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Clint O'Connor
Tomatometer-approved critic
Movies reviews only
| Rating | T-Meter | Title | Year | Review |
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Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) |
Ford's charm helps make Crystal Skull greater than the sum of its parts. - Cleveland Plain Dealer
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| Posted Apr 12, 2023
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Sholem Aleichem: Laughing in the Darkness (2011) |
Dorman's documentary reveals how one man's prolific writings could have such a profound effect on both assessing and advancing a language and a culture. - Cleveland Plain Dealer
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| Posted Sep 23, 2020
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Downton Abbey (2019) |
Fans of the TV show can be assured that rather than reinventing itself for theaters, Downton has remained as steady and starched as Carson's collar. Think of it as an extended episode of the series that plays to its strengths. - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted Sep 20, 2019
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Ad Astra (2019) |
Pitt delivers an endearing performance. So much of the film is his face, his thoughts, his voice-overs. Following his terrific turn as Cliff Booth, the wry, rascally stunt man in Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood, this has been a banner year for the actor - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted Sep 20, 2019
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Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood (2019) |
Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood" stumbles because it runs out of story before the credits role. But it succeeds, in part, because it is such a loving tribute to the TV and film industries during a beautifully recreated era. - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted Jul 25, 2019
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The Lion King (2019) |
The "wows" this time come less from the script by Jeff Nathanson, and more from the this-all-looks-so-realistic-it's-scary factor. (Kudos to visual effects supervisor Rob Legato and legions of artists). - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted Jul 18, 2019
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Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) |
This is Marvel movie light. It's meant as teen-friendly summer popcorn entertainment. And at that it succeeds. - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted Jun 27, 2019
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Toy Story 4 (2019) |
The folks at Pixar care too much about the beloved Toy Story characters to completely mail it in. And although Toy Story 4 lacks the levels of wit and charm of its predecessors, it does have its winning moments. - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted Jun 20, 2019
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The Dead Don't Die (2019) |
If you're looking for zombie thrills, you'll need to look elsewhere. But if you appreciate the Jarmusch vibe and his casting choices, The Dead Don't Die is like hanging out with old friends for a while. - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted Jun 13, 2019
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Avengers: Endgame (2019) |
It gives us a collection of compelling characters, ties up a lot of loose ends, provides the satisfying pow and wow of a superhero movie, but then takes it all to another level, delivering a poignant drama with relatable human emotions. - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted Apr 25, 2019
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The Strangers (2008) |
Some good chills in this intense offering from first-time writer-director Bryan Bertino. - Cleveland Plain Dealer
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| Posted Mar 31, 2019
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Step Brothers (2008) |
Though not as cleverly conceived or fully formed as Talladega Nights or Anchorman, this movie works because Ferrell and Reilly are completely believable as 13-year-olds stuck in 40-year-old bodies. - Cleveland Plain Dealer
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| Posted Mar 30, 2019
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Jennifer's Body (2009) |
Touted as a sexy horror movie, it's not especially sexy or scary. - Cleveland Plain Dealer
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| Posted Mar 28, 2019
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Dumbo (2019) |
Parents and kids... want wondrous pachyderm power. Dumbo provides plenty of it. - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted Mar 27, 2019
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Captain Marvel (2019) |
Larson... is terrific. She gives Vers a swagger and a smart-alecky veneer. - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted Mar 06, 2019
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Isn't It Romantic (2019) |
If you like your movies light and fluffy, or just want to gawk at a shirtless Liam Hemsworth, your yacht awaits. - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted Feb 14, 2019
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The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part (2019) |
The family friendly film provides smiles for kids and enough pop culture references and inside jokes for adults to laugh along. - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted Feb 06, 2019
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On the Basis of Sex (2018) |
It's not an impression; it's a rendering. And a good one. - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted Jan 09, 2019
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Vice (2018) |
Christian Bale is mind-blowingly amazing in the lead role. Let's give him the Oscar right now. - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted Dec 17, 2018
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The Favourite (2018) |
The three leads are all splendid, especially Weisz. - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted Dec 11, 2018
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Wildlife (2018) |
In a film of stand-out performances, Mulligan's is the most fully realized, unspooling Jeanette's desperation and discovering suppressed, buried pieces of herself from moment to moment. - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted Nov 15, 2018
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Beautiful Boy (2018) |
It is well-acted, well-intentioned and heartfelt. But it can also be a slog with repetitive, paint-by-numbers scenes that rob the film of a compelling narrative arc. - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted Nov 01, 2018
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A Star Is Born (2018) |
Cooper deserves the accolades, but it's Gaga people will be talking about as they leave the theater. - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted Oct 02, 2018
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The Meg (2018) |
It does provide an entertaining ride for a few air-conditioned hours at the multiplex. - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted Aug 09, 2018
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Blindspotting (2018) |
