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For 5,163 reviews, this publication has graded:
  • 59% higher than the average critic
  • 3% same as the average critic
  • 38% lower than the average critic
On average, this publication grades 4.5 points higher than other critics. (0-100 point scale)
Average Movie review score: 69
Highest review score: 100 The Only Living Pickpocket in New York
Lowest review score: 0 Pixels
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3,565 out of 5163
  2. Mixed: 1,332 out of 5163
  3. Negative: 266 out of 5163
5163 movie reviews
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  1. The Overnight
    Even though the story involves legitimate issues surrounding sexual identity and the boundaries of monogamy, its humor only goes surface deep. For the most part, the endearingly silly plot amounts to little more than sight gags and off-the-wall asides.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    Nasty Baby
    By shattering genre conventions, Silva subverts traditional perspectives on modern adulthood and finds no easy answers in the process.
  3. Mistress America
    For all the energy of Gerwig and Kirke's shared chemistry and the lively dialogue that compliments it, the story of Mistress America never keeps pace, ultimately sagging into formula to the detriment of the potential displayed by its compelling protagonists.
    • 88 Metascore
    • 67 Critic Score
    Brooklyn
    Brooklyn showcases a number of appealing ingredients, but ultimately lacks an adequate story to prop them up.
    • 65 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    Take Me to the River
    The darker undertones of the family are handled with surprising nuance considering the first-timer behind the camera. The movie deals in open secrets, implications, and unsettling histories; a sense of alienation haunts virtually every scene.
  6. Tangerine
    Baker once again manages to match underrepresented faces in American cinema with material that lets their personalities shine.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Ten Thousand Saints
    The movie casts a wide net, but doesn't explore its themes long enough to make any substantial points. Despite its authentic setting, Ten Thousand Saints never gets around to providing a gratifying story to accompany it.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Z for Zachariah
    Even as the story’s increased tension weakens its subtleties, Zobel's sensitive handling of the emotional tone throughout grounds the film with an overarching realism despite the far-fetched setting.
  9. What Happened, Miss Simone?
    Away from the confessions that induce shock and the divulgences that elicit sympathy, Garbus leaves ample space for lengthy sequences of Simone's performances.
  10. The Wolfpack
    Despite the mixture of vérité footage and home movies showing the Angulos in their apartment, The Wolfpack feels more in line with a form of ethnographic storytelling than anything else, because the story is told exclusively in terms of their relationship to it.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Mississippi Grind
    Part road-film, part-gambling excursion, and part-bromance, the film does show the influence of its talented directors. But falters when it comes down the story itself.
  12. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
    Poignant without being melodramatic, overflowing with unforced charm, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl holds a unique appeal that's certain to last.
  13. I Am Michael
    Anchored by a remarkably convincing performance by James Franco in the lead role, I Am Michael manages to explore Glatze's story without condemning him, even as it foregrounds the troubling nature of his path.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 67 Critic Score
    Dope
    Dope provokes a discussion about the dichotomy between societal expectations of the race-defined self, as well as the democratic American right to be who you want to be — but it's an unfocused and tangential one, limited by the trappings of comedy and the flash of the hip-hop aesthetic.
  15. James White
    Despite the cerebral formalism that pushes it forward, Mond has made a genuine tearjerker.
  16. The Duke of Burgundy
    Strickland generates a discomfiting quality that keeps the mystery of his world in play. Above all else, he taps into the intangible elements of sexual attraction by bathing them in ambiguities.
  17. The Witch
    The Witch becomes a focused portrait of fixed rituals crumbling in the face of inexplicable forces, evoking the fear of change lurking in the shadows at every moment. Despite the setting, its scares are uniquely contemporary.
  18. The Diary of a Teenage Girl
    As told through Heller’s acutely sensitive vision, the result is less off-putting and more of an authentic insight into a perspective grossly underrepresented in American cinema.
