Q: 1. A consummate work of nuts 'n bolts filmmaking devoted to the single end of creating something that is compulsively, endlessly watchable and re-watchable.
2. Boasting an all-star cast, headed by a terrific Steve McQueen, Great Escape is one of the greatest, most enjoyable WWII adventures Hollywood has made.
3. This is one of the all-time great war movies, a PoW adventure from director John Sturges that celebrates the indomitable spirit of the Allied forces even when their backs were to the wall.
4. This is a Boys' Own Tale, and, as boys, we wanted it, cleansed of horrors, for ourselves.
5. Even if you feel you know every scene backwards, there are still manifold pleasures here beyond nostalgia.
6. Watching the starry cast is always entertaining, and while The Great Escape has little new to say about war, this is really not a criticism.
7. While it's a definite classic in the Steve McQueen gallery, it's also a masterpiece of the action genre...
8. The Great Escape is simply great escapism.
9. Each group of characters get their own riveting planning sequences, all skillfully told. This is one "heist" film where knowing the details of how the escape is supposed to go down before it happens only strengthens the suspense further.
10. a slow burn which allows you to watch wildly different characters work together and form a team in spite of their differences
Based on these individual reviews, what is the critic consensus?

A: Consensus: With its impeccably slow-building story and a cast for the ages, The Great Escape is an all-time action classic.


Q: 1. Burton's skewed vision is seamlessly realized by director Henry Selick and cleverly enhanced by Danny Elfman's songs.
2. The hippest of all holiday classics, the 1993 release rendered anew in 3-D format remains a postmodern three-ring circus of morbid humor, eye-popping puppet animation and show-stopping songs.
3. Freaky fairy tale has fluffy story line, fantastic visuals.
4. A decade of overexposure still can't diminish its iconoclastic glee.
5. Feels longer than it is, but still good fun.
6. The characters are vivid and often hilariously revolting.... Visually, the film is absolutely gorgeous.
7. The result, though refreshingly different from mainstream animated fare, is ultimately more trick than treat.
8. The set designs are ingenious and the songs (music and lyrics by Danny Elfman) are fairly good.
9. An increasingly popular holiday classic.
10. One addictive picture which you won't be able to help but watch again and again
Based on these individual reviews, what is the critic consensus?

A: Consensus: The Nightmare Before Christmas is a stunningly original and visually delightful work of stop-motion animation.


Q: 1. The energy level and smooth attitude distinguishes it from standard crime thrillers.
2. This new Shaft has the stuff to grab its audience in a big way, maybe even opening up a new franchise.
3. While the new Shaft may be far more forgettable than its namesake, the flick has soul, brother. And when we're talkin' 'bout Shaft, that's what counts.
4. The surprise is that the movie doesn't just rely on Jackson. Shaft has everything.
5. Sleek, urgent, knowing, gleefully profane and above all ultra-cool, Shaft blows into the summer movie season like a breath of fresh air.
6. The real appeal of Shaft is its acting teamwork; no '70s blaxploitation movie ever had such an entertaining cast.
7. Shaft pushes our buttons which means it's something that has been next to unheard-of this year: reasonably rousing screen entertainment.
8. Enjoyable on the level of cartoon silliness.
9. We finally have a summer action film built on sharp dialogue, vivid characters and genuine adrenaline rushes.
10. Samuel L. Jackson's performance as John Shaft is hard as a diamond, wicked as a pointed goatee, cool as a martini in a chilled glass and polished as his own shaven skull.
Based on these individual reviews, what is the critic consensus?

A: Consensus: With a charismatic lead, this new Shaft knows how to push the right buttons.


Q: 1. A rousing and sharp look at a land that's far from our own in more ways than one.
2. Outstanding political thriller -- and plenty hot, to boot
3. The Year of Living Dangerously is a flawed film, but it is richly textured and imbued with enough emotional and intellectual subtlety to make it a rewarding experience.
4. Weir's movies are open-ended, stylish dramas that engage our senses, psyche, and wonder.
5. A good, romantic melodrama that suffers more than most good, romantic melodramas in not being much better than it is.
6. ...a reasonably entertaining time-filler...
7. A young Mel Gibson anchors a fascinating look at the life of a journalist looking for the great war-era news story.
8. [A] grievously flawed yet compelling tale of political intrigue, certainly a triumph of atmosphere if not of coherent dramatization.
9. Combining political intrigue, steamy romance, and engaging characters, Peter Weir's well-crafted, highly enjoyable adventure is one of the few successful efforts to make a Casablanca-like movie for modern audiences.
10. Weir and his crew expertly recreate the squalor, poverty, noise, heat and emotion of the pressure cooker that was Indonesia in 1965.
Based on these individual reviews, what is the critic consensus?

A:
Consensus: Both a smart, suspenseful tale of intrigue and a sweeping romance, The Year of Living Dangerously features excellent performances from Mel Gibson and Sigourney Weaver as a pair of journalists covering political unrest in Indonesia.