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Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr Podcast

Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr Podcast is not a Tomatometer-approved publication. Reviews from this publication only count toward the Tomatometer® when written by the following Tomatometer-approved critic(s): Joe Lipsett.

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Rating Title | Year Author Quote
4/5
Rosaline (2022) Joe Lipsett An absolute delight. The cast has great chemistry and even the secondary and tertiary characters pop. Tragic that Hulu buried this one instead of letting it go theatrical so it could be enjoyed in a crowd
Posted Jan 20, 2026  Edit critic review
3.5/5
Catherine Called Birdy (2022) Joe Lipsett A fun, energetic adaptation. Lena Dunham wisely updates the 90s material and the casting offers an intriguing (arguably unintended) queer read of the film. Ramsey and Scott are great
Posted Jan 15, 2026  Edit critic review
2/4
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 (2011) Joe Lipsett Despite fantastic make-up on a gaunt Bella, this film is a snooze. Also: the pro-life messaging has never been more on display than in the silent suffering of a woman's whose only function is to carry a baby to term
Posted Nov 25, 2025  Edit critic review
3.5/5
I Wish You All the Best (2024) Joe Lipsett The loss of the therapist is a huge blow from an adaptation perspective, but the film compensates by shifting from coming out narrative to romance. Solid performances, great soundtrack and love the evolution of B's wardrobe
Posted Nov 11, 2025  Edit critic review
4/5
Last Swim (2024) Joe Lipsett A travelogue through parts of London rarely seen on screen, Last Swim touches on issues of class in deftly subtle ways. Olan Collardy's cinematography is gorgeous and Deba Hekmat anchors the film with the best head of hair I've seen in ages.
Posted Sep 23, 2025  Edit critic review
4.5/5
Dìdi (2024) Joe Lipsett Beautiful, heartfelt, superbly acted and emotionally wrenching, Didi is stunning.
Posted Sep 03, 2025  Edit critic review
3.5/5
Uproar (2023) Joe Lipsett Dennison is exceptional as a boy discovering where and how to get engaged in activism. Driver's mother is a frustrating character, but she gets moments to shine. Overall this loose adaptation of real events is enjoyable and, sadly, extremely prescient
Posted Jun 24, 2025  Edit critic review
3/5
Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between (2022) Joe Lipsett Aside from dialling down the conflict from the book, the film adaptation of Jennifer E. Smith's romantic book is easy breezy. Featuring two likeable leads and a solid supporting cast, this is a completely pleasant YA rom-com.
Posted Jun 17, 2025  Edit critic review
2/5
Inkheart (2008) Joe Lipsett A significantly condensed, if slightly sleepy adaptation of Cornelia Funke's bestseller. Fraser is channeling Rick from The Mummy, Mirren is here for the paycheck and Serkis is miscast. The FX holds up well, though!
Posted Jun 03, 2025  Edit critic review
3/5
The Fire Inside (2024) Joe Lipsett Two great lead performances anchor the film, though the back half - which deals with Clarissa's underwhelming return to Flint - is much more interesting than the familiar first half's inspirational underdog story
Posted May 06, 2025  Edit critic review
3/5
Rez Ball (2024) Joe Lipsett A familiar, albeit welcome entry into the underdog sports canon. The film's characters are slight and the conflict is easily overcome, which makes the nearly 2 hr runtime draggy, but the bits on Navajo language are superb.
Posted Apr 08, 2025  Edit critic review
2/5
Uglies (2024) Joe Lipsett The (yes) ugly CGI hoverboard action and unconvincing love interest are issues, but casting Laverne Cox as a villain who forces children to undergo surgery is just unfortunate considering the current political transphobic moment
Posted Mar 25, 2025  Edit critic review
3/5
Bonus Track (2023) Joe Lipsett A sweet, albeit slight, queer coming out film featuring a cast of likeable actors, virtually zero stakes, and a typical British ending. Great for filling in the void left by Heartstopper and Sex Education.
Posted Mar 11, 2025  Edit critic review
4.5/5
My Old Ass (2024) Joe Lipsett Megan Park is incredibly adept at capturing the nuances of girlhood. My Old Ass is sweet, romantic, heartfelt and also emotionally devastating. Maisy Stella is a remarkable talent and a huge find.
Posted Feb 25, 2025  Edit critic review
3/5
Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004) Joe Lipsett Carrey is just playing Carrey (which is great if you like him and obnoxious if you don't), but the child actors are solid, and the costumes, make-up and art direction are outstanding
Posted Oct 15, 2024  Edit critic review
2.5/5
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010) Joe Lipsett It's better than New Moon (because something actually happens), but both Jacob and Edward are insufferable and Bella's decision to become a vampire remains irrational. Janky FX, not enough Dallas Howard and bad wigs sink the ship. Slade is on autopilot
Posted Aug 27, 2024  Edit critic review
3/5
Genesis (2018) Joe Lipsett A challenging triptych, filled with difficult characters, as well as slow & methodical pacing. It also doesn't end in a conventional sense or with any catharsis, which means it's quite a polarizing text!