    • 44 Metascore
    • 25 Critic Score
    The Bronze
    For a comedy of such misjudged tones, Rauch is best when she plays up Hope's dramatic tendencies rather than her comedic side.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 83 Critic Score
    Ex Machina
    The director ensures this chamber piece of moral conundrums never seems too heavy-handed; his fluids camera roams through each room so that at no time does the theatrical set-up feel like a limitation.
  21. It's All So Quiet
    Stillness dominates, from the first shots of cornfields at sunrise to the final one that finds Helmer lying among them. When "It's All So Quiet" comes full circle, the title is virtually an understatement.
  22. When Evening Falls on Bucharest or Metabolism
    Metabolism contains enough moments that reward patience to balance off the eventual teetering off of its strengths.
  23. Appropriate Behavior
    Appropriate Behavior isn’t a narrative about ethnicity or even LGBT struggles in the traditional sense, but rather a means of exploring the problems that result from reinforcing those very barriers. In the process, it introduces a thoroughly modern voice.
  24. Tales of the Grim Sleeper
    Tales from the Grim Sleeper concludes by offering up the haunting possibility that even if the killer has been caught, the systemic failures that let him get away with it for so long remain firmly in place.
    • 56 Metascore
    • 91 Critic Score
    Little Accidents
    Little Accidents takes its time, but Holbrook’s confident performance makes his story riveting throughout, reflecting both the gravity of his situation and the enormous consequences his choice will have on the entire town — certain individuals in particular.
    • 66 Metascore
    • 83 Critic Score
    An Open Secret
    An Open Secret is an incisive and utterly unflinching look at a subject too rarely scrutinized.
  27. Dying of the Light
    While its bleak assessment of American intelligence operatives imbues the story with some modicum of topicality, the specifics never keep pace. The movie becomes a bland action-drama lacking the sophistication to deal with its weightier themes. As a promising endeavor hacked to pieces, the movie's fate mirrors its anti-hero's own failed ambition.
  28. Unbroken
    Jolie keeps the narrative afloat thanks to first-rate craftsmanship, a few well-honed moments of bonafide suspense, and a terrifically restrained Jack O'Connell in the lead role. While it only hints at the sweeping epic that never fully materializes, Unbroken offers further proof that Jolie's directorial instincts pass muster alongside her other talents.
  29. Exodus: Gods and Kings
    Exodus: Gods and Kings illustrates a typical contradiction of commercial entertainment: By playing it safe, the movie fails to enrich the material, and never captures the energy that has made its narrative so captivating for millennia.
  30. Horse Money
    A rich, almost impermeably strange example of Costa's slow-burn approach to abstract storytelling, Horse Money is more subdued and cryptic than its predecessors, to the point where it might be more appropriately described as a cinematic tone poem.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Remote Area Medical
    Remote Area Medical lays bare the injustice of a system that fails to provide for those who need it most.
  32. Virunga
    Ever as it casts their future prospects in doubt, Virunga concludes by envying the apes’ perspective most of all.
  33. Little Feet
    There and gone with the fleeting nature of its youngest character's attention span, Little Feet ultimately feels more like an insightful sketch than a full-fledged movie, but it nonetheless leaves a major impression.
  34. Story of My Death
    Serra's typically cerebral direction has a more vibrant quality due to the clarity of his images, though certain drawn-out sequences have an alienating effect on the drama. Still, Story of My Death manages to connect its profound aims with a devious atmosphere to match the turn of the century backdrop.
  35. Merchants of Doubt
    Part of the problem with Merchants of Doubt is also part of its own argument: You can't reason someone out of a position they didn't reason themselves into, and a dispiriting number of people are less interested in facts than they are in confirming their own biases.
  36. Big Eyes
    A well-intentioned and resolutely minor period drama, "Big Eyes" isn't exactly a catastrophe, but its bland depiction of a fascinating story perhaps better served by the documentary treatment shows no evidence of the visionary creator behind the camera.
