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23
American Carol, An
26
Babylon A.D.
24
Bangkok Dangerous
42
Beverly Hills Chihuahua
45
Blindness
58
Body of Lies
62
Burn After Reading
xx
City of Ember
15
College
82
Dark Knight, The
43
Death Race
15
Disaster Movie
43
Eagle Eye
xx
Express, The
49
Family That Preys, The
57
Flash of Genius
36
Fly Me to the Moon
54
Get Smart
72
Ghost Town
49
Hancock
34
Happening, The
78
Hellboy II: The Golden Army
71
Horton Hears a Who!
55
House Bunny, The
36
How to Lose Friends & Alienate People
61
Incredible Hulk, The
65
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
79
Iron Man
57
Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D
73
Kung Fu Panda
46
Lakeview Terrace
52
Longshots, The
24
Love Guru, The
53
Lucky Ones, The
51
Mamma Mia!
43
Meet Dave
37
Miracle at St. Anna
35
Mirrors
31
Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, The
34
My Best Friend's Girl
64
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
39
Nights in Rodanthe
64
Pineapple Express
xx
Quarantine
36
Righteous Kill
53
Rocker, The
xx
RocknRolla
53
Sex and the City: The Movie
63
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, The
36
Space Chimps
35
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
51
Step Brothers
47
Swing Vote
60
Traitor
71
Tropic Thunder
70
Vicky Cristina Barcelona
93
WALL-E
64
Wanted
27
Women, The
47
X-Files: I Want to Believe, The
54
You Don't Mess with the Zohan
93
WALL-E
82
Dark Knight, The
79
Iron Man
78
Hellboy II: The Golden Army
73
Kung Fu Panda
72
Ghost Town
71
Tropic Thunder
71
Horton Hears a Who!
70
Vicky Cristina Barcelona
65
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
64
Wanted
64
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
64
Pineapple Express
63
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, The
62
Burn After Reading
61
Incredible Hulk, The
60
Traitor
58
Body of Lies
57
Flash of Genius
57
Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D
55
House Bunny, The
54
You Don't Mess with the Zohan
54
Get Smart
53
Sex and the City: The Movie
53
Rocker, The
53
Lucky Ones, The
52
Longshots, The
51
Mamma Mia!
51
Step Brothers
49
Hancock
49
Family That Preys, The
47
Swing Vote
47
X-Files: I Want to Believe, The
46
Lakeview Terrace
45
Blindness
43
Meet Dave
43
Death Race
43
Eagle Eye
42
Beverly Hills Chihuahua
39
Nights in Rodanthe
37
Miracle at St. Anna
36
Space Chimps
36
Righteous Kill
36
Fly Me to the Moon
36
How to Lose Friends & Alienate People
35
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
35
Mirrors
34
Happening, The
34
My Best Friend's Girl
31
Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, The
27
Women, The
26
Babylon A.D.
24
Bangkok Dangerous
24
Love Guru, The
23
American Carol, An
15
Disaster Movie
15
College
xx
RocknRolla
xx
Express, The
xx
City of Ember
xx
Quarantine
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.

