New York Daily News' Scores

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For 6,911 reviews, this publication has graded:
  • 42% higher than the average critic
  • 3% same as the average critic
  • 55% lower than the average critic
On average, this publication grades 8.2 points lower than other critics. (0-100 point scale)
Average Movie review score: 57
Highest review score: 100 Fruitvale Station
Lowest review score: 0 The Fourth Kind
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2,885 out of 6911
  2. Mixed: 2,801 out of 6911
  3. Negative: 1,225 out of 6911
6911 movie reviews
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  1. Horrible Bosses 2
    So the big surprise of Horrible Bosses 2 is how far it gets on the hopped-up jabberjaw alliance of Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis and Charlie Day. In the 2011 “Bosses,” they were swamped by the conceit: White-collar pals try to kill awful employers. Now, freed up to free-associate, they’re totally winning.
  2. Bernie
    Jack Black adds new depths to his slippery comic persona in Bernie, a movie that may not ultimately add up to much, but which is filled with wonderfully odd details of weird Americana.
  3. Cost of a Soul
    Though it's rough around the edges, it is also, undeniably, a nervy, confident debut.
  4. Only When I Dance
    A more probing exploration of the subjects' diverse challenges would have been welcome. But your heart connects to these young artists. When they soar - onstage and off - you feel it.
  5. Afternoon Delight
    Kathryn Hahn gives an outstanding performance in what is ultimately a not-very-amazing movie.
  6. Gayby
    The baby angle is really just a hook on which to hang wry commentary about single life in the city, but Lisecki approaches his subject with obvious affection, and the game cast makes most of the sitcom-silly antics work.
  7. The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete
    Michael Starrbury’s astute script draws us in slowly, depicting the realities of Mister and Pete’s lives in progressive reveals.
  8. If You Build It
    This honest and engrossing film shows how ingenuity and spark can restore excitement in education. That goal needs every helping hand it can get.
    • 49 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    The Family That Preys
    Perry's notoriously overstuffed plots have sometimes been top-heavy, but this movie, like Woody Allen's "Hannah and Her Sisters," hangs on an elegant structure that doesn't feel forced.
  10. Explicit Ills
    The lack of subtlety indicates that this is a first film, but the passion and insights are strong enough to make you wonder what he'll (Webber) do next.
  11. Terribly Happy
    Such dark doings won't be for everyone, but fans of similarly dry Nordic fare -- like the works of Aki Kaurismaki -- will be happy to have found it.
  12. Date Night
    The trouble is, too much of director Shawn Levy's '80s-ish lark is filled with noise, when it really needed more quietly silly stuff.
  13. Sparkle
    A strong cast, empathetic direction and memorable soundtrack help create a movie that does everyone proud.
  14. Unstoppable
    It takes a little while to pick up speed, but once Tony Scott's Unstoppable starts moving, it becomes a lean, efficient action flick.
  15. The French Minister
    Director Bertrand Tavernier’s amusing new political satire isn’t toothless, but it could use more bite.
  16. Pirate Radio
    Tries to capture that moment -- complete with air guitar-playing deejays -- and unapologetically rides a wave of nostalgia, but ultimately sinks due to a bloated, watery script.
  17. Lbs.
    That truthfulness, along with the movie's emotional honesty and narrative polish, help tag this NY-grown indie as one to seek out.
  18. Transcendence
    A movie that’s of two minds. It’s well-grounded, but also over the top. It’s a man-vs.-machine epic and also an intimate drama. It’s quirky-smart yet sci-fi silly. And it winds up being half as good as it could be.
    • 66 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Seven Psychopaths
    Each cast member helps push it along, with standouts including Rockwell, Harrelson and Gabourey Sidibe in a brief but memorable scene. They help make Seven Psychopaths an astute, bloody and bloodshot-eyed addition to a genre it knows it's part of.
  20. Anita
    Anita Hill deserves a great documentary chronicling her life, her trials and her ongoing impact. This underwhelming effort isn’t it.
  21. Looking for Eric
    The actors are up to the challenges of the many serious moments, but the sweetest ones are the most memorable. It's nice to see Loach's gentler side.
  22. American Violet
    A message movie that's genuinely worth watching.
  23. Double Team
    It's a mad whirl, and Rodman his hair changing color like a traffic light seems right at home in it. [4 Apr 1997, p.49]
    • New York Daily News
  24. Backcountry
    Just when you thought it was safe to stand up to a bear in the woods, this jarring indie horror drama will make you scurry back indoors.
