Marta Barber

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Miami Herald
For 173 reviews, this critic has graded:
  • 52% higher than the average critic
  • 2% same as the average critic
  • 46% lower than the average critic
On average, this critic grades 4.5 points higher than other critics. (0-100 point scale)

Marta Barber's Scores

  • Movies
  • TV
Average review score: 70
Highest review score: 100 The Battle of Algiers
Lowest review score: 25 Bonjour Monsieur Shlomi
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 151 out of 173
  2. Mixed: 19 out of 173
  3. Negative: 3 out of 173
173 movie reviews
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    • 63 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    Booye kafoor, atre yas
    Farmanara bears his soul, and his honesty permeates this work as strongly as the smell of camphor.
    • 49 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    Al Franken: God Spoke
    Listening to O'Reilly, Anne Coulter and others vilify Franken -- and vice versa -- is part of the dialogue that makes America great.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    Monsieur Ibrahim
    It is a treat to see Sharif back on the screen and Boulanger is a pleasure to watch. They make Monsieur Ibrahim better than it is.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    The Ignorant Fairies
    Even the graceful ending, one that lifts the film a notch, is startling. But at the very least, His Secret Life will leave you thinking.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    Russian Dolls
    The cast of renegades is as appealing as ever, and you'd only wish that the fictional folks of "Friends" or the cast of "Real World" were so free and nonjudgmental.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    The War Within
    The War Within is dark and somber, adjectives that describe both the film's look and its message.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    The Butterfly
    Adults expecting intellectual stimulation better skip this one. Not that the Philippe Muyl film is devoid of charm; it oozes it. The story is as predictable as a hot summer in South Florida.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    Red Satin
    Though far from perfect -- the film is predictable -- Satin Rouge is a refreshing view of a foreign culture.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    Charlotte Sometimes
    Sometimes engaging, sometimes amusing and ultimately surprising.
    • 89 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    Piccadilly [re-release]
    Film students should be thankful that companies such as Milestone Film & Video have taken up the distribution and restoration of important silent films, and that universities and museums have decided to screen these obscure classics.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    Girl on the Bridge
    As the sexual tension builds -- and it becomes intense, culminating in a highly suggestive knife-throwing scene more erotic than if the actors had been having explicit physical contact -- Girl takes you on a thrilling ride.
    • Miami Herald
    • 63 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    Vitus
    Deep down, this is a film about childhood dreams and the determination to make those dreams come true. With such a positive message, you can't help yodeling on your exit from the theater.
    • 41 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    Yes Nurse! No Nurse!
    This wacky, campy lampoon of 1950s Hollywood musicals is not for everyone.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    Lady Chatterley
    Its candid conversations about sexuality are what places Lawrence's protagonist in a class by herself.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    The Way Home
    The film has good actors and enough quirky moments to keep it interesting.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With
    Cheese is written with plenty of sophisticated wit, but it is not quite convincing as a movie.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    The Mystic Masseur
    Though difficult to understand at times, the language -- a combination of local patois and the characters' particular Indian accent -- is as lush as the cinematography.
    • 65 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    My Best Friend
    Although Leconte allows for a certain warmth to run through the film, he thankfully stays away from sentimentality. Therein lays the charm.
    • 53 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    Music Within
    As with many biopics, Richard is seen as the perfect hero, a man who singlehandedly changed the way the United States treats its disabled citizens. That's a bit of a stretch.
    • 65 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    Walk on Water
    An unexpected ode to peace.
    • 56 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    Claire Dolan
    Claire Dolan leaves you as unfulfilled as Claire feels after having sex with one of her johns.
    • Miami Herald
    • 30 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    A Day Without a Mexican
    The intended satire doesn't deliver the kind of punch you may expect, but it nevertheless poses many what-ifs.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    Fighter
    Yet even when the bickering diminishes the impact of the story, Wiener himself makes Fighter another interesting story to come out of World War II atrocities.
    • 65 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    James' Journey to Jerusalem
    That the film avoids the conflicts making the daily headlines out of Israel is one good reason why James' Journey, though not very well made, is interesting.
