Randy Cordova

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Arizona Republic
For 169 reviews, this critic has graded:
  • 56% higher than the average critic
  • 5% same as the average critic
  • 39% lower than the average critic
On average, this critic grades 3.3 points lower than other critics. (0-100 point scale)

Randy Cordova's Scores

  • Movies
  • TV
Average review score: 60
Highest review score: 100 The Way He Looks
Lowest review score: 10 The Legend of Hercules
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 83 out of 169
  2. Mixed: 66 out of 169
  3. Negative: 20 out of 169
169 movie reviews
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    • 38 Metascore
    • 80 Randy Cordova
    Papi Chulo
    The buddy comedy Papi Chulo could go wrong in all sorts of ways, so it’s kind of a minor miracle how much it actually gets right. Funny, empathetic and tender, it pretty much sneaks up and catches you off-guard with its sly charms.
    • 39 Metascore
    • 40 Randy Cordova
    The Intruder
    Basically, a lot of things happen; not interesting or believable things, but, hey, there's movement and action.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 70 Randy Cordova
    The Last
    Schull's quietly commanding performance is a stunning piece of acting, in which the character seems to reveal new layers every time she's on screen.
    • 41 Metascore
    • 50 Randy Cordova
    The Curse of La Llorona
    There is no sense of dread or impending doom; instead it's just one jolt after another. It's like having someone jump out at you every five minutes, and about as much fun.
    • 57 Metascore
    • 80 Randy Cordova
    Pet Sematary
    It's bold, nasty and gleefully disturbing, and will stay with you once the lights go up. For horror fans, those are all good things.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 70 Randy Cordova
    Sorry Angel
    For all its vivid period atmosphere and striking scenes, there is a meandering quality that keeps the film from being truly involving. It's not the lack of sentiment, but perhaps the absence of any sort of momentum.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 50 Randy Cordova
    No Manches Frida 2
    The screwball plot is woefully thin and predictable, with inane situations and characters who barely act human.
    • 59 Metascore
    • 40 Randy Cordova
    The Wedding Guest
    The film evolves into one of those "watch the hostage fall in love with her captor" tales, always an icky plot development that's not any more appetizing here. There are some more twists to be had, but it's never more than marginally interesting.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 30 Randy Cordova
    ¡He matado a mi marido!
    ¡He Matado a Mi Marido! seems to be inspired by the kind of bold comedies that Pedro Almodóvar specializes in, with divas at center stage and madcap situations. But writer-director Francisco Lupini-Basagoiti is no Almodóvar, mistaking stupidity for zaniness.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 80 Randy Cordova
    Everybody Knows
    It's fascinating and unpredictable, so much so that the fate of Irene almost becomes a secondary concern. And thanks to the very clever and very compassionate way that Farhadi has crafted this film, that's not a flaw.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 40 Randy Cordova
    Piercing
    It looks great, Abbott is twitchy and terrific and you really want to like it. But it's never particularly involving, and it becomes even less so as it progresses. Ultimately, it's just a gorgeous, gruesomely wrapped package with little inside.
    • 37 Metascore
    • 30 Randy Cordova
    Serenity
    When an inane ending appears out of nowhere and purports to add depth to a movie which has little? That's just maddening. And the twist in Serenity leaves you feeling both cheated and annoyed, which surely isn't the filmmaker's intention.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 80 Randy Cordova
    Perfect Strangers (Perfectos Desconocidos)
    The dialogue snaps with precision and cringe-worthy humor; at times, you feel like you're having one of those awkward moments in which you watch a couple bicker. The movie is delicately perched between low-key believability and telenovela melodramatics, yet never falls too far to one side.
    • 51 Metascore
    • 80 Randy Cordova
    Bird Box
    Bird Box is scary, but it also feels very human.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 80 Randy Cordova
    Boy Erased
    More than simply a look at the conversion therapy, the film examines the bonds between parents and children.
    • 43 Metascore
    • 40 Randy Cordova
    The Girl in the Spider's Web
    Unfortunately, nothing in the film –Foy's performance included – cuts the chill, and you're left trapped in a big, wintry void.
    • 58 Metascore
    • 70 Randy Cordova
    Monster Party
    Monster Party is a twisted, grisly little shocker that isn’t afraid to grab you by the guts — or to show you a man’s guts cascading to the floor. It’s that kind of movie. It’s also pretty effective and rather fun, if you have the stomach for this sort of thing.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 70 Randy Cordova
    Bad Times at the El Royale
    There is a staginess to the action that creates a certain distance between the film and viewers (an opening sequence almost feels like like you're watching a play). That's another Tarantino-style touch. However, you never feel too disconnected, thanks to the good work from the cast.
    • 42 Metascore
    • 80 Randy Cordova
    Loving Pablo
    But for all its missteps, it's tough not to be engaged. Cruz's full-tilt flamboyance is just too much fun, and her more down-to-earth moments can be devastating.
    • 88 Metascore
    • 100 Randy Cordova
    A Star Is Born
    For a movie with such big emotions, it also feels grounded and realistic. Somehow, Cooper has made a Hollywood fairy tale seem utterly believable and magical at the same time.
    • 21 Metascore
    • 30 Randy Cordova
    Life Itself
    Life Itself is one of the worst kind of bad movies, because it achieves nothing that it sets out to do.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 90 Randy Cordova
    Love, Gilda
    As a love letter to a talented and endearing soul, it's hard to fault Love, Gilda. Like its subject, it feels remarkably honest and genuine.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 80 Randy Cordova
    A Simple Favor
    For all its ludicrous plot twists and a mystery that falls too conveniently into place, A Simple Favor is just fun. It's light and frothy.
    • 46 Metascore
    • 70 Randy Cordova
    Destination Wedding
    Watching unpleasant characters onscreen isn't always a fun experience, so casting Reeves and Ryder is genius. They're both full-on movie stars: charismatic, wildly photogenic, the whole nine yards. But they're also good actors, and they make these two neurotic misanthropes quite engaging.
    • 25 Metascore
    • 50 Randy Cordova
    Ya Veremos
    Despite competent performances all around, you never feel much chemistry between the actors.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 80 Randy Cordova
    Searching
    Searching is a thriller with a gimmick. The entire story takes place on screens — we see the action play out on devices like laptops and phones. But the movie never feels gimmicky, which is perhaps the neatest feat achieved by first-time director Aneesh Chaganty.
    • 56 Metascore
    • 80 Randy Cordova
    Down a Dark Hall
    It's a smart, well-crafted tale that is thoroughly contemporary, yet somewhat old-school in that it doesn't go for cheap shocks. Instead, the emphasis is on mood, atmosphere and some sharply etched characterizations.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 80 Randy Cordova
    Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again
    This “Mamma Mia” takes a lot of the original’s qualities and then amplifies them to the nth degree. It’s bigger and crazier, and the emotions actually seem to run a bit deeper at times.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 90 Randy Cordova
    Whitney
    It's clear-eyed and remarkably honest, and Macdonald shows a flair for illustrating how Houston's life fits in the bigger picture
    • 50 Metascore
    • 60 Randy Cordova
    Boundaries
    Just when you're ready to throw in the towel, Plummer does something that keeps you going; maybe it's the quietly affecting way Jack turns up the twinkly charm as age and illness are starting to take things away. Then there's Farmiga's ability to mine a laugh out of angst and yet remain human, and MacDougall's sly, sleepy charm.
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