- StumbleUpon. Midnight in Paris Woody Allen’s latest places starving writer Owen Wilson in Paris with his fiancée, Rachel McAdams. Searching for inspiration for his incomplete novel, Owen begins taking strolls around the city at night where he discovers an unexpected group of people. I wish I could be more specific, but it would ruin the surprise. Know that it is brilliant, witty and full of mystique. 92% on Rotten Tomatoes (RT).
Let the Right One In The best vampire movie ever made in my opinion. Watch Let the Right One In for FREE on Amazon Instant Video The Man From Earth Holy &#%@ this film’s plot is fascinating! Garden State This is my absolute favorite film. Waking Life It’s impossible for you to grasp Waking Life without actually watching it, but I’ll do my best to explain it. Watch Waking Life for FREE on Amazon Instant Video Closer This film is a rather dark, yet comedic story about the twisted relationships between Natalie Portman, Jude Law, Clive Owen and Julia Roberts.
Sin Nombre Snatch The Descent. Submarine. All Critics (144) | Top Critics (35) | Fresh (123) | Rotten (19) | DVD (4) That rare teen comedy where the kids aren't gorgeous, the hero isn't heroic and the object of desire has a lot of reasons why she isn't necessarily desirable. The result is a small, delicate comedy that depends on a continuity of tone that it pulls off. Oliver may not live happily ever after; but he manages to live happily enough here, and that's just fine. An exercise in briny Welsh Weltzschmerz that tracks the inner and outer worlds of a confused teenage boy. In its own right, "Submarine" is one of the best movies of the year. "Submarine'' has its own specific miseries and darkly funny vibe. For an unreliable narrator, Oliver's story is reliably entertaining. SUBMARINE is a story about growing up all while not wanting to get older. Submarine is a remarkably assured debut filled with dry humor, inventive visual wit and great performances.
I look forward to more from director Richard Ayoade. Adaptation. All Critics (207) | Top Critics (39) | Fresh (180) | Rotten (18) | DVD (32) For two-thirds of its running time the film is close to genius. But there's still no third act. It's the sort of movie that keeps reinventing itself and nudging us in the ribs as it does. You'll want to see it soon, because everyone you know will be talking about it. Few recent movies have conveyed so forcefully how people can feel shut out by their own lack of passion, how they yearn to end the emptiness.
Mired in the inertia of Charlie's writer's block, as if the real Kaufman never found his own passion for the material. One-of-a-kind near-masterpiece. January 9, 2003 Adaptation may not be the first movie to examine the creative process. A fine accomplishment from all involved, especially Charlie Kauffman, who has written a bewildering and captivating movie, which bares his mind, heart and soul. At all times, "Adaptation. " carries the thrillingly unpredictable charge of a film writing itself before your eyes. Being John Malkovich. All Critics (126) | Top Critics (28) | Fresh (114) | Rotten (9) | DVD (32) Devilishly inventive and so far out there it's almost off the scale. This outrageous comic fantasy may not sustain its brilliance throughout its 112 minutes, but it keeps cooking for so much of that time that I don't have many complaints. By the time the tunnel worthy of the likes of Gulliver and Alice becomes a freeway clogged with bit players, a big chill has descended on all the characters.
This must be seen to be believed, a hundred carat cult item -- and all credit to Malkovich for playing along. It is hard to mix moods -- the film is manic, subtle, comic and vaguely sad -- but [Jonze] does it masterfully. It's clever, witty, dark and, most importantly, unwaveringly bizarre. an essential existentialist text. An incredibly rich and entertaining (not to say, laudably malevolent) film that far transcends its already way-out title premise ... Kids won't get this sex-driven, head-trip comedy. A triumph. December 6, 2004. A Very Long Engagement.
All Critics (151) | Top Critics (39) | Fresh (113) | Rotten (31) | DVD (30) Tautou, as always, makes this an enchanting trip. There's only so much candy the eye can consume before nausea sets in. This is grand cinema. December 22, 2004 The comic-dramatic divide of A Very Long Engagement is difficult to traverse, much less conquer. It's simply hard to be charmed with all those corpses scattered about.
Merging heart-wrenching emotions with quirky humor and splicing bloody war footage with goofy comedy, the movie mixes vastly disparate elements into a surprisingly smooth blend. The overall assemblage is shaky, but grand. As in any fable, there are spires, towers and moats, and it's a spellbinding saga - a macabre dance choreographed by its romance's throbbing heart. Filmmaker Jeunet applies his aestheticized approach (which worked well for Amelie) to a WWII melodrama to some mixed results. a successful genre combination of a war film, period romance, detective story and black comedy (...)
