FilmJabber.com Movie Reviews

The Book of Eli Movie Review

2010-01-29

It's been nearly ten years since we last heard from the Hughes brothers, but they're back with the religiously themed apocalyptic action-thriller The Book of Eli, starring Denzel Washington. The movie looks great and features yet another good performance from the A-list actor, but the movie gets bogged down by its lack of a strong plot.

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The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus Movie Review

2010-01-24

Though many people see Heath Ledger's brilliant performance in The Dark Knight as his last hoorah, the late actor has one more trick up his sleeve: an amnesiac performer in Terry Gilliam's The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus. Sadly, the movie doesn't serve as an adequate send-off for the beloved man.

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The Lovely Bones Movie Review

2010-01-24

Peter Jackson's latest film The Lovely Bones was supposed to be a heavy awards contender. Its release date set for early December, the movie was supposed to make a lot of money and garner several nominations throughout the holidays. And then a few lukewarm reviews appeared, followed by a couple of bad ones. Paramount panicked and pushed its wide release back a month, destroying much of its marketing buzz along the way. Did it deserve such treatment? No, as The Lovely Bones is pretty good. However, it still fails to live up to expectations.

Read FilmJabber's full The Lovely Bones movie review.

Crazy Heart Movie Review

2010-01-16

America loves a comeback story, and sadly a lot of Americans love country music, which means the drama Crazy Heart should be an easy sell for audiences this January. A film by and large flying under the radar this awards season, Crazy Heart stars Jeff Bridges as a down-and-out alcoholic musician who discovers a second chance with his career and his life. The movie is good, but it's Bridges' performance that takes it to the next level.

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Crude Movie Review

2010-01-16

Each year, there are documentaries of all kinds: funny, emotionally personal, political, anti-business, environmental and more. The few that really hit home, however, are the ones that reveal massive tragedies few in the United States know about. Crude is one of those documentaries.

Read FilmJabber's full Crude movie review.

Daybreakers Movie Review

2010-01-10

The New Year begins with the fad that defined 2009 - vampires - as Daybreakers bites its way into theaters. The good news is that unlike Twilight: New Moon, Daybreakers features a clever concept and real, not-so-sparkly vampires; the bad news is that it's a poorly executed, hammy mess.

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A Single Man Movie Review

2010-01-10

Few first-time directors come out of the gate with all guns firing, but Tom Ford appears to have done so with A Single Man, a superbly acted, emotionally intriguing and visually stimulating drama that is one of the year's best.

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Black Dynamite Movie Review

2010-01-03

From Scott Sanders comes Black Dynamite, a satirical take on 1970's blaxploitation films. With the look, feel and style of such films, Black Dynamite is a true homage to the genre, though whether you can sit through the whole thing is another matter.

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Antichrist Movie Review

2009-12-31

In Lars von Trier's most mainstream movie to date - which still isn't very mainstream at all - Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg star in what is easily the most twisted movie of 2009, Antichrist. Though its intent still eludes me, Antichrist is also one of the most captivating and visually engaging movies of the year.

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The Blind Side Movie Review

2009-12-31

In The Blind Side, Sandra Bullock pulls off her second box office feat of the year and writer/director John Lee Hancock exceeds expectations with one of the most satisfying drama-comedies of the year. The movie, about the story of NFL football player Michael Oher, is one the entire family can enjoy, even if none are fans of the sport.

Read FilmJabber's full The Blind Side movie review.

It's Complicated Movie Review

2009-12-31

Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin star in It's Complicated, the latest comedy from the director of Something's Gotta Give and What Women Want. The movie - about a divorced couple who start having an affair with each other - has the concept and gimmick to be a huge hit, but unfortunately the best parts are shown in the previews.

Read FilmJabber's full It's Complicated movie review.

Nine Movie Review

2009-12-31

Though Moulin Rouge showed that musicals could be cool again, it was Rob Marshall's 2002 Oscar winner Chicago that proved they could be critical and financial successes, too. In other words, Marshall is largely responsible for the wave of hit musicals that have hit been released over the last decade, and he's back with another star-studded adaptation with Nine.

Read FilmJabber's full Nine movie review.

An Education Movie Review

2009-12-26

A contender for Best Picture this year is An Education, a smartly written, well-acted coming-of-age drama about an intelligent teenage girl who, while attempting to get into Oxford, falls in love with an older, more rebellious man who encourages her to question much of her beliefs. Unfortunately, the movie's lackluster ending keeps it from greatness.

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Sherlock Holmes Movie Review

2009-12-26

Guy Ritchie looks for the first breakout hit of his career with Sherlock Holmes, a funny, action-adventure take on the classic Sir Arthur Conan Doyle character. Having never attained mainstream appeal and after a long string of box office failures, Ritchie was a huge gamble for Warner Brothers to take - but the risk paid off. Sherlock Holmes is an entertaining, fast-paced action-adventure that is a must-see this holiday season.

Read FilmJabber's full Sherlock Holmes movie review.

The Princess and the Frog Movie Review

2009-12-25

After five long years, Walt Disney returns to the traditional animation techniques that powered their classics for decades with The Princess and the Frog, a beautiful, entertaining and rich tale that will appeal to audiences young and old.

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Avatar Movie Review

2009-12-19

Along with the buzz, speculation had been growing for months over the big question: could James Cameron pull it off? The underwhelming trailers presented audiences with a Fern Gully-esque story full of 10-foot tall Smurfs - and the special effects, touted as revolutionary, looked questionable at best. Was this really the epic James Cameron was marking his return to the big screen with? Now that Avatar is out, this statement rings true: never, ever, underestimate James Cameron.

Read FilmJabber's full Avatar movie review.

Brothers Movie Review

2009-12-18

An all-star cast and an all-star director combine forces in Brothers, a remake of a 2004 Danish film that isn't the explosive drama one would expect or hope for. Jake Gyllenhaal, Tobey Maguire and Natalie Portman star in the movie by Jim Sheridan, and while the picture boasts excellent performances, the ultimate experience is shockingly flat.

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Invictus Movie Review

2009-12-18

Nelson Mandela, one of the most recognized and respected politicians in the world, is brought to life in Invictus, the latest drama from Clint Eastwood. Aside from the lackluster Changeling, Eastwood has been on a tear, producing one Oscar-nominated drama after the next. Invictus is his latest shot at gold, and while it is definitely a compelling story, it never quite clicks.

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The Road Movie Review

2009-12-18

Easily one of the most depressing movies of 2009, The Road places the audience in the middle of the ultimate hellhole, a desolate, post-apocalyptic Earth that has long since died. Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Cormac McCarthy, the author of No Country for Old Men, The Road is one of the better movies of the year - but it doesn't quite live up to its source material.

Read FilmJabber's full The Road movie review.

Up in the Air Movie Review

2009-12-18

Leading the Golden Globes this year is the drama-comedy Up in the Air, the latest from Jason Reitman, the director of Juno. Much like Juno, Up in the Air is a light, entertaining and yet emotionally powerful film that offers great performances, an excellent script and a unique story.

Read FilmJabber's full Up in the Air movie review.