  25. Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work
    If you're looking for an incisive portrait of self-generated stardom, you won't do better than this.
  26. Last Call at the Oasis
    Oasis also takes aim at the bottled-water industry, entertainingly calling in psychologists to break down our fears of what is - or isn't - contaminating what we drink.
  27. Trumbo
    Donald Sutherland's passionate rendition of a speech from Trumbo's 1971 film "Johnny Got His Gun" (based on his novel) is worth the price of admission.
  28. Crazy Horse
    It's undeniably interesting to watch each element come into place, from choreography to costumes. But the truth is, most viewers will best appreciate the retro-sexy dance numbers themselves.
  29. Madea Goes to Jail
    Though he plays two other roles, Perry only really cuts loose when he dons Madea's housecoat, turning her into a devilishly funny voice of reason. Likewise, the movie tenses up when she's offscreen, becoming the sort of moralistic soap opera we've seen from Perry before.
  30. Race to Witch Mountain
    While "Escape" was superior in story, "Race" does commit to an impressive scope. What it is, really, is a big-studio popcorn flick that just happens to be made for tweens.
  31. Our Family Wedding
    Ferrera and Gross are the most appealing pair I've seen in awhile; their calm confidence is a welcome antidote to the unrealistic couples who've been cluttering our screens way too long.
  32. First Position
    Their devotion to their art is admirable, and the film gets under the skin, if never really in our blood.
  33. Point and Shoot
    A compelling account of an ordinary guy who transformed himself through extraordinary circumstance.
  34. Miss Julie
    Liv Ullmann’s screen version of August Strindberg’s 19th-century drama is an austere, pared-down take that does one thing extremely well: It allows actors Jessica Chastain, Samantha Morton and especially Colin Farrell to shine. But this emotionally brutal work is anything but cinematically engaging.
  35. Breakfast with Scot
    With witty throwaway bits and Cavanagh's fast delivery, "Scot" gets away with a third-act dip into hearts and platitudes. Otherwise, it's refreshingly snarky and quick.
  36. Cherry Blossoms
    Refusing to be rushed, Doris Dörrie blends individual experiences with universal emotions to create a quietly moving study of self-discovery.
  37. Sugar
    A thoughtful drama about guys who have a moment in the big time before returning home to an odd reflected glory.
  38. Armored
    Director Nimrod Antal’s grungy gang-of-thieves pic is tough and, for this genre, surprisingly ethical.
    • 53 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Don't Stop Believin': Everyman's Journey
    It’s nice to watch the members marvel unendingly over their new find, while Pineda himself presents an ideal image of gratitude and hard work.
  40. Water for Elephants
    The primary drawback is the lack of chemistry between the leads, Reese Witherspoon and "Twilight's" Robert Pattinson.
  41. Chronicling a Crisis
    As that description suggests, the film winds up a rather grim, often indulgent muddle. But it's also undeniably compelling.
  42. Paper Towns
    If you’re searching for smart, soulful teen entertainment, you can start looking inside Paper Towns.
  43. Vicky Cristina Barcelona
    There are two stormy performances from Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz that elevate Allen's melancholy thoughts on love and relationships.
  44. I Don't Know How She Does It
    From the wry narration to the girlish mannerisms, Parker really does turn this film into "Sex and the Kiddies."
  45. Dolphin Tale
    Most of the family films churned out today are so junky it's almost a shock to find one in which the animals never spout sassy one-liners, or show off their hilarious hip-hop moves.
  46. Spinning Plates
    Given that his subjects are so inspiring, surely Levy could have spiced up his storytelling with a bit more creativity.
  47. Anna Karenina
    The film's structure is so boldly conceived it seems unfair to focus on flaws. But the central problem is undeniable: There is no chemistry whatsoever between the leads.
  48. Defiance
    Craig, far from James Bond but still swaggering, makes a leathery, craggy commander, and Schreiber - who'll show his full-on action chops this summer in the Hugh Jackman "Wolverine" movie - is tough but sullen. Yet all this old-style moviemaking doesn't always pay off.
  49. Morning Light
    A Disney movie about a Disney project, this slick sailing documentary feels a little too self-promotional, almost like an attraction you might stumble into at Epcot. But at least it turns out to be a fairly wild ride.
