Jonathan Christian

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For 42 reviews, this critic has graded:
  • 35% higher than the average critic
  • 7% same as the average critic
  • 58% lower than the average critic
On average, this critic grades 1.8 points lower than other critics. (0-100 point scale)

Jonathan Christian's Scores

  • Movies
  • TV
Average review score: 64
Highest review score: 100 Pray Away
Lowest review score: 25 Naked Singularity
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 42
  2. Mixed: 16 out of 42
  3. Negative: 5 out of 42
42 movie reviews
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    • 86 Metascore
    • 100 Jonathan Christian
    Vitalina Varela
    Aligning itself with the director’s prior works, Costa’s cinematic dissertation on the impermanence of life, love as a sacrificial commitment and the existence of God requires a refined attention span and a liberal tolerance for a slow-burning narrative flow, but viewers in search of a visually masterful and emotionally desolate arthouse feature could find Vitalina Varela to be one of the most thought-provoking international features to debut in quite some time.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 100 Jonathan Christian
    The Killing of Two Lovers
    Its message is timeless. Its performances? Flawless. And if The Killing of Two Lovers can be described as anything more than a must-see film, it can best be defined as a cautionary tale dedicated to the fragility of the family structure in the United States, a showcase of a radically talented filmmaker and a dedication to the painful reality of love.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 100 Jonathan Christian
    An Elephant Sitting Still
    As a simultaneous introduction and farewell, An Elephant Sitting Still might be one of the best movies that you will only watch once, but won’t ever completely leave your mind.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 100 Jonathan Christian
    The Mole Agent
    The Mole Agent is a perfect film. From a technical and emotional viewpoint equally, The Mole Agent possesses no flaws. Yes, as with every documentary, manipulation is openly displayed and validity can always be questioned, but The Mole Agent dissuades any inkling of pessimism or negativity through its unabashed sincerity.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 100 Jonathan Christian
    Pray Away
    At its core, Pray Away is a chronicle of pain. It is a candid, unceremonious study of people who have struggled for years with discovering who they are and who God is; and, perhaps most importantly, it is an exploration in the lasting damage caused by misinterpreting Biblical teachings and misunderstanding the Gospel’s message.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 83 Jonathan Christian
    The American Sector
    Stephens and Velez should feel reassured that their three-year venture was not in vain. With “The American Sector,” the two artists crafted a gem—a film that, while tranquil in spirit, assembles a composite sketch of the 21st-century American landscape that shouts with the energy of a thousand voices.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 83 Jonathan Christian
    Well Groomed
    "Well Groomed" is not revolutionary cinema by any means, but it certainly is enjoyable; and sometimes, an adorable documentary about competitive creative dog grooming is exactly what you need.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 83 Jonathan Christian
    Recorder: The Marion Stokes Project
    Thankfully, ‘Recorder’ salvages its lack of narrative control with enough emotional weight to earn its memorability.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 83 Jonathan Christian
    Maiden
    Maiden simultaneously functions as a timeless ode to passion and a reflective account of a fascinating highpoint in the history of women’s involvement in the sports industry.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 83 Jonathan Christian
    Apples
    Despite its dower subject matter, Apples arrives bearing gifts of uplifting encouragement and pensive meditations on the nature of the human experience. Equipped with deadpan humor and numbing silence, Nikou’s philosophically minded dramedy strives to create conversation as much as it actively attempts to entertain.
    • 66 Metascore
    • 83 Jonathan Christian
    You Don't Nomi
    You Don’t Nomi cuts through the excessive nudity and stylized hyper sex of “Showgirls” to reveal the heart hidden behind the grime, relishing in the entrancing panache that has fascinated and charmed viewers for years.
    • 58 Metascore
    • 83 Jonathan Christian
    7500
    In an era marked by omnipresent terror and universal doom, 7500 sparks fear and soothes anxiety in the same breath. Although the film utilizes violence as its foundation, 7500 promotes the idea that heroes exist everywhere, proving that, even amid turbulent opposition, survival, and endurance are sometimes the bravest acts people can ever accomplish.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 83 Jonathan Christian
    Colewell
