Thursday, January 01, 2004
Movie reviews database
By Jeff DeBell, Chris Gladden, Neil Harvey and others
'Counterfeiters' manufacture WWII reality 'Speed Racer' is just spinning its wheels Comic misfire should have stayed in 'Vegas' 'Redbelt' a rare Mamet failure Downey flies high in 'Iron Man' Downey lives role of Iron Man Dempsey is engaging in 'Made of Honor' 'Blueberry' appeals to senses Michael Caine the real gem in 'Flawless' Jackman's charm enlivens disappointing 'Deception' 'Same Moon' shines light on dramatic immigrant plight 'Harold & Kumar': Humor way too lame Tina Fey's 'Baby Mama' is no bundle of joy '88 Minutes' a waste of Pacino's time -- and ours Kung fu smackdown kick-starts 'Kingdom' Stein's documentary not so intelligently designed Love, lost and found, in a small town 'Sarah Marshall' is largely forgettable Another bad 'Prom' picture 'Smart People' is mildly clever Action barrels down dark 'Street' 'Leatherheads': Clooney quarterbacks a strong team Adventure trip to 'Nim's Island' worthwhile '4 Months': A time and place brought unerringly to life Tyler Perry's big step backward 'City' uplifting despite violence 'Shutter' provides too few shudders 'Drillbit' is a mean-spirited 'comedy' 'Diary of the Dead' is DOA 'Doomsday' a tired bloodfest 'Bank' on solid thriller Better stay home from 'College Road Trip' '10,000 B.C.' grand in special effects, but that's it Ferrell shoots a brick in 'Semi-Pro' Humor and violence found in 'Bruges' 'Witless': enough said 'Charlie Bartlett' fails to impress 'Vantage Point' wastes talents 'Rewind' is not a spotless satire 'U2 3D': Almost as good as the real thing 'Fool's Gold' mines a tired comedy vein Vaughn's merry band of comics roll through funny documentary Go home, 'Roscoe Jenkins' Paris? An actress? Not. No need to 'Meet the Spartans' 'Rambo' desperate to kick butt Lane saves us from torture in 'Untraceable' '27 Dresses' role, plot a bad fit
for Heigl Overhyped 'Cloverfield' draws you in In the name of ... what's going on here? Pro actors make 'Bucket List' a blast 'Kite' soars with hope, redemption If 'Orphanage' walls could talk, they'd scream 'Pirates' don't do much This is one 'Call' you'll want to miss 'Juno' charms with heart and likable cast Another 'AVP,' another mess 'Water Horse' has its charms Exquisite 'Atonement' devastatingly beautiful 'Debaters' makes strong point 'P.S.': It's just schmaltzy and contrived Bloody 'Sweeney Todd' is devilishly delightful 'Charlie Wilson's War' rages through terrific tale Sequel proves unexpected treasure 'I'm Not There' is only
for the true Dylanistas 'Legend' in his own mind Alvin, friends go nutty in city 'Perfect Holiday' isn't perfect, but has heart 'Compass' strays, but it's worth a trip Despite shortcomings, 'Noelle' inspirational 'Awake' is nobody's kind of sleeper Great cast gives 'Devil' its due 'Bella' goes nowhere painfully slowly 'Wonder' isn't wonderful 'Love' falls short of novel's appeal 'Moon' takes you on a fascinating
journey 'Lions' is well-acted but dry 'P2' terrifyingly bad 'Fred Claus' deserves lump of coal 'Lars' has real heart 'American Gangster' follows sinister American dream 'Bee Movie' honey of a winner A 'Martian' crashlands in syrupy swamp 'Lust': Sex can't spice up Ang Lee's dull film 'Dan' is real ... and really cute 'Saw IV' is pure torture No big laughs, but plenty of whimsy in 'Darjeeling' Affleck Bros. shine with 'Gone Baby Gone' 'Nightmare' full of delicious creepiness Affleck brothers shine with 'Gone Baby Gone' '30 Days' lacks detail 'Rendition' is a step in the right direction Halle Berry ignites 'Fire' Adventurer or brat?: 'Wild' lets you decide 'The Ten Commandments' 'Tyler Perry' serves up some big laughs 'We Own the