"R" All Films Watched 2000-2010 |
|
All
films are rated on a scale of **** (A+), *** 3/4 (A), *** 1/2 (A-), *** 1/4
(B+), *** (B), ** 3/4 (B-), ** 1/2 (C+), ** 1/4 ( C), ** (C-) , * 3/4 (D+), *
1/2 (D), * 1/4 (D-), * (F) |
|
Links
are to longer reviews on site. A film defined as 70 min.+ visual
event. |
The
year included with the film is the year I watched each film. |
(V)
= TV, Video or DVD ( +) = repeat viewing
(W/O)= walked out |
|
R (2010, d.
Tobias Lindholm & Michael Noer) *** |
RABBIT HOLE (2010, d.
John Cameron Mitchell) Moving film about loss, incredible acting ensemble.
Honestly, I thought I was watching a wonderful Todd Field film. *** 1/2 |
RABBIT
ON THE MOON (2004, d. Jorge Suárez) Superior, gripping political
thriller about Mexican government corruption & its affect on innocent
people. *** |
RABBIT-PROOF
FENCE (2002, d. Phillip Noyce) *** 1/4 |
RACE
TO WITCH MOUNTAIN (2009, d. Andy Fickman) Loveably dumb scrip and just
ok f/xt; but then I'm not the target audience. ** 1/2 |
RACE
YOU TO THE BOTTOM (2005, d. Russell Brown) Surprisingly enjoyable,
caustic affair of bi-guy & faghag in wine country. Nicely written. *** |
RACHEL
GETTING MARRIED (2008, d. Jonathan Demme) Superbly acted and perfectly
executed Dogme 95 filmmaking. *** 1/2 |
RACHIDA
(2003, d. Yamina Bachir-Chouikh) Algeria AFF. Melodrama about
terrorism & its effect on a young lady teacher. ** 3/4 |
RACING
DREAMS (2009, d. Marshall Curry) V. Superb, involving docu about three
12-13 year old circuit go-kart racers & their dreams during a year of
racing. *** 3/4 |
RADIO
(2003, d. Mike Tollin) Like Patch Adams, a true story which should pull the
heartstrings, but so much liberal crap that it fails on every level. * 3/4 |
RAGE
IN PLACID LAKE, THE (2003, d. Tony McNamara) Coming-of-age film about a
non-conformist (a wonderful turn by Ben Lee)...an Australian Rushmore.
*** 1/4 |
RAGE,
THE (La Rabbia) (2008, d. Louis Nero) * 1/4 |
RAGING
SUN, RAGING SKY (2009, d. Julián Hernández) *** 1/2 |
RAIN (2002,
d. Katherine Lindberg) ** |
RAISE YOUR HEAD (Alza la
testa) (2010, d. Alessandro Angelini) *** 1/4 |
RAISING
VICTOR VARGAS (2003, d. Peter Sollett) Cocky latino boy courts
romance and his family copes. Well intentioned; but didn't do it for
me. ** 1/2 |
RAJA
(2004, d. Jacques Doillon) V. Strange, incomprehensible love affair between a
Frenchman & his Moroccan maid. ** 1/4 |
RAMCHAND
PAKISTANI (2008, d. Mehreen Jabbar) *** |
RANG
DE BASANTI (2006, d. Rakesh Omprakash Mehra; India) *** 1/4 |
RAPE
OF EUROPA, THE (2007, d. Berge & Cohen) Well researched docu: WWII
and stolen art. Unique footage. *** 1/4 |
RAPT (2010, d.
Lucas Belvaux) *** 1/2 |
RAT
RACE (2001, d. Jerry Zucker) ** 1/2 |
RATATOUILLE
(2007, d. Brad Bird) My fave of all the Pixar films; its basically adult
theme exalting foodie culture appeals. *** 1/2 |
RATCATCHER
(2000, d. Lynne Ramsay) *** 3/4 |
RATIONAL SOLUTION,
A (2010, d. Jörgen Bergmark) ** 1/2 |
RAY
(2004, d. Taylor Hackford) One of all-time best biopix with a searingly great
perf by Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles. Well structured script, top flight credits
all around. *** 1/2 |
RAZOR (BSG-4) (2010, d. Fé
lix Enriquez Alcalá) V. Backstory TV movie covering Pegasus & Adm.