85
Alexandra
xx
All of Us
53
Allah Made Me Funny: Live in Concert
57
Amazing Truth About Queen Raquela, The
40
America the Beautiful
66
American Teen
74
Anita O'Day: The Life of a Jazz Singer
63
Appaloosa
xx
Ashes of Time Redux
65
August Evening
xx
Bachna Ae Haseeno
62
Baghead
81
Ballast
55
Battle in Seattle
59
Beautiful Losers
xx
Beer for My Horses
47
Before the Rains
80
Bigger, Stronger, Faster*
xx
Billy: The Early Years
63
Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story
56
Bottle Shock
75
Boy A
55
Bra Boys
xx
Breakfast with Scot
61
Brick Lane
64
Brideshead Revisited
61
Bustin' Down the Door
xx
Call and Response
49
Children of Huang Shi, The
47
Choke
xx
Choose Connor
xx
Christmas on Mars: A Fantastical Film Freakout Featuring the Flaming Lips
54
CSNY: Déjà Vu
41
Cthulhu
64
Duchess, The
85
Edge of Heaven, The
66
Elegy
33
Elite Squad
52
Elsa & Fred
80
Encounters at the End of the World
26
Everybody Wants to Be Italian
64
Fall, The
28
Fireproof
86
Flight of the Red Balloon, The
65
Flow: For Love of Water
37
Forever Strong
39
Forgiveness
82
Frozen River
73
Girl Cut in Two, A
62
Girls Rock!
xx
Goal II: Living the Dream
73
Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson
57
Good Dick
54
Hamlet 2
xx
Happy-Go-Lucky
25
Hell Ride
44
Henry Poole is Here
31
Hounddog
53
Humboldt County
72
I Served the King of England
71
I.O.U.S. A
40
Igor
64
In Search of a Midnight Kiss
46
Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer
67
Jellyfish
xx
Just Buried
62
Kabluey
63
Kit Kittredge: An American Girl
78
Last Mistress, The
52
Last Stop for Paul
70
Love Songs
xx
Lower Learning
63
Man Named Pearl, A
89
Man on Wire
62
Mister Foe
86
Momma's Man
74
Mongol
80
Moving Midway
46
My Mexican Shivah
xx
Nights and Weekends
73
Obscene
80
Order of Myths, The
67
Patti Smith: Dream of Life
xx
Phoebe in Wonderland
55
Ping Pong Playa
77
Pool, The
72
Priceless
82
Rachel Getting Married
61
Red
55
Religulous
71
Roman de gare
78
Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired
51
Savage Grace
58
Save Me
72
Secret, A
45
Shoot on Sight
57
Sixty Six
55
Sukiyaki Western Django
16
Surfer, Dude
82
Tell No One
56
Then She Found Me
63
Thousand Years of Good Prayers, A
71
To the Limit
57
Towelhead
72
Transsiberian
83
Trouble the Water
83
U2 3D
84
Up the Yangtze
52
Virtual JFK: Vietnam If Kennedy Had Lived
79
Visitor, The
61
Wackness, The
xx
Whaledreamers
54
What We Do Is Secret
66
When Did You Last See Your Father?
67
XXY
55
Year of the Fish
39
Young People F**king
75
Young@Heart
89
Man on Wire
86
Momma's Man
86
Flight of the Red Balloon, The
85
Edge of Heaven, The
85
Alexandra
84
Up the Yangtze
83
U2 3D
83
Trouble the Water
82
Tell No One
82
Rachel Getting Married
82
Frozen River
81
Ballast
80
Encounters at the End of the World
80
Bigger, Stronger, Faster*
80
Order of Myths, The
80
Moving Midway
79
Visitor, The
78
Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired
78
Last Mistress, The
77
Pool, The
75
Young@Heart
75
Boy A
74
Anita O'Day: The Life of a Jazz Singer
74
Mongol
73
Girl Cut in Two, A
73
Obscene
73
Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson
72
Secret, A
72
Priceless
72
Transsiberian
72
I Served the King of England
71
To the Limit
71
I.O.U.S. A
71
Roman de gare
70
Love Songs
67
Patti Smith: Dream of Life
67
XXY
67
Jellyfish
66
Elegy
66
American Teen
66
When Did You Last See Your Father?
65
August Evening
65
Flow: For Love of Water
64
Brideshead Revisited
64
Duchess, The
64
Fall, The
64
In Search of a Midnight Kiss
63
Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story
63
Appaloosa
63
Man Named Pearl, A
63
Thousand Years of Good Prayers, A
63
Kit Kittredge: An American Girl
62
Kabluey
62
Baghead
62
Girls Rock!
62
Mister Foe
61
Bustin' Down the Door
61
Wackness, The
61
Brick Lane
61
Red
59
Beautiful Losers
58
Save Me
57
Towelhead
57
Amazing Truth About Queen Raquela, The
57
Sixty Six
57
Good Dick
56
Bottle Shock
56
Then She Found Me
55
Year of the Fish
55
Religulous
55
Bra Boys
55
Sukiyaki Western Django
55
Battle in Seattle
55
Ping Pong Playa
54
Hamlet 2
54
CSNY: Déjà Vu
54
What We Do Is Secret
53
Humboldt County
53
Allah Made Me Funny: Live in Concert
52
Virtual JFK: Vietnam If Kennedy Had Lived
52
Elsa & Fred
52
Last Stop for Paul
51
Savage Grace
49
Children of Huang Shi, The
47
Before the Rains
47
Choke
46
Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer
46
My Mexican Shivah
45
Shoot on Sight
44
Henry Poole is Here
41
Cthulhu
40
America the Beautiful
40
Igor
39
Forgiveness
39
Young People F**king
37
Forever Strong
33
Elite Squad
31
Hounddog
28
Fireproof
26
Everybody Wants to Be Italian
25
Hell Ride
16
Surfer, Dude
xx
Choose Connor
xx
Phoebe in Wonderland
xx
Happy-Go-Lucky
xx
All of Us
xx
Whaledreamers
xx
Nights and Weekends
xx
Bachna Ae Haseeno
xx
Ashes of Time Redux
xx
Christmas on Mars: A Fantastical Film Freakout Featuring the Flaming Lips
xx
Breakfast with Scot
xx
Goal II: Living the Dream
xx
Just Buried
xx
Beer for My Horses
xx
Lower Learning
xx
Call and Response
xx
Billy: The Early Years
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.
|
Taxi to the Dark Side
THINKFilm
 |
|
FILM:
MPAA RATING: R for disturbing images and content involving torture and graphic nudity
Taxi to the Darkside, the latest prize-winning documentary from Oscar-nominee Alex Gibney, confirms his standing as one of the foremost non-fiction filmmakers working today. A stunning inquiry into the suspicious death of an Afghani taxi driver at Bagram air base in 2002, the film is a fastidiously assembled, uncommonly well-researched examination of how an innocent civilian was apprehended, imprisoned, tortured, and ultimately murdered by the greatest democracy on earth. Intermingling documents and records of the incident with candid testimony from eyewitnesses and participants, the film uncovers an inescapable link between the tragic incidents that unfolded in Bagram and the policies made at the very highest level of the United States government in Washington, D.C. Combining the cool detachment of a forensic expert with the heated indignation of a proud American who holds his country to a high standard, Gibney’s film reveals how the Bush administration has systematically betrayed the very ideals it professes to uphold. (THINKFilm)
| GENRE(S): |
Documentary
|
| WRITTEN BY: |
Alex Gibney
|
| DIRECTED BY: |
Alex Gibney
|
| RELEASE DATE: |
DVD: September 30, 2008
Theatrical: January 18, 2008
|
| RUNNING TIME: |
106 minutes, Color |
| ORIGIN: |
USA |

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
100
Chicago Reader
J.R. Jones
A triumph not of reporting but of synthesis.