Night' a white-knuckle saga 'Across the Universe' a trip worth taking Stellar cast shines in 'Michael Clayton' Blanchett's acting a crowning achievement Imagination behind 'Seeker' elevates the fantasy genre 'Heartbreak Kid' lacks heart Movie review: 'Jane Austen Book Club' 'Kingdom' a glorified cop movie 'The Game Plan' light and fun Feed your soul on this 'Feast' 'My Best Friend' a mostly clever film Not-so 'Good Luck Chuck' Mortensen shines in 'Eastern Promises' 'Science' captures chaos of teendom Bynes' gift wasted in 'Sydney White' Tommy Lee Jones shines in 'Valley of Elah' Actors riveting in 'Brave One' Foster's performance in 'Brave' is worth price of a ticket 'D-War' gets an F 'Mr. Woodcock' isn't on his A-game Quirky 'King of Kong' could be the 'Rocky' of the arcade 'Black best friend' roles: Do they limit black actresses? '3:10 to Yuma' worth catching 'Shoot 'Em Up' the year's most jolting action film '3:10 to Yuma' worth catching Movie previews: '3:10 to Yuma' This week's DVDs What's playing in theaters 'Death Sentence' a flawed thriller This 'Funeral' drags on 'No End' counts the ways U.S. went wrong Classic 'Halloween' is better than Zombie's version 'Balls of Fury': Switch off brain; laugh There's heart and faith in this 'Champ' 'War' makes little sense 'September Dawn' a grotesque Western 'The Nanny Diaries' is quite conventional 'Mr. Bean' is charming, but better in small doses 'Last Legion' kind of a joke 'Superbad' super raunchy, but funny 'Rose' packed with passion, tragedy 'Talk' keeps it real 'The Invasion' perfectly watchable Fantastical 'Stardust' is brisk, exotic 'Becoming Jane' creates romance for author Don't 'Rush' to see this sequel 'Daddy Day Camp' is lousy 'Bourne'
a superb
thriller Perseverance prevails in 'Rescue Dawn' 'Underdog' doesn't come out on top Likable 'Hot Rod' worth the trip 'Bratz' entertaining for 'tween girls Dude, 'Simpsons' is better than expected Music fans will love 'Once' 'No Reservations' predictable but fun 'Sunshine' a beautiful flick, but falls short of its destination 'Eagle' loses its vision 'The Simpsons Movie' good for usual laughs Music fans will love 'Once' 'No Reservations' predictable but fun 'Hairspray' has heart and soul Just 'Pronounce' this one a loser 'Hairspray' a fun, campy summer film This one is less than captive 'You Kill Me' a good bit of neo-noir 'Harry' grows up 'License' lacks laugh potential Raging robots result in dumb fun 'Sicko' appeals to both sides 'Ratatouille' made to order for kids, adults 'Evening': Keep
your Kleenex handy Spectacular stunts drive 'Die Hard' sequel 'Evan Almighty' not divine, but it's entertaining 'A Mighty Heart' riveting '1408' a chilling old-school horror film 'Away From Her' a sure Oscar contender This sequel isn't 'Fantastic' 'DOA': Martial arts
'Baywatch'-style 'Nancy Drew' is a sleuth for the ages 'Surf's Up' a rad penguin flick, dude 'Ocean's Thirteen': this summer's eye candy Girls take the fall in 'Hostel II' 'Mr. Brooks' far-fetched 'Knocked Up' gives birth to the fun summer movie 'Gracie' halfway meets goal line Actress makes breezy 'Avenue' appealing 'Waitress' serves up a heaping helping of feel-good goo 'Pirates' raids too much time and effort 'Waitress' serves up feel-good charm 'Bug' will make your skin crawl Animation still tops in so-so 'Shrek the Third' Intriguing ‘Black Book’ doesn’t disappoint Actors, visuals make ‘The Wind’ compelling 'Delta Farce’ doesn’t 'git’r done’ Stars can't make 'Georgia Rule' shine 'The Ex' could have been more '28' sequel infected with bad storytelling 'Spider-man 3': Plot too tangled A raw deal in 'Lucky You' 'Dog' a melancholy tale that needs a little lift Action film doesn't quite make it to the 'Next' level Funny 'Fuzz' also a great cop flick 'Iraq:' Conflict on a personal level ‘Fracture’: Performances are solid Solid cast, big heart make 'Land' a success Real suspense is missing in 'Vacancy' See it, but don't believe this 'Hoax' 'Perfect Stranger' is less than perfect 'Aqua Teen' a wreck, but still entertaining 'Pathfinder' a bloody,
