4
4
4
false
3
4
1
2,149
Pitch Black
Scott Mantz' Movie Reviews
Scott A. Mantz
While Pitch Black offers plenty in terms of cheap thrills and jolting scares, there's little else to justify it as a worthy moviegoing experience.
2/4
4
2
4
false
1
4
1
2,149
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
Scott Mantz' Movie Reviews
Scott A. Mantz
As an artist, Lucas is lacking, but as a businessman he knows his stuff.
1/4
4
1
4
false
0
4
1
2,149
A Hologram for the King
Screen Comment
Nathanael Hood
It's also one of the first, if not THE first, American film I've watched that suggests that it's the West that needs the Middle East's economic influence, not the other way around.
7/10
10
7
10
false
6
10
1
2,150
A Kind of Murder
Screen Comment
Nathanael Hood
It feels more like an exercise in defining the mechanics of suspense than in actually utilizing them.
6/10
10
6
10
false
5
10
1
2,150
Always Shine
Screen Comment
Nathanael Hood
It's not a good film, but I'd be damned if I said I didn't love every minute of it.
6/10
10
6
10
false
5
10
1
2,150
Applesauce
Screen Comment
Nathanael Hood
But I can't help but feel that his central message of the importance of empathy gets muddled by the slapdash storytelling.
6/10
10
6
10
false
5
10
1
2,150
AWOL
Screen Comment
Nathanael Hood
Completely bereft of momentum, it staggers and stumbles its torturous way through an eighty five-minute run-time without offering anything creative or original.
4/10
10
4
10
false
3
10
1
2,150
Bad Rap
Screen Comment
Nathanael Hood
It spends far too little time focusing on the actual history of Asian American rappers...and poorly divides time between the four main rappers.
6/10
10
6
10
false
5
10
1
2,150
Do Not Resist
Screen Comment
Nathanael Hood
...an essential snapshot of American history.
8/10
10
8
10
false
7
10
1
2,150
Elvis & Nixon
Screen Comment
Nathanael Hood
The film is concerned with the collision of egos, the interplay between two very public figures unsure of how much of their guard or personas they should let down in each other's presence.
8/10
10
8
10
false
7
10
1
2,150
High-Rise
Screen Comment
Nathanael Hood
...a jumbled mess of a film.
4/10
10
4
10
false
3
10
1
2,150
Hunt for the Wilderpeople
Screen Comment
Nathanael Hood
Hunt for the Wilderpeople masks its earnest sweetness with a giggling distrust of authority, making it at once heartfelt and mischievous.
7/10
10
7
10
false
6
10
1
2,150
Ixcanul
Screen Comment
Nathanael Hood
The film is comfortably languid.
8/10
10
8
10
false
7
10
1
2,150
Life, Animated
Screen Comment
Nathanael Hood
But Life, Animated doesn't seem to have enough confidence in Suskind's story to let it speak for itself.
5/10
10
5
10
false
4
10
1
2,150
Nerdland
Screen Comment
Nathanael Hood
It isn't even that funny.
5/10
10
5
10
false
4
10
1
2,150
Slow West
Screen Comment
Nathanael Hood
It's so obsessed with being a well-constructed, socially conscious film that it forgets to be a good one.
6/10
10
6
10
false
5
10
1
2,150
Special Correspondents
Screen Comment
Nathanael Hood
I would recommend it for people looking for a decent comedy, but I'd warn them to be prepared for some unexpected ugliness.
6/10
10
6
10
false
5
10
1
2,150
Thank You For Playing
Screen Comment
Nathanael Hood
As an exploration of the human spirit, it is indispensable.
8/10
10
8
10
false
7
10
1
2,150
The First Monday in May
Screen Comment
Nathanael Hood
The First Monday in May is gorgeous, sumptuous. It's also undercooked.
6/10
10
6
10
false
5
10
1
2,150
The Revenant
Screen Comment
Nathanael Hood
The Revenant is a film of mud, blood, and carnage set against unforgiving northern wastes of snow and freezing water.
9/10
10
9
10
false
8
10
1
2,150
CHIPS
Screen International
Tim Grierson
A grab bag of vulgarities, sex jokes, slapstick, nudity and chase scenes, "CHIPS" is far better than expected. But the intermittent hilarity is merely a distraction from how disposable and uninspired the rest of the film is.
2.5/4
4
2.5
4
false
3
7
2
2,151
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Screen International
Tim Grierson
A solid but mostly uninspired melding of the adventure and fright that have been the benchmarks of the franchise.
