From a stunning Irish fairy tale to a terrifying Korean horror flick,
these movie masterpieces had their 100% Rotten Tomatoes scores tarnished by a single bad review.
Curtis Hanson's 1997 crime epic "L.A. Confidential" is a timeless classic
based on James Ellroy's acclaimed neo-noir novel of the same name. It's an intricate,
merciless, and sharp adaptation that examines murder and corruption in
1950s Los Angeles through the eyes of three vastly different police officers.
Edmund Exley, played by Guy Pearce, is an honest LAPD sergeant trying to follow in
his late father's footsteps and avenge him after his murder by an unknown killer. Russell Crowe's
Bud White is the opposite — he's a brute of a cop with a hatred towards men who hurt women,
and he's not afraid to act on it. Worst of all is Jack Vincennes,
creepily portrayed by Kevin Spacey — a sergeant at the narcotics department who'd sell his own mother
out for a buck. Exploiting his authority, he specializes in high-profile celebrity
arrests and receives tips regularly from the local tabloid magazine run by Danny DeVito's
sleazy publisher. As the paths of these men cross, they get entangled in some intricate
cases that go higher up in the Hollywood hierarchy than any of them could imagine.
"You wanna tear all that down?"
"With a wrecking ball. You wanna help me swing it?"
With arresting performances on all counts, a deft script, and an intoxicating look at the
Los Angeles of yesteryear, "L.A. Confidential" is a rare cinematic triumph. While one critic
found the pacing frustrating, many others praised the slow-burn approach
of the film — something that pays tribute to the many noir films that inspired it.
Despite its impressive score on Rotten Tomatoes, Cesc Gay's 2015 comedy-drama
"Truman" isn't a movie you see on many best-of lists. But it probably should be!
"Truman" follows two lifelong friends, Julian and Tomas, as the latter flies in from Canada
to Spain to visit his best friend for one last time. Julian has terminal-stage lung
cancer and the treatments haven't been working, so he has decided to enjoy the
little time he has left before the joy leaves his life for good. Respecting his decision,
Tomas accompanies him for four days as he finds a guardian for his lovely dog Truman, chooses a
casket for his own funeral, and celebrates his son's birthday in Amsterdam. The film poignantly
conveys the beauty of friendship, death, and saying goodbye to life with dignity and grace.
Despite its heavy and emotional subject matter, "Truman" finds thoughtful and uplifting moments
in the most mundane things of everyday life, conveying intimacy and love in unexpected and
rewarding ways. It's no surprise that most critics couldn't resist its charm. However,
a single one felt that it didn't quite strike the right balance in tone,
leaving the film just shy of a perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes.
David Mackenzie's 2013 prison drama "Starred Up" is a modern cult classic for a reason. It features
Jack O'Connell and Ben Mendelsohn at their absolute best, while also delivering an accurate,
explicit, and realistic depiction of prison life in the U.K. Unsurprisingly, the movie garnered
several award nominations, including for the BAFTAs and the British Independent Film Awards.
"Am I right about you, Eric?" "Starred up means you're a leader."
The plot follows young criminal Eric Love, who's moved from a juvenile penitentiary
to a high-security adult prison where his father Neville is serving a life sentence. Although the
two have a tumultuous and emotionally distant relationship, Neville does everything he can
to convince his son to follow the rules and prevent him from making stupid mistakes that
could leave him with a similar fate. He's not the only one looking out for Eric's well being,
though: Oliver, a prison therapist who runs a group for young criminal offenders,
is also trying to help Eric with his traumas in an effort to rehabilitate him. However,
Eric's wild side and violent outbursts put his future freedom in doubt.
Tragic, empathetic, and fierce, "Starred Up" deserves all the accolades given by
critics. Its exclusion from the 100% club doesn't change how highly regarded it is.
"Song of the Sea" — a delightful 2014 animated adventure — was swooned over
by critics and viewers for the way it combines Irish folklore with beautiful
hand-drawn visuals and a touching story. As a co-production of several European filmmakers,
the film is rich in culture and has a distinctive atmosphere. So it's no
surprise it's been recognized by several award organizations like the Oscars,
eventually winning a Satellite Award and the European Film Award for best animated feature.
The plot follows an Irish boy, Ben, his father Conor, and his sister Saoirse,
who live in a lighthouse on an island off the coast of Ireland. It's a broken family,
however — the children's mother, Bronach, disappeared after she gave birth to Saoirse.
On Saoirse's 6th birthday, their grandmother arrives and convinces Conor to move to the city,
saying it would be better for the kids to grow up there. After some consideration, the father
agrees — and once they move to the mainland, Ben and Saoirse find themselves entangled in a magical
mission that involves fairies, spirits, and other Celtic creatures who desperately need their help.
The second movie in Tomm Moore's "Irish Folklore Trilogy" — which also includes "The Secret of
Kells" and "Wolfwalkers" — received almost comprehensive praise from critics. It seems
there is little to critique about this charming film, but it didn't speak to everyone — the one
discordant review suggests that the characters were not as fleshed out as they could've been.
Based on the critical consensus, the 1974 neo-noir "Chinatown" is one of the greatest films of all
time. Whether you like the movie or not, you simply can't ignore its prestigious qualities
— which include a smart and layered screenplay, excellent acting, and an atmospheric score by
Jerry Goldsmith. Surprisingly, however, one of the naysayers of this all-time great was the
legendary Chicago Tribune film critic Gene Siskel. Famous for his sharp and well-argued criticisms,
Siskel never tried to hide it when he didn't like a popular film that almost everyone else did —
including his friend and colleague Roger Ebert. Besides "Chinatown," Siskel also had some harsh
words to say about iconic flicks such as "The Big Lebowski," "Thelma & Louise," and "Silverado."