Kane's prior loony obsessions. High production values, but confusing. ** 1/2 |
READ
MY LIPS (2002, d. Jacques Audiard. France) ***
3/4 |
READER,
THE (2008, d. Stephen Daldry) Exquisite film, tender, moving; with
astounding central perfs. David Kross fulfills promise of Krabat. ***
1/2 |
READY?
OK! (2009, d. James Vasquez) *** |
REAL
DIRT ON FARMER JOHN, THE (2005, d. Taggart Siegel) Liberal
crowd-pleaser docu about an organic farmer & his collective farm in
Illinois. *** |
REAL
TIME (2008, d. Randall Cole) ** 3/4 |
REAL
WOMEN HAVE CURVES (2003, d. Patricia Cardoso) (V) Latina Star Maps,
only college vs. sweatshop. ** 3/4 |
RECKONING,
THE (2004, d. Paul McGuigan) An almost can't miss genre and cast...and
it misses. Too murky, though quite faithful to 14th Century. **
1/4 |
RECLAIM
YOUR BRAIN (Free Rainer -- Dein Fernseher Lügt) (2007, d. Hans
Weingartner) ** 1/2 |
RECONSTRUCTION
(2004, d. Christoffer Boe) Danish wide screen experimental drama about writer
manipulating a man in a love affair. ** 3/4 |
RECOUNT
(2009, d. Jay Roach) V. The 2000 election still hurts & it's taken
me several false starts to finish this fine, well acted, well written tv
film. *** 1/4 |
RECRUIT,
THE (2003, d. Roger Donaldson) Formulaic thriller, no surprises.
But Colin Farrell is a star who leaps off the screen. ** 3/4 |
RED AWN, THE
(2008, d. Cai Shangjun) ** 3/4 |
RED
CLIFF (2009, d. John Woo) Even the truncated US version is fantastic
filmmaking. Leung & Kaneshiro are so fine, the battle scenes lucid &
unsurpassed in memory. *** 3/4 |
RED
DRAGON (2002, d. Brett Ratner)
*** |
RED
DUST (2005, d. Tom Hooper) Very well made and well acted, though
familiar plotwise, drama about the S.African reconciliation. *** |
RED
EYE (2005, d. Wes Craven) ** 3/4 |
RED
LIGHTS (2004, d. Cedric Kahn) Cautionary, spellbinding drama about a
marriage in trouble and a drunken road trip where it all comes to a head. ***
1/4 |
RED
MACHINE, THE (2010, d. Stephanie Argy, Alec Boehm) ** 1/2 |
RED
PLANET (2000, d. Antony Hoffman) **
1/2 |
RED
RIDING: 1974 (2009, d. Julian Jarrold) *** |
RED
RIDING: 1980 (2009, d. James March) *** 1/4 |
RED
RIDING: 1983 (2009, d. Anand Tucker) ** 3/4 |
RED
ROAD (2007, d. Andrea Arnold) Moral ambiguity abounds in this well
made, subtle thriller. *** 1/4 |
RED
WITHOUT BLUE (2007, d. Brooke Sebold, Todd & Benita Sills) *** 1/4 |
RED,
WHITE AND BLUES (2003, d. Mike Figgis) Full length film from The Blues
series, fascinating stuff about the '60s British invasion re-introducing
blues to U.S. *** 1/2 |
REDBELT
(2008, d. David Mamet) Typical venial and corrupt Mametworld, but even more