The Science of Sleep. All Critics (165) | Top Critics (43) | Fresh (112) | Rotten (46) | DVD (18) In the moment, Gondry and Bernal almost manage to give quirky a good name. The movie plays like an exhausted hallucination, disjointed and frustrating, much of it owing to the lack of chemistry Gondry allows between his stars. In the end, after your time with it, you'll recall it with a smile, remembering its childish wonderment and mischievous sense of humor. It's all very cosmopolitan (the dialogue is English, French and Spanish), very independent, a wee bit juvenile and very confusing, of course. But The Science of Sleep is also remarkably magical and desperately romantic beneath it all.
The whimsy Gondry whips up soon goes wispy as we wait in vain for all this sweet-natured silliness to reveal a meaning that isn't transparently obvious. Gondry's creative breeze of a movie is fun while it lasts, and that's more than you can say about a whole lot of movies. September 29, 2006 More amazing work from Gondry. Roman Holiday. All Critics (50) | Top Critics (7) | Fresh (49) | Rotten (1) | DVD (22) The newcomer named Audrey Hepburn gives the popular old romantic nonsense a reality it has seldom had before. For lovers of romantic comedies through the ages, Roman Holiday remains a favorite. [Wyler] times the chuckles with a never-flagging pace, puts heart into the laughs, endows the footage with some boff bits of business and points up some tender, poignant scenes in using the smart script and the cast to the utmost advantage.
Wyler lays out all the elements with care and precision, but the romantic comedy never comes together -- it's charm by computer. The movie remains a great tonic. Mr. Immaculately directed by William Wyler, and written and played with style and grace, this is a film to treasure, both for its endearing action and marvellous performances. Only the big screen can do justice to its scintillating monochrome images. As welcome as a cooling gelato on a hot summer's day. [An] unfailingly lovely fairy tale.
In Search of a Midnight Kiss. All Critics (62) | Top Critics (27) | Fresh (52) | Rotten (9) | DVD (2) What follows - walking, talking, flirting, fighting - is a charming piece of low-budget, improv-y filmmaking in the tradition of Richard Linklater's Before Sunrise. An offbeat looking-for-love comedy with enough fresh notes to please even jaded viewers. In Search of a Midnight Kiss is a surprising charmer, a wandering modern romantic comedy with enough bittersweet aftertaste to give it substance and enough wit to keep you entertained. Writer/director Alex Holdridge maintains the intrigue of Wilson and Vivian's dance through a combination of naturalistic dialogue and a magical-realist style.
How incongruous that while veteran studio heads prepare slates of comic book movies, the slackers behind this $12,000 gem have made one of the most mature films of the year. It's a great feeling, isn't it, falling in love with a movie about falling in love? Alex Holdridge has written and directed a sweet, funny little indie movie. 2 Days in Paris. All Critics (121) | Top Critics (42) | Fresh (99) | Rotten (17) | DVD (11) ...an impressive, funny urban comedy of manners from a suitably distinctive voice that I hope we'll hear again soon. For almost an hour, Delpy chases the spirits of Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell; why, then, an ultimate fondness for Ralph Bellamy? A movie that is as acutely painful as it is acutely funny.
The last time I laughed so hard at a movie, it was Nigel Tufnel telling us his amplifier went to 11. 2 Days in Paris proves Delpy's got an authentic ear for humor in two languages, and she turns the dewy-eyed notion of Paris as a city for lovers firmly and affectionately on its tête. Witty romcom explores realistic relationship; graphic talk. Delpy has made something rare: a romantic comedy that feels spontaneous and handcrafted ( ... ) 2 Days in Paris is a mix of awful Woody Allen and mental masturbation.
A shoddy, sour handheld-video excursion October 21, 2007 A vanity project? The Remains of the Day. All Critics (38) | Top Critics (9) | Fresh (37) | Rotten (1) | DVD (10) The actors keep this interesting, but as a story it drifts and rambles. All the meticulousness, intelligence, taste and superior acting that one expects from Merchant Ivory productions have been brought to bear. Who else but Merchant Ivory to give the big-screen treatment to Ishiguro's Booker Prize-winning novel about class, fascism and the stiff upper lip? Here's a film for adults. It's also about time to recognize that Mr.