  50. Priest
    It appears that turning the John Ford/John Wayne classic "The Searchers" into the church-vs-vampire adventure Priest was not an altogether god-awful idea. As long as we don't get "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" as an elegiac zombie drama, this adaptation of a graphic novel has some bite.
  51. Katy Perry: Part of Me
    Perry may be the world's most high-profile tease, but she sure knows how to show us a good time.
  52. Sleep Tight
    A great many New Yorkers are rightfully indebted to doormen, but Jaume Balagueró's nasty little thriller offers a decidedly darker perspective.
  53. The Unbelievers
    Holwerda’s film never bothers to conceal its fawning view of Dawkins and Krauss — or challenge their dogma. And there’s no need for empty celebrity cameos from fans like Cameron Diaz (“Knowledge is power,” she reveals).
  54. Journey 2: The Mysterious Island
    If there's a book-loving adventuress or adventurer in your house younger than 10, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island provides a lighthearted break from the death-obsessed "Harry Potter" franchise and other literary but limp adventures like the "Narnia" films and "The Lightning Thief."
  55. The Last Station
    Though it feels at first like a musty edition of "Masterpiece Theatre," Michael Hoffman's adaptation of a novel by Jay Parini holds enough surprises to make a memorable impact.
  56. 16 Acres
    It's been a long, not always linear path to the opening of the new tower, planned for 2014. Yet, as one observer says here, the project has helped heal New York in a very New York way - acrimonious, messy and loud.
  57. What's in a Name?
    What’s most surprising is that this talky dramedy was a massive smash at home in France, outearning blockbusters like “The Avengers.”
  58. It's Kind of a Funny Story
    Melancholy 16-year-olds are the ideal audience for It's Kind of a Funny Story, which actually feels as though it were made by an especially precocious adolescent.
  59. Synecdoche, New York
    Hoffman, Morton and Jon Brion's aching score somehow capture the all-too-human need to get things right. If you're in a certain frame of mind, those moments make up for all the stagecraft.
  60. About Last Night
    It’s playful, stable and sexy, thanks to a cast that knows how to find the sweet spots.
  61. Goon
    Aside from Scott, only Liev Schreiber - as an aging competitor - manages to steady the frenetic swirl. Whenever the two of them are together, Goon stops skating around in circles, and matures into the funny, surprisingly touching movie it wants to be.
  62. Wild Horse, Wild Ride
    This gorgeous-looking documentary is crying out to be remade as a family film feature.
  63. Capital
    Sex is plentiful, but the lust is for paydays. This is territory covered far more vibrantly in “Margin Call,” yet director Costa-Gavras (“Z,” “Missing”) still has good, old-fashioned indignation to count on.
  64. Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God
    Fearless nonfiction filmmaker Alex Gibney ("Taxi to the Dark Side," "Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer") details a history of horrific abuse by Catholic clergy in this tough-to-watch documentary.
  65. The Space Between Us
    At a certain point, the film gains atmosphere and is rescued by the sincerity and sweetness of the young actors. Better, the plot finally hits a groove in the final quarter, and a soaring soundtrack twangs the right emotional notes.
  66. Liv & Ingmar
    If you’re only a casual observer of Bergman, you’ll find this documentary as inaccessible as his densest works.
  67. Hercules
    Fast-paced, funny, and packed with – to indulge in a bit of ad-speak — eye-popping action.
  68. My Afternoons with Margueritte
    If you could also use some time off, try his gentle new comedy.
  69. Limelight
    Transporting as it is, this doc leaves a bad taste in your mouth, if just for the ill will it drudges up.
  70. American Autumn: an Occudoc
    Though too much of this of-the-people, for-the-people chronicle is by necessity gummed up by clunky captions and explanations, it is an effective, and heartfelt, clarion call.
  71. The Call
    No one’s winning any awards for The Call. But at least the award winners know how to make it worth our while.
  72. Manhattan Night
    Writer and director Brian DeCubellis bathes the screen in dark shadows and provides fluid pacing. If you like your entertainment pulpy — and don’t mind swallowing cliches along the way — this “Night” is worth a look.
  73. Keep On Keepin' On
    The movie hits a beautiful, celebratory note.
  74. Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain
    Some of Hart’s set — including jokes about his security team and an inspired recounting of a disastrous trip to a dude ranch — is hilarious. And his profane outrage is often funny enough to sell the weaker writing.