100
San Francisco Chronicle
Tamara Straus
A rage-inducing expose.

100
Chicago Sun-Times
Roger Ebert
This movie does not describe the America I learned about in civics class, or think of when I pledge allegiance to the flag. Yet I know I will get the usual e-mails accusing me of partisanship, bias, only telling one side, etc. What is the other side? See this movie, and you tell me.

100
Baltimore Sun
Chris Kaltenbach
It is, at once, among the most riveting and hard-to-watch documentaries of recent years.

91
Entertainment Weekly
Lisa Schwarzbaum
Where "No End" is cool and measured, Taxi is hot, anguished, and sometimes as difficult to watch as pictures of torture ought to be.

91
Portland Oregonian
Marc Mohan
As numbing as the drumbeat of downbeat documentaries can be, as hard as it is to even be shocked at the depravities committed in our name, a film like this remains important, both as an indictment of the present day and as a warning to future generations that the ends don't always justify the means.

90
Film Threat
Matthew Sorrento
"Taxi” captures the evil that many men do under the guise of American justice. Just as Bardem's menacing Chigurh approaches his targets in "No Country," American military administrators approached Afghan detainees with shackles and convoluted policy in their pockets.

88
Boston Globe
Wesley Morris
The film quickly becomes one of the most powerful, carefully researched investigations of the moral-legal side effects of current American military campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq. It's terrifying in a way that sneaks up on you.

88
TV Guide
Ken Fox
What one interviewee calls a "fog of ambiguity" surrounding what was and wasn't officially authorized shielded superior officers and key members of the Department of Defense -- namely Donald Rumsfeld.

88
Philadelphia Inquirer
Steven Rea
So disturbing, on so many levels.

88
Charlotte Observer
Lawrence Toppman
Gibney also made the Oscar-nominated "Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room," and he gets remarkable access to people you wouldn't expect to talk to him (including U.S. interrogators charged with crimes at Bagram).

80
The New York Times
A.O. Scott
If recent American history is ever going to be discussed with the necessary clarity and ethical rigor, this film will be essential.

80
New York Magazine
David Edelstein
It’s the equal of "No End in Sight" in its tight focus on the nuts and bolts of incompetence, and it surpasses any recent melodrama in the empathy it evokes for both its victims and--surprisingly--victimizers.

80
The New Yorker
David Denby
Along with “No End in Sight,” this movie is one of the essential documentaries of the ongoing war.

78
Austin Chronicle
Marc Savlov
Impossible to shake off.

75
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)
Jennie Punter
Relentless, thorough and devastating.

75
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Bill White
Journeys into a new heart of darkness, the destination of which lies outside the frontiers of humanity.

75
New York Daily News
Elizabeth Weitzman
Alex Gibney's forceful documentary starts with a single tragedy: the torture of an Afghani prisoner at Bagram Air Base. By the time it's over, he's broadened his focus into a documentary so damning of the U.S. government, it's hard to believe he even got it made.

75
Chicago Tribune
Tasha Robinson
An invaluable document, both for its hard questions and for the sickeningly unflinching interviews that provide the answers.

70
Los Angeles Times
Kenneth Turan
As viewers of his Enron film will testify, Gibney is a scrupulous director, and Taxi to the Dark Side is filled with detailed factual information.

70
Village Voice
Nick Pinkerton
Taxi is an impressively blueprinted work. Still images--from autopsy tables, makeshift holding cells, the Oval Office--are selected and deployed to maximum effect.

70
Wall Street Journal
Joe Morgenstern
Taxi to the Dark Side adds something new to our awareness -- interviews with soldiers who served as interrogators in Afghanistan, and in Iraq's notorious Abu Ghraib prison, and who, in some cases that ended in courts martial, served prison terms themselves.

70
The Hollywood Reporter
Stephen Farber
In the end, this passionate indictment of present U.S. policies stirs both sadness and outrage.

70
Variety
Jay Weissberg
Photos and video of torture at Bagram and Abu Ghraib are the most viscerally disturbing elements of Taxi to the Dark Side, but the way soft-spoken soldiers were transformed into beasts with the tacit approval of the higher-ups is just as profoundly chilling.

70
Washington Post
John Anderson
Although it's tempting to call Gibney's documentary "the one Iraq film you MUST see this season!!!" (which, by the way, it is), it's not just about Iraq. It's about torture as policy.


The average user rating for this movie is 7.8 (out of 10) based on 9 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
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