    • 52 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    We Are the Giant
    It turns material that could have resulted in a sporadic narrative into a profound statement that the Arab Spring is a continuation of humanity's constant efforts to make a better, more just world.
  38. American Sniper
    Propulsive battle sequences in which sandstorms make the fog of war quite literal are the ostensible focus of American Sniper, but the real tension comes from our anticipation of how they'll affect the life this sharpshooter is reluctant to return to until he feels he's done everything he possibly can.
  39. The Gambler
    For all the hundreds of thousands of dollars being thrown around, The Gambler is much closer to a friendly game of poker with some loquacious, quick-witted friends than a glimpse at the gambling world’s dark underbelly. Neither is it a preachy moral tale.
  40. Before I Disappear
    Before I Disappear features several moments of genuine emotion in an otherwise underwhelming plot involving the main character coming out of his shell. It's a heartfelt journey, but we've seen it before, without the excess distractions.
  41. Thou Wast Mild and Lovely
    Decker's narrative work practically celebrates a willingness to follow outright silly pathways in order to arrive at unsettling results.
  42. A Most Violent Year
    The filmmaker is ultimately better at constructing nuanced environments and troubled figures than making every piece of the equation gel as a whole. But that's a minor issue in the overall tapestry of Chandor's carefully designed world.
  43. Comet
    There’s an actual pulse and beating heart to Comet; it feels vibrant, alive.
    • 65 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    Point and Shoot
    Via his subject’s idiosyncracies – VanDyke is a habitual hand-washer and diagnosed OCD-ite – Curry starts to weave a subtle, but nonetheless eloquent critique not just of one man's compulsions, but a culture's.
  45. Dear White People
    Simmien both mocks and provokes the nature of our seemingly progressive times by illuminating misguided assumptions and fears embedded in forward-thinking discourse. But Simien's relentless screenplay is never too self-serious or didactic, instead pairing culturally-savvy brains with a goofy grin.
  46. Interstellar
    Brainy and exciting at the same time, Interstellar invalidates the need for mindless Hollywood product. No matter its shortcomings, the movie achieves an impressive balancing act. It turns the mysteries of the universe into a cinematic playground, but for every profound or visually arresting moment, it also encourages you to to think.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    The Heart Machine
    While Wigon's film lacks emotional weight, that deficiency is not a matter of style over substance, but an effective comment on the peculiarly isolating nature of modern communication technology.
  48. Citizenfour
    Poitras, an expert filmmaker as keyed into pace and mood as the topic they support, delivers a mesmerizing look at both how Snowden managed to release his information as well as why it all matters.
  49. Fury
    Writer-director David Ayer’s brash, assaultive Brad Pitt drama manages some evocative imagery and achieves visceral impact by enacting a hellacious atmosphere that never lets up — but Ayer takes the mission too literally, and winds up literally lost in the fog of war.
  50. Kill the Messenger
    Even as it celebrates the spirit of committed journalism that rises above the powerful forces designed to contain it, Kill the Messenger displays the same anesthetized quality that Webb's dedication to his job was meant to counteract. Renner is a different story.
  51. Inherent Vice
    Inherent Vice constantly teases at a complex meta commentary on the other movies it brings to mind, but never totally gets there.
  52. Nas: Time Is Illmatic
    Like a gesture from the rapper acknowledging his crowd, "Time Is Illmatic" is competent bait for Nas fans that leaves the door open just wide enough for newcomers to appreciate the fuss from afar.
  53. Gone Girl
    Fincher likely prides himself on turning coal into diamonds at this point, but Flynn's script can feel so retrograde at times that one wonders whether it might have been better served by a De Palma, Bigelow, or even a Verhoeven — which is to say, a filmmaker less concerned with making the lascivious seem prestigious.
  54. John Wick
    Neither surprising or groundbreaking in any particular way, the movie gives us what we want and leaves it at that.