Ivory is one of our finest directors, something that critics tend to overlook because most of his films have been literary adaptations. What do you call filmmakers who make literary entertainment box office in the age of Beavis and Butt-bead? May 12, 2001 Put Anthony Hopkins, Emma Thompson and James Fox together and you can expect sterling performances. Moves rather slowly, but the actors and their understated chemistry keep the film riveting, building to a climax that is absolutely heartrending. Dave. All Critics (54) | Top Critics (18) | Fresh (51) | Rotten (3) | DVD (2) A genial, expertly played political comedy proves that the spirit of Mr. Smith still lives. It's impossible to say whether Dave will play as wonderfully over the decades as it does right now, but this smooth-as-silk comedy could not be more timely, or connect more hopefully with our current national consciousness.
While it's sloppy and draggy in parts, Kevin Kline, in the title role, delivers an ingratiating comedic performance. Kline is so polished and resourceful that he can glide his way through even the creakiest bits and make them seem fresh. Though replete with amusing situations and clever lines, its strongest suit is the delicately pitched comic performances of its actors, most especially star Kevin Kline. [A] delightful, gentle satire on the Washington political scene. Dave isn't too careful about filling plot holes. Despite the familiar echoes, the film works more often than it should. Say Anything... All Critics (41) | Top Critics (7) | Fresh (40) | Rotten (1) | DVD (31) Cusack and Skye's relationship develops nicely and believably, but Crowe has not written an entirely convincing character for the latter to play.
At last, a teenage love story with real characters instead of cliches, poses, and attitudes. he love story is as old-fashioned as the jokes are old hat, but Crowe's amusing script and unforced direction allow the actors to develop reasonably authentic characters from stereotypical roles. The film is all charming performances and grace notes, but there are plenty of worse things to be. The cast is irresistibly charming, down to the bit parts by Lili Taylor and Amy Brooks as Lloyd's best friends.
Smart, well-developed characters, believable situations, and a solid emotional investment for us in the film's people and circumstances Cameron Crowe creates a beautiful film filled with uncertainties and paints romance as horrifying, but an experience that's also very much worth it. The Artist. All Critics (227) | Top Critics (49) | Fresh (223) | Rotten (4) | DVD (4) The whole thing is so damn clever and charming, it might just sneak off with Best Picture. It isn't arty or intellectual, though it is artful and ingenious, and it's the rare crowd-pleaser that never feels obvious or pandering.
There is literally nothing wrong with it. I don't have a single nit to pick, minor flaw to point out or little bit that annoyed me. It is pure magic from the first frame to the last. You can't fault it as smart entertainment, which eschews parody to make a sincere tribute that also serves as cogent current commentary. The movie ever fully shakes off its air of skillfully executed experiment, but it's spirited and charming nonetheless. For a movie that is so much about technique, it's surprising how affecting the story is. That the film is so convincing and so engaging despite the lack of dialogue is an unquantifiable triumph. The Artist is a joyous and enchanting film.
Monsieur Lazhar. All Critics (112) | Top Critics (35) | Fresh (109) | Rotten (3) | DVD (2) Although it raises timeless questions about life and loss, and timely ones about mentorship and multiculturalism, "Monsieur Lazhar" would rather teach than preach. A gentle film can still be searing in its effect on an audience, something that "Monsieur Lazhar" proves emphatically. With a few folds, this story could have made a script for John Barrymore, like Topaze, or for Chaplin. You could almost describe 'Monsieur Lazhar' as a morality tale, but it's more thought-provoking than debate-provoking. A sad, reflective study of the possibilities, and the impossibilities, inherent in the teacher-student relationship.
"Monsieur Lazhar" is good. Guaranteed to have you reaching for the Kleenex. While it may not stand out from similar movies, Monsieur Lazhar is a sweet film with a simple story and remains engaging thanks in large part to Mohamed Fellag's charming performance. This is cinema at its most impactful. La Grande illusion (The Grand Illusion) All Critics (64) | Top Critics (13) | Fresh (60) | Rotten (2) | DVD (10) It's among the most understated anti-war films ever made, effortlessly humanistic but far too subtle to indulge in preaching.
A model of simplicity and grace, with emotional effects that move you when you least expect it, the kind of great film that only a master can pull off. Funny, heart-wrenching, nail-biting, caustic and profound, touting the futility of armed combat while turning imprisonment and escape into a microcosm for society's aspirations and contradictions. It's still one of the key humanist expressions to be found in movies: sad, funny, exalting, and glorious. It's an excellent film, with Renoir's usual looping line and deft shifts of tone, though today the balance of critical opinion has shifted in favor of the greater darkness and filigree of The Rules of the Game. An artistically masterful feature, the picture breathes the intimate life of warriors on both sides during the [First] World War. Tragic. Yellow Submarine.
Leap Year. Hell and Back Again. We Were Here. This Is Not a Film. Indie Game: The Movie. The Fairy. The Kid with a Bike. Moonrise Kingdom.