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Below the Line

Below the Line is not a Tomatometer-approved publication. Reviews from this publication only count toward the Tomatometer® when written by the following Tomatometer-approved critic(s): Abe Friedtanzer, Edward Douglas, J. Don Birnam.

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Rating Title | Year Author Quote
B+
Drift (2023) Abe Friedtanzer This is a film that lives in the uncomfortable, recognizing that some people won’t ever be able to find happiness.
Posted Jul 23, 2024  Edit critic review
B+
The Boys in the Boat (2023) J. Don Birnam The Boys in the Boat is a solidly enjoyable family film, though a few beats are too familiar.
Posted Dec 16, 2023  Edit critic review
B
Napoleon (2023) J. Don Birnam It's a stunning, masterpiece of battlefield story-telling, and a middling, confused, confusing, and erratic piece everywhere else. Watch on the big screen or not at all.
Posted Nov 22, 2023  Edit critic review
B+
The Marvels (2023) J. Don Birnam In this simple, entertaining sequel, Captain Marvel has grown past her wobbly origin story and into a bond with two other impressive women who make her temporary team
Posted Nov 17, 2023  Edit critic review
B+
Ferrari (2023) J. Don Birnam Though sputtering at first, by the time the credits roll around, Ferrari’s engines fire on all cylinders, packing an emotional punch that sneaks up on you. All three of the main characters end up being surprisingly sympathetic and expertly portrayed
Posted Nov 06, 2023  Edit critic review
A
Killers of the Flower Moon (2023) J. Don Birnam No one likes storytelling as much as Martin Scorsese does, which means there can be no greater living American director. In this film, he paints a vivid picture of a fascinating tale without missing a single beat
Posted Nov 06, 2023  Edit critic review
A-
May December (2023) J. Don Birnam Todd Haynes takes it to the next level in his talent of complex adult dramas with intimate and profound portrayals, in this Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman vehicle about desire
Posted Nov 06, 2023  Edit critic review
D-
Five Nights at Freddy's (2023) J. Don Birnam So little makes sense in this utterly predictable film, that it makes even the few and far between legit scare sequences not worth it
Posted Nov 06, 2023  Edit critic review
B
Priscilla (2023) Edward Douglas “Priscilla” is narratively familiar — but it’s also another authentic, virtuoso filmmaking experience from Sofia Coppola.
Posted Nov 01, 2023  Edit critic review
A-
The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (2023) Edward Douglas Friedkin ends his long-standing and esteemed career on a high-note with a courtroom drama that keeps audiences riveted.
Posted Oct 12, 2023  Edit critic review
A
Maestro (2023) Edward Douglas Maestro is Cooper’s masterwork, elevating him both as a filmmaker and as an actor, to a new stratosphere.
Posted Oct 12, 2023  Edit critic review
C-
The Creator (2023) J. Don Birnam The stunning aesthetics notwithstanding, Garett Edwards' follow-up to "Rogue One" flounders on a confused, predictable, and frustratingly illogical script--committing the cardinal sin of sci-fi films of not sticking to the rules of its own universe
Posted Sep 30, 2023  Edit critic review
A-
All of Us Strangers (2023) J. Don Birnam Haigh more than furthered himself, and the growing canon of queer fantastical films has gained one of its most important entries to date.
Posted Sep 22, 2023  Edit critic review
B+
Nyad (2023) Edward Douglas A rousing story that keeps you rooting for Nyad’s success.
Posted Sep 19, 2023  Edit critic review
B+
Dumb Money (2023) Edward Douglas Craig Gillespie, his cast, and crew do a fine job delivering an entertaining and often quite hilarious look into [this] story in a way that can appeal to haves and have-nots alike.
Posted Sep 14, 2023  Edit critic review
A-
Flora and Son (2023) Edward Douglas Hewson’s performance and Gary Clark’s music drives what ends up being a true crowdpleaser up there with Once and Sing Street.
