Critics Consensus | featured news

This week at the movies, we've got an alien nation (District 9, starring Jason Cope and Sharlto Copley); a high school musical (Bandslam, starring Gaelan Connell and Vanessa Hudgens); a goldfish/human hybrid (Ponyo, with voice work by Cate Blanchett and Noah Cyrus); an ill-timed love affair (The Time Traveler's Wife, starring Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana), and some renegade salesmen ...

What do the critics have to say? Knowing may be half the battle, but in the case of GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra, the war is far from over, as the film was not widely screened for critics prior to release. Critics say Julie & Julia is riveting when Streep is onscreen, but formulaic...

This week at the movies, we've got Biblical bloopers (Year One, starring Jack Black and Michael Cera) and an engagement of convenience (The Proposal, starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds). What do the critics have to say? On paper, Year One sounds so promising; it's an Old Testament goof starring Jack Black and Michael Cera (as well as an embarrassment of other top comedic talent) directed by Harold Ramis. Unfortunately, critics say the film's jokes are nearly as ancient and musty as its protagonists.

This week at the movies, we've got a railway heist (The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3, starring Denzel Washington and John Travolta) and some magical financial advice (Imagine That, starring Eddie Murphy and Yara Shahidi). What do the critics have to say? The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, from 1974, was a stylish mix of comedy and thrills that, despite its reputation, is just dated enough to warrant. However, critics say that Tony Scott's take, while slick and hyperkinetic, lacks the grit and cool of the original.

This week at the movies, we've got bachelor party mayhem (The Hangover, starring Bradley Cooper and Ed Helms), space-time continuum wackiness (Land of the Lost, starring Will Ferrell and Danny McBride), and travel travails (My Life in Ruins, starring Nia Vardalos and Richard Dreyfuss). What do the critics have to say?

There's nothing wrong with frat house comedy when it's done right. And critics say The Hangover is one of the best in recent years, a wild ride of debauchery and tastelessness that delivers laughs at a frightening clip.

This week at the movies, Robert Langdon is back on the case, investigating shadowy machinations around the Catholic Church in Angels & Demons, starring Tom Hanks and Ewan McGregor. What do the critics have to say? The Da Vinci Code was a worldwide phenomenon; adapted from Dan Brown's bestseller, it raked in box office receipts despite widespread critical derision (and the threat of boycotts from Catholic groups). The good news is that critics find the follow-up, Angels & Demons, to be tighter and more exciting; the bad news is that their reaction is still pretty tepid.

This week at the movies, we've got a brand new Enterprise (Star Trek, starring Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto) and a failed delivery (Next Day Air, starring Donald Faison and Mike Epps). What do the critics have to say? It boldly goes where no Trek has gone before. This new Trek will live long and prosper. No matter what clichés they may use, there's no getting around the critics' main point: JJ Abrams' Star Trek is stirring mainstream entertainment, and breathes new life into the moribund franchise. It's an origin story, one that tells the tale of how Kirk (Chris...

This week at the movies, we've got everyone's favorite mutant (X-Men Origins: Wolverine, starring Hugh Jackman and Liev Schriber), a rake's progress (Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, starring Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Garner), and interstellar conflict (Battle for Terra, featuring voice work by Evan Rachel Wood and Luke Wilson). What do the critics have to say? Forced to choose, most X fans would select Wolverine as their favorite. Well, he's got his very own feature film, and unfortunately, the critics say it's a few cuts below the previous X-Men movies.

This week at the movies, we've got a high school do-over (17 Again, starring Zac Efron and Leslie Mann), some journalistic thrills (State of Play, starring Russell Crowe and Rachel McAdams), and cardiovascular action (Crank High Voltage, starring Jason Statham and Bai Ling).

This week at the movies, we've got a war of the worlds (Monsters vs. Aliens, with voice work by Reese Witherspoon and Seth Rogen), a demonic abode (The Haunting in Connecticut, starring Virginia Madsen and Martin Donovan), and a royal rumble (12 Rounds, starring John Cena).