I have a warning for all those searching for Ty Burr movie reviews: Be prepared to register with the Boston Globe website. That’s because the ‘ol BG–the publication Ty Burr has written for since 2002–requires you to register in order to view more than five articles. Now maybe I’m just being difficult, but I don’t like being forced to register to read Ty Burr movie reviews, even if the process is free. To make things a little less painful for you, I’ve included links to five of his articles below. And if you dig what Mr. Burr has to say, then prepare to give the Boston Globe some personal info in order to read further. You’ve been warned.

But before we get to the links for Ty Burr movie reviews, let’s take a look at the man himself. Burr (no relation to that madman, Aaron Burr) was born in 1957 and studied film at both New York University and Dartmouth College. He currently makes his home in the rough-and-tumble city of Newton, Massachusetts, where he lives with his adoring family.

In addition to the Boston Globe, Burr has served as a film critic for HBO, Entertainment Weekly, Spin, New York Times, and The Boston Phoenix. He also turns up on TV and radio from time to time, so don’t be surprised to see him when you click over to MSNBC or NECN.

A member of the National Society of Film Critics and the Boston Society of Film Critics, Ty Burr has also written three books on the subject of film. They are:

• The Hundred Greatest Movies of All Time
• The Hundred Greatest Stars of All Time
• The Best Old Movies for Families: A Guide to Watching Together

Ty Burr Movie Reviews

• Little Fockers(2010) – Burr starts his review of this Ben Stiller comedy by asking, “Is there a statute of limitations for how many good actors can be wasted in a bad movie?” That’s not a promising sign, and Burr takes the film to task for relying on too much gross-out humor and wasting co-star Laura Dern. He also mentions that Jessica Alba looks as though she needs to pee really bad in each scene. That’s obviously a whole different film, but one that I imagine would be a big hit on the Internet.
• The Tempest(2010) – Just because it’s based on a play by William Shakespeare doesn’t mean that The Tempestis going to get a free pass from Ty Burr. In fact, he seems to have a long-running problem with director Julie Taymor, so don’t expect this one to get too many kudos.
• Faster (2010) – While he’s glad that The Rock is finally back to kicking ass, Burr also notes that this film could be called The Good, the Bad, and the Metrosexual thanks to the presence of a billionaire assassin played by Oliver Jackson-Cohen. The level of action and seeming nod to films of the 1970s draws praise, as does Billy Bob Thornton’s redemption-seeking cop.
• Morning Glory(2010) – This Rachel McAdams/Harrison Ford rom-com gets fair marks for its breezy approach, but Burr notes that the whole thing self-destructs in the final act. He’s also unhappy with the inclusion of the Patrick Wilson character, only thrown in as a romantic interest because of the great gulf in years between Ford and McAdams. But he loves the man formerly known as Han Solo, writing that “Ford gives a character performance that is positively inspired.”
• Catfish (2010) – Many critics and fans have argued whether Catfish is a real documentary or simply posing as one. Burr writes that “as engrossing as Catfish is, then, it feels wholly disingenuous–not life observed but life tidied up and told.” He does, however, end the review with “Catfish demands to be seen,” so you can still consider this a positive recommendation.

Well, those are all the Ty Burr movie reviews that I could snag without having to tell the people at the Boston Globe my blood type and driver’s license number. Even a trip to the movie reviews section of Rotten Tomatoes will lead you back to the Globe and their registration-obsessed minions. But at least you’ll have these five to keep you warm on a cold winter’s night.