Posted Sep 14, 2023  Edit critic review
Finestkind (2023) J. Don Birnam Finestkind’s inability to coalesce around a single message, or deliver a power morale, is ultimately its undoing.
Posted Sep 13, 2023  Edit critic review
B+
A Haunting in Venice (2023) J. Don Birnam With his latest adaptation of an Agatha Christie novel, Branagh’s third in the director’s chair and in front of the camera, the thespian cements his status as the definitive Christie whisperer of the 21st century.
Posted Sep 13, 2023  Edit critic review
B
Ezra (2023) J. Don Birnam A thoughtful, emotional film about the evolving relationships between fathers and sons and about coping with different-ness, with a moving performance by Bobby Cannavale and Robert DeNiro
Posted Sep 13, 2023  Edit critic review
B
American Fiction (2023) Edward Douglas Wright is so damn good that American Fiction manages to land many satirical punches while being a fine acting showcase.
Posted Sep 12, 2023  Edit critic review
B
Rustin (2023) J. Don Birnam Colman Domingo submerges himself into the titular civil rights hero who was erased from history for being gay, even though the script for the film is surprisingly bland for such an incredible story
Posted Sep 07, 2023  Edit critic review
A
The Holdovers (2023) J. Don Birnam Paul Giamatti is incredibly moving and Da'Vine Joy Randolph is a revelation in this intimate and moving (while quirky) portrayal of three very different people finding solace for their solitude in each other
Posted Sep 07, 2023  Edit critic review
A
Poor Things (2023) J. Don Birnam Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone deliver the movies of their lives in this stunning reimagining of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein that is more about life itself than the Victorian/Gothic original
Posted Sep 07, 2023  Edit critic review
B+
Saltburn (2023) J. Don Birnam Saltburn does not quite show the, eh, promise of the Promising Young Woman's director's obvious talent in that it tells a mostly predictable story but it is a highly entertaining and visually delightful picture nonetheless
Posted Sep 07, 2023  Edit critic review
A-
Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story (2023) Edward Douglas A deeply inspirational and often quite emotional story that far exceeds its video game roots.
Posted Aug 12, 2023  Edit critic review
C
Guy Ritchie's The Covenant (2023) J. Don Birnam The serious melodrama falters when it becomes little more than an action movie devoid of the melodrama.
Posted May 23, 2023  Edit critic review
C+
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023) J. Don Birnam The animals are cute, but the action is predictable and inconsequential as the Marvel Universe struggles to find a footing into the realm originality as it enters 30+ films.
Posted May 23, 2023  Edit critic review
D+
Fast X (2023) J. Don Birnam The plot is too bloated by an enlarged cast, all of whom demand moments to shine in the sun, and a desire to outdo the prior installment's over the top special effects.
Posted May 23, 2023  Edit critic review
B+
The Little Mermaid (2023) J. Don Birnam The live action version gives more emotional depth to the story while some of the effects felt a bit shallow. Awkwafina is alone a reason to watch the tale that remains timeless.
Posted May 23, 2023  Edit critic review
B-
Air (2023) J. Don Birnam It's a very compelling story, but Affleck's focus is always on the least interesting characters -- presumably the ones he identifies with the most?
Posted Apr 19, 2023  Edit critic review
B-
The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) J. Don Birnam It's very entertaining for children and Nintendo fans, but the story is as deep as a Super Mario puddle and the throwaway references too sparse to even matter.
Posted Apr 19, 2023  Edit critic review
B+
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023) J. Don Birnam The only question is why it took so long to create a low-stakes but also highly amusing version of this long-running fan favorite. Chris Pine was perfectly cast.
Posted Apr 05, 2023  Edit critic review
C+
Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023) J. Don Birnam Helen Mirren and Lucy Liu give it their all, but the childishness and lack of consequence renders even the coolest action sequences and effects meaningless
Posted Apr 05, 2023  Edit critic review
B
Scream VI (2023) J. Don Birnam The franchise manages to stay entertaining with freshly inventive horror sequences, but its failure to adhere to its own self-professed "rules" for who should die in a sequel spells trouble and could spell further problems.
