Category: Ratings
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Unknown: Take my life, please
Unknown – 2011 Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra Starring Liam Neeson, January Jones, Diane Kruger, Aidan Quinn, Frank Langella, Bruno Ganz and the “Can You Hear Me Now?” guy Written by Oliver Butcher, Stephen Cornwell based on Out of My Head by Didier Van Cauwelaert If you’d ever seen him run, you’d think Liam Neeson is an old…
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The Lincoln Lawyer: Straight formula, no chaser
The Lincoln Lawyer – 2011 Directed by Brad Furman Starring Matthew McConaughey, Marisa Tomei, William H. Macey, Josh Lucas, Ryan Phillipe, John Leguizamo, Michael Pena, Bryan Cranston, Michael Pare, Trace Adkins, Frances Fisher Written by Jeff Romano, based on the novel by Michael Connelly There is a feeling one gets while watching The Lincoln Lawyer is that…
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Rango: flawless animation, great voice work, recycled story
Rango – 2011 Directed by Gore Verbinski Starring the voices of Johnny Depp, Ned Beatty, Bill Nighy, Isla Fisher, Alfred Molina, Abigal Breslin, Ray Winstone, Stephen Root, Harry Dean Stanton, Timothy Olyphant Written by John Logan Rango starts off with a protagonist acting so strangely, one can’t help wondering if he isn’t more than a…
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Insidious: Further down the Poltergeist Road
Insidious – 2010 Directed by James Wan Starring Rose Byrne, Patrick Wilson, Lin Shaye, Leigh Whannell, Ty Simpkins, Barbara Hershey, Angus Simpson, Andrew Astor Written by Leigh Whannell Even before the credits start to roll, subtle signs creep their way through not so subtle music. Hints are given, locations revealed that are nowhere in the…
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Red Riding Hood has a woman’s touch, but it ain’t enough
Red Riding Hood – 2011 Directed by Catherine Hardwicke Starring Amanda Seyfried, Gary Oldman, Julie Christie, Virginia Madsen, Billy Burke, Shiloh Fernandez, Max Irons, Lukas Haas Written by David Johnson based on the Brothers Grimm tale Catherine Hardwicke must have high standards. She declined to direct Twilight: New Moon, which then made about a gazillion dollars.…
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With Perlman, The Season of the Witch seems overcast
Season of the Witch – 2011 Directed by Dominic Sena Starring Nicolas Cage, Ron Perlman, Claire Foy, Stephen Campbell Moore, Robert Sheehan, Ulrich Thomsen, Stephen Graham, Christopher Lee Written by Bragi F. Schut Like any red-blooded American male under 55, I like Ron Perlman a lot. His recent breakthrough with the Hellboy films and the TV…
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The Adjustment Bureau is waiting for Godot
The Adjustment Bureau – 2011 Written and Directed by George Nolfi Starring Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, John Slattery, Anthony Mackie, Anthony Ruivivar, Terence Stamp, Michael Kelley Based on “Adjustment Team” by Philip K. Dick There is a lot of talk about free will in The Adjustment Bureau. With a series of officers who looked like they…
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Going the Distance? Okay, maybe we’ll take a shortcut.
Going The Distance – 2010 Directed by Nanette Burstein Starring Drew Barrymore, Justin Long, Christina Applegate, Jason Sudeikis, Charlie Day, Ron Livingston Written by Geoff LaTulippe Nanette Burstein has a career varied and dotted with awards. Most of what she’s done have been documentaries thus far. That she was chosen to direct the latest Drew Barrymore…
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Hall Pass show the Farrelly Brothers in mid-season form
Hall Pass – 2011 Directed by Bobby and Peter Farrelly Starring Owen Wilson, Jason Sudekis, Jenna Fischer, Christina Applegate, Joy Behar, Alexandria Daddario, Nicky Whelan, J.B. Smoove, Richard Jenkins, Larry Joe Campbell Written by The Farrelly Brothers, Pete Jones, Kevin Barnett The Farrelly Brothers made a huge impact in 1994 with Dumb and Dumber. After…
Ebert Did It Better: Gasbag Reviews 