Roger Ebert – Movie Reviews

Read the latest movie reviews from Roger Ebert, the best-known and most widely read film critic in the world.

Eat Pray Love (PG-13) – Two stars
Julia Roberts stars as a New York writer, rebounding from a ditched marriage and a failed love affair, who embarks on a year’s quest Italy, India and Bali seeking balance of body, mind and spirit. During this journey, great-looking men are platooned at her, she meets only nice people, and she eats Pavarottian plates of pasta. Like the meeting of a Harlequin romance and a mystic travelogue, but the 80% female audience seemed to eat it up.

Salt (PG-13) – Four stars
A damn fine thriller. It does all the things I can’t stand in bad movies, and does them in a good one. Angelina Jolie stars as a CISA agent fighting ingle-handedly to save the world from nuclear destruction. Hardly a second is believable, but so what? Superbly crafted, it’s a splendid example of a genre action picture.

Inception (PG-13) – Four stars
An astonishingly original and inventive thriller starring Leonardo DiCaprio as a men who infiltrates the minds of others to steal secrets. Now he’s hired to implant one. Ken Watanabe is a billionaire who wants to place at idea in the mind of his rival (Cillian Murphy). DiCaprio Assembles a team (Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tom Hardy, Ellen Page) to assist him, in a dazzling achievement that rises above the thriller level and enters the realm of mind control–in the plot, and in the audience. Written and directed by Christopher Nolan (“Memento,” “The Dark Knight”).

Predators (R) – Two stars
Professional killers from earth find themselves in free fall without explanation, and parachute into a forest where they join up to fight ferocious and frisky half-ton warthog-looking things. Much of the fill is spent in fending off attacks shown in often incomprehensible special effects. With Adrien Brody, Alice Braga, Topher Grace, Laurence Fishburne and Danny Trejo. Read more

Rotten Tomatoes – Movie Reviews

The latest movie reviews from RottenTomatoes.com.

• 62% The American
  As beautifully shot as it is emotionally restrained, The American is an unusually divisive spy thriller -- and one that rests on an unusually subdued performance from George Clooney.
• 72% Machete
  Machete is messy, violent, shallow, and tasteless -- and that's precisely the point of one of the summer's most cartoonishly enjoyable films.

Movienewz.com – Movie Reviews

Read the latest movie reviews and film ratings written by John Villoch, Movienewz.com’s top critic.

• The Hangover (3 1/2 stars) (R)

‘The Hangover’ is the quintessential guy-flick. It takes place in Vegas, everything goes wrong and guys waiving guns want their money back. The characters stumble into such unexpected and embarrassing situations you can’t help but laugh until it hurts. In a star-making role, Bradley Cooper plays the straight man to the hilarious Zach Galifianakis and Ed Helms. But it’s the events involving a baby, a tiger and a “man-purse” that really brings the funny.

• The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (3 stars) (R)

Director Tony Scott (‘Domino’, ‘Man on Fire’) controls his distracting epilepsy-inducing filmmaking style just long enough to yield a movie worth watching. As remakes go, ‘The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3′ is refreshingly compelling. The film works due to a great script, edge of your seat suspense and two amazing actors, Denzel Washington and John Travolta. Travolta is exceptional as Ryder, the demanding and self-righteous lead train hijacker.

• Drag Me to Hell (2 stars) (PG-13)

Actors Alison Lohman and Justin Long can barely keep a straight face in director Sam Raimi’s gross-out shockfest. Raimi desperately employs every overused movie trick to shock the audience. ‘Drag Me to Hell’ borrows heavily from past B-horror movies but doesn’t add anything to the genre.

• Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2 1/2 stars) (PG)

‘Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian’ is more entertaining than the original but that isn’t saying much. Ben Stiller returns but it’s Amy Adams as Amelia Earhart and Hank Azaria as the sinister Kahmunrah that makes this ‘Battle’ worth watching.

• Terminator Salvation (3 stars) (PG-13)

Director McG’s sequel requires the viewing of the first three films beforehand. The adventure is broadened but ‘Salavation’ takes a risky departure from the previous films in which a heartless cyborg killer is sent back in time to kill John Connor. Sam Worthington easily steals the movie from Christian Bale.

• Star Trek (3 1/2 stars) (PG-13)

Director J.J. Abrams does everything but give James T. Kirk a lightsaber in this Star Wars-esque reboot of ‘Star Trek’. The screenplay is solid and Abrams’ direction adds some much needed intensity to the film franchise. Zachary Quinto is terrific as Spock.