so than usual. ** |
REDEEMER
(2005, d. Claudio Torres) A wildly uneven, but ultimately too far-out film
about a crooked real estate empire in Rio and how God got even. * 3/4 |
REEL
PARADISE (2005, d. Steve James) V. *** |
RČGLE
DU JEU, LA (2007, d. Jean Renoir) ++ A gem, beautifully constructed
social satire/French farce. *** 3/4 |
REIGN
OF FIRE (2002, d. Rob Bowman) ** |
REIGN
OVER ME (2007, d. Mike Binder) Binder bites off a lot; but Cheadle
& Sandler (nervy, spot on perf) make it work. *** |
RELIGULOUS
(2008, d. Larry Charles) I agree with everything in this film; but Maher's
script depends too much on editing cheats, unlike much superior Letting Go of
God. . ** 3/4 |
REMEMBER
ME, MY LOVE (2004, d. Gabriele Muccino) Fast paced troubled family
drama with some great performances. *** 1/4 |
REMEMBER
THE TITANS (2000, d. Boaz Yakin)
*** |
RENART,
THE FOX (2005, d. Thierry Schiel; Luxembourg) * |
RENDITION
(2007, d. Gavin Hood) Another well directed film with a story that just
doesn't add up. ** 3/4 |
RENNIE'S
LANDING (2001, d. Marc Fusco) ** 1/4 |
RENT
(2005, d. Chris Columbus) * 3/4 |
REPLACEMENTS,
THE (2000, d. Howard Deutch) **
1/2 |
REPO MEN (2010, d. Michael
Sapochnik) Absurd plot, terribly wrenching surprise ending. Yet production
values quite high & all in all a diverting sci-fi dystopia. ** 3/4 |
REPORTER
(2009, d. Eric Metzgar) V. Committed docu about NY Times journalist
Nicholas Kristof & his trip with two young contest winners to war ravaged
east Congo. ** 3/4 |
REPRISE
(2007, d. Joachim Trier; Norway) *** 1/2 |
REQUIEM
FOR A DREAM (2000, d. Darren Aronofsky) ** 3/4
|
REQUIEM
OF SNOW (2005, d. Jamil Rostami; Iraq) ** |
REQUIEM
(2006, d. Hans Christian Schmid) *** |
RESCUE
DAWN (2006, d. Werner Herzog) *** 3/4 |
RESERVATION
ROAD (2007, d. Terry George) Unlikely coincidence mars a well told,
predictable story. ** 3/4 |
RESOLVED
(2007, d. Greg Whiteley) Gripping & a little scary docu about HS debaters
now (so different from the '50s when I was one.) *** 1/2 |
RESPIRO
(2002, d. Emanuele Crialese) *** 1/4 |
REST
IS SILENCE, THE (2008, d. Nae Caranfil; Romania) *** 1/4 |
RESTREPO
(2010, d. Tim Hetheringon & Sebastian Junger) *** 1/4 |
RESURRECTING
THE CHAMP (2007, d. Rod Lurie) *** 1/4 |
RESURRECTION
OF THE LITTLE MATCH GIRL (2003, d. Sun-Woo Jang) Korean Matrix like
videogame playing adventure film. ** 1/2 |
RETRIBUTION
(Sakebi) (2007, d. Kiyoshi Kurosawa) ** 3/4 |
RETRIEVAL
(2006, d. Slawomir Fabiciki; Poland) *** 1/4 |
RETURN
OF THE STORKS (2007, d. Martin Repka; Slovakia) *** |
RETURN TO CRANFORD (2010, d.