old-fashioned chase flick 'Disturbia' a high-tech version of 'Rear Window' 'Grindhouse' a tribute to bad taste, cheap thrills Movie review: 'Firehouse Dog' a spring break hero Movie review: 'The Reaping' 'The Namesake' spotlights value of heritage Well-crafted ‘Lookout’ worth a look Weak plot trips up inventive 'Robinsons' 'Lives' revisits East German nightmare ‘Shooter’ on target at first, but strays 'Pride' doesn't sink or swim; it merely bobs 'TMNT' is definitely not TNT Melodrama overpowers 'Reign' performances 'Last Mimzy' strange, slow and awkward No ESP needed: 'Premonition' is not good Rock gives up edge for 'Wife' Don't mistake '300' for a history lesson 'Miss Potter' rises above cuteness Performances, unresolved enigma satisfy in 'Zodiac’ 'Snake' is pulpy,
unexpectedly sweet Scenery, performances highlight 'Veil' 'Wild Hogs' tame, but good-natured 'Number 23' doesn't quite add up 'Farmer' runs out of quirky charm 'Reno' jokes are just too dumb Amazing story of a beloved hymn Iwo Jima from the other side 'Ghost Rider' is pretty weak 'Bridge' presents quaint, wholesome kids' tale Perry progresses with 'Daddy's Little Girls' Cooper, rest of cast excel in 'Breach' Two stars' charm put the harmony in 'Music and Lyrics' 'Sin Eater' musters some suspense Murphy deserves better than 'Norbit' Performances set 'Little Children' apart O'Toole finds the perfect role in 'Venus' Horror film’s plot so bad it’s scary 'Because I Said So'
a zesty chick flick 'Catch and Release': Just let it go 'The Hitcher' can take a hike "Labyrinth'
surreal,
beautiful Whitaker
a standout in 'Last King' 'Children of Men' fluid, but muddy 'Black Christmas': It's just too bad you can't send it back 'Rocky Balboa' a surprise winner 'We Are Marshall' is an uplifting tale 'Eragon': a touch of Arthur 'Apocalypto’: high-octane thriller ‘The Nativity Story’ a handsome, heartfelt production Filmmaker not equal to story of 'Bobby' Sci-fi elements spoil
'Deja Vu' Incoherent story soaks 'The Fountain' Only Tenacious fans could love 'Destiny' 'Jesus Camp' is cinematic dynamite Ferrell plays to adult audience with 'Fiction' Movie review: 'Borat' Movie review: ‘Fire’ is intense Intense 'Flags' raises issues 'The Departed': Scorsese, DiCaprio thrill Tangled subplots hurt 'Black Dahlia' This ‘Wicker’ close to dead wood Movie review: 'Little Miss Sunshine' beams Stop hissing: ‘Snakes’ does justice to B movies ‘Leonard Cohen’ a noteworthy tribute In 'Clerks II,' Jersey Boys Still Register No work of 'Art' 'Pirates’ a real treasure 'Superman Returns' no 'Batman Begins' Powerful tale draws you to 'Water’ ‘Nacho Libre’ a zany escape ‘Prairie Home Companion’ transmits moments of joy One 'Omen'
is really
all you need 'The Break-Up': More bitter than funny ‘X-Men’ hits the spot 'Poseidon': Special effects upstage characters 'United 93' is extraordinarily powerful 'Akeelah': It's g-o-o-d Cheesiness drives 'RV' 'Stick It' doesn't quite nail it 'Sentinel' is suspiciously uneven Don’t blow off going to see 'Smoking’ 'Inside Man' is a smart thriller 'She's the Man': Amanda Bynes makes it work Chappelle serves up cool, mellow 'Block Party' Believability not lost in fast pace of '16 Blocks' One word: Ultrabad Huffman plays nicely against type 'Doogal': Animated movie is a real dog 'Running' is a good B movie Perry fails to bring 'Reunion' together 'World's Fastest Indian':