3/4
4
3
4
false
4
7
2
2,151
Kit Kittredge: An American Girl
Screen International
Tim Grierson
Emotionally affecting but dramatically wobbly, "Kit Kittredge: An American Girl" touchingly illustrates the sting of poverty without overly resorting to childish shenanigans.
3/4
4
3
4
false
4
7
2
2,151
Alice in Wonderland
Screen International
Brent Simon
Gorgeously mounted but fundamentally humdrum, Tim Burton's movie achieves sumptuous beauty with ease but fails to connect on a full-bodied emotional level, making for a pleasant but somewhat empty ride.
C-
long_letter
null
null
false
9
18
1
2,152
Cop Out
Screen International
Brent Simon
Meandering and listless, Cop Out serves as ample proof that actors can't merely show up on the day of filming and wing it. This is a banter-driven comedy in which most of the banter just falls flat.
C-
long_letter
null
null
false
9
18
1
2,152
Hot Tub Time Machine
Screen International
Brent Simon
A wild, hit-and-miss stab at high-concept comedy. Most moviegoers will deeply feel at least some nagging lack of narrative underpinning and infrastructure, which crucially undercuts momentum and goodwill.
C-
long_letter
null
null
false
9
18
1
2,152
Ocean's Eleven
Screen International
Emanuel Levy
Soderbergh's most commercial film to date is a star-driven, semi-successful, slightly better remake of the 1960 origianl feature.
B
long_letter
null
null
false
13
18
1
2,152
The Pelican Brief
Screen International
Emanuel Levy
A curiously disappointing thriller from Alan Pakula, reaffirming the notion that John Gresham's best-selling novels are more fun to read (at the airport) than watch on the big screen, even if they star Denzel Washington and Julia Roberts.
C
long_letter
null
null
false
10
18
1
2,152
The Fighter
Screen International
Brent Simon
More a lurching, blue-collar social drama than a conventional boxing biopic, The Fighter connects fitfully as a story of brotherly bonds and underdog triumph, courtesy of engaging performances.
B
long_letter
null
null
false
13
18
1
2,152
Toy Story 3
Screen International
Brent Simon
Locating a winsome blend of peppy ensemble adventure and nostalgic reflection, Toy Story 3 is the type of film adults might goad their just-as-eager children into seeing again.
A
long_letter
null
null
false
16
18
1
2,152
Waiting for Guffman
Screen International
Emanuel Levy
A sly, gleeful and subtle comedy that pokes fun at American musicals, amateur theatricals, and the culture of celebrity-the universal wish to be famous--set in the small, provincial town of Blaine about to celebrate its 150th anniversary.
A-
long_letter
null
null
false
15
18
1
2,152
The Gentlemen
Screen Queens
Caitlin Kennedy
Class meets crass in Guy Ritchie's The Gentlemen . This film goes down like a good bourbon: smooth, expensive-feeling, and when it burns, it burns good. It's refined but feels a little dirty, like taking a joyride in a Porsche
6/10
10
6
10
false
5
10
1
2,153
A Star Is Born
Screen Queens
Millicent Thomas
Bradley Cooper's A Star is Born is a transcendent feast for the eyes and ears.
5/5
5
5
5
false
8
9
2
2,154
Aladdin
Screen Queens
Millicent Thomas
Does it possess the same magic as the original animation? Short answer: yes - in buckets.
4/5
5
4
5
false
6
9
2
2,154
Assassination Nation
Screen Queens
Millicent Thomas
The audience applauded in my screening four times throughout the film; it's a cathartic and exhilarating experience.
5/5
5
5
5
false
8
9
2
2,154
Avengers: Endgame
Screen Queens
Millicent Thomas
Endgame feels like a victory lap. It is a means of catharsis and a release for fans who have held their breath, awaiting the fate of their favourite heroes.
5/5
5
5
5
false
8
9
2
2,154
Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)
Screen Queens
Millicent Thomas
A wildly confident and relentlessly entertaining punk rock caper, filled to the brim with gleeful brutality.
5/5
5
5
5
false
8
9
2
2,154
Booksmart
Screen Queens
Millicent Thomas
Booksmart will be remembered as one of the great high school comedies.
5/5
5
5
5
false
8
9
2
2,154
Captain Marvel
Screen Queens
Millicent Thomas
Captain Marvel lays exciting groundwork for something higher, further, faster.
4/5
5
4
5
false
6
9
2
2,154