Rotten 2.5/4
| Rotten 56%
| The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009) | "
The Men Who Stare at Goats is a handful of hilarious scenes looking for a movie." Kansas City Star Posted Nov 6, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Rotten 16%
| The Fourth Kind (2009) | "
In the end the film is more desultory than disturbing." Kansas City Star Posted Nov 6, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Rotten 54%
| Disney's A Christmas Carol (2009) | "
In the end you don’t have to analyze it... that tear in your eye tells you it’s working." Kansas City Star Posted Nov 6, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 86%
| The Baader Meinhof Complex (2009) | "
An epic look at a recent blood-soaked episode of post-war Germany." Kansas City Star Posted Oct 30, 2009 |
Fresh 3.5/4
| Fresh 88%
| Amreeka (2009) | "
You can try to resist it, but by the time Cherien Dabis’ writing/directing effort is over, you’ll be completely sucked in." Kansas City Star Posted Oct 30, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 85%
| A Serious Man (2009) | "
The brothers’ deadpan style is hugely effective -- so much so that even if you hate the message you enjoy the messengers." Kansas City Star Posted Oct 30, 2009 |
Rotten 2.5/4
| Rotten 17%
| Amelia (2009) | "
This film, coming 72 years after Earhart vanished -- plays it awfully safe." Kansas City Star Posted Oct 23, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 95%
| Good Hair (2009) | "
Despite the padding, there’s enough interesting sociological digging here -- not to mention the easygoing presence of comic Chris Rock -- to keep us entertained and even enlightened." Kansas City Star Posted Oct 23, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 73%
| More Than a Game (2009) | "
There’s plenty to both cheer and ponder." Kansas City Star Posted Oct 23, 2009 |
Rotten 1.5/4
| Rotten 37%
| Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant (2009) | "
The strong supporting cast is wasted... evidently these characters would have more to do in sequels which, let us pray, we never have to sit through." Kansas City Star Posted Oct 23, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 89%
| No Impact Man (2009) | "
It’s kinda inspiring. It’s also very funny." Kansas City Star Posted Oct 15, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Rotten 23%
| Law Abiding Citizen (2009) | "
Director F. Gary Gray keeps the thrills coming at a relentless pace that leaves little time to ponder the Mack truck-sized holes in the logic." Kansas City Star Posted Oct 15, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Fresh 71%
| Where the Wild Things Are (2009) | "
The resulting movie isn’t for young children. I’m not sure it’s for grown-ups, either -- not unless they’re into boredom." Kansas City Star Posted Oct 15, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 93%
| Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story of Ozploitation! (2009) | "
The onslaught of tastelessness begins even before the opening credits and continues nonstop for 103 deliciously sleazy minutes." Kansas City Star Posted Oct 8, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Rotten 0%
| The Baker (2007) | "
The Baker is an iffy affair made palatable mostly by Lewis’ lead performance, an attractive blend of naivete and deadly efficiency. But we’ve seen it before." Kansas City Star Posted Oct 8, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Rotten 12%
| Couples Retreat (2009) | "
If you must, go for the scenery." Kansas City Star Posted Oct 8, 2009 |
Rotten 2.5/4
| N/A | In/Significant Others (2009) | "
As a jigsaw puzzle it’s diverting, but I never cared much for the people." Kansas City Star Posted Oct 2, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| N/A | Vincent: A Life in Color (2009) | "
A lovely film." Kansas City Star Posted Oct 2, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 75%
| Capitalism: A Love Story (2009) | "
As you watch, your indignation grows. Moore has chosen precisely the right moment to tap into the throbbing vein of anti-corporate, anti-rich anger." Kansas City Star Posted Oct 2, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 89%
| Zombieland (2009) | "
Despite some pacing problems two-thirds of the way through, first-time feature director Fleischer does a fine job of juggling mayhem and merriment." Kansas City Star Posted Oct 2, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Rotten 55%
| The Invention of Lying (2009) | "
All this is very, very funny." Kansas City Star Posted Oct 2, 2009 |
Rotten 2.5/4
| N/A | My Step-Dad's a Freakin' Vampire (2009) | "
My beef is that this yarn -- story by Matheny, screenplay by Kyle Mangrum -- is nowhere near as original as [his student film] The Scientist." Kansas City Star Posted Sep 25, 2009 |
Rotten 2.5/4
| Fresh 83%
| Bright Star (2009) | "
This film about the doomed love affair of poet John Keats and his neighbor Fanny Brawne left me underwhelmed." Kansas City Star Posted Sep 25, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 77%
| It Might Get Loud (2009) | "
Dare you not to smile." Kansas City Star Posted Sep 25, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Fresh 85%
| Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs (2009) | "
