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Total Recall

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Total Recall: Michelle Williams' Best Movies (47 comments)

by Jeff Giles on Thursday, Mar. 07 2013, 12:42 PM

From a prime-time soap sweetheart on Dawson's Creek to a film star with three Academy Award nominations (and counting) under her belt, Michelle Williams has come a long way over the course of her 20-year career -- and this weekend, she steps into one of Hollywood's most hallowed bubbles, playing Glinda the Good Witch in Sam Raimi's Oz the Great and Powerful. We decided now would be the perfect time to take an appreciative look back at some of her proudest critical moments, and you know what that means: It's time to Total Recall, Michelle Williams style!

Total Recall: Ewan McGregor's Best Movies (105 comments)

by Jeff Giles on Thursday, Feb. 28 2013, 05:09 PM

From independent dramas to a certain trilogy of big-budget sci-fi prequels, Ewan McGregor has led an admirably varied life on the big screen -- as well as off, where he's an accomplished stage actor as well as a bestselling author. This weekend, McGregor takes another step in a new direction with his appearance in Bryan Singer's Jack the Giant Slayer, a tongue-in-cheek, action-packed retelling of everyone's favorite magic bean-fueled fairytale, and we decided to take the opportunity to pay tribute with a look back at some of his finest films. Yes, that's right...it's time for Total McRecall!

Total Recall: Surprising Oscar Nominations and Snubs (211 comments)

by RT Staff on Friday, Feb. 22 2013, 09:10 AM

Watching the Academy Awards is a perfectly fine way to spend an evening, but let's face it: Half the fun of the Oscars is trying to predict who'll win, and the other half is bellyaching about who wasn't even nominated. It's in that spirit that we assembled this week's list -- looking back over the last few decades of Oscardom, plenty of worthy films have been honored, but just as many (if not more) have seen their contributions to cinema unfairly overlooked in favor of some rather questionable nominations. Obviously, this is meant to be a conversation starter rather than a complete list, but hey -- that's what the comments are for. Let's Total Recall!

Total Recall: Discontinued Academy Awards (125 comments)

by Jeff Giles on Wednesday, Feb. 13 2013, 04:15 PM

We're in the home stretch of Awards Season 2013, film fans -- which means we're in the thick of everyone's Oscar picks, predictions, and prognostications for the big winners and losers in all the major categories. But before Hollywood's best and brightest get all gussied up for the main event on February 24, we thought it'd be nice to pause for a moment and take a look back at some of the awards the Academy won't be handing out -- specifically, the ones that have been phased out over the previous 84 ceremonies due to technological progress, redundancy, or a simple lack of popularity among the voters. And you know what that means: It's time for Total Recall, Oscar flashback style!

Total Recall: Jude Law's Best Movies (63 comments)

by Jeff Giles on Thursday, Feb. 07 2013, 02:37 PM

Over the course of a career spanning two decades and dozens of movies, Jude Law has become one of the most successful actors of his generation -- in fact, just a few years ago, he made the industry's "top 10 most bankable" list. This weekend, he has the honor of starring in Side Effects, Steven Soderbergh's (alleged) swan song as a director of feature films; to celebrate, we decided to take the opportunity to pay tribute to some of Mr. Law's biggest critical hits. Of course, given his propensity for smaller parts, we had to prune a few entries from the upper reaches of Law's Tomatometer; his roles in films like The Aviator, Hugo, and Lemony Snicket weren't quite substantial enough to make the grade. Still, we think you'll find plenty to love in this week's list. Without further ado... Jude Law's best movies!

Total Recall: Al Pacino's Best Movies (117 comments)

by Jeff Giles on Thursday, Jan. 31 2013, 04:26 PM

It may not be getting much critical love at the moment, but this weekend's Stand Up Guys has at least one thing going for it: An expertly seasoned cast that includes Alan Arkin, Christopher Walken, and Al Pacino. They've all made plenty of great films -- in fact, you can check out our countdown of Walken's best movies right here -- but seeing those names together made us realize that we've never dedicated a list to the mighty Pacino filmography, and we knew we had to take this chance to repent. Join us, if you will, for a stroll through a world where one of the greatest actors of his generation always lived up to his greatest potential, and movies like 88 Minutes and Jack and Jill never happened. It's time for Total Recall!

Total Recall: Anthology Movies (65 comments)

by Jeff Giles on Thursday, Jan. 24 2013, 02:33 PM

With 11 directors, 15 writers, and a cast of dozens, this weekend's Movie 43 is the biggest picture of 2013 -- at least in terms of cast and crew. But all those people didn't get together to make any old film: Movie 43 is part of the rich Hollywood tradition of anthologies -- movies in which sometimes-disparate collections of filmmakers come together to create a larger statement. We decided to dedicate this week's list to those efforts, and while limiting our choices to movies with multiple directors forced us to make some painful cuts (sorry, Creepshow fans), we still ended up with a pretty broad overview of a genre that's probably never gotten enough love from mainstream audiences. It's time for Total Recall!