    • 53 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    Passionada
    The biggest appeal of Passionada is Sofia Milos, a sexy actress who commands the screen in every scene she's in.
    • 66 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    Family Law
    The filmmaker may not appeal to large numbers of filmgoers. But if you get his humor and delicate style, you'll enjoy his latest work.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    The Ninth Day
    The Ninth Day is far from perfect, but is still thought-provoking and intriguing, a film that can begin its own kind of debate.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    Only Human
    Unfortunately, the film is also at times dull, though the scale definitely tilts toward enjoyment. Quality balance aside, who doesn't want to enjoy a few hearty laughs? Only Human provides a few of those.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    The Emperor's New Clothes
    Mildly engaging.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    The Memory of a Killer
    This is nothing that a good episode of NYPD Blue hasn't shown myriad times.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    Sade
    Is it about a moment in history and how the life of a sexual predator fits into that moment? Or is it just about a director's sexual fantasy? The answers are somewhat fuzzy.
    • 84 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    49 Up
    For Americans, the film may be best taken as fodder for debate, especially for individuals interested in sociology. You wonder why those people stuck to the commitment. You may also wonder how different a parallel American film would've been.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    The Syrian Bride
    This Israeli film gives us an honest look at situations we never see in the news. It may have too many flaws to be a good film, but for its content, it is a winner.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    El Crimen Perfecto (The Perfect Crime)
    Fast, frantic and furious, but it is not steadily funny. While not boring, it is too light to be taken seriously.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    The Crime of Padre Amaro
    Had the film been more balanced, it would have added a new star to the recent wave of remarkable Mexican cinema.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    Ladies in Lavender.
    Doesn't stretch beyond the typical, period drama the Brits do so well. It is no more than a warm cup of tea on a chilly afternoon. The reward comes in seeing these two great actresses at work.
    • 65 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    Lemming
    Holds enough interest throughout to keep you entertained -- unless you're afraid of mice.
    • 45 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    Love Me If You Dare
    Unlike “Amélie,” Love Me If You Dare will not become a sleeper. But neither will it make you go to sleep.
    • 66 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    Zelary
    As a war drama, Zelary is as gentle and pastoral as its setting. At times, you think it's a new chapter in "The Sound of Music."
    • 61 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    Beijing Bicycle
    Though beautiful at times, it doesn't reach the level of poetry of either de Sica's "Thief" or Lou's "River."
    • 44 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    Matando Cabos
    Far from perfect, but for those willing to laugh at the darker side of life, especially Latin American life, it is fun.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    Rana's Wedding
    Strong acting from Khoury saves the weak storyline.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    Machuca
    Though the film would benefit from further cuts, Machuca still manages to convey the frailty of convictions and the difficulties of growing up -- be it a child or a nation.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    Mostly Martha
    The film has a rather charming way of convincing you that there are times to shrug off the caviar and champagne and go for a fulfilling bowl of spaghetti.
    • 52 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    Goya's Ghosts
    Captures the essence of the period -- an intriguing, backward era in Spain -- but without the emotional impact that such a film requires.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    Fear and Trembling
    The events in this film take place in the 1980s. Let's hope working conditions in Japan have "westernized."
    • 67 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    The Year My Parents Went on Vacation
    One true gem is Daniela Piepszyk, Mauro's teen neighbor, who is a fireball and the leader of the neighborhood gang of boys. You can't take your eyes off her.
    • 56 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    Coastlines
    Much like the good westerns, Coastlines keeps you entertained throughout its two hours, which says a lot about Nunez's storytelling.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    The Flower of Evil
    May not be everyone's favored bloom in the garden, but it is still a fine work on film.