• X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2 stars) (PG-13)

Wolverine’s turbulent relationship with Victor Creed aka Sabretooth is the focus of the film. Unfortunately the screenwriters have created their own origin story and included elements of the comic book and X-men films only as an after thought.

• Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (2 1/2 stars) (PG-13)

‘Ghosts of Girlfriends Past’ is a modern day morality tale based on ‘A Christmas Carol’. Matthew McConaughey is convincing as a habitual heart-breaker and Jennifer Garner is equally believable as his bitter ex-girlfriend who thinks he will never change. Good supporting performances by Michael Douglas and Emma Stone.

• Tyson (3 stars) (R)

Mike Tyson’s autobiography is a raw detailed account of his troubled life beginning with his delinquent childhood through his tumultuous boxing career. It turns out boxing was a gift and a curse for the former heavyweight champ. ‘Tyson’ is a must see for anyone interested in documentaries.

• Monsters vs. Aliens InTru 3D (2 1/2 stars) (PG)

DreamWorks Animation’s first film developed in 3-D is visually spectacular but where is the story? The 3-D will serve as a fun distraction for younger moviegoers but adults will eventually find it a bit gimmicky.

• Fighting (2 1/2 stars) (PG-13)

Channing Tatum once again does his best Marlon Brando imitation. Terrence Howard is interesting as his street smart manager. The bare-knuckle brawls are gritty and realistic but the film is utterly forgettable.

• 17 Again (3 stars) (PG-13)

Zac Efron plays a former high school basketball star who gets a second chance to relive his glory days but as a result disrupts his kids social lives. The screenwriters breathe new life into an old premise and have a lot of fun with the characters. Reno 911′s Thomas Lennon is comical as the rich nerdy best friend.

• Watchmen (4 stars) (R)

Director Zack Snyder has created an instant classic with his faithful adaptation of Alan Moore’s bleak graphic novel. Jackie Earle Haley is mesmerizing as the masked vigilante Rorschach and Jeffrey Dean Morgan is brutal as the Comedian. Pay attention Hollywood, this is what unflinching filmmaking looks like.

Variety – Movie Reviews

The latest movie reviews from Variety.com.

• Black Venus (Venus Noire)
  Film Reviews: The project is valiant, but writer-director Abdellatif Kechiche has trouble finding a rhythm.
• The Town
  Film Reviews: Helmer/actor Ben Affleck delivers another potent slice of pulp set on Boston's meanest streets.
• Dismissed (No olho da rua)
  Film Reviews: Rogerio Correa makes a modest but effective feature writing-directing debut.
• Limbo
  Film Reviews: Pic charts a Norwegian woman's emotional breakdown after she discovers her husband is unfaithful.
• Brother (Hermano)
  Film Reviews: The road from slums to soccer glory intersects with crime in Marcel Rasquin's engaging debut.
• Nannerl, Mozart's Sister (Nannerl, la soeur de Mozart)
  Film Reviews: Costumer about Mozart's older sister incorporates just enough fiction to bring history into focus.
• Apnea
  Film Reviews: A competitive swimmer recalls his involvement with the girlfriend who's now gone missing.
• Lula: The Son of Brazil (Lula: O Filho do Brasil)
  Film Reviews: Given the popularity of Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, aka "Lula," it was only a matter of time before a large-scale biopic of the leader's prole-to-power story was made. The fact that "Lula: Son of Brazil" was produced by the venerable LC Barreto unit, the country's deepest-pocketed filmmaking family, ensures a lavishly staged film (the $7 million pic is Brazil's priciest to date), even as its conventionally chronological narrative offers a much sanitized retelling. Solid local B.O. results in theaters and homevid has extended Lula's fame.
• Incendies
  Film Reviews: Strips away the play's long, poetic monologues to reveal a spare, slow-burn detective story.
• The Day I Was Not Born (Das Lied in Mir)
  Film Reviews: A solid drama, mixing historical tragedy with intergenerational conflict.
• Oxygen (Adem)
  Film Reviews: "Oxygen" delivers a touching portrait of youth facing mortality far too soon.
• Surviving Life (Prezit svuj zivot)
  Film Reviews: An amiably goofy yarn about a man so in love with the literal woman of his dreams.
• Liquid (Amore Liquido)
  Film Reviews: Moderately involving character study.
• Venice (Wenecja)
  Film Reviews: Handsome but somewhat dramatically inert.
• Tin-Tan
  Film Reviews: "Tin-Tan" adds little to the record about one of cinema's most brilliant funnymen and improvisers.
• How Much Does Your Building Weigh, Mr. Foster?
  Film Reviews: Pic will appeal to upscale viewers in specialized theatrical settings before a sturdy life in ancillary.
• The Way Back
  Film Reviews: An impressive but not especially immersive true story of four POWs who escaped the Siberian Gulags.
• La Yuma
  Film Reviews: A surly tomboy succeeds inside and outside the boxing ring.
• Route 132
  Film Reviews: Louis Belanger's Montreal fest opener, the tale of a father devastated by his 5-year-old son's death, never hits a wrong note, thanks to standout perfs and a script that patiently builds characters of such dimensionality that each surprise twist lends increased psychological rightness. Adroitly intermixing a classic genre, the buddy road movie, with the arthouse motif of adults' shattered reactions to their children's deaths (a theme examined by fellow Canadian Atom Egoyan's "The Sweet Hereafter"), "Route 132" drives its universal themes through a closely observed, very specific Quebec. Breakout pic, also in the Toronto fest, should easily cross borders.
• El Sicario Room 164
  Film Reviews: A minimalist study in maximum violence.