"Gee, Lou, I'm doing the best I can."
"Chinatown" stars Jack Nicholson as private eye J.J. Gittes, who's hired
by a peculiar woman played by Faye Dunaway to investigate whether or not her husband
is cheating on her. This seemingly simple case sends Gittes down a road of corruption,
deception, and murder as he finds himself increasingly involved and determined to
figure out how the clues lead to some of the most powerful men in Los Angeles.
"Chinatown" was nominated for 11 Oscars — including best picture, best director,
and best cinematography — but it only took home a single one for its original screenplay. Even
after all these years, the late Gene Siskel is still the only dissenting voice on this film
according to Rotten Tomatoes — something that's definitely an achievement itself.
Riding a successful wave of South Korean horrors, Na Hong-jin's 2016 feature "The Wailing" doubled
down on murder, mystery, and chaos. Like his earlier, similarly gripping movies "The
Chaser" and "The Yellow Sea," "The Wailing" was successful both critically and commercially. It
was a certified box office hit, making nearly $50 million on a relatively small $6 million budget.
This terrifying story takes place in a tiny South Korean village in the mountains. A bizarre
disease has broken out and started infecting the locals, who inexplicably start to go berserk and
eventually slay their own families. Policeman Jong-goo is put on the case to investigate
these devastating and strange occurrences — but as he digs deeper into what's happening,
things unravel in bloody and unsettling ways. In a journey that includes shamans, spirits,
and supernatural creatures, explanations arrive from the places we least expect.
Despite a single negative review claiming that the narrative doesn't justify the
long run-time of two hours and 36 minutes, most critics raved about
"The Wailing," leaving it with a firm 99% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Alan Elliott and Sydney Pollack's music documentary "Amazing Grace" is a phenomenal
film that suffered from a myriad of legal problems until it was finally released in
2018. The movie presents footage of Aretha Franklin recording her famous gospel album
"Amazing Grace" in front of a live audience at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church
in Los Angeles in 1972. It wasn't released at the time due to technical and synchronizing issues,
and it sat in a Warner Bros. vault for years until Elliott bought the rights. After he repaired and
edited the tape, he planned to release it in 2011 — but that never happened because Franklin
sued him for "appropriating her likeness without permission," and again in 2015 for undisclosed
reasons. After she died in 2018, the singer's niece, Sabrina Owens, watched the completed
documentary and came to an agreement with Elliott, approving its release on behalf of the estate.
"Many of you who never had the opportunity to hear Aretha
sing gospel… you're in tonight for a great thrill."
The 87-minute-long compilation of footage features legendary musicians like James
Cleveland, Cornell Dupree, Chuck Rainey, and more. After it was more widely screened,
the movie quickly gathered a vastly positive reception from critics and viewers. The raw
talent of Franklin is at the center of this documentary, but one negative reviewer felt
that it missed some opportunities to really get to the heart of her artistry.
With a unique melancholy vibe, the 2018 drama "Ash Is Purest White" distinguishes itself from
other films in its genre. Part gangster movie, part tragic love story — while leaning more
towards the latter — it has none of the trademark characteristics usually employed in genre films of
this kind. This quality definitely elevates the picture as a pure and original Chinese movie,
and it might be why most critics took to it so unanimously — except for one, of course.
The plot tells the story of a 16-year-long romance between Qiao,
a local girl from a poor Chinese neighborhood, and Bin, a mob boss in the city of Datong. The
movie shows how the two go from respected and feared figures in their community to
penniless and disgraced nobodies rejected by society. It's a slow transformation,
as viewers watch them go through incarceration and several life changes that gradually destroy
their relationship and the love that once burned in them for each other.
Although director Jia Zhangke's romantic crime epic didn't do particularly well at the box
office, it was nominated for multiple prestigious awards and garnered almost
universal praise from critics. Even the single negative review praised the cinematography,
lead performances, and moving storyline, but felt the long runtime dragged it down.
The 2018 HBO drama "The Tale," directed by Jennifer Fox, is a bold and risky take on
one of the most difficult topics out there: the sexual abuse of children. The result is
a film that is as thought-provoking, raw, and uncomfortable as it is disturbing. The story
is based on Fox's own experiences growing up, and how she dealt with the repercussions as an adult.
Laura Dern stars as Jennifer, a successful documentary filmmaker. One day, she receives
a phone call from her worried mother, who says that she found an essay she wrote when she was
13 that details a sexual relationship with her middle aged riding instructor and running
coach. Forced to recall her faded memories, Jennifer goes down a painful rabbit hole
to investigate what happened to her all those years ago. Faced with the uncomfortable truth,
she decides to confront the individuals who took advantage of her naivety and youth.
"The Tale" is a harrowing and unapologetic film that highlights how our minds can rewrite painful
memories to shield us from devastating truths we have trouble coping with. It's one of the main
reasons critics praised the movie so highly, with the only nitpick being that it feels like
a TV movie — which, being an HBO original, it is. Even the exception to the positive reviews
concedes that the cast is exceptional, and performances from Dern, Elizabeth Debicki,
Ellen Burstyn, and the young Isabelle Nélisse carry the weight of the heavy material.
"I'm not the victim of this story. I'm the hero."
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault,
help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network
website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).