Thoughtful reviews, the Boulder film scene

" I am the monster’s mother "
— Sigourney Weaver, Alien Resurrection

MRQE Top Critic

Betty Blue

There can be beauty in tragedy, particularly when the key ingredient is the same in both —Marty Mapes (review...)

Betty arrives like a bolt from the Blue

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Billy Bob Thornton

  • The Judge (2014)

    Who is Robert Downey Jr to Judge? Review by Robert Denerstein: Verdict on The Judge: a disappointment

    Review by Matt Anderson: The Judge hears a case for Oscar bait but dismisses it for lack of evidence.

  • The Astronaut Farmer (2007)

    Review by Risë Keller: An imperfect but delightful film

  • The Bad News Bears (2005)

    Review by Marty Mapes: Fails to rise above medium-to-low expectations, but it's not a huge mistake

  • The Alamo (2004)

    DVD review by Ryan Hurtig: What was originally intended to be a gritty, R-rated epic devolved into this also-ran

  • Bad Santa (2003)

    Thornton makes one very Bad Santa DVD review by Marty Mapes: The movie has an ugly and hostile heart, but its cynicism is sincere, if that makes sense

    Review by Marty Mapes

  • Monster's Ball (2001)

    Billy Bob and Halle have a Monster's Ball Review by Matt Anderson: Monster's Ball would work better as a book

  • The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)

    Thornton and Gandolfini face The Man Who Wasn't There Review by Richard Sharp: May be the Coen Brother's best film yet

  • Bandits (2001)

    Billy Bob in Bandits Review by Matt Anderson: Peyton's screenplay takes advantage of the characters' quirks to offer some nice asides about life

  • The Gift (2001)

    Cate Blanchett is cursed with The Gift Review by Marty Mapes: Almost very good, but not quite

  • A Simple Plan (1998)

    Review by Marty Mapes: Three well-meaning men, a planeload of money, and a spiral of doom

  • Sling Blade (1996)

    Some folks call it Sling Blade, I call it a classic Review by Marty Mapes

    DVD review by Marty Mapes: One of the best American films from this past decade

  • Tombstone (1993)

    DVD review by Matt Anderson: Its wagon train gets stuck in the mud, in spite of a stellar cast