Posted Apr 05, 2023  Edit critic review
John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023) J. Don Birnam If there were an Oscar for "best headshot effects" this movie would win it. And its over the top, senseless and overly long plot would lost it every other accolade possible.
Posted Apr 05, 2023  Edit critic review
D
Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania (2023) J. Don Birnam In a universe with 20+ films, one of them has to be the worst, and Quantamania is a strong contender for that inauspicious title, lacking any emotional mooring or reason to care whatsoever
Posted Feb 25, 2023  Edit critic review
C
Magic Mike's Last Dance (2023) J. Don Birnam The emperor has no clothes, and neither does the stripper...the joy of stripping and exploring sensuality is completely eradicated by a film that was groundbreaking in the early 2010s and too afraid of hyper-sensitive sexual taboos in 2023
Posted Feb 25, 2023  Edit critic review
A-
Knock at the Cabin (2023) J. Don Birnam Though at times you want it to deliver more on its promise, the conclusion sticks the landing in ways few Shayamalan films of late have managed to
Posted Feb 25, 2023  Edit critic review
C-
The Son (2022) J. Don Birnam It's very simple: Do not watch this film, not even with its noteworthy cast. This is pointless, unadulterated suffering, unmoored from any sense of self or reality.
Posted Feb 25, 2023  Edit critic review
B+
Cocaine Bear (2023) J. Don Birnam It's a preposterous film that is preposterously funny and never commits the cardinal sin of these types of movies: taking itself too seriously (because, it's not)
Posted Feb 25, 2023  Edit critic review
D+
Plane (2023) J. Don Birnam It's called "Plane" but it could be called "Island" or "Guns" or just "Another Gerald Butler Movie" -- it's entertaining, but it's just that derivative and unexceptional
Posted Jan 13, 2023  Edit critic review
C+
Babylon (2022) J. Don Birnam A lot of bells and whistles -- an admittedly superb acting -- amount to very little, in a movie whose plot about the downfall of great actors is mostly a rethread.
Posted Dec 19, 2022  Edit critic review
B+
The Whale (2022) J. Don Birnam This film is well crafted and well-acted, though questions about its purpose - why is this difficult movie about a very difficult man even made - unanswered.
Posted Dec 13, 2022  Edit critic review
C+
Violent Night (2022) J. Don Birnam There is a brilliant sequence that re-imagines what would have really happened to the bad guys in "Home Alone" had the traps been real, but the rest is just pointless violent and unlikable characters from Santa to Scrooge
Posted Dec 08, 2022  Edit critic review
B+
Armageddon Time (2022) J. Don Birnam One of the most beautiful coming of age biopics in recent memory, it showcases Hollywood finally realizing that a lot of the trends that trouble the industry socio-politically began not in the 2020s but in the 1980s
Posted Dec 08, 2022  Edit critic review
C+
Bones and All (2022) J. Don Birnam A brilliant third act is too little, too late, for this movie that has a shockingly shallow moral compass and disturbing comparisons of cannibalism to other innate human conditions
Posted Dec 08, 2022  Edit critic review
C
White Noise (2022) J. Don Birnam It's simply not as clever as it thinks it is, and the white noise inevitably drowns out any sense of plot or reason to care about these self-important characters
Posted Dec 08, 2022  Edit critic review
B
Spoiler Alert (2022) J. Don Birnam A heart-warming, personal tale, though one that is difficult to watch given its inherent sadness. Sally Field shines through as she always does in family dramas
Posted Dec 08, 2022  Edit critic review
B+
Nanny (2022) J. Don Birnam Few films manage to employ such a quiet story to tell it in such a powerful way.
Posted Nov 10, 2022  Edit critic review
B-
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) J. Don Birnam Great acting by Lupita Nyong'o and Danai Gurira, plus spectacular costumes by Ruth Carter, save this movie whose central plotline of enmity between two colonized peoples is meandering and unconvincing
Posted Nov 10, 2022  Edit critic review
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