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Alternate Takes: The End
This site is on indefinite hiatus... Read this article Published on Fri Oct 16 01:06:12 2009

Watchmen
While unavoidably compromised, does this adaptation of the revered cult graphic novel do enough to satisfy the fanboys and uninitiated alike?... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Thu Mar 26 14:22:37 2009

High School Musical 3: Senior Year
Anna Sloan is torn between distaste and pleasure for a film that is simultaneously glorious and proudly shallow... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Sun Feb 8 12:52:34 2009

Import/Export
This bleak international production mixes a documentary style with social realist drama to powerful, yet tender, effect... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Sun Nov 2 09:57:49 2008

Man on Wire
Jake Finbow discusses this remarkable documentary about a daring and beautiful criminal act... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Mon Sep 22 16:44:57 2008

The Dark Knight
Batman is back in Christopher Nolan's epic and gripping sequel, this time doing battle with a fearsome Joker... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Sat Aug 2 15:09:04 2008

Iron Man
Jon Favreau delivers a witty comic book movie that is memorable for its pleasingly light touches rather than its heavy blows... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Wed May 28 12:39:14 2008

Funny Games U.S.
Michael Haneke's 'shot-by-shot' remake is just as effective as its original, while also posing more questions... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Wed May 28 12:26:14 2008

Cashback
An ill-conceived and messy high concept comedy drama that is indicative of the depressing state of British film this year... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Sun Apr 13 23:40:50 2008

Juno
The 'Hollywood indie' success of the year is indeed as charming and sweet as we've been led to believe... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Fri Mar 7 17:12:04 2008

Cloverfield
Whilst impressively conceived, a lack of interesting protagonists leaves this blockbuster feeling uninvolving... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Thu Mar 6 13:15:16 2008

There Will Be Blood
Paul Thomas Anderson's epic story of family, religion, money and oil is both fascinating and challenging... Read this article Published on Tue Feb 12 13:01:30 2008

No Country For Old Men
This brutal, but finely nuanced, thriller is an emphatic return to form for the Coens... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Mon Jan 21 12:00:40 2008

I'm Not There
Haynes’ intriguing anti-biopic of Dylan has both problems and pleasures galore... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Mon Jan 21 11:52:16 2008

I am Legend
Science fiction epic, cult vampire movie, or a Will Smith vehicle: Francis Lawrence’s bungled mess can’t decide what it wants to be... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Tue Jan 8 23:06:20 2008

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
This pleasantly meditative western unfortunately seems to believe itself more profound and convincing than it is... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Thu Dec 13 10:28:32 2007

The Darjeeling Limited
Anderson's idiosyncratic rail movie, though not especially revelatory, is perhaps his most authentic-feeling film yet... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Mon Dec 3 12:49:19 2007

Stardust
Incoherent though it may be, this postmodern fairytale is an overstuffed, highly imaginative treat... Read this article Published on Wed Oct 31 10:20:51 2007

Death Proof
Tarantino's expanded contribution to the mutilated Grindhouse is both obtuse and perversely enjoyable... Read this article Published on Tue Oct 30 16:20:30 2007

Atonement
An adaptation that sorely misses the elements that made its source material so fine a novel... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Fri Oct 12 15:25:30 2007

The Kingdom
Hollywood's first post-911 attempt to recast the Middle Eastern conflict as an action-thriller... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Mon Oct 8 13:33:42 2007

Superbad
Knocked Up's kid brother: less mature, but equally concerned with combining raucus comedy and truly-felt pathos... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Fri Oct 5 15:22:43 2007

Run, Fat Boy, Run
A blundering, wildly uneven mishmash of American and British approaches to comedy and depictions of London... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Mon Sep 17 12:23:32 2007

3:10 to Yuma
Another Hollywood attempt to revive the western here creates mixed, but certainly not un-interesting, results... Read this article Published on Mon Sep 17 11:36:49 2007

Waitress
An enjoyable and accomplished comedy that takes a refreshing aproach to its characters and their emotional lives... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Mon Sep 17 11:36:16 2007

Knocked Up
Judd Apatow has hit his artistic stride, and the big-time, with this intelligently-observed comedy... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Thu Sep 6 11:16:49 2007

The Simpsons Movie
Fitfully very funny though it may be, the family's big-screen debut is still merely a decent hour-and-half TV episode... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Sat Aug 11 19:13:15 2007

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Hampered by the same storytelling problems as previous Potters, the latest nevertheless offers some pleasures... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Sat Jul 28 13:29:24 2007

Hostel: Part II
Though flawed filmmaking, this horror sequel is nevertheless far more enjoyable and interesting than its predecessor... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Mon Jul 2 16:09:58 2007

Zodiac, an alternate Alternate Take
James Zborowski offers our first alternate Alternate Take: a new, more critical, evaluation of Fincher's latest... Read this article Published on Mon May 21 13:52:20 2007