  75. Somewhere Between
    As this strong, moving documentary shows, for those who came to the U.S., reconnecting to their culture and blood relatives can result in a generation of young people who feel "somewhere between" Chinese and American. They're never fully one or the other, but in the best cases can feel part of both.
  76. Jane's Journey
    Though Lorenz Knauer's film is as thoughtful as his subject - with a break for interviews with Pierce Brosnan and Goodall's fellow UN Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie - the study of chimps is given short shrift.
  77. The Whale
    Parents should know that the ending makes the last moments of this family-friendly documentary as tough as "Bambi." But the lessons about friendship are gigantic, indeed.
  78. Who Bombed Judi Bari?
    There is no satisfactory answer to the titular question posed by this no-frills environmental documentary. But first-time feature director Mary Liz Thomson does answer another one at least as important, by showing us who Judi Bari was.
  79. Hours
    Most of the movie elicits tense empathy, which builds to a genuinely nerve-wracking sense of dread.
    • 84 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Weiner
    It never ever falls into painting him as a victim of anything but his own hubris, neurosis and psycho-sexual issues. Never once do we hear Weiner complain about anything except how easy it is for headline writers to make fun of his name. He knows who got him into all this trouble — himself — which is also refreshing to watch.
  81. The Monster
    Bertino is just concerned with making you feel for his characters — and that he manages to do competently, despite their deep flaws. Well, that and spill some popcorn along the way.
  82. All the Wilderness
    First-time writer/director Michael Johnson falls back on coming-of-age clichés. But overall, his sensitive, moody camerawork and the cast’s strong performances go a long way toward making the familiar feel fresh.
  83. Limitless
    The movie looks great, never lags, and keeps us intrigued throughout. It's not until the high wears off that we realize we've just been had.
    • 41 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Little Birds
    The imagery is consistently striking and the themes, if well-worn, do often ring true.
  85. City Hall
    City Hall can't decide whether to be melodrama or sociology. In the end, it isn't enough of either. [16 Feb 1996, p.49]
    • New York Daily News
  86. Soul Men
    The script is basically a retread of every other AARP comedy, from "Grumpy Old Men" to "Wild Hogs." The laughs, in other words, are of the Viagra and kidney stone variety.
  87. Like Father, Like Son
    The child performances are stellar, though most striking is how the film’s sympathies spread to everyone.
  88. Pontypool
    A horror flick that's all talk and (almost) no action? The risk pays off better than you'd think.
  89. Good Hair
    There's plenty to appreciate in Chris Rock's rollicking documentary about what goes on when African-American women hit the salon.
  90. Breath Made Visible: Anna Halprin
    Dance aficionados are the most obvious audience for this stirring chronicle, but anyone should to be able to find inspiration in Halprin's strikingly open-minded outlook.
  91. Atomic Blonde
    To its credit, even the film realizes how ridiculous it is. After one over-the-top hand-to-hand bout, Lorraine and her Boris Badenov opponent are left literally punch-drunk, swinging wild like a couple of stumblebums.
  92. Arbitrage
    Though it teeters at times on the edge between potboiler and melodrama, Arbitrage benefits from a notable lack of sympathy for Gere's Gordon Gekko-like Miller. Rather than seeming pat, Jarecki's straightforward cynicism is pointed and purposeful.
  93. Wish Me Away
    This sympathetic documentary chronicles her decision to come out, which required a battle plan as extensive as the ones applied to the rest of her career.
  94. The Art of the Steal
    Argott treats Barnes' story as an intellectual crime thriller, uncovering each new surprise -- and a seemingly endless parade of villains -- with a deadpan flourish.
  95. Country Strong
    What saves Country Strong from drowning in its own tears are the leads, all four of whom imbue Feste's unabashedly clichéd script with some genuine humanity.
  96. Waking Sleeping Beauty
    Watch for a cameo by young animator Tim Burton.
  97. The Bang Bang Club
    The story has heat, even if the movie is more entranced with its subjects than in what they're trying to achieve.
  98. The Lords of Salem
    Atmosphere is three-fourths of the game in a horror film, and The Lords of Salem has it in spades. It’s not too much to say that until this culty-witchy throwback chiller turns too bloody, it shows how far a little style can go.
  99. For Greater Glory
    The actor (Garcia), whose banked anger has been a secret weapon since "The Untouchables" 25 years ago, paints a fascinating portrait of a man moved by fate.
  100. Paul
    A decent comedy, good-natured if unspecial, amusing if rarely hilarious.
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