Total Recall: 2013 Best Picture Nominees (349 comments)

by Jeff Giles on Thursday, Jan. 17 2013, 04:11 PM

Awards season is in full swing, and film fans everywhere are either debating their picks for who's about to win or arguing over those who've already won. That goes double for us at RT, and to celebrate our annual embrace of Oscar fever, we've decided to dedicate this week's list to the films getting ready to duke it out for this year's Best Picture Academy Award. With room for real-life stories, a little romance, a few songs, some hard-hitting drama, and even some action and/or comedy, this year's batch of nominees is certainly an eclectic bunch -- so let's take a look at them all, reminisce about how many we've seen, and then hit the comments section to weigh in on their odds of winning come February 24. It's time for Total Recall!

Total Recall: Ryan Gosling's Best Movies (116 comments)

by Jeff Giles on Thursday, Jan. 10 2013, 04:32 AM

Hey girl, Ryan Gosling has three movies scheduled for release this year -- and with the first, Gangster Squad, making its long-delayed arrival in theaters this weekend, we decided not to waste any time giving the impressively prolific (not to mention widely eclectic) leading man his due by taking a fond look back at his ever-growing filmography's critical highlights. And you know what that means, folks: It's time for Total Recall!

Total Recall: 3D Horror Films (94 comments)

by Jeff Giles on Thursday, Jan. 03 2013, 03:16 PM

January is traditionally known as a cinematic graveyard, so it's only appropriate that our local cineplexes are kicking off 2013 with something as death-obsessed as Texas Chainsaw 3D, the latest chapter in the seemingly never-ending saga of the cannibalistic lunatic Leatherface and his equally depraved family -- and the most recent in a growing list of slasher flicks to make use of Hollywood's on-again, off-again fascination with 3D technology. Of course, we couldn't help thinking of some previous entries in the genre, and you know what that means -- it's time to Total Recall, 3D horror style!

Total Recall: Quentin Tarantino's Best Movies (123 comments)

by Jeff Giles on Thursday, Dec. 27 2012, 10:32 AM

Since making his debut with Reservoir Dogs 20 years ago, Quentin Tarantino has enjoyed one of the fastest-rising -- and consistently critically lauded -- careers of any director in modern Hollywood. He's back this weekend with the Jamie Foxx-led revenge fantasy Western Django Unchained, and the reviews are typically solid -- which means now is the perfect time to dedicate a feature to taking a fond look back at his earlier efforts. So cover the kids' ears and keep an eye on Marvin in the back seat, because this week, we're serving up Total Recall Tarantino style!

Total Recall: Overlooked Christmas Gems (55 comments)

by Alonso Duralde on Wednesday, Dec. 19 2012, 04:20 PM

I grew up in a household that owned four Christmas albums -- Bing Crosby, Andy Williams, Dean Martin, and the Boston Pops. And that was it. So part of what I enjoy about Christmas as an adult is the discovery of the vast thicket of vintage holiday music out there, from Pearl Bailey and Lena Horne to the Ray Conniff Singers and the Three Sons. Same deal with movies; I came of age in the 1970s, the golden era of It's a Wonderful Life being in the public domain and airing all day, every day, throughout the month of December. As I got older (and wrote the book Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas), I was delighted to find that I had as many new buried treasures among Christmas films as I've had with music.

Total Recall: Peter Jackson's Best Movies (64 comments)

by Jeff Giles on Thursday, Dec. 13 2012, 05:20 PM

No surprises here, folks -- other movies are coming out this week, but it's really all about The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, and when it came time to figure out who would be the focus of our list, there was only one choice. Yes, we're talking about Peter Jackson, the director whose highly anticipated return to Middle-earth is one of 2012's most eagerly awaited films -- and whose filmography is about so, so much more than hobbits and orcs. From gory comedies to vulgar puppets and beyond, Jackson has displayed one of the most artfully wandering spirits in Hollywood over the course of his career, and it's high time we took a look at the critical highlights. Get ready for Total Recall!

Total Recall: Gerard Butler's Best Movies (59 comments)

by Jeff Giles on Thursday, Dec. 06 2012, 01:17 PM

The rest of the heavy hitters Hollywood has planned for us in 2012 are being stored away until later in December, but Gerard Butler can't wait -- he's back in theaters this weekend with his latest rom-com, Playing for Keeps. Although its Tomatometer fate can probably be guessed by the fact that it isn't being screened for critics, don't feel too badly for Butler -- his filmography has plenty of critical highlights to fall back on, and this week's list offers proof. From period drama to family-friendly fantasy and bone-crunching action, he's stayed plenty busy over the last 15 years and change -- and now it's time to pay tribute, Total Recall style!