Fast Food Nation
Richard Linklater's satirical drama successfully brings the director's casually accomplished style to some disturbing subject matter... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Thu May 17 00:27:58 2007

Spider-Man 3
Peter Parker has to battle his inner demons and a whole host of villains, in Sam Raimi’s fun but superficial superhero ‘threequel’... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Thu May 17 00:24:09 2007

Reign Over Me
The first uncontroversial 9/11 movie is a flawed but fulfilling male melodrama, with Adam Sandler and Don Cheadle... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Tue Apr 24 11:10:03 2007

Sunshine
Danny Boyle and Alex Garland attempt Kubrick-like heights in this tense and mature sci-fi epic... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Wed Apr 18 13:16:12 2007

The Hills Have Eyes 2
The latest in a recent string of horrors playing on 'redneck' fears is a wilfully nihilistic assault that offers some illegitimate fun... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Tue Apr 3 16:43:24 2007

Breach
A deft, absorbing character drama based on the true events surrounding the takedown of an FBI spy, featuring a superb Chris Cooper... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Tue Apr 3 16:25:09 2007

Old Joy
How life feels for two disaffected middle-aged men in contemporary America: a treat for all lovers of cinematic minimalism... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Tue Apr 3 11:56:55 2007

INLAND EMPIRE
Lynch's latest is an extraordinary, frightening, and uplifting descent into a nightmare world of emotion and movies... Read this article Published on Sat Mar 24 14:35:19 2007

The Illusionist
Although nice to look at, this can't shake the unfavourable comparisons to last year's superior magician movie, The Prestige... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Sun Mar 18 13:35:23 2007

300
Lacking excitement, depth, and even the promised visual interest, this is simply the worst film released for some time... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Sun Mar 18 11:44:19 2007

Zodiac
Fincher has calmed his style and made a mature and sober drama on the subject of serial killing... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Mon Mar 12 13:11:08 2007

Letters From Iwo Jima
Eastwood delivers a perfectly executed revisionist view of Japan's WWII image in Hollywood... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Fri Mar 2 17:41:45 2007

Hot Fuzz
The most joyous, farcical spectacle yet from the Spaced team, and another recent British hit... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Fri Mar 2 17:37:38 2007

For Your Consideration
Guest's latest ensemble satire of an American institution is as pleasant as always, but lacks the bite that could have made it special... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Fri Feb 23 11:34:18 2007

The Fountain
Aronofsky's unapologetically epic meditation on love and death is a hugely ambitous amalgam of Hollywood genre and arthouse symbolism. Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Sat Feb 10 12:07:46 2007

Smokin' Aces
A new entry in the recent spate of empty, but stylistically spectacular - and therefore somewhat fun - action thrillers. Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Fri Feb 9 19:06:28 2007

Venus
Unchallenging but hugely likable, this British comic drama is a beautiful, wistful showcase for great talent... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Sun Feb 4 19:09:22 2007

Apocalypto
Though straining for profundity, Gibson's latest is finally simply a hulking behemoth of an action movie... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Sun Jan 28 19:30:15 2007

The Last King of Scotland
The first great film of 2007: a superb mix of historical drama and political thriller, tackling the reign of Idi Amin... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Sun Jan 14 12:16:17 2007

Pan's Labyrinth
A wonderful descent into the logic of fairytale gothic from Mexican director Guillermo del Toro... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Wed Jan 3 12:14:36 2007

Stranger Than Fiction
Despite a fun idea and some fine performances, this literate comedy is still ultimately Charlie Kaufman-lite... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Fri Dec 15 22:48:08 2006

Casino Royale
Despite buzz to the contrary, this Bond is largely as preposterous and immature as ever - an impressive new 007 notwithstanding... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Tue Nov 28 18:40:53 2006

Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
A sociological satire, an offensive onslaught, and quite simply the funniest film of the year... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Sat Nov 25 10:08:15 2006

Children of Men
This dystopian action-thriller is the most entertaining, and most intelligent, of its kind in some time... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Mon Oct 30 15:08:02 2006

The History Boys
An unassuming but satisfying adaptation of Alan Bennett's successful play... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Mon Oct 23 14:57:39 2006

The Departed
Scorcese's potential comeback is a morally weighty, complex cops-and-mobs epic with a superb ensemble cast performing at full-tilt... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Mon Oct 16 00:41:55 2006

Clerks 2
The return of the king of indie puerility to his roots: precisely as crude, oddly sincere and fun as his fans could hope to expect... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Fri Oct 6 12:16:02 2006

The Science of Sleep
Michel Gondry's gently surreal postmodern comedy is a deliriously romantic treat for the senses, if not quite for the intellect... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Sun Oct 1 20:39:46 2006

Volver
Almodóvar's triumphant return to the 'women's picture' - and ode to Penelope Cruz - is a sumptuous treat... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Tue Sep 19 16:51:10 2006

The Wicker Man
A dull, unimaginative horror remake that marks a new low in the continual decline of Neil LaBute... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Thu Sep 14 16:49:57 2006

