question: Arnold Schwarzenegger tries his best, but Jingle All the Way suffers from an uneven tone, shifting wildly from a would-be satire on materialism to an antic, slapstick yuk-fest.

numbered reviews: 1. OK family fun casts Arnold with Sinbad.
2. If it weren't for the credits 'A Brian Levant Film' and 'Directed by Brian Levant,' one would be certain that the director was Chris Columbus.
3. The film is rescued by a strong third act, but getting there is torture.
4. In this formulaic star vehicle, Schwarzenegger gets to fly like Peter Pan, act like Superman--and fulfill all the fantasies kids may have about their fathers.
5. Home Alone, this is not, but for a family Christmas movie, it's surprisingly fun.
6. still heartless and unfunny and as welcome a part of the holidays as traffic and fruit cake.
7. God forbid Arnold should have to shell out for one of those Spanish-speaking turbomen being hocked in the bad part of town.
8. Ahnold terminates the holiday spirit.
9. The practice of buying indulgences didn't die with the Middle Ages, it just sort of metastasized into something black and malignant at the heart of our society.
10. And one wonders why Sinbad hasn't made any movies since


question: George A. Romero's latest entry in his much-vaunted Dead series is not as fresh as his genre-inventing original, Night of the Living Dead. But Land of the Dead does deliver on the gore and zombies-feasting-on-flesh action.

numbered reviews: 1. It's fairly solid fun without breaking any new ground.
2. The plot held no surprises and the acting no revelations.
3. Land of the Dead is second-rate Romero, which means it's far better than most horror films being made today
4. Those unbitten by the curse of the undead won't have quite as much to chew on, but the film is clever and entertaining enough to keep most anyone amused.
5. Effects, including random head explosions and other bloody body parts, are state of the low art.
6. It's a joy to see the master of zombie cinema return to take back the crown.
7. A lean, mean 93-minute serving of brain-lust, stylized gore, morbid humor and chatty social commentary.
8. It doesn't disappoint in the way of visceral thrills, and for a reportedly low-budget affair, the effects are pretty gruesome.
9. At this point, I just want to buy Romero a drink and say, 'Christ, George, what kept you?'
10. But if you like living dead movies, and there are lots of you out there, you'll like this one too.


question: Boasting plenty of twists, a suitably seedy tone, and a memorable supporting turn from Don Johnson, Cold in July proves an uncommonly rewarding thriller.

numbered reviews: 1. The story doesn't dot every i or cross every t, but it certainly makes every ridiculously sinister turn stick.
2. Good as Hall is, Johnson and Shephard steal the show.
3. Cold in July is as cold as a corpse from an hour in.
4. A film which speaks loudly and directly, but doesn't have much to say.
5. The elements of what follows are all recognisable, with organised crime, police corruption and a pornography ring all stirred into the mix, but that's part of the film's seedy charm.
6. Get past the distracting sight of Dexter's Michael C Hall sporting a terrible late 80s mullet-and-'tache combo and this American indie reveals itself to be one of the most engaging, surprising films of the year.
7. Mickle and Damici deliver a tense redneck noir with a twist - and a few issues - but it's more like a promising placeholder than the masterpiece they're capable of.
8. Dark and lean and often silent, Cold in July is a handsome if slight slice of pure genre filmmaking, its pulpy thrills made memorable by a potent trio of performers and Mickle's firm sense of style.
9. This isn't a particularly memorable film. It borrows too much from other movies to stand out in it's own right. But it's a surprising one. What makes this odd 80s mash-up so intriguing is the way it's almost impossible to second guess.
10. Mickle and Damici officially segue from 'promising' to 'delivering'.


question: Thanks to its creaky and formulaic script, The Skeleton Key is more mumbo-jumbo than hoodoo and more dull than scary.

numbered reviews:
1. Unlocks a mystery, but the journey is fraught with the familiar.
2. Es predecible y soporнfera, llena de clichйs y lugares comunes, sin lograr crear nunca la atmуsfera adecuada para que el espectador logre una conexiуn emocional
3. Pretty much what you would expect from the screenwriter of disappointing films such as Scream 3, Reindeer Games and Arlington Road.
4. A paint-by-numbers supernatural thriller that's more interesting for its locations than for its story.
5. Reinvigorates the supernatural thriller genre with a much needed infusion of new ideas and just plain nasty, digital-free mischief.
6. The voodoo lore is sketchy (it can't hurt unbelievers, except when it can), the plot obviously little but build-up to the big reveal.
7. The only real mystery ... is what is this great ensemble cast doing in such a poorly executed movie?
8. A genuinely creepy offering in a world filled with contrived bland dramas posing as thrillers.
9. The film's lush atmosphere is a thin smokescreen to hide the fact that its formulaic underpinnings prevent it from approaching anything that is truly scary or unsettling
10. Its ultimate twist is both admirable and startling, making this savory gumbo worth a nibble.