We’re back in the office after an extremely busy “vacation” spent shuttling around most of the American Midwest, visiting family and friends. Now let’s get back to work.

Falling under the category of “duh”, we’ve now made it possible to rank films that you’ve remembered, without first having to “forget” them. Previously, you’d have to remove the remembered film from that collection, before you were able to rank it. Not very intuitive, and no longer the case.

This also applies to Ignored Films. Just a small enhancement to enhance usability.

Hey Woody! We recognize you there underneath Larry David’s skin. And Criticker users weren’t too impressed by your return to NYC in Whatever Works. In fact, none of this week’s new releases amanaged to win everyone over, though Il Divo came close. It’s the story of former Italian Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti. (Personally, I don’t plan on letting the bad reviews prevent me from seeing Orphan.)

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs – Average Tier 5.31
The sub zero heroes are back. Scrat is still trying to nab the ever elusive nut, while maybe finding true love. Manny and Ellie await the birth of their mini-mammoth. Diego the saber toothed tiger wonders if he’s growing too soft and Sid gets into trouble when he creates his own makeshift family by hijacking some dinosaur eggs. Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs @ Amazon

Orphan – Average Tier 4.74
A husband and wife who recently lost their baby adopt a 9-year-old girl who is not nearly as innocent as she claims to be Orphan @ Amazon

Whatever Works – Average Tier 5.60
An eccentric man (Larry David) is taken into a series of adventures and encounters with his friends from Greenwich, a young woman from the South (Evan Rachel Wood), and her parents. Whatever Works @ Amazon

Divo, Il – Average Tier 6.84
The story of Italian Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti, who has been elected to Parliament seven times since is was established in 1946. Il Divo @ Amazon

Nothing Like the Holidays – Average Tier 4.67
A Puerto Rican family living in the area of Humboldt Park in west Chicago face what may be their last Christmas together. Nothing Like the Holidays @ Amazon

We snuck a couple new features into the code last week. Both had been in our list of things to do for months… and now they’re done! The list goes from 569 to 568.8 pages.

Nearly all the films which enter our database are submissions made by users. Indeed, many have added hundreds and hundreds of films to the database. Until now, there was no easy way to see all the films which a particular user had created.

Now when you submit a new film to Criticker, it’s automatically added to a private collection called My Film Submissions Submitted Films. A link to this special collection is available from your profile (or the profile of whatever user you’re interested in!)

All previously submitted films have been automatically added to the collections, so now you finally have a list of your submissions!

This didn’t turn out to be as difficult as we thought it would be! Criticker now has a search plugin, using the OpenSearch platform. Most browsers have a search box in their toolbar, and you can now add Criticker to it. This will allow you to do a search at Criticker, regardless of whether you’re on the site or not!

With Pixar gobbling up both critical praise and popular admiration, it’s easy to forget that there’s another li’l animation studio over there in the corner, whimpering for attention. There there, Dreamworks, we haven’t forgotten about you. How could we? It’s because of Shrek 2 that Criticker came into being!

Shrek 2: Humanity’s Cultural Nadir

To help us remember Dreamworks’ other not-quite legendary achievements is a collection of films, created by Hells Zargon. I was amused to see that all my PSIs for these films were in the yellow range. A confirmation of mediocrity.

What is it? Why is Dreamworks unable to ascend to the heights of Pixar? Corporate vision, or just hiring the wrong creative teams?

Finally a horror movie that manages to be both popular and good. Apparently, only Sam Raimi can make them… Criticker users approve of his return to the genre, Drag Me to Hell, a brutal, funny and supremely entertaining bit of terror. But the pick of the week is something entirely different — Every Little Step is a documentary about dancers competing for a spot in A Chorus Line, and received excellent notices from the Criticker community.

Drag Me to Hell – Average Tier 6.37
A loan officer ordered to evict an old woman from her home finds herself the recipient of a supernatural curse, which turns her life into a living hell. Desperate, she turns to a seer to try and save her soul, while evil forces work to push her to a breaking point. Drag Me to Hell @ Amazon

The Proposal – Average Tier 4.70
A pushy boss forces her young assistant to marry her in order to keep her Visa status in the U.S. and avoid deportation to Canada. The Proposal @ Amazon

Land of the Lost – Average Tier 3.16
On his latest expedition, Dr. Rick Marshall is sucked into a space-time vortex alongside his research assistant and a redneck survivalist. In this alternate universe, the trio make friends with a primate named Chaka, their only ally in a world full of dinosaurs and other fantastic creatures. Land of the Lost @ Amazon

Adoration – Average Tier 5.54
For his French-class assignment, a high school student weaves his family history in a news story involving terrorism, and goes on to invite an Internet audience in on the resulting controversy. Adoration @ Amazon

Criticker Pick!Every Little Step – Average Tier 7.67
Follows the plight of real-life dancers as they struggle through auditions for the Broadway revival of “A Chorus Line”. Also investigates the history of the show and the creative minds behind the original and current incarnations. Every Little Step @ Amazon

Here’s a strange entry into our canon of Neglected Gems. Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone is a theatrical remake of the first 6 episodes of the beloved anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion.