Diggs' charisma goes a long way toward drawing the audience in. We're rooting for him to succeed. And yeah, his dopey friend, too. - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted Jul 27, 2018
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Eighth Grade (2018) |
Burnham nicely captures the quirks and cadences of teen-speak. In that sense, Eighth Grade also serves as a nifty time capsule of 2018. - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted Jul 26, 2018
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The Equalizer 2 (2018) |
The character remains strong. The script, not so much. - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted Jul 20, 2018
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Whitney (2018) |
Where Macdonald does succeed is through his amazing access to the principals in Houston's life. - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted Jul 05, 2018
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Incredibles 2 (2018) |
There is a live-action preamble attached to the film with Bird and the voice actors apologizing and explaining that these kinds of films take forever to make. We get it. No apology necessary. - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted Jun 14, 2018
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Ocean's 8 (2018) |
Ocean's 8 has more in common with the original Ocean's 11 from 1960... but it is fun to hang out and enjoy the star power for a few hours. - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted Jun 06, 2018
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Deadpool 2 (2018) |
The sequel is not a letdown. It may not be as refreshingly clever as the first Deadpool, but it certainly delivers in laughs and lunacy. - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted May 15, 2018
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Tully (2018) |
It's a compelling performance worthy of an Oscar nomination, but I'm afraid the film won't have enough juice to get [Theron] there. - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted May 02, 2018
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Avengers: Infinity War (2018) |
[Chris] Pratt jumps from blustery to goofy to vulnerable to insecure to funny with ease, as he trades barbs with Thor and his own sidekicks. Dude has charisma to spare. - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted Apr 25, 2018
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Isle of Dogs (2018) |
Clever, funny, sharply written and utterly ridiculous, it brims with the writer-director's signature deadpan humor and excruciating attention to detail. - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted Apr 04, 2018
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A Wrinkle in Time (2018) |
Instead of a compelling narrative flow, [A Wrinkle in Time] comes at us in dribs and drabs, exchanging pacing and dramatic build-up for static set pieces. Characters get shortchanged. Just as they might become interesting, we cut away. - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted Mar 08, 2018
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Game Night (2018) |
It helps that [Jason] Bateman and [Rachel] McAdams are two of our most affable movie stars. They are both deft at delivering dry asides and getting caught up in the more manic moments. - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted Feb 22, 2018
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Phantom Thread (2017) |
In Phantom Thread, Anderson has the intriguing setting and characters but not much drama. - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted Jan 18, 2018
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Call Me by Your Name (2017) |
It is pleasant enough, as a character study of Elio, but it doesn't offer much in terms of dramatic payoff. - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted Jan 17, 2018
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The Post (2017) |
The Post deals with weighty issues about government cover-ups and freedom of the press. But don't be scared off if you're afraid it's one big history lesson. This drama from Steven Spielberg is also a lot of fun. - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted Jan 11, 2018
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I, Tonya (2017) |
In an excellent, Oscar-worthy performance, Margot Robbie steals the screen as Tonya. - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted Jan 04, 2018
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Wonder Wheel (2017) |
Because Woody Allen makes a movie every year, some of them are bound to be clunkers. Wonder Wheel is one of the clunkiest. - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted Dec 16, 2017
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Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017) |
McDormand is in fine form as the foul-mouthed Mildred, ready to chew up anyone in her way. In a blink, Rockwell goes from over-the-top to subtle to hateful to sympathetic. Harrelson is also marvelous, hiding any personal pain and fears behind a smirk. - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted Nov 22, 2017
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Last Flag Flying (2017) |
We know where the Last Flag Flying filmmakers want to take us emotionally, but their efforts veer toward the obvious and clunky. And despite some poignant moments, the characters don't always ring true. - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted Nov 22, 2017
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Coco (2017) |
Coco celebrates Mexico, its people and traditions, and flows easily between English and Spanish. - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted Nov 17, 2017
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Wonder (2017) |
Wonder is a sweet, heartfelt film that makes you feel good about the strong people who stand up to bullying, harassment and stupidity. - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted Nov 16, 2017
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Justice League (2017) |
A deflated Batman may have looked intriguing on the page. But on screen, he comes across as sleepy. Quick. To the Bat Cave. Fire up the Espresso machine, Alfred! - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted Nov 15, 2017
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My Friend Dahmer (2017) |
At the heart of My Friend Dahmer is a remarkable performance by Ross Lynch. - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted Nov 08, 2017
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Thor: Ragnarok (2017) |
Fortunately, the charismatic Hemsworth is such good company, you're willing to play along and cruise past the roadblocks. - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted Nov 02, 2017
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Blade Runner 2049 (2017) |
Director Denis Villeneuve and crew have lovingly embraced the weird, neo noir, sci-fi vibe of Ridley Scott's Blade Runner from 1982 and extended its bleak conception of the future to the mid-21st century. - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted Oct 05, 2017
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Battle of the Sexes (2017) |
The actual tennis is the least important element of Battle of the Sexes. The film is much more interested in relationships and King's evolution. Its best moments come off the court, especially when King and company break off to form the WTA. - Akron Beacon Journal
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| Posted Sep 28, 2017
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