E! Online – Movie Reviews

The latest movie reviews from Eonline.com.

• Review: Going the Distance Doesn't Quite
  Review in a Hurry: Bicoastal curious? Then you might get off on this uneven romantic comedy, which flings its young lovers—after their fling—to opposite sides of the country. As a...
• Review: Lohan! De Niro! Beheadings! Machete!
  Review in a Hurry: Badass character actor Danny Trejo finally gets to topline an action movie courtesy of his pal Robert Rodriguez. And, to be kind, let's just say we find out why he's...
• Review: The American Basically a George Clooney Coffee-Table Book
  Review in a Hurry: If you like beautifully composed, static shots of George Clooney being kinda quiet in Italy, this is your movie. If you were hoping for much else, it ain't. The...
• Review: The Last Exorcism's Comedy-Horror Schizm
  Review in a Hurry: A nasty spirit may (or may not) be causing all sorts of schizophrenic mayhem on numerous Linda Blair wannabes. But producer Eli Roth's The Last Exorcism doesn't...
• Review: Takers Almost a Good Little Heist Movie
  Review in a Hurry: A well-rounded cast of character actors (plus Paul Walker) tries to pull off a big robbery while obnoxious alcoholic cop Matt Dillon attempts to stop them. Very nearly a good...
• Review: Piranha 3D Is Campy, Bloody, Horny Fun
  Review in a Hurry: A cast of familiar faces dives headfirst into waters infested with prehistoric predators and screaming coeds. And it's Elisabeth Shue and Ving Rhames to the rescue in this...
• Review: Lottery Ticket Can't Overcome Stale Clichés
  Review in a Hurry: On the surface it's a goofy caper about a kid who hits the jackpot, but just underneath is a gritty movie about the mean streets. The flip-flop in tone can be awkward, but...
• Review: Nanny McPhee Returns With Great Cast, Kids
  Review in a Hurry: The surprise hit from across the pond is back with more plot but less Nanny. Writer/star Emma Thompson hopes you won't notice, by enlisting Maggie Gyllenhaal, Ralph Fiennes...
• Review: The Switch Better Than Most Bad Jennifer Aniston Movies
  Review in a Hurry: For a movie that's supposed to be filled with sympathetic, lonely people, it's tough to care whether Wally (Jason Bateman) and Kassie (Jennifer Aniston) hook up in the...
• Review: Vampires Suck Even Worse Than Twilight
  Review in a Hurry: From the comic "geniuses" who gave us Date Movie, Epic Movie, Disaster Movie, Meet the Spartans...'Nuff said? Now writer-directors Jason Friedberg & Aaron...
• Review: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World Totally Geeky, Totally Kick Ass
  Review in a Hurry: A fun, frenetic, video-game-flavored comedy that racks up the bonus points through a snappy script, savvy casting and smart use of pop references that only occasionally go too...
• Review: Eat Pray Love? More Like Sit Stare Yawn
  Review in a Hurry: There are fanatics of Elizabeth Gilbert's best-seller who are going to love this Julia Roberts movie no matter what—when, in fact, most of what made the book connect...
• Review: The Expendables Packs the Ultimate Adrenaline Shot for Summer
  Review in a Hurry: The ultimate fanboy mashup! Sylvester Stallone and Jason Statham lead a team of action adventure all stars. Peppered with funny dialogue, epic brawls and supersize explosions,...
• Review: The Other Guys So Funny It Should Get Arrested! For Being Funny!
  Review in a Hurry: Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg milk dry their default movie personas, but it's all part of the joke—and what a great joke it is. Sending up by-the-books buddy cop...
• Review: Step Up 3D a High-Energy, Pop-Locking Good Time
  Review in a Hurry: The Step Up franchise jumps off the big screen in 3-D. The acting and the story can just step off since the dance battles impress and the 3-D is the best since...
• Review: Flipped Just Like Puppy Love—Sweet but Not Much Substance
  Review in a Hurry: This coming-of-age rom-com from director Rob Reiner (When Harry Met Sally, Stand by Me) charts the on-again, off-again crush between two tween neighbors. Will you like it?...
• Review: Charlie St. Cloud a Smart, Cliché-Free Tearjerker
  Review in a Hurry: Sort of a Sixth Sense without that freaky, scary feel, Charlie St. Cloud is a well-crafted tearjerker with a grown-up performance from Zac Efron. If you don't mind risking...
• Review: Dinner for Schmucks an Awkward Dinner Party You Can Skip
  Review in a Hurry: Paul Rudd and Steve Carell reteam for their third outing (40 Year Old Virgin, Anchorman), a remake of the French farce The Dinner Game, about a smart guy who gets in over his...
• Review: Ramona and Beezus a Wise and Whimsical Good Time
  Review in a Hurry: Ramona and Beezus is really more about Ramona, but since star Selena Gomez plays Beezus, her marquee mention must have been a requirement from the suits in the corner...
• Review: Salt a Flavorless, Muddled Mess
  Review in a Hurry: You'd hope an action thriller called Salt might at least have some kick to it and raise your blood pressure a bit. But this muddle, starring Angelina Jolie as a maybe,...

