Variety's Scores

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For 17,847 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 2.3 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: 9,172 out of 17847
  2. Mixed: 7,036 out of 17847
  3. Negative: 1,639 out of 17847
17847 movie reviews
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  1. Diamonds and Rust
    Expertly edited chronicle doesn't lead to any major explosion, but reveals plenty -- little of it pleasant -- en-route.
  2. Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India
    Neither pure masala musical nor pure masala meller, Lagaan is an involving, easily digestible hunk of pure entertainment that could be the trigger for Bollywood's long-awaited crossover to non-ethnic markets.
  3. A Man's Gotta Do
    A cut above the average Aussie crazy-clan comedy.
  4. Home Movie
    A modest charmer.
  5. The Mystic Masseur
    Succeeds as light entertainment -- even if at the cost of the material's greater potential.
  6. A Shot at Glory
    Mediocre, dramatically flat picture.
  7. The Captive
    An elegant but empty and frustrating meditation on desire, obsession, love and possession, The Captive intellectualizes those subjects almost beyond the level of art-film parody.
  8. Dirt Boy
    Intelligent, low-key suspenser.
  9. Warm Water Under a Red Bridge
    A film with a terrifically engaging concept that overstays its welcome by quite a stretch.
  10. ABC Africa
    Kiarostami shoots Africa with an uncanny verisimilitude, coming close here to his idea of a "poetic cinema" indebted more to poetry and music than the theatrical novelistic storytelling tradition.
  11. Hollywood Ending
    For those always on the lookout for the "funny" Allen, this one definitely has its moments, but too much of the picture is flat, dispiriting and frankly unbelievable in fundamental ways that defy the granting of poetic license.
  12. Fleeing by Night
    An embarrassing failure at almost every level.
  13. Spider-Man
    Pic's happiest surprise is Tobey Maguire in the title role, as the young actor provides an emotional openness and vulnerability that gives this $120 million production its most distinctive flavor.
  14. Circuit
    All-encompassing drama.
  15. Sex with Strangers
    Doesn't compare favorably with David Schisgall's similarly themed "The Lifestyle," released to arthouses last year.
  16. Vulgar
    Inexplicably mixing lamer-than-lame "bad taste" comedy with yea worse traumatized-assault-victim histrionics, pic's only entertainment value lies in viewer weighing whether pic is primarily a.) offensive b.) amateurish c.) pathetic or d.) a cry for help.
  17. Dogtown and Z-Boys
    A fascinating story, albeit with some missed opportunities in the telling.
  18. Life or Something Like It
    A deeply metaphysical film by contempo Hollywood standards, this middlebrow trifle may engage the emotions of a certain tier of young professional women.
  19. Jason X
    Further proof that titular antagonist Jason Voorhes is ready for retirement -- to videostore shelves.
  20. The Salton Sea
    This extremely plot-thickened tale finally offers little more than the usual genre elements pushed to the kind of extremes that recall the acrid "The Way of the Gun."
    • Variety
  21. Some Body
    Has a quasi-verite, improvisational feel that appears truthful. But it doesn't lend much sympathy, or depth, to characters who never seem worth knowing.
  22. Freshmen
    There's nothing remotely original about Freshmen, but this somewhat formulaic comedy-drama about four college newbies has a lot of charm and sincerity going for it.
  23. Facing the Music
    Isn't only an outstanding documentary -- it's also a powerful personal drama.
  24. My Big Fat Greek Wedding
    Suffers in ways typical to such adaptations -- what was fresh and flavorful in anecdotal description becomes more familiar and sitcom broad in literal depiction.
  25. Murderous Maids
    Rigorous but creepy drama.
  26. Mutant Aliens
    Some viewers may feel as though, instead of watching a feature, they're paging through a book of rough sketches by a deranged Disney alumnus.
  27. Space Station 3D
    Like a really, really high-tech version of a high school class trip to the planetarium.
  28. Murder by Numbers
    Engrossing but psychologically shallow tale.
  29. Enigma
    Intelligent, involving and intricately plotted thriller.
  30. The Scorpion King
    Rouses excitement mostly from stuntwork and thesp agility rather than CGI excess.
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