    Authentically pensive and distressingly honest, Colewell remains true to its convictions by prominently exhibiting the uncomfortable truths of growing old. Remarkably, the film’s subject matter is treated with an impressively respectful restraint, opting to stay grounded and not venture down melodramatic sideroads.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 75 Jonathan Christian
    Phantom Cowboys
    Phantom Cowboys is a stylish treat for viewers who enjoy meditative cinema. As an enrapturing stroll down the dusty backroad pathways and flame-covered grassland that comprise a country, the documentary manages to offer an invigorating perspective on the United States by exploring the day-to-day lives of the unseen.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 75 Jonathan Christian
    Styx
    The primary factor permitting Styx to warrant any sort of recognition is inarguably Susanne Wolff’s dynamically subtle performance.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 75 Jonathan Christian
    The Surrogate
    Imperfections cannot steal away the ambitious underpinnings of Hersh’s intentions for “The Surrogate,” a down-to-earth analysis of the ever-precarious, self-serving human condition; an examination that speaks volumes despite its reserved demeanor.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 75 Jonathan Christian
    Simple as Water
    In a vast sea of tasteless or mishandled cinematic nonfiction, Simple As Water displays the voice of a talented filmmaker, exhibits a potently important topic, and shines a light on the international plight of families who deserve to be admired for their courage.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 75 Jonathan Christian
    Greener Grass
    Counterbalancing a tongue-in-cheek treatise condemning the shallow obliviousness of the upper-middle class with niche comedic thrills, Greener Grass earns its reputation as a delightfully nauseating charmer that should be regarded as a salvia-covered tour de force for years to come.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 75 Jonathan Christian
    All These Small Moments
    All These Small Moments succeeds in simplicity.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 67 Jonathan Christian
    TINY: The Life of Erin Blackwell
    Tiny is a sobering contemplation on flaws, forgiveness, and redemption that deserves to be recognized.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 67 Jonathan Christian
    Freeland
    Freeland endures as an introspective, succinct mood piece enriched by Fairchild’s phenomenal lead performance and the artistic vision of two compassionate filmmakers in tune with the essence of their craft.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 58 Jonathan Christian
    Fever Dream
    Fever Dream never delivers on its promises and eventually collapses due to its cluttered narrative organization, unintentionally sluggish pacing, and an unbridled assortment of themes
    • 72 Metascore
    • 58 Jonathan Christian
    Sirens
    Baghdadi’s affection for cherishing quaint moments overwhelms the opportunity to fuse the band’s affable charm to a well-rounded depiction of modern-day Middle Eastern women existing on the fringes of their culture.
    • 51 Metascore
    • 58 Jonathan Christian
    Bird Box
    There is some fun to be had with Bird Box. Despite its sporadic eye-roll moments, the film is charming. It’s the epitome of a rainy day movie – a flick that you can watch wrapped in a blanket with a hot cup of cocoa when it’s too dreary to leave the house.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 58 Jonathan Christian
    Lingua Franca
    In the case of a film conceived by a clearly talented artist, one would hope that Sandoval’s work would mirror her potential, but “Lingua Franca,” a film preoccupied with formulaic ideas and distracted by speaking points, falls short of its goals.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 50 Jonathan Christian
    Nothing Compares
    Depriving “Nothing Compares” of any mention of O’Connor’s more recent life irreparably wounds the film. Had Ferguson bothered to cast aside her rose-tinted gaze, the documentary might have, akin to O’Connor’s rebellious spirit, broken the mold of what’s expected from cinematic works of biographical nonfiction.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 50 Jonathan Christian
    Babylon
    In short, Babylon is bland and sadly, should be much better.
    • 66 Metascore
    • 50 Jonathan Christian
    Users
    Users is too quiet to say anything provocative, too short to waste your time and too inconsequential to recommend to anyone searching for a fresh perspective on age-old material.
    • 54 Metascore
    • 50 Jonathan Christian
    Stockholm
    The film is not meaningless, or even trifling, but, Stockholm never rises above mediocre, and that is what hurts the most.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 50 Jonathan Christian
    Us Kids
    If Us Kids had shed its extra weight and fine-tuned its focus, the nonfiction feature might have bloomed into a decade-defining documentary.
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