Variety's Scores

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For 17,782 reviews, this publication has graded:
  • 52% higher than the average critic
  • 4% same as the average critic
  • 44% lower than the average critic
On average, this publication grades 2.4 points lower than other critics. (0-100 point scale)
Average Movie review score: 63
Highest review score: 100 IMAX: Hubble 3D
Lowest review score: 0 Divorce: The Musical
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9,136 out of 17782
  2. Mixed: 7,010 out of 17782
  3. Negative: 1,636 out of 17782
17782 movie reviews
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  1. My Mother Likes Women
    Lightness of touch, vibrant performances and a sharp script are the hallmarks of this delightful femme comedy.
  2. Her Majesty, Mrs. Brown
    Though there are a number of outdoor scenes and production values are handsome, ultimately it's the narrow focus and chamber nature of the material that lends the movie its resonance and emotional power.
  3. He Loves Me... He Loves Me Not
    Turns on an intellectual gimmick in the vein of "Memento," weaving down sinister byways, the better to click with satisfying symmetry.
  4. Wild Things
    Not only is it highly unusual, but the picture is chock-full of surprise and unexpected humor to leaven its thriller trappings.
  5. Sweet and Lowdown
    The almost wall-to-wall music is glorious, with solo guitarist Howard Alden doing a sock job. Penn, incidentally, utterly convinces in the scenes in which he's seen "playing" the guitar.
  6. Small Time Crooks
    Breezy, enjoyable romp gratifyingly zigzags in directions that aren't apparent at the outset and features some intriguingly personal subtext for longtime Woody watchers.
  7. Crimson Gold
    Succeeds as a universal account of frustration applicable to any urban center where the gap between haves and have-nots is tauntingly visible.
  8. The Truth About Charlie
    Dazzlingly nimble and light on its feet, this breezy but densely textured love letter to modern, multicultural Paris in the guise of a romantic suspenser returns its director to the vibrant vein of his pre-Oscar work in "Something Wild" and "Married to the Mob."
  9. The Agronomist
    Melds a great cause and Dominique's incandescent charisma with care using research from nine years of filming and reporting.
  10. Man on the Train
    The comedy-drama hinges on the captivating dynamic between the two men, combining gentle humor and charm with a melancholy undercurrent of yearning.
    • 88 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Funny Girl
    Barbra Streisand in her Hollywood debut makes a marked impact.
  12. Knafayim Shvurot
    This poignant film about an Israeli family rendered dysfunctional by the sudden death of the husband and father is a strongly emotional experience despite its tendency toward cryptic dramatics.
  13. Miracle
    Key to drama's success is the artful underplaying by Kurt Russell in the lead role of Herb Brooks.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Monty Python's Life of Brian
    Just as wacky and imaginative as their earlier film outings. (Review of Original Release)
  15. The Italian Job
    The forthcoming line of high-octane summer entertainments will be hard-pressed to top this one for both thrills and wit.
  16. Starship Troopers
    A spectacularly gung-ho sci-fi epic that delivers two hours of good, nasty fun.
  17. The Business of Strangers
    While it could have used a punchier final act that distilled its themes more cogently and conclusively, this intelligently scripted drama about power and its many channels nonetheless delivers thanks to Stettner's stylish visual sense and, most of all, to the smart, commanding performances of leads Stockard Channing and Julia Stiles.
  18. The Safety of Objects
    A genuine and tangible fondness and respect for the characters and their eccentricities.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Serpico
    Pacino dominates the entire film. His inner personal torment is vividly detailed. (Review of Original Release)
  20. High Art
    Compassionate and deft as Cholodenko's helming is, pic's overall impact largely depends on its central triangle.
  21. Secretary
    In a very demanding role demanding a vast emotional range from clueless innocent to confident role player and emotional adventurer, Gyllenhaal is outstanding.
  22. Undercover Brother
    A frequently inspired hit-and-miss burlesque that definitely hits more than it misses.
  23. A Beautiful Mind
    Consistently engrossing as an unusual character study and as a trip to the mysterious border-crossing between rarified brilliance and madness, this serious-minded but lively film is distinguished by an exceptional performance by Russell Crowe.
  24. Dracula: Pages from a Virgin's Diary
    Though it sounds like an offbeat idea even for horror fans, the tech work is so well done that it could disarm unwary buffs attracted by the campy title.
  25. The Story of the Weeping Camel
    The film spins a beguiling web of detail that builds to a surprisingly throat-clutching finish.
    • 55 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Some Kind of Wonderful
    A simple, lovely and thoughtful teenage story that occasionally shines due to fine characterizations and lucid dialog.
  27. Joy Ride
    Hot-wired, white-knuckle thriller.
  28. Almost Peaceful
    A gentle, sad and at times funny film in the best French tradition of high-quality cinema.
  29. Cowards Bend the Knee or The Blue Hands
    Ultimately, psychotically inventive pic is a formidable addition to the ever-evolving Maddin oeuvre.
  30. The Dancer Upstairs
    The film is powered by a superbly controlled performance from Javier Bardem. While it lacks economy and could have used a firmer hand in shaping the key central relationship, this intelligent, arrestingly sober drama packs a cumulative punch.
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