Crank
Absurd and undeniably energetic, this uneven action flick hits some marks but ultimately bemuses with bizarre shifts in tone. Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Sat Sep 9 13:52:35 2006

A Scanner Darkly
An exceptionally dark, and stylistically devastating, take on Phillip K. Dick's druggie sci-fi from Richard Linklater. Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Wed Aug 30 15:19:40 2006

World Trade Center
Oliver Stone's paean to the overwhelming emotional community momentarily created by 9/11 buckles slightly under the weight of expectation. Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Thu Aug 17 15:21:15 2006

The Notorious Bettie Page
Mary Harron's biopic of the original queen of S&M is tight, slinky and highly enjoyable. Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Mon Aug 14 17:29:57 2006

Superman Returns
Impressive spectacle can't make up for missing substance in Singer's bombastic superhero flick. Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Sun Jul 23 12:28:48 2006

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Only slightly dissappointing continuation of Depp's fantastical journey into mythical franchise madness. Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Thu Jul 13 13:31:01 2006

Hard Candy
Entertaining, silly and morally ambiguous, this thriller is disturbing and trashy in almost equal measures. Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Sun Jun 25 18:53:57 2006

X-Men: The Last Stand
All set to be a fine blockbuster trilogy, Ratner hobbles X-Men at the finish line. Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Thu Jun 8 12:06:51 2006

The Da Vinci Code
Unexpectedly, unsusually, impossibly dire film of the international bestseller. Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Thu Jun 1 19:28:41 2006

The Devil and Daniel Johnston
A festival-favourite documentary on America's quintessential outsider musician . Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Sat May 13 15:34:24 2006

The Squid and the Whale
An admirably unsentimental family drama featuring a career-best performance from Jeff Daniels. Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Fri Apr 21 07:22:44 2006

V For Vendetta
The Matrix boys can't quite handle the themes of this dystopic fantasy of totalitarianism. Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Sun Mar 26 02:32:05 2006

Syriana
Unstable but ultimately engrossing take on the Hollywood political thriller. Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Fri Mar 24 21:47:44 2006

Manderlay
The sencond part of Von Trier's America triology is provocative, though not nearly as fresh as its predecessor. Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Wed Mar 15 17:16:50 2006

Munich
A highly involving and determinedly complex look at some timely subject matter from Spielberg. Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Tue Mar 14 11:18:09 2006

Good Night, and Good Luck.
George Clooney's sophomore directorial effort is intelligent, precise, and admirably succinct. Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Mon Mar 6 14:16:33 2006

Caché (Hidden)
A dangerous and perplexing semi-thriller from Michael Haneke. Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Mon Feb 6 15:48:42 2006

The New World
Malick's superb fourth feature re-affirms his legendary reputation. Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Fri Jan 27 17:40:29 2006

Jarhead
Mendes' vision of the Gulf War is impressive, if not revelatory. Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Wed Jan 25 14:21:42 2006

13 (Tzameti)
Tom Hughes delves into Géla Babluani’s murky French thriller. Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Wed Jan 11 21:27:35 2006

Brokeback Mountain
Ang Lee successfully queers the western to stunning effect. Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Mon Jan 9 13:50:10 2006

King Kong
The king of the Hollywood monster movie returns to reclaim its crown. Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Tue Jan 3 15:50:18 2006

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Tarantino for dummies: postmodern, fun and overwhelmingly pointless. Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Wed Nov 23 14:11:53 2005

Thumbsucker
A warm-hearted independent debut from Mike Mills. Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Fri Nov 11 15:09:32 2005

Tim Burton's Corpse Bride
A disappointingly familiar outing for Burton. Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Thu Nov 3 17:07:44 2005

Innocence
A curious arthouse festival-circuit hit that never quite fully satisfies. Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Thu Oct 20 22:45:50 2005

A History of Violence
An intriguing thriller from David Cronenberg that is not what it may first appear ... Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Mon Sep 26 16:46:48 2005

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
"...Charlie tore back the brightly-coloured foil to reveal the message, -SORRY, YOU HAVE NOT WON. PLEASE TRY AGAIN!" Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Sat Sep 10 02:00:25 2005

Broken Flowers
Jarmusch makes a triumphant return to the style of film that made him famous. Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Thu Sep 1 14:28:09 2005

The Island
A predictable missed opportunity. Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Sat Aug 20 19:40:01 2005

One Missed Call
Possibly the best horror film in years. Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Sat Aug 13 17:01:49 2005

Silver City
John Sayles' satire decides to leave subtlety by the wayside. Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Sat Aug 6 15:40:07 2005

War of the Worlds
Spielberg's well-intentioned but botched epic. Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Mon Jul 25 15:03:54 2005

The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse
An unfortunate and misguided misuse of great talent. Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Wed Jul 20 23:59:39 2005

Mr. & Mrs. Smith
A seriously fun action-comedy that knows exactly what it's doing. Read this article or read our in-depth alternate take Published on Wed Jul 20 23:34:18 2005