Be sure to catch it 'Date Movie' isn't a clever spoof comedy 'Eight Below': Who left the dogs out? Missteps trample 'Freedomland' 'Mrs. Henderson': The shift from comedy to drama is awkward 'Curious George' OK but aimed more at parents 'Pink Panther': Zee movie eez no good 'Final Destination 3'? We hope In 'Firewall,' Ford shows he can still take a few names 'Stranger'
plays well
to a new
audience Thought-provoking 'Paradise' offers more than you assume 'Match Point' mostly well served 'Big Momma's' sequel amusing, but not funny 'Annapolis' doesn't measure up 'Matador': Brosnan makes odd-couple film worth a look Magical 'Nanny' can make a spoonful of vinegar sweet Film sucks the life out of vampire
movies 'New World': Visuals, narrations captivating 'Spear': Director's approach hurts gripping story Glory waits till the end of this 'Road' 'Holiday' gets better as it goes You won't mind getting 'Hoodwinked' 'Tristan' has passion, intrigue, yet something's missing 'Dying Gaul' is a smart film that deserves to be seen 'Brokeback': Big movie built on small moments 'Boy,' don't take Grandma to this Spielberg is in top form with 'Munich' 'Casanova' not likely
to win your affections 'Hostel' delivers on good, sick fun 'Illuminated' never gathers momentum Stars shine in 'The Producers' Believe this 'Rumor': film is no 'Graduate' 'Wolf Creek' falls short 'Memoirs': Beauty masks the true picture 'The Ringer': It's surprisingly funny Plenty of pratfalls, but that's about all in 'Cheaper' sequel 'Dick and Jane' very Jerry Lewisesque 'The Family Stone': dysfunctional, but still fun 'Shopgirl': Frost in translation This 'Kong' destined to become
a classic Left in a state of flux over 'Aeon' 'The Squid and the Whale' blends comedy and drama Promising 'Ice' skids, stalls 'Just Friends' a just-OK comedy Nothing stuffy about this 'Pride' 'Yours' has human touch Ushering in a lame romance 'Potter' keeps its magic touch Hoffman is excellent in moving, moody 'Capote' 'Derailed': reasonably suspenseful thriller Kids will probably be game for seeing 'Zathura' You won't get much for your money in 'Get Rich or Die Tryin' 'Jarhead': Waiting for war 'Luck' not needed; the film is first-rate Oh no. 'Chicken Little' is a turkey 'Weather': mostly cloudy with patches of frost 'Prime': Streep the Rx for film's flaws 'Zorro' sequel action-packed, but script misses its mark 'Saw II' more trick than treat Moore's performance
worthy of a 'Prize' 'North Country' wins when it rings true 'Doom' fires off an action winner 'Dreamer' as simple and pretty as a Shaker rocker 'Stay' or else you'll be lost Fair warning: 'Keane' is grim, gritty Numerous subplots hurt impact of 'The Gospel' It's not
worth
'Waiting'
for 'Money': Actors
better
than plot 'Wallace and Gromit' stretch out on the big screen 'Shoes' is a 'chick flick' with a high-heeled heart 'Thumbsucker':
a quirky film with heart Golfers, nongolfers
will love the 'Game' Subtext
makes
for rich
'Violence' Polanski tailors 'Oliver Twist'
too precisely, cuts out drama A good joke 100 times
is still a good joke Look 'Into the Blue' for pretty scenery, not plot 'Serenity' offers
B-movie escape 'Corpse Bride' creepy, lifeless 'Flightplan' sticks to a familiar course but still satisfies 'Heaven' is pretty fluffy, but fun 'War' laced
with dark comedy 'Asylum' is a classy, unintentional hoot 'Beat': The agony, not the ecstasy, of music Slow, laden pace makes film feel 'Unfinished' 'Exorcism'
battles its
own demons Actor can't rescue cop comedy 'Gardener' blooms, but in patches 'Grizzly' tells deeper story Film tries too hard to save 'Face' 'Grimm' is neither