    • 57 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    My Wife Is an Actress
    Light as the film may be, My Wife Is An Actress is not devoid of charm. It's like a summer book: quick, enjoyable and, mostly, easily forgotten.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 63 Marta Barber
    Innocence
    Innocence is a gentle love story, one that touches on an issue of great sensitivity -- sexuality in old age.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 50 Marta Barber
    Empathy
    Despite its entertaining and insightful dialogue, can also be a bore.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 50 Marta Barber
    Bread and Tulips
    It's all very sweet, but the film goes in too many directions.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 50 Marta Barber
    Pauline and Paulette
    With touches of humor throughout, the gentle and peaceful film never becomes depressing or sad.
    • 58 Metascore
    • 50 Marta Barber
    The Holy Land
    Fails to capture the anguish and struggles of an ultra-Orthodox Jew adapting to a more secular world as did Amos Gitai's Kadosh, a film this one sometimes brings to mind.
    • 39 Metascore
    • 50 Marta Barber
    O Jerusalem
    What is evident from the film is that there was never any chance these two peoples could make a peaceful coexistence.
    • 91 Metascore
    • 50 Marta Barber
    Beau Travail
    If only Beau Travail had a more dramatic edge, this nicely done film wouldn't have felt so long.
    • Miami Herald
    • 59 Metascore
    • 50 Marta Barber
    Happenstance
    Ultimately feels like tiny films glued together by events that often test plausibility. The idea wears thin soon, and some of the characters and their tales get lost in the unstoppable domino chain.
    • Miami Herald
    • 58 Metascore
    • 50 Marta Barber
    ...And They Lived Happily Ever After
    This is an affair to forget.
    • 49 Metascore
    • 50 Marta Barber
    Zhou Yu de huo che
    Beautiful to look at but aimless as a broken compass.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 50 Marta Barber
    He Loves Me... He Loves Me Not
    While the story starts tying up its loose ends nicely, as the end approaches, the film turns flat. It's a disappointment.
    • 43 Metascore
    • 50 Marta Barber
    The Great Role
    A good story, but its potential is never realized.
    • 34 Metascore
    • 50 Marta Barber
    The Girl
    What you'll remember most are a pretty face and the hot and steamy sex scenes. That is not enough.
    • Miami Herald
    • 68 Metascore
    • 50 Marta Barber
    Babí léto
    Despite Fanda's shenanigans, and many are out-loud funny, Autumn Spring is not that uplifting though it isn't a downer, either. It's more an ode to friendship and marriage.
    • 52 Metascore
    • 50 Marta Barber
    House of Fools
    House of Fools is not in the category of the director's acclaimed "Runaway Train." It may be based on a true story, but another filmmaker told it before -- and better.
    • 59 Metascore
    • 50 Marta Barber
    The Day Silence Died
    What appears to be the thrust of the story -- the unraveling of a society -- loses out to a tame, romantic triangle subplot.
    • Miami Herald
    • 21 Metascore
    • 50 Marta Barber
    Emerald Cowboy
    May not be a work of fiction but, despite its many minutes of real footage, it is far from being a documentary. Lack of truth in advertising notwithstanding, the story of this Colombian cowboy deserved to be told.
    • 37 Metascore
    • 50 Marta Barber
    Dieu est grand, je suis toute petite
    You come out with a sense you've seen it all before.
    • 57 Metascore
    • 50 Marta Barber
    The Man from Elysian Fields
    Has an elegant feel, with beautiful shots on the beach and engaging camera work. If only Philip Jayson Lasker's writing could match that.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 50 Marta Barber
    Bright Leaves
    Results in a weightless film. Worse still, McElwee's languid tone makes his journey lack conviction.
    • 51 Metascore
    • 38 Marta Barber
    Km. 0 - Kilometer Zero
    One shallow film, that quickly returns to where it started: Zero.
    • 59 Metascore
    • 25 Marta Barber
    Bonjour Monsieur Shlomi
    Nothing in it -- plot, dialogue or character development -- reaches today's standards of filmmaking.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 25 Marta Barber
    In Praise of Love
    Not only does the fragmented delivery become trying, but also the behind-the-camera dialogue and city shots with heavy Parisian traffic numb the senses. And as beautiful as it looks, there's really nothing new coming out of the lens of the revered Godard.
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