I’m not sure if it’s best described as a remake or a cinematic adaptation of the series. But whatever it is, the first of four films in the “Rebuild of Evangelion” was a huge success with fans and critics alike. It’s mostly faithful to the source material, though there are a few changes that will surprise fans. A few scenes are cut, others are added, and new 3D technology is used in the animation where appropriate. Evangelion 1.0 was a smash in Japan and has found an appreciative audience overseas as well. It even landed on North American movie screens, avoiding the direct-to-DVD fate of almost all other anime.

Should I even bother trying to summarize the plot? Best leave that to the good folks of the Anime News Network:

After the second impact, all that remains of Japan is Tokyo-3, a city that’s being attacked by giant creatures that seek to eradicate the human kind, called Angels. After not seeing his father for more than eight years, Shinji Ikari receives a phone call, in which he is told to urgently come to the NERV Headquarters, an organization that deals with the destruction of the Angels through the use of giant mechs called Evas. Shinji’s objective is to pilot the Eva Unit 01, while teaming up with the Eva Unit 00 pilot, Ayanami Rei.

Um. Maybe it’s easier just to watch the film. Criticker users have given it an enthusiastic thumbs-up. The 2nd installment, You Can (Not) Advance, arrived in Japanese theaters this summer

- Coney Island Time Lapse

Who doesn’t love an orphan?

Orphaned collections are sweet! Adopt one now!

Once a public collection has more than one contributor, it can no longer be deleted. It can, however, be disowned, making it an orphan. Orphaned collections can be adopted on a first-come, first-served basis.

We’ve just made it possible to see the current list of orphaned collections. If you see one that you want to take ownership of, just send us an email and let us know! Any that remain unclaimed after 6 months will be put down. Even the cute, red-haired ones.

Hope you enjoy these new features!

All of a sudden, Gremlins 2: The New Batch looks like it would be an awesome movie.

Actually, I’m just going to go about the rest of my life with Neon Bible blasting on my headphones. Everything will seem so much more uplifting and magnificent.

[via I Watch Stuff]

- Obama Dracula Mask

Jack Black, I declare your reign as Hollywood’s comedy king over. And really, when I declare something, that’s important! Besides the abysmal reviews for Black’s team-up with Michael Cera in Year One, the big news in this week’s DVD Report is the great notices for Anvil! The Story of Anvil. “Ach”, you’re thinking… “I’ve already seen this mockumentary“. But, this one isn’t a joke. Anvil is a rockin’, balls-to-the-walls, straight up documentary about an influential, but unheralded Canadian metal band.

Year One – Average Tier 2.94
When a couple of lazy hunter-gatherers (Black and Cera) are banished from their primitive village, they set off on an epic journey through the ancient world. Year One @ Amazon

Anvil! The Story of Anvil – Average Tier 7.14
At 14, best friends Robb Reiner and Lips made a pact to rock together forever. Their band, Anvil, hailed as the “demi-gods of Canadian metal, ” influenced a musical generation that includes Metallica, Slayer, and Anthrax, despite never hitting the big time. Following a calamitous European tour, Lips and Robb, now in their fifties, set off to record their 13th album in one last attempt to fulfill their boyhood dreams. (imdb) Anvil! The Story of Anvil @ Amazon

Trick ‘r Treat – Average Tier 6.53
Four interwoven stories that occur on Halloween: An everyday high school principal has a secret life as a serial killer; a college virgin might have just met the one guy for her; a group of teenagers pull a mean prank; a woman who loathes the night has to contend with her holiday-obsessed husband. (imdb) Trick ‘r Treat @ Amazon

The Children – Average Tier 4.87
A relaxing Christmas vacation turns into a terrifying fight for survival as the children begin to turn on their parents. (imdb) The Children @ Amazon

100 Feet – Average Tier 3.32
After Marnie Watson kills her abusive husband in self-defense, she is condemned to house arrest… only to discover that the house is possessed by the enraged and violent spirit of her dead husband. (imdb) 100 Feet @ Amazon

Also New on DVD
My Life in Ruins
Imagine That
Assassination of a High School President
Mirageman
Seventh Moon
The Thaw
Senseless
The Besieged Fortress
Dark Country
Tribute
It’s Alive

- Ideas for Halloween

After a lot of requests for it, we’ve finally prepared an Advertising-Free version of Criticker. It’s available for €5 a month and, to sweeten the deal, we’ve thrown in a host of special features only available to those who help support the site. Full PSI regeneration every day, and other statistical calculations which we can’t afford to make available to everyone.

Criticker has always been a 2-man outfit, and we’ve never taken money from corporate backers or financiers. The site is funded completely out of our own pocket, and the support of our users. Until now, donations were accepted without anything in return, and we felt bad about that. Now, supporters get to enjoy the site without advertising, and check out some interesting stats:

If you’d like to help support Criticker, we’d be extremely appreciative. The ads-free version special features are unlocked and regenerated automatically upon receipt of payment. We rolled this out on Friday, so a huge thank you to those of you who’ve already signed on!!

Here’s a screenshot of the Sponsor-only page (click for full-size):

Err… I don’t really like Catwoman that much

And again, here’s the link, to help support Criticker now!