What's missing is charm. The book had tons of it, while the movie buries it beneath an avalanche of movement and busy design." Kansas City Star Posted Sep 17, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 84%
| World's Greatest Dad (2009) | "
The ironically titled World’s Greatest Dad is one sick movie. That’s a compliment." Kansas City Star Posted Sep 10, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 84%
| The September Issue (2009) | "
It’s the relationship between Coddington and her boss, the icy, remote Wintour -- a genius of another sort -- that makes The September Issue so fascinating." Kansas City Star Posted Sep 10, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Rotten 6%
| Whiteout (2009) | "
The screenplay by Jon and Erich Hoeber and Chad and Carey Hayes (too many cooks?) is confusing and leaps huge gaps in logic." Kansas City Star Posted Sep 10, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Rotten 56%
| 9 (2009) | "
The film offers a unique take on the future and enough dazzling sights to merit a second and even third viewing." Kansas City Star Posted Sep 8, 2009 |
Rotten 1/4
| Rotten 6%
| All About Steve (2009) | "
Maybe a sitcom laugh track would have helped. At least it would provide a hint of where we’re supposed to chuckle." Kansas City Star Posted Sep 4, 2009 |
Fresh 3.5/4
| Fresh 95%
| The Cove (2009) | "
Part thriller, part natural history lesson." Kansas City Star Posted Sep 4, 2009 |
Fresh 2.5/4
| Fresh 63%
| Extract (2009) | "
There’s considerable pleasure in watching Bateman take a fairly bland character and imbue him with personality, humor and even a dash of pathos." Kansas City Star Posted Sep 4, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 65%
| Adam (2009) | "
Dancy gets the juiciest role and wisely underplays it." Kansas City Star Posted Aug 28, 2009 |
Fresh 3.5/4
| Rotten 51%
| Taking Woodstock (2009) | "
For any teenager tempted to sneer at Mom and Dad’s veneration of the whole Woodstock thing, this film explains why those three days in 1969 had such a profound effect on a generation." Kansas City Star Posted Aug 28, 2009 |
Fresh 3.5/4
| Fresh 88%
| Inglourious Basterds (2009) | "
That isn’t the way the history books tell it, but after seeing this overripe wonder you may prefer Tarantino’s take." Kansas City Star Posted Aug 20, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Fresh 60%
| Paper Heart (2009) | "
The biggest drawback here is that Charlyne Yi has no screen presence." Kansas City Star Posted Aug 14, 2009 |
Rotten 1.5/4
| Rotten 26%
| The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard (2009) | "
Nothing wrong with potty talk. But if that’s all a movie has to offer, the humor quickly evaporates." Kansas City Star Posted Aug 14, 2009 |
Fresh 3.5/4
| Fresh 80%
| Unmistaken Child (2009) | "
Even atheists may find their world rocked by Nati Baratz’s Unmistaken Child." Kansas City Star Posted Aug 14, 2009 |
Rotten 2.5/4
| Rotten 38%
| The Time Traveler's Wife (2009) | "
There are certainly elements of the tragic here, but the film never quite delivers." Kansas City Star Posted Aug 14, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 90%
| District 9 (2009) | "
Taking a traditional sci-fi approach, Blomkamp examines contemporary society through a new prism." Kansas City Star Posted Aug 14, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 68%
| Tetro (2009) | "
The acting is terrific." Kansas City Star Posted Aug 7, 2009 |
Fresh 3.5/4
| Fresh 81%
| Departures (2009) | "
Absolutely, beautifully, tear duct openingly right." Kansas City Star Posted Aug 7, 2009 |
Fresh 3.5/4
| Fresh 75%
| Julie & Julia (2009) | "
This is one lip-smacking, celestially aromatic, drop-dead delicious movie." Kansas City Star Posted Aug 7, 2009 |
Fresh 2.5/4
| Rotten 45%
| Management (2009) | "
Gentle, goofy and never mean, Management isn’t earth-shaking. But it’s a fuzzy warm blanket of a movie." Kansas City Star Posted Jul 30, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 87%
| 500 Days of Summer (2009) | "
The film belongs to its two stars." Kansas City Star Posted Jul 30, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 68%
| Funny People (2009) | "
The film’s nexus of mortality and humor from the gut provides plenty of diversion." Kansas City Star Posted Jul 30, 2009 |
Fresh 3.5/5
| Fresh 67%
| Public Enemies (2009) | "
Best of all, Mann and his cast achieve a grim atmosphere of fatal inevitability as the net slowly tightens around Dillinger and his free-wheeling criminal cohorts." Sunday Mail (Australia) Posted Jul 29, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 89%
| O'Horten (2009) | "
This unremarkable fellow finds himself in some strange circumstances, thanks to the imagination of writer/director Bent Hamer." Kansas City Star Posted Jul 24, 2009 |
Fresh 3.5/4
| Fresh 98%
| The Hurt Locker (2009) | "
Employing handheld cameras and very little music, Bigelow creates a claustrophobic and palpably dangerous environment in which one mistake could prove disastrous." Kansas City Star Posted Jul 24, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Rotten 15%
| The Ugly Truth (2009) | "
The Ugly Truth is about as subtle as a boulder rolling downhill through a crowded playground." Kansas City Star Posted Jul 24, 2009 |