grievous nor great 'Flowers' grows slowly but blooms nicely 'Dukes' a good ol' movie 'Must Love Dogs'? Not really Go to bat for 'Bears' 'Ladies in Lavender' is charming 'Penguins' illuminates hardship, beauty, fragility Give in to the craving 'Crashers' may stay too long, but it still entertains 'Four' is goofy, flaky fun 'Water' a moody, creepy thriller Full-throttle thrill ride It's a bumpy broom ride 'Perfect Man' far from it 'Layer Cake' is overcomplicated, but cool Smiths not your ideal neighbors Common sense snaps under 'High Tension' Second pass at 'Dogtown' skates by 'Cinderella' a true champ 'Madagascar': Kids will have a roaring good time 'Yard': Man, just add pizza, beer 'Enron' transfers searing book to screen In ‘Sith,’ Lucas serves up a dark but worthy finale Bland comedy could stand a little salt 'Unleashed': Uneven and unlikely, but mostly unusual 'Heroes' needs to be rescued 'House of Wax' is pretty lax 'Kingdom' a timely epic Plot can't recover from 'Crash' 'Off the Map' an unforgettable gift New 'XXX' is a big-and-tall tale 'Hitchhiker's Guide' well worth picking up A daring look at Hitler's 'Downfall' 'Love' is sometimes slow but sweet 'Interpreter' doesn't translate 'Nobody': a poignant look at lost childhood Do the 'Hustle.' It's a hoot 'Amityville' remake should get the ax 'Les Choristes': the power of kindness Likable characters save you from getting lost in 'Sahara' Comedy and tragedy blend in 'Melinda' 'Fever Pitch' a solid hit about the power of love 'Born into Brothels' dark but powerful The 'Upside': It's smartly done Charming 'Bride' worth a warm reception Stylistic 'City' is sinfully good 'Guess Who' steals the show in this likable comedy? Bernie Mac Second 'Ring' loses some sting 'Ice Princess' has teen appeal but raises adult issues Suspenseful 'Hostage' holds your attention 'Passion Recut' still very intense 'Be Cool' should've taken its own advice 'Cursed,' indeed 'Diary' likable despite its flaws It's not hard to be sold on 'Merchant' 'Constantine': wickedly good 'Winn-Dixie': Soulful, small-town drama raises big issues Special Screenings 'Education' a compelling lesson in the weaknesses of humanity It's easy to make a pitch for 'Hitch' Special Screenings 'Hotel Rwanda' powerful without being preachy It's really scary that 'Boogeyman' was made In theaters This 'Baby' is a real knockout No wonder it's called 'Alone' 'Hide' has too many twists to seek In theaters The rap on 'Precinct': It has its moments We've been 'there' before, but that's all right Real story has more game than 'Coach Carter' Garner brings 'Elektra' to life 'Engagement' complex but satisfying Stars make 'Good Company' 'Daggers': a visual delight Coming up In Theaters Despite its flaws, 'Birth' is occasionally moving 'White Noise' not exactly sound, but it has its moments In Theaters Coming Up Special Screenings In Theaters Special screenings 'Kinsey' biopic works, but as fiction In Theaters Coming Up 'Neverland' is a treasure 'Lemony' cute, but rarely funny Coming up Special screenings In theaters 'Blade' too dumb to be fun 'Ocean' a fun escape 'Closer' far from lovable In Theaters Special Screenings 'P.S.' - It's not very believable 'Sideways' doesn't stand up 'Alexander' flawed, but worth a look Coming Up Special Screenings It's tricky 'Being Julia' It could have been 'Enduring Love' 'SpongeBob's' an absorbing, fun movie for kids, adults 'Bridget': less charm, but still lovable 'Treasure' worth the hunt Special Screenings Coming Up This 'Sunset's' pleasant, but you've seen better ones 'Chucky's' seed better left unplanted 'The Polar Express' has the look of a holiday classic In Theaters 'Festival Express' worth the ride 'The Incredibles': a super film about superheroes 'Alfie's' all about a charming remake
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