Critics Consensus | featured news

This week at the movies, we've got a brilliant detective (Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law), secret agents (Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol, starring Tom Cruise and Simon Pegg), singing rodents (Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked, starring Jason Lee and David Cross), and a prodigal daughter (Young Adult, starring Charlize Theron and Patton Oswalt). What do the critics have to say?

This week at the movies brings no new wide releases, but we've still got some strong limiteds, including Shame, starring Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan, and Takeshi Kitano's Outrage. What do the critics have to say? Critics say Shame is an intense, beautifully crafted portrait of a profoundly damaged soul, often painful but powerfully acted. Shame stars Michael Fassbender as a sex addict whose inner demons threaten to spiral out of control when his troubled younger sister (Carey Mulligan) moves into his apartment, bringing her resentments with her.

This week at the movies, we've got a Muppet caper (The Muppets, starring Jason Segel and Amy Adams), a special delivery (Arthur Christmas, with voice work from James McAvoy and Hugh Laurie), and a cinematic fantasia (Hugo, starring Asa Butterfield and Chloe Moretz). It's been more than a decade since the Muppets were in multiplexes, but critics say it was worth the wait: they find The Muppets to be a joyous musical comedy.

This week at the movies, we've got a crime caper (Tower Heist, starring Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy) and yuletide merriment (A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas, starring John Cho and Kal Penn). What do the critics have to say? If you're in the market for a solid, escapist escapade, critics say Tower Heist should do the trick -- just don't expect much more from this all-star action comedy.

This week at the movies, we've got Sunday shoes removal (Footloose, starring Kenny Wormald and Julianne Hough), an Antarctic abomination (The Thing, starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Joel Edgerton), and a bird watching competition (The Big Year, starring Jack Black and Owen Wilson). What do the critics have to say? Did the world really need a new Footloose? Apparently yes, say critics, who find this update of the 1984 musical smash an energetic, toe-tapping good time.

This week at the movies, we?ve got baseball nerds (Moneyball, starring Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill), aquatic rehab (Dolphin Tale, starring Harry Connick Jr. and Morgan Freeman), an assassin-dodging teen (Abduction, starring Taylor Lautner and Lily Collins), and a tough-guy showdown (Killer Elite, starring Jason Statham and Clive Owen). What do the critics have to say? Do you love The Natural, but wish the movie had found time to take a closer look at Roy Hobbs?s OPS and weighted on base average?

This week at the movies, we've got lunar scares (Apollo 18, starring Lloyd Owen and Warren Christie), marine mayhem (Shark Night 3D, starring Sara Paxton and Sinqua Walls), and spy suspense (The Debt, starring Helen Mirren and Sam Worthington). What do the critics have to say? The Debt promises a return to the twisty, morally ambiguous intrigue of Cold War-era spy movies. And critics say it mostly delivers; the film boasts an outstanding cast and scenes of white-knuckle tension that help to alleviate its occasional lapses.

This week at the movies, we've got a heroic strongman (Conan the Barbarian, starring Jason Momoa and Rachel Nichols), pint-sized agents (Spy Kids: All the Time in the World in 4D, starring Jessica Alba and Joel McHale), scary neighbors (Fright Night, starring Anton Yelchin and Colin Farrell), and part-time lovers (One Day, starring Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess). What do the critics have to say? The 1982 Conan the Barbarian became a seminal entry in the sword-and-sorcery subgenre, maiking Arnold Schwarzenegger a star in the process.

Pixar’s “Cars 2” overcame surprisingly negative critical reviews to overperform at the weekend box office, selling an estimated $68 million at North American theaters. That No. 1 finish extends Pixar’s perfect box-office track record — all 12 of its feature films have opened in first place. How sales hold up, however, will be watched carefully. “Cars 2,” directed by John Lasseter, chief creative officer at Pixar, represents an end to the studio’s perfect critical track record; only about 34 percent of reviews were positive, according to RottenTomatoes.com, by far the worst for any Pixar title.

The Wall Street Journal's headline says it all: " 'Cars 2' Is a Dollar-Driven Edsel." OMG! Pixar's amazing critical winning streak is over. And in a big way. Until now, Pixar had released 11 movies, none of which had ever dipped below 70 on the Rotten Tomatoes fresh rating scale, which aggregates reviews from around the country. In fact, except for the original "Cars," none of Pixar's 11 films had ever ended up with less than a 90 score at Rotten Tomatoes, with the "Toy Story" threesome all earning either a 99 or a 100.