  55. Swim Little Fish Swim
    This admittedly uneven first feature stands out for the way it sneaks up on you.
  56. While We're Young
    While We're Young is a clear-eyed satire of intergenerational tension that derives much of its comedy from a series of moments in which its mid-forties couple attempt to mesh with a younger crowder.
  57. Top Five
    Rock's savage wit comes through in the wry screenplay, which is loaded with topicality as it pokes fun at subjects ranging from Tyler Perry movies to Angry Birds.
  58. The Theory of Everything
    No matter how much The Theory of Everything showcases the incredible process through which Hawking maintains a connection to the rest of the world, it falls short of burrowing inside his head.
  59. Phoenix
    Hoss' portrayal of a woman at odds with her surroundings is in a class by itself.
  60. Ned Rifle
    The poetic rhythm with which Hartley brings three movies of events to an end is a tight, gripping expression of closure.
  61. Men, Women & Children
    Men, Women and Children is so married to the idea of humanity's insignificance that it presents support for that argument with its very existence.
  62. Love & Mercy
    Love & Mercy is an engrossing portrait of Wilson's specific artistic inclinations, which draw from no real precedent.
  63. The Keeping Room
    Even as The Keeping Room plays with formulaic ingredients, it manages to combine them into an eloquent portrait of gender, race and the constant march of time without overstating any of its potent themes.
  64. Escobar: Paradise Lost
    Di Stefano's memorable debut feature makes up for its lack of sophistication with constant forward motion.
  65. Eden
    Portraying a generation so energized by possibilities that it was bound to be let down, Eden offers a wise assessment of the interplay between fantasy and reality on the path to adulthood. The seductive rhythms are a perfect match for a movie that analyzes the unstoppable flow of life.
    • 56 Metascore
    • 58 Critic Score
    The Cut
    Akin ultimately fails to make the material work, especially in the second half of the film, when it develops into a disappointing adventure story.
    • 37 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Burying the Ex
    As always in Dante's work, playful references are never an end to themselves, instead serving as backdrop to a satiric look at popular culture and biting social commentary.
  68. Tusk
    Despite its ludicrous turns, the movie benefits from the far-fetched events for its sheer willingness to go there, not unlike Smith's goofy, self-deprecating public persona.
  69. St. Vincent
    It's fascinating to watch Murray act circles around his existing appeal and play into it at the same time. Melfi's likable but utterly formulaic movie never rises to a similar level of ambition, which in this case actually works in its favor. It gives Murray room to play.
  70. What Now? Remind Me
    What Now? Remind Me sketches out the tragedy of living a full life and being aware of it slipping away.
    • 59 Metascore
    • 67 Critic Score
    The Humbling
    The entertainment value of The Humbling comes largely from Pacino's performance.
  72. Wild
    Witherspoon excels as a committed figure battling through each rough day. So long as the action remains on the trail, Vallée stages an engaging survivalist tale that plays up the resolve on Witherspoon's face, complemented with the rich visuals of an expansive landscape.
  73. The Look of Silence
    Compared to "The Act of Killing," Oppenheimer's technique with The Look of Silence is deceptively simple, but it applies a more traditional style of documentary storytelling to extraordinary goals.
  74. Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
    Moment to moment, Birdman manages to shift gears, its roaming camera revealing new surprises as it glides along. That degree of unpredictability provides it with the ultimate response to the sea of formulaic mediocrities at the center of its critique.
  75. The Imitation Game
    It's a reserved, almost conservative performance, and in holding so much back so much of the time, Cumberbatch makes his few outward displays of emotion far more impactful.
  76. Rosewater
    Rosewater is lacking in sophistication, but its attitude is infectious.
