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Your search for 5 stars returned 28 results.

Drive (5/5)

Paced, quiet, elegant. They make film-making look easy.

The most fucking totally sweet assassin film since Léon: The Professional. No one but Cage could have ever pulled off this massive role with such aplomb. God, I just can't believe how perfect and awesome the experience was. I am writing this review before the second reel, that is how confident I am. I know you think I am kidding because of the awful trailer, ...

Never Let Me Go (5/5)

A most astonishing cross-genre film by one of the great music video directors (Romanek did Nine Inch Nails' "Closer" and Johnny Cash's "Hurt" among others). Based on a Japanese novel that landed dozens of critical accolades, it played like a low budget classy version of The Island as directed by Sofia Coppala. An elegantly paced sci-fi alternate universe that ...

It’s Kind Of A Funny Story (5/5)

My favorite film so far this year. The role that Zach Galifianakis was born to play. Best use of a fantasy music video. Best use of freeze frame to avoid corny ending. Best missed basket. Best look into the taboo subject of suicide. I've considered checking myself into such a place on one or two occasions, and this story reminded me why and why not.

The Visitor (5/5)

Richard Jenkins does exquisite, simple work in his first major leading role. And... old white guy in suit, in the djembe drum circle--who knew that would make for such beautiful cinema. The ending was sad but honest and glimmering hope.

Predator (5/5)

This King Kong action film has aged very well. Silvestri's score is quite memorable and unique. Arnold and Co. have a fair share of cute one-liners, but none of them are obnoxiously cliche or cheese as in the disastrous "The Running Man". And it is usually a good sign when the lines "I'll be back" aren't traversed over for the 80th time. The DVD transfer looks crumby ...

Let Me In (5/5)

A remake of the absolutely sublime Swedish film from a few years ago, this stays true to the dreary Scandinavian aesthetic (shot in New Mexico to great effect) and ads a few touches that all worked well. For a story that has many innocent people dying gory, painful deaths, I found myself rooting for the killer. Certainly one of the most overlooked films of the year, ...

Enter The Void (5/5)

Gaspar Noe's latest film is absolutely stunning. Like nothing I've ever seen before. This makes David Lynch look like Ron Howard. How this did not cost $100 million to produce is beyond me. Over a year of digital production to finish it. Played at Cannes--two years in a row. The loudest opening credits ever. There are dozens and dozens of epic shots that would make ...

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (5/5)

An absolute joy of a surreal martial arts/video game film. I felt like a kid in a candy store watching this film.

Brothers (5/5)

Jim Sheridan directs this feature that has the odd weight of playing too real for film. It also borrows a few melodramatic tricks and a cheap score from the made-for-television library, which nearly sinks everything. No matter, the performances are transcendent, especially the remarkable 5 year old daughter role. And a scene bound to a favorite U2 song of mine was ...