Avatar – Movie Reviews

Watch the trailer and read the movie reviews for director James Cameron’s record breaking live-action CGI sci-fi adventure starring Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Michelle Rodriguez and Giovanni Ribisi.

Avatar is unequivocally, completely, 100% the film that has been percolating in James Cameron’s head for the last fourteen years. Read more

Paranormal Activity – Movie Review

Video: Watch the ‘At the Movies’ critics review the low-budget supernatural thriller ‘Paranormal Activity’. A couple become increasingly disturbed by a presence that may or may not be demonic, but is certainly most active in the middle of the night when they sleep.

In theaters now in limited release, ‘Paranormal Activity’ stars Katie Featherston, Micah Sloat and Mark Fredrichs. Checkout the video movie review below. Read more

Where the Wild Things Are – Movie Review

Video: Watch the ‘At the Movies’ critics review the fantasy adventure ‘Where the Wild Things Are’, an adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s classic children’s story, where Max, a disobedient little boy sent to bed without his supper, creates his own world.

In theaters October 16th, 2009, ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ stars Max Records, Catherine Keener, Mark Ruffalo, James Gandolfini, Forest Whitaker, Catherine O’Hara, Lauren Ambrose and Chris Cooper. Checkout the video movie review below. Read more

Revolutionary Road – Movie Review

Kate and Leo appear to be happy, but looks can be deceiving on “Revolutionary Road”…

The young married couple in “Revolutionary Road,” played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet plan to take a long boat ride to Paris; however unlike in the movie “Titanic,” this love boat is stuck on shore.

Author Richard Yates compelling character study takes place in mid-1950s suburbia when marriage was truly until death do us part. Frank (DiCaprio) works out of a cubicle, occasionally cheating on his wife with the doe-eyed secretary, in a mundane job. Read more

Role Models – Movie Review

Misfits and misanthropes are the heroes of Role Models, a surprisingly clever comedy.

A pair of overgrown adolescents (Seann William Scott and Paul Rudd) indulge in bad behavior and are assigned to mentor troubled kids in a Big Brother-type program. It sounds predictable.

But it is consistently funny, largely because of the sharp dialogue — written by Rudd and director David Wain — and a well-chosen ensemble cast. Read more

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