Simon Curtis) V. Treakly sequel, ows much to Dickens. Pretty & authentic
but too sentimental compared to original. ** 1/2 |
RETURN
TO ME (2000, d. Bonnie Hunt) ** |
RETURN,
THE (2003, d. Andrei Zvagintsev) Russia's AFF: a beautiful, moody road
picture about 2 kid brothers and their long absent father. *** 1/2 |
REUNION,
THE (2002, d. Mans Hemgren) *** |
REVANCHE
(2008, d. Götz Spielmann) *** 1/2 |
REVERSE
(Rewers) (2009, d. Borys Lankosz; Poland) *** 1/2 |
REVOLUTION
OF PIGS (2004, d. Kilmi & Reinumägi) Ambitious, but sprawling film
about an '85 Young Communist camp gone to riot in Estonia. ** 1/4 |
REVOLUTIONARY
ROAD (2008, d. Sam Mendes) Kate is pheomenal, Leo less so; but
unpleasant film is caustic, dramatic dynamite with ring of truth. ***
1/4 |
REY,
EL (2005, d. Antonio Dorado) Involving history of a '60s Columbian drug
lord, Scarface revisited. ** 3/4 |
REYKJAVIK-ROTTERDAM
(2010, d. Oskar Jonasson; Iceland) *** 1/4 |
RICE
RHAPSODY (2005, d. Kenneth Biroli) Singapore woman with 3 gay
sons tries to get one to turn straight. A fun, lush foodie confection of a
film. ** 3/4 |
RIDING
GIANTS (2004, d. Stacy Peralta) A documentary about the history and
addiction of riding the biggest waves in the world. *** 1/4 |
RIDING
IN CARS WITH BOYS (2001, d. Penny Marshall)
** |
RIEN
A FAIRE (2000, d. Marion Vernoux) *** |
RIGHT
OF THE WEAKEST, THE (La Raison du plus faible) (2007, d. Lucas Belvaux)
*** 1/2 |
RING
OF DARKNESS (2004, d. David DeCoteau) Overamped Satinist "boy
band" potboiler. The guys are very good looking; but the film is pretty
bad. * 3/4 |
RING
TWO, THE (2005, d. Hideo Nakata) A truly ridiculous premise so
outlandish that it's impossible to be scared. Still, effective acting &
direction. * 3/4 |
RING,
THE (2002, d. Gore Verbinski) **
3/4 |
RIPLEY
UNDER GROUND (2005, d. Robert Spottiswoode) ** 3/4 |
RIPLEY'S
GAME (2003, d. Liliana Cavani) V. Unaccountably STV murder-for-hire and
sociopathic intrigue plot from Highsmith. Quite stylish and well
made. *** |
RISOTTO
(2002, d. Olga Malea) ** 1/2 |
RITCHIE
BOYS, THE (2004, d. Christian Bauer) Nicely made docu about German Jews
who served in army intelligence during WWII. Great interviewees. ***
1/2 |
RITTENHOUSE
SQUARE (2005, d. Robert Downey) V. ** 1/2 |
RIVALS
(Les Liens du sang) (2008, d. Jacques Maillot) *** |
RIVER, THE
(2010, d. Jean Renoir) ** 3/4 |
RIVER,
THE (2001, d. Jarmo Lampela) ** 1/2 |
RIVER,
THE (2001, d. Tsai Ming-liang) [1997] ***
1/4 |
RIVERMAN,
THE (2004, d. Bill Eagles) V. Murky, poor man's Manhunter tv movie
about the Green River serial killer and Ted Bundy's last days on death
row. ** |
RIVERS
WASH OVER ME (2009, d. John G. Young) Nicely shot and acted issue film
about gay black boy returned to small town South. *** |
RIZE
(2005, d. David LaChapelle; docu) V. ** 1/4 |
ROAD
FROM ELEPHANT PASS, THE (2009, d. Chandran Rutnam; Sri Lanka) ** 1/2 |
ROAD
HOME, THE (2001, d. Zhang Yimou) ** 3/4
|
ROAD
MOVIE (2003, d. Kim In-Sik) Mediocre but visually interesting Korean
melodrama - an itinerate gay man's love for a failed straight
stockbroker. ** 1/2 |
ROAD
TO EL DORADO, THE (2000, d. Eric "Bibo" Bergeron &
Don Paul) ** |
ROAD
TO GUANTANAMO (2006, d. Michael Winterbottom) **** |
ROAD
TO PERDITION (2002, d. Sam Mendes) ***
1/2 |
ROAD
TRIP (2000, d. Todd Phillips) **
1/2 |
ROAD,
THE (2009, d. John Hillcoat) Bleak story drenched in miserablism
& puzzling causality. Impressive acting, especially cameos by
Robert Duval & unrecognizable Guy Pearce. *** |
ROAD,
THE (2006, d. Zhang Jiarui) ** 3/4 |
ROADS
TO KOKTEBEL, THE (2004, d. Khlebnikov & Popogrebsky) OK, if slow,
kid and father road-trip-to-nowhere Russian flick. ** 3/4 |
ROBBER
BRIDE, THE (2007, d. David Evans) V. Canadian tv thriller with plot
gyrations, but rather predictable, if well acted. ** 1/4 |
ROBBER, THE
(2010, d. Benjamin Heisenberg) *** 1/4 |
ROBERT
CAPA: IN LOVE AND WAR (2003, US doc. d. Anne Makepeace)
Uninspired documentary about the photo-journalist. ** 1/2 |
ROBERT
ZIMMERMANN IS TANGLED UP IN LOVE (2009, d. Leander Haussmann) *** |
ROBERTO
SUCCO (2004, d. Cedric Kahn) Frighteningly real true story of an insane
Italian who charms women and serial kills randomly in France. *** 1/4 |
ROBIN HOOD (2010, d.