Posted Aug 21, 2024  Edit critic review
4/5
Backspot (2023) Joe Lipsett This exceptionally queer film focuses on the athleticism of the gymnastics and features strong performances from Devery Jacobs and Evan Rachel Woods. The Cineplex marketing plugs is a bit egregious, though.
Posted Jul 30, 2024  Edit critic review
3.5/5
A Monster Calls (2016) Joe Lipsett Occasionally janky FX aside, Bayona's film pulls on the heartstrings in the same way Ness' source material does.
Posted Jul 16, 2024  Edit critic review
To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) Joe Lipsett Peck delivers an Oscar-worthy performance in an adaptation that basically eliminates its black characters while delivering a simplistic fable on overcoming racism
Posted Jul 02, 2024  Edit critic review
2/5
The 5th Wave (2016) Joe Lipsett Despite featuring likeable actors like Grace-Moretz and Robinson, the film adaptation of Rick Yancey's novel has no time for anything. There's a propulsive need to barrel forward, but nothing lands (characters, plot, not even action).
Posted Jun 18, 2024  Edit critic review
3.5/5
Fitting In (2023) Joe Lipsett Fitting In has a great cast and explores a compelling story of non-normative female bodies. There's a few issues with the film's messaging, but overall it's pretty enjoyable and Maddie Ziegler makes a strong impression in the lead role.
Posted May 28, 2024  Edit critic review
3.5/5
Aquamarine (2006) Joe Lipsett The adaptation of Hoffman's slight, breezy novel overcomplicates a lot of elements, including the introduction of a mean girl villain, but its fantasy escapism, mixed with teen feminism and dumb himbo love interest who doesn't save the day, is welcome
Posted May 21, 2024  Edit critic review
4/5
Turtles All the Way Down (2024) Joe Lipsett The film does a great job of visually capturing the intrusive thought spirals that make John Green's book so visceral and upsetting. Special kudos to Isabela Merced and Cree for embodying flawed, albeit empathetic characters
Posted May 07, 2024  Edit critic review
2.5/5
Girls State (2024) Joe Lipsett Girls State feels slight and surprisingly unaware; even its own subjects seem determined to break free of the narrative that the camp and the directors are trying to box them in to. Compared to Boys State, this is a surprising misfire.
Posted Apr 30, 2024  Edit critic review
4/5
Boys State (2020) Joe Lipsett A terrifying and nihilistic portrait of the lengths that boys will go to assume power and the dangers it portends for American politics.
Posted Apr 30, 2024  Edit critic review
3.5/5
The Spiderwick Chronicles (2008) Joe Lipsett Highmore does well playing twins (though one admittedly doesn't do much) but it's the improvements on Mallory's character from the books, Bolger's realistic fencing technique, and the surprisingly fun (albeit not realistic) CGI that work best
Posted Apr 23, 2024  Edit critic review
4/5
Never Been Kissed (1999) Joe Lipsett While the student/teacher romance never played sat well, Barrymore and Vartan have great chemistry (and it is *slightly* excusable as an adaptation of As You Like It). Otherwise this fish out of water film is totally rufus: sweet and charming.
Posted Apr 09, 2024  Edit critic review
3.5/5
The Kissing Booth 2 (2020) Joe Lipsett While there's an over-reliance on montage and the film still can't make us invest in Elle & Noah as a couple, it's leaps and bounds better than the book, thanks to Joey King's committed performance and the addition of Taylor Zakhar Perez.
Posted Apr 02, 2024  Edit critic review
4/5
Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016) Joe Lipsett Waititi's long-in-development adaptation of the Crump's classic has a style and wit all of its own. Neill is delightfully grumpy, but it is Dennison who steals the show. The over the top buffoonery of the final chase is a bit much, though
Posted Mar 26, 2024  Edit critic review
Whale Rider (2002) Joe Lipsett A fairly standard coming of age tale that features a solid performance from Castle-Hughes. Despite being a nearly 1-to-1 adaptation, however, the film is missing the spirit (and spiritualism) of the source material.
Posted Mar 12, 2024  Edit critic review
3/5
Orion and the Dark (2024) Joe Lipsett Kaufman's desire to expand the world of the picture book is admirable, though the resulting adaptation loses the central premise and likely its target family audience as well. An admirable swing, but not wholly successful
Posted Feb 13, 2024  Edit critic review
3.5/5
Wonka (2023) Joe Lipsett Though the film doesn't quite hang together and features some odd choices (fat suits?!), this secret musical is still a crowd-pleaser.
Posted Feb 06, 2024  Edit critic review
2/5
The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009) Joe Lipsett New Moon is a deeply boring book turned into a deeply boring film, though at least Michael Sheen seems to understand what a campy disaster he's co-starring in.