Total Recall: Brad Pitt's Best Movies (127 comments)

by Jeff Giles on Thursday, Nov. 29 2012, 10:22 AM

Today he's one of the most bankable movie stars in Hollywood, and one of the few actors audiences will pay to see no matter what sort of role he's playing -- whether it's action, drama, or comedy the script calls for, having Brad Pitt's name above the title is about as close as anyone can come to a guarantee for a hit film. Not so long ago, however, Pitt was just another good-looking dude with enough gumption to work his way into a steady stream of TV shows and bit parts in movies. He's come a long way, for sure, and to celebrate his latest starring role -- in Andrew Dominik's Killing Them Softly, opening this weekend -- we decided the time was right for yet another Brad Pitt edition of Total Recall!

Total Recall: Ang Lee's Best Movies (77 comments)

by Jeff Giles on Tuesday, Nov. 20 2012, 07:54 PM

Over the course of his Academy Award-winning career, Ang Lee has crossed over from Taiwanese box office successes to American arthouse classics and Hollywood blockbusters, proving his hand with family drama, comedy, period pieces, epic martial arts action, romance, and even superheroes along the way. But up 'til now, he's never tried making a 3D adventure about a shipwrecked boy and his CGI tiger -- so in honor of this weekend's Certified Fresh Life of Pi, we decided to take a look back at Lee's wildly eclectic filmography, and came up with a list that has something for pretty much everyone. You know what that means: It's time for Total Recall!

Total Recall: Kristen Stewart's Best Movies (86 comments)

by Jeff Giles on Thursday, Nov. 15 2012, 09:21 AM

For the last couple of years, Kristen Stewart has been The Twilight Saga's Bella Swan -- and the middle of one of the most hotly contested love triangles in recent pop culture history. The debate between Team Jacob and Team Edward reaches its senses-shattering conclusion this week, with the release of Breaking Dawn Part 2, but no matter which side you're on, there's no denying that Stewart's film career has always been about more than vampires and werewolves. Over the last decade, she's assembled a crowded, surprisingly eclectic filmography, and Breaking Dawn Part 2 is only one part of a busy year that also includes her turn in On the Road, debuting December 21; we decided to join in the fun by celebrating her work with this week's Total Recall. Without further ado, here are Kristen Stewart's best-reviewed movies!

Total Recall: Daniel Craig's Best Movies (74 comments)

by Jeff Giles on Thursday, Nov. 08 2012, 03:21 PM

There aren't many actors who have the depth and sensitivity to carry indie fare and enough charisma to lead a blockbuster franchise, but with one foot in the art house and the other firmly planted at the multiplex, Daniel Craig is one star who can have his Layer Cake and eat it too. With his third Bond outing, Skyfall arriving in theaters this weekend, we decided now would be the perfect time to take a fresh look at some of his critical highlights. However, our list doesn't count a handful of brief appearances and cameo roles that are also worth checking out.

Total Recall: Movies About Video Games (95 comments)

by Jeff Giles on Thursday, Nov. 01 2012, 01:51 PM

Hollywood can't get enough of that state-of-the-art 3D CGI, but this weekend, Disney issues a proud tribute to our 8-bit past with the classic arcade throwback Wreck-It Ralph. If you're anything like us, Ralph's Q*Bert and King Koopa cameos will trigger long-buried arcade flashbacks, but even if you've never lost a quarter (or hours of your life) to a game, you've probably seen at least a few of the movies on our latest list. Yes, this week, we're paying tribute to movies whose plots hinge on video games, and you know what that means -- limber up your thumbs, because it's time for Total Recall!

Total Recall: Tom Hanks' Best Movies (136 comments)

by Jeff Giles on Thursday, Oct. 25 2012, 01:35 PM

Co-starring in a short-lived sitcom about cross-dressing friends generally isn't the most direct path to superstardom, but there's an exception to prove every rule -- only one, though; sorry, Peter Scolari -- and after racking up over $3 billion in domestic ticket receipts, winning a mantel full of awards (including back-to-back Best Actor Oscars), and starring in some of the best-reviewed films of the last 25 years, Tom Hanks has demonstrated that he's pretty darned exceptional. With his latest project, the Wachowski-engineered spectacle Cloud Atlas, arriving in theaters this weekend, we decided now was the perfect time to take another look at an impressive body of work by twirling the dials on the Tomatometer, making a list of Hanks' best-reviewed films, and playing Total Recall!