Ridley Scott) So a-historical, overamped, even boring that some good acting
& prod. design are wasted. * 3/4 |
ROBOTS
(2005, d. Chris Wedge) Kinetic, beautifully designed 3-D animated
roller-coaster with a predictable script. Marred by Greg Kaneer's incipidly
voiced villainy. *** |
ROCK
SCHOOL (2005, d. Don Argott) Enormously entertaining docu about a
Philadelphia school for kids to learn to perform rock. *** 1/2 |
ROCK
STAR (2001, d. Stephen Herek) ** 1/2 |
ROCKET
SCIENCE (2007, d. Jeffrey Blitz) *** 1/4 |
ROCKNROLLA
(2008, d. Guy Ritchie) Some clever bits looking for a coherent
narrative. Typical Ritchie, not a good thing imo. ** 1/2 |
ROCKY
BALBOA (2006, d. Sylvester Stallone) I may be the sole ideal
demographic for this film; but Stallone hits a perfect tone here. *** 1/4 |
ROGER
DODGER (2002, d. Dylan Kidd) *** 3/4
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ROGER
DODGER (2006, d. Dylan Kydd) V+ 2nd viewing not as great as remembered.
Searing performances, though. *** |
ROI
DANSE, LE (2001, d. Gérard Corbiau) ** 1/2 |
ROLE
MODELS (2008, d. David Wain) Sweet comedy with a perfect cast. *** |
ROLE
OF A LIFETIME, THE (2005, d. François Favat) Pleasant, involving
dramidy about a famous film actress & the woman she makes her
assistant. *** |
ROLE/PLAY
(2010, d. Rob Williams) ** 1/2 |
ROLLERBALL
(2002, d. John McTiernan) ** |
ROLLING
FAMILY (2005, d. Pablo Trapero) Earthy road pic about an extended
family's 1000km journey by camper through north Argentina. *** 1/4 |
ROMA
(2005, d. Adolfo Aristarian) Poignant, lovely, wonderful epic drama about an
elderly writer's reminiscences of his mother. Juan Diego Boto rules! **** |
ROMAN
DE GARE (2008, d. Claude Lelouch) *** |
ROMANCE
& CIGARETTES (2007, d. John Turturro) Virtually unwatchable
embarrassment for all. * |
ROMANOVS:
AN IMPERIAL FAMILY (2001, d. Gleb Panfilov) *** 1/2 |
ROMEO
IS BLEEDING (2004, d. Peter Medak) V. Nihilistic, stylish, '93 film
noir with memorable performances by Gary Oldman and Lena Olin. *** |
ROMULUS,
MY FATHER (2008, d. Richard Roxburgh) Superb acting, spare, slow, but
beautifully made weeper. *** 1/2 |
RON
CLARK STORY, THE (2006, d. Randa Haines) V. Matthew Perry is good as
inspiring teacher in Harlem. Predictable. ** 3/4 |
RONDA
NOCTURNA (2005, d. Edgardo Cozaninsky) Delightful rondelay of one
enchanted night of an attractive male hustler in Buenos Aires. *** 1/4 |
ROOKIE,
THE (2002, d. John Lee Hancock)
*** |
ROOM
FOR ROMEO BRASS, A (2000, d. Shane Meadows)
*** |
ROOM IN ROME
(2010, d. Julio Médem) *** 1/4 |
ROOM
WITH A VIEW, A (2008, d. Nicholas Renton) V. Andrew Davis's unnecessary