Posted Jan 30, 2024  Edit critic review
4/5
The Edge of Seventeen (2016) Joe Lipsett A challenging and confronting view of teendom, anchored by an astounding performance by Hailee Steinfeld. The trick is to view the film from Nadine's dark, cynical, depressed perspective.
Posted Jan 23, 2024  Edit critic review
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe (2022) Joe Lipsett While the film lacks the character depth and the parents' backstories from the book, the two lead performances are great and the love story, which is front and center, is very satisfying.
Posted Jan 16, 2024  Edit critic review
3/5
17 Again (2009) Joe Lipsett A surprisingly enjoyable body swap comedy. Efron is winsome in his first non-HSM vehicle and while the incest storyline is cringey, he and Mann have great chemistry. Far too much Lennon, however.
Posted Jan 09, 2024  Edit critic review
2/5
Love in Taipei (2023) Joe Lipsett A paper thin adaptation of Abigail Hing Wen's Loveboat, Taipei. Liao is charming, but her dance skills are poor and she has no chemistry with either lead. This is cookie cutter rom-com is beyond familiar and bland.
Posted Jan 09, 2024  Edit critic review
4/5
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971) Joe Lipsett A timeless classic with an all-time performance from Gene Wilder. This film is a marvel: weird, occasionally terrifying and visually wonderful. That chocolate lake looks disgusting, though.
Posted Dec 12, 2023  Edit critic review
3.5/5
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) Joe Lipsett Credit Burton for going the practical route; it visually grounds the otherwise fantastical film. Surprisingly Depp's unhinged and frequently bizarre performance works more often than not.
Posted Dec 12, 2023  Edit critic review
3/5
You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah (2023) Joe Lipsett It's a little too Mean Girls and leaves out the book's best character (justice for Arthur), but the Sandler clan have great chemistry and Cohen knows how to direct a breezy, fun YA comedy.
Posted Dec 05, 2023  Edit critic review
3.5/5
The Shamer's Daughter (2015) Joe Lipsett The film is less memorable than the book: it is a little too grey and happy to forego politics for explosions, but at least it keeps the book's dark ending.
Posted Dec 05, 2023  Edit critic review
3/5
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023) Joe Lipsett Praise Davis, Schafer and Schwartzman, who understand the film they're in and embrace it. Blyth is afraid to let Snow be a villain so the romance between him and Zegler only works during the games. Overall, this is fine, but too long, especially Part 3
Posted Nov 21, 2023  Edit critic review
2.5/5
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2 (2015) Joe Lipsett Lawrence's extremely ugly film loses itself in the back half when it stops focusing on how community supports Katniss and simply becomes another arena film. The adaptation couldn't escape Collins' bad source material, but why did it have to be ~2.5 hrs?
Posted Nov 14, 2023  Edit critic review
3/5
Goosebumps (2015) Joe Lipsett An amusing, if overstuffed adaptation of classic R.L. Stine tales. As the children's author, Black is solid and so is the FX, though the shrieking best friend performance by Ryan Lee quickly becomes grating and Hannah's resolution is wonky at best.
Posted Oct 24, 2023  Edit critic review
2.5/5
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019) Joe Lipsett Attempts to replicate Gammell's iconic visuals mostly work, but the Vietnam backstory is undercooked, villain Tommy is dispatched too early and most of the set pieces are too brief. What worked in Schwartz's campfire tales doesn't translate to screen
Posted Oct 17, 2023  Edit critic review
4.5/5
Love and Monsters (2020) Joe Lipsett Love and Monsters features plenty of comedy and heart, courtesy of O'Brien's voice over and a script from Robinson and Duffield. I'm a big fan of Dog, the way the film handles Joel's relationship with Aimee, and the Oscar-nominated realism of the CGI.
Posted Oct 10, 2023  Edit critic review
3.5/5
The House With a Clock in Its Walls (2018) Joe Lipsett While the film is more focused on men than women (like the book), Jack Black and Cate Blanchett make a surprisingly compelling comedic team. While some of the jokes are pretty juvenile, the flights of fancy make this a spooky good time.
Posted Oct 03, 2023  Edit critic review
4.5/5
Mean Girls (2004) Joe Lipsett While the whiteness of the text is glaring 20 years later, Tina Fey's razor sharp comedy (and significantly improved adaptation) remains a delight. The cast is firing on all cylinders and the jokes still land. Fetch did indeed happen.
Posted Sep 26, 2023  Edit critic review
2/5
First Daughter (2004) Joe Lipsett Sam isn't a character, which doesn't leave Katie Holmes much to do. The romance with Blucas' secret service agent isn't interesting and the narrative seems stuck on repeat. Plus: there's some weird sexual chemistry between the President and First Daughter
Posted Sep 19, 2023  Edit critic review
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