    • 45 Metascore
    • 42 Critic Score
    About Alex
    Focusing on cultural references and social cues, About Alex fails to give us a big picture compelling enough to overlook its flaws.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 83 Critic Score
    Abuse of Weakness
    Huppert gives a virtuoso performance here — not only because she deftly meets the extreme physical challenges of her role, but by playing Maud with unabashed humor and heart.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 91 Critic Score
    Lilting
    Whishaw's sensitive performance gives Lilting its emotional intensity.
  80. To Be Takei
    Takei is a natural storyteller who lends an enjoyable flow to the movie’s uncomplicated proceedings.
    • 47 Metascore
    • 67 Critic Score
    The Giver
    In spite of grand, world-building special effects and a stellar cast, the film falters under giant leaps of faith that land it just outside of the typical audience's threshold of suspension of disbelief.
  82. The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Her
    The calibration of mature performances and a reasonably credible, if somewhat familiar, scenario make "Eleanor Rigby" a lot more watchable than the strange conceit of the production.
  83. Get On Up
    Though Get On Up never congeals into a satisfactory whole, its fragmentary portrait of the singer at the height of his fame — intercut with his troubled single-parent childhood — effectively shows his invasive power in popular culture.
  84. Young Ones
    The way it reaches to find the humanity in a place devoid of hope shows admirable attempt at a singular vision. But Paltrow overestimates the timeless nature of the story.
  85. Guardians of the Galaxy
    Though the special effects win the day, Guardians of the Galaxy holds court with a sense of humor that transcends its more familiar ingredients.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 91 Critic Score
    Finding Fela!
    Even after a superbly made two-hour-long documentary, Kuti keeps many of his secrets to himself.
  87. A Most Wanted Man
    A Most Wanted Man allows Hoffman to go out with not only one of his best performances, but one that epitomizes his strengths.
  88. Lucy
    Lucy doesn't hold together, but with its flashy innovation, Besson's trying to freshen the formula. It's the kind of freewheeling mess of a movie you wish studios would try out more often.
  89. Magic in the Moonlight
    Magic in the Moonlight belongs to the pool of lesser Allen comedies, yet Firth and Emma Stone — as the alleged necromancer Sophie Baker, the object of Stanley's scrutiny and eventually his affections — bring all the zany energy they can muster.
  90. The Purge: Anarchy
    The movie's potential blossoms whenever it toys with the allegorical ingredients head-on. DeMonaco's script plays like a devious Brothers Grimm tale told through the filter of Occupy Wall Street.
    • 40 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Video Games: The Movie
    You’ll get little more than a refresher course in the art of gaming from this documentary.
  92. Horns
    Predominantly a failure of tone, Horns has plenty of admirable traits and yet dooms itself from the outset. It's an admirable conceit stuffed into far less subtle material.
  93. The Tribe
    From one mesmerizing scene to the next, The Tribe never loses its flow. Even its harshest moments are defined by vibrant motion.
  94. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
    It speaks to the masses with some treats for the discerning types in the back.
  95. Closed Curtain
    In the struggle to tell a story, Panahi reveals the redemptive power of art. No longer issuing desperate pleas, he has turned to cinema for the sake of survival.
  96. Premature
    Beers' screenplay manages to sustain the outrageous scenario with a string of jokes that don't take the underlying goofiness for granted. Instead, the writer-director builds on its crass foundations with constant inspired one-liners.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz
    Knappenberger has delivered a film brimming with outrage, whose zeal becomes persuasive once Swartz takes on his activist mantle.
  98. Da Sweet Blood of Jesus
    Whenever Lee ventures away from the outrageous particulars of the plot, "Da Sweet Blood of Jesus" transforms into a stylish means of exploring contemporary struggles in urban black America by depicting it as a ballet of navigating personal and practical conflicts alike.
  99. Exhibition
    Exhibition infuses its cerebral exposition with a strong dose of humanity.
  100. The Signal
    Eubank’s talent for creating impressive worlds with few resources is the movie's strongest aspect, but the concept feels like a never-ending exposition of technique without sufficient depth.
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