remake; still, enjoyable. ** 1/2 |
ROOSTER'S
BREAKFAST, THE (Petalinaji zajtrk) (2008, d. Marco Nabersnik; Slovenia)
*** |
ROOTS
(2006, d. Pavel Lungin) *** 1/2 |
RORY
O'SHEA WAS HERE (2004, d. Damien O'Donnell) Moving, uplifting disabled
youths story with some great acting (James McAvoy!) and a story which sticks
to the ribs. *** 1/2 |
ROSENSTRASSE
(2003, d. Margarethe von Trotta) Somehow uninspiring, earnest Holocaust drama
about Aryan wives of German Jewish men taken in 1943. ** 1/2 |
ROSE'S
SONGS (2003, d. Andor Szilágyi) Excellent, unique Hungarian Holocaust
film: group of Jews trying to avoid living in the ghetto. *** 1/4 |
ROUND
DA WAY (Lascars) (2010, d. Albert Pereira Lazaro, Emmanuel Klotz) * |
ROUND
TWO (2006, d. Daniel Cebrián) *** 1/4 |
ROUTE, LA
(2002, d. Darezhan Omirbaev) W/O |
ROYAL
TENENBAUMS, THE (2001, d. Wes Anderson)
*** |
RUDO Y
CURSI (2009, d. Carlos Cuarón) Bernal & Luna are good enough; but
soccer story and direction don't ignite. ** 3/4 |
RUINS,
THE (Rusevine) (2005, d. Janez Burger) ** 1/2 |
RUINS, THE (2010, d.
Carter Smith) V. Even I know better than to wander to a lost Mayan pyramid.
The actors, all attractive, pretty good horror flick. ** 3/4 |
RULE OF THE GAME,
THE (2002, d. Ho Ping) * 1/2 |
RULES
OF ATTRACTION, THE (2002, d. Roger Avary)
*** 1/4 |
RULES
OF ENGAGEMENT (2000, d. William Friedkin)
*** |
RUMOR
HAS IT... (2005, d. Rob Reiner) *** |
RUMOR
OF ANGELS, A (2003, d. Peter O'Fallon) V. Vanessa Redgrave & Trevor
Morgan shine in this melodrama of grieving. Minor, but moving for all
that. ** 3/4 |
RUN
FOR MONEY, A (2000, d. Reha Erdem) *** 1/4 |
RUN IF YOU CAN
(2010, d. Dietrich Brüggemann) *** 1/4 |
RUNAWAY
JURY (2003, d. Gary Fleder) A screen adaptation which is superior to
the original book. Good acting, direction & editing save a hole filled
plot. *** |
RUNAWAYS, THE (2010, d. Fiona
Sigismondi) Loved the music. Dakota was great, Kristen less so; script too
typical of biopic genre. ** 1/2 |
RUNNING
ON EMPTY (2007, d. Akinci Bülent) ** 3/4 |
RUNNING
ON KARMA (2004, d. Johnny To, Wai Ka-fai) A female cop and a karma
seeing ex-monk expiate past lives in this grizzly, confusing thriller.
** 1/2 |
RUNNING
WITH SCISSORS (2006, d. Ryan Murphy) Excessive bio which struck gold
for me. Great performances. *** |
RUPERT'S
LAND (2000, d. Jonathan Tammuz) *** |
RUSSIAN
ARK (2003, d. Aleksandr Sokurov) Brilliant tour de force 1-take
Russian historical pageant. *** 1/2 |
RUSSIAN
DOLLS (2006, d. Cédric Klapisch) *** 1/4 |
RUSSIAN
TRIANGLE, THE (2007, d. Aleko Tsabadze; Georgia) *** 1/4 |
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