The New York Times' Scores

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For 20,280 reviews, this publication has graded:
  • 46% higher than the average critic
  • 5% same as the average critic
  • 49% lower than the average critic
On average, this publication grades 4.2 points lower than other critics. (0-100 point scale)
Average Movie review score: 61
Highest review score: 100 Short Cuts
Lowest review score: 0 Gummo
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9,381 out of 20280
  2. Mixed: 8,435 out of 20280
  3. Negative: 2,464 out of 20280
20280 movie reviews
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  1. Contact
    The movie, adapted from a novel by Carl Sagan, presents one long chain of teasingly open-ended questions about reason versus faith and technology versus religion, and ends up tentatively embracing mysticism over rationality.
  2. 4 Little Girls
    Mr. Lee, whose lean, straightforward documentary style loses none of his usual clarity and fire (the film has been exceptionally well shot by Ellen Kuras), summons a powerful sense of Birmingham's past and a galvanizing sense of how this bombing would change its future.
  3. Men in Black
    Dryly clever.
  4. Out to Sea
    Frankly geriatric, and made without a single gunfight or explosion, the weak but genial romp Out to Sea supplies touristy scenery, familiar players and enough rumba scenes for 10 weddings. Everything about the film is as intentionally dated as its gag about Normandy.
  5. Face/Off
    Before we go numb from such prefab excitement, here comes a mega-movie that actually delivers what mega-movies promise: strong characters, smart plotting, breathless action and a gimmick that hasn't been seen before.
  6. Hercules
    On any level, earthly or otherwise, the ingenious new animated Hercules is pretty divine. With inspired intuition, Hercules brings together ancient lore, gospel singing, girl-group choreography and lots of free-floating mischief into a jubilant pastiche of classical references.
  7. My Best Friend's Wedding
    Obtuse, prettily decorative comedy. Characters burst gaily into song when, as often happens, they don't have anything better to do.
  8. Batman & Robin
    Joel Schumacher, director and ringmaster, piles on the flashy showmanship and keeps the film as big, bold, noisy and mindlessly overwhelming as possible.
  9. Underground
    Feverish, whimsical allegory elevated by moments of brilliant clarity.
  10. Speed 2: Cruise Control
    Despite huge resources at Mr. De Bont's disposal and the fact that both he and Ms. Bullock have achieved stellar status since ''Speed'' screeched onto movie screens, the sequel is still a B-movie at heart.
  11. Ulee's Gold
    Beautiful and heartfelt, an oasis of humanity in a season of furious hyperbole.
  12. Con Air
    The colorfully written Con Air is a solid chip off "The Rock," pumped up and very well cast, with the prettiness and polish of advertising art.
  13. The Pillow Book
    The film is best watched as a richly sensual stylistic exercise filled with audaciously beautiful imagery, captivating symmetries and brilliantly facile tricks.
  14. Addicted to Love
    Ms. Ryan's lean, eagle-eyed golden girl is enough to curdle milk.
  15. The Lost World: Jurassic Park
    Where the original film was a cut-and-dried Pop-Art-flavored allegory pitting scientific hubris against the unpredictable, ungovernable forces of nature, the sequel is an all-stops-pulled, edge-of-your-seat adventure film whose messages are not so neatly packaged.
  16. Brassed Off
    Brassed Off is shamelessly manipulative and sentimental, but in an agreeably familiar way.
  17. Love! Valour! Compassion!
    One reason the film version of Terrence McNally's play Love! Valour! Compassion! is so moving is that this complicated group portrait never loses its slippery emotional footing.
  18. Night Falls on Manhattan
    But Night Falls on Manhattan is also oddly listless. It doesn't often live up to the doomy eloquence of its title.
  19. La Promesse (The Promise)
    The integrity of the film, whose directorial team has collaborated on numerous Belgian documentaries, extends to its sad final moments, in which nothing is left neat and tidy.
    • 24 Metascore
    • 40 Critic Score
    The Brave
    The movie isn’t terrible, exactly — it’s not good — but it does raise the question: Why?
  21. The Fifth Element
    As a yammering, swishy talk show host, Chris Tucker is flat-out incomprehensible, while Mr. Oldman preens evilly enough to leave tooth marks on the scenery.
  22. Fathers' Day
    Not surprisingly, there are some slow patches and formulaic touches, but that's a fair trade for the fun of watching Mr. Williams and Mr. Crystal make an irresistible comic team.
  23. Nowhere
    If it weren't so overpopulated and desperate to shock, Nowhere might have succeeded as a maliciously cheery satire of Hollywood brats overdosing on the very concept of Hollywood. But the movie is so hectically paced that it doesn't have time to develop its characters or to flesh out the tales it sets in motion. Even comic books are better at telling stories.
  24. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
    As goofy and throwaway as the "Brady Bunch" movies, but it has the same winking appreciation of vintage kitsch.
  25. Breakdown
    His Breakdown is a tough, vigorous exercise in pure action, shot with throwback expertise and, most refreshingly, without special effects.
  26. Children of the Revolution
    This comedy has less to do with narrative than with sheer chutzpah and a first-rate cast. It manages to be irreverently funny despite a subject that is no laughing matter.
  27. Irma Vep
    A minor but witty entry on the exceptionally strong slate of French films at the New York Film Festival this year.
  28. Romy and Michele's High School Reunion
    Cheerful, giddy fun.
  29. Volcano
    In Volcano, the thrills are so well wrought that they eventually lose their novelty and become numbing.
  30. 8 Heads in a Duffel Bag
    The heads may be dead, but at least they have a comical look.
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