New Orleans Times-Picayune's Scores

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For 1,128 reviews, this publication has graded:
  • 43% higher than the average critic
  • 2% same as the average critic
  • 55% lower than the average critic
On average, this publication grades 3.4 points lower than other critics. (0-100 point scale)
Average Movie review score: 62
Highest review score: 100 Gleason
Lowest review score: 0 Double Dragon
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 497 out of 1128
  2. Mixed: 552 out of 1128
  3. Negative: 79 out of 1128
1128 movie reviews
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  1. Point of No Return
    While Badham's film will be best appreciated by those unfamiliar with Besson's forerunner, "Point" has at least two major virtues of its own. The first is Fonda's bravura performance as Maggie, which rivals Anne Parillaud's strong work in the first film. And the second is the choice of music by Nina Simone (five tunes in all, including such master works as "Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair" and "Feeling Good") to evoke Maggie's emotional states at various points during her strange journey. These two aspects of Badham's remake should make it a worthwhile, if inevitably redundant, experience for those who enjoyed "La Femme Nikita." And they help make it a real winner for thriller buffs who avoid subtitled imports. [23 March 1993, p.C5]
    • New Orleans Times-Picayune
  2. Take Shelter
    All in all, Nichols ends up with a richly drawn, and at times disturbing, portrait of one man's descent into madness.
  3. Sex and the City 2
    Although they've left the city behind, the girls haven't forgotten the sex. They're still as frank as ever, as outrageous as ever, as liberated as ever.
  4. Straw Dogs
    As it turns out, though, the most troubling part of the film for me wasn't the rape scene, or the siege scene or the Southern stereotypes. Rather, it was the audience's reaction to Marsden's chilling spasms of bloody violence as he defends his home. Rather than breaking out in hives, many in the audience broke out in laughter.
  5. Heart and Souls
    This is, on balance, a diverting little picture, but it could - and should - have been downright hilarious. [13 Aug 1993, p.L21]
    • New Orleans Times-Picayune
  6. Dolphin Tale
    It's not a perfect film, mind you. It's too long by a quarter, and actor-turned-director Charles Martin Smith ("The Untouchables") lets any sense of real structure slip away in the film's crowded third act.
  7. The Ref
    All of Demme's headliners are quite adequate, with Davis - a wonderful comedienne as well as a dramatic actress of stature - emerging as the film's principal delight. They make The Ref a briskly enjoyable affair that would have been even better if it had retained more of its diabolical edge. [18 Mar 1994, p.L24]
    • New Orleans Times-Picayune
  8. Shut Up Little Man! An Audio Misadventure
    Along the way, Shut Up, Little Man boasts nice technical elements. And it is, admittedly, amusing to a degree. Peter and Raymond certainly know how to turn a phrase. But things begin to wear thin about halfway through.
  9. Lottery Ticket
    The Lottery Ticket doesn't hit the comedy jackpot, but it doesn't roll snake eyes, either. In my book, that's a winner.
  10. The Skin I Live In
    There's plenty of melodrama, plenty of whispered intensity, plenty of dramatic pauses in his story. There also are a few bizarro -- and, in some cases, unnecessary -- detours. But when it's all said and done, there's no real call for any emotional investment on the part of his audience.
  11. Secretariat
    A reasonably well-made biopic, with crowd-pleasing moments, but one that -- despite that title -- isn't really about the animal.
    • 50 Metascore
    • 63 Critic Score
    Quest for Camelot
    Warner Bros.' entry in the feature animation lists is fast paced and action filled, and makes at least a half-gesture toward letting a girl in on the derring-do. The pop-style songs and comedy relief are blandly pleasant. [15 May 1998, p.L23]
    • New Orleans Times-Picayune
  13. The Whale
    What most saw as entirely charming behavior others saw as a nuisance. After all, a playful whale has a way of unwittingly damaging rudders and outriggers and outboard motors and such. Worse, wildlife officials saw Luna's behavior as potentially dangerous, for the people he encountered -- and for the whale himself.
  14. My Sister's Keeper
    There's no point mincing words: My Sister's Keeper is a difficult film to watch. That's not to say it isn't well-assembled, well-cast or well-acted.
  15. The Runaways
    For her part, Stewart has Jett down pat: her strut, her slouch, her sexiness. This is a performance that goes far beyond Jett's shag haircut.
  16. Footloose
    Plotwise, though, Brewer's Footloose is anything but loose. In fact, it's rigidly loyal to the original, to the point of slavishness.
  17. 30 Minutes or Less
    The actors never stray too far from their comfort zones, resulting in a sporadically funny but mostly bland crime comedy that only occasionally feels fresher or more memorable than that cold pizza you scarfed for breakfast Monday morning.
  18. Dune: Part One
    While Villeneuve’s film boasts a certain trippiness, for the most part it lacks any sense of joy, adventure or fun.
  19. Cats Don't Dance
    Along with its implicit messages about the value of perseverance and diversity - and its clever send-up of Hollywood vanities - "Cats" offers some tuneful ditties by Randy Newman (one choice torch song is crooned by Natalie Cole) and enough wisecracking to keep adults from dozing. [28 Mar 1997, p.L34]
    • New Orleans Times-Picayune
  20. Beats Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest
    It continuously feels less like straight-up reportage and more like a fan film, one built on equal parts idol worship and wishful thinking.
  21. Eat Drink Man Woman
    Lee's film is nicely crafted, and offers an up-to-date take on Taiwan's rapidly evolving culture. But as a comedy it's distressingly short on laughs - gentle satire is more what you'll find here - and may seem too reminiscent of a number of other recent Asian features to seem satisfying except to insatiable foodies. [19 Aug 1994, p.L28]
    • New Orleans Times-Picayune
  22. Sherlock Holmes
    Ritchie and company spend too much time being cute and not enough time being clever, resulting in a one-dimensional comic-book version of Doyle's detectives.
  23. The Instigators
    Does his film fishtail around narratively? Does it feel overly episodic? Does it lack any sort of stick-to-the-ribs substance? In order: Yes, probably and for sure. But it is also a fun and enjoyable summertime diversion, and sometimes that’s all the message a movie needs.
  24. J. Edgar
    So while J. Edgar ends up feeling like a mostly complete portrait of the man, and as fascinating a story as it is, it still falls just short of being something entirely memorable.
  25. Shrek Forever After
    Worse, Shrek Forever After feels like just another animated movie -- which is exactly what the series was fighting against when it started, and a big reason why it caught on with audiences.
  26. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
    All of the pieces fall into place by the third act -- or most of them, anyway. But Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy is such a cold, unemotional film that getting there is a chore, muting the payoff.
  27. Vincere
    If you appreciate historical melodrama, you could do worse than Vincere.
  28. The Lesson
    Between its penchant for melodrama and an absolute lack of warmth, The Lesson isn’t the kind of film that will connect with many viewers in a way that sticks to their ribs much longer than the closing credits. Still, between the work of its expert cast and Troughton’s well-played surprises, there’s enough there to make it a sturdy-enough, diverting enough bit of blockbuster-season counterprogramming.
  29. Limitless
    Burger's film would have been better had he ended it about three minutes earlier than he does -- a move that would have given his movie at least a dash of profundity.
  30. Cedar Rapids
    It's a decent comedy, mind you, one with its fair share of chuckles. But it's really more amusing than it is fall-out-of-your-seat funny.
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