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demonstrates the unusual power of thoughtful , subjective filmmaking . 
expect no major discoveries , nor any stylish sizzle , but the film sits with square conviction and touching good sense on the experience of its women . 
the success of undercover brother is found in its ability to spoof both black and white stereotypes equally . 
this is the kind of subject matter that could so easily have been fumbled by a lesser filmmaker , but ayres makes the right choices at every turn . 
cox creates a fluid and mesmerizing sequence of images to match the words of nijinsky's diaries . 
what bloody sunday lacks in clarity , it makes up for with a great , fiery passion . 
its adult themes of familial separation and societal betrayal are head and shoulders above much of the director's previous popcorn work . 
director nancy savoca's no-frills record of a show forged in still-raw emotions captures the unsettled tenor of that post 9-11 period far better than a more measured or polished production ever could . 
the film grows on you . and how . 
one thing you have to give them credit for : the message of the movie is consistent with the messages espoused in the company's previous video work . 
halloween : resurrection isn't exactly quality cinema , but it isn't nearly as terrible as it cold have been . 
as banal as the telling may be -- and at times , all my loved ones more than flirts with kitsch -- the tale commands attention . 
romantic comedy and dogme 95 filmmaking may seem odd bedfellows , but they turn out to be delightfully compatible here . 
the most wondrous love story in years , it is a great film . 
some movies suck you in despite their flaws , and heaven is one such beast . 
my wife is an actress works as well as it does because [the leads] are such a companionable couple . 
with spy kids 2 : the island of lost dreams , however , robert rodriguez adorns his family-film plot with an elegance and maturity that even most contemporary adult movies are lacking . 
based on dave barry's popular book of the same name , the movie benefits from having a real writer plot out all of the characters' moves and overlapping story . 
bouquet gives a performance that is masterly . 
a poignant comedy that offers food for thought .
if you're content with a clever pseudo-bio that manages to have a good time as it doles out pieces of the famous director's life , eisenstein delivers . 
this filmed tosca -- not the first , by the way -- is a pretty good job , if it's filmed tosca that you want . i'll stay with the stage versions , however , which bite cleaner , and deeper . 
while the path may be familiar , first-time director denzel washington and a top-notch cast manage to keep things interesting . 
an engaging criminal romp that will have viewers guessing just who's being conned right up to the finale . 
the picture runs a mere 84 minutes , but it's no glance . it's a head-turner -- thoughtfully written , beautifully read and , finally , deeply humanizing . 
it asks nothing of the audience other than to sit back and enjoy a couple of great actors hamming it up . 
it is as uncompromising as it is nonjudgmental , and makes clear that a prostitute can be as lonely and needy as any of the clients . 
'barbershop " is a good-hearted ensemble comedy with a variety of quirky characters and an engaging story . 
a good thriller . 
tully is in many ways the perfect festival film : a calm , self-assured portrait of small town regret , love , duty and friendship that appeals to the storytelling instincts of a slightly more literate filmgoing audience . 
i like this movie a lot . i like that smith , he's not making fun of these people , he's not laughing at them . 
a glorious mess . 
'what's the russian word for wow ! ? '
kiarostami has crafted a deceptively casual ode to children and managed to convey a tiny sense of hope . 
i had more fun watching spy than i had with most of the big summer movies . 
what lee does so marvelously compelling is present brown as a catalyst for the struggle of black manhood in restrictive and chaotic america . . . sketchy but nevertheless gripping portrait of jim brown , a celebrated wonder in the spotlight
murder by numbers' isn't a great movie , but it's a perfectly acceptable widget . 
for those of an indulgent , slightly sunbaked and summery mind , sex and lucia may well prove diverting enough . 
what [denis] accomplishes in his chilling , unnerving film is a double portrait of two young women whose lives were as claustrophic , suffocating and chilly as the attics to which they were inevitably consigned . 
a well-done film of a self-reflexive , philosophical nature . 
texan director george ratliff had unlimited access to families and church meetings , and he delivers fascinating psychological fare . 
the rich performances by friel -- and especially williams , an american actress who becomes fully english -- round out the square edges . 
the new insomnia is a surprisingly faithful remake of its chilly predecessor , and when it does elect to head off in its own direction , it employs changes that fit it well rather than ones that were imposed for the sake of commercial sensibilities . 
a film in a class with spike lee's masterful do the right thing . 
jagger , stoppard and director michael apted . . . deliver a riveting and surprisingly romantic ride . 
greengrass ( working from don mullan's script ) forgoes the larger socio-political picture of the situation in northern ireland in favour of an approach that throws one in the pulsating thick of a truly frightening situation . 
a thought-provoking and often-funny drama about isolation . 
whatever one makes of its political edge , this is beautiful filmmaking from one of french cinema's master craftsmen . 
mama africa pretty much delivers on that promise . it does give you a peek . the main problem being that it's only a peek . 
roman polanski's autobiographical gesture at redemption is better than 'shindler's list' - it is more than merely a holocaust movie . 
a perfectly respectable , perfectly inoffensive , easily forgettable film . 
romanek's themes are every bit as distinctive as his visuals . beyond the cleverness , the weirdness and the pristine camerawork , one hour photo is a sobering meditation on why we take pictures . 
seeing seinfeld at home as he watches his own appearance on letterman with a clinical eye reminds you that the key to stand-up is to always make it look easy , even though the reality is anything but . 
speaks eloquently about the symbiotic relationship between art and life . 
the work of an artist tormented by his heritage , using his storytelling ability to honor the many faceless victims . 
the audacity to view one of shakespeare's better known tragedies as a dark comedy is , by itself , deserving of discussion . 
this is an exercise in chilling style , and twohy films the sub , inside and out , with an eye on preserving a sense of mystery . 
an uncomfortable experience , but one as brave and challenging as you could possibly expect these days from american cinema . 
hailed as a clever exercise in neo-hitchcockianism , this clever and very satisfying picture is more accurately chabrolian . 
funny and also heartwarming without stooping to gooeyness . 
at the film's centre is a precisely layered performance by an actor in his mid-seventies , michel piccoli . 
the viewer takes great pleasure in watching the resourceful molly stay a step ahead of her pursuers . 
with amazing finesse , the film shadows heidi's trip back to vietnam and the city where her mother , mai thi kim , still lives . 
director charles stone iii applies more detail to the film's music than to the story line ; what's best about drumline is its energy . 
a heroic tale of persistence that is sure to win viewers' hearts . 
it's all a rather shapeless good time . . . 
has far more energy , wit and warmth than should be expected from any movie with a " 2 " at the end of its title . 
a little better than sorcerer's stone . 
a chilling movie without oppressive gore . 
a uniquely sensual metaphorical dramatization of sexual obsession that spends a bit too much time on its fairly ludicrous plot . 
if you like peace , you'll like promises . 
be prepared to cling to the edge of your seat , tense with suspense . the ring never lets you off the hook . 
thumbs up to paxton for not falling into the hollywood trap and making a vanity project with nothing new to offer . 
at once disarmingly straightforward and strikingly devious . 
if you like quirky , odd movies and/or the ironic , here's a fun one . 
sensitive ensemble performances and good period reconstruction add up to a moving tragedy with some buoyant human moments . 
it's not the least of afghan tragedies that this noble warlord would be consigned to the dustbin of history . 
it's a lovely , sad dance highlighted by kwan's unique directing style . 
the script by david koepp is perfectly serviceable and because he gives the story some soul . . . he elevates the experience to a more mythic level . 
this is a visually stunning rumination on love , memory , history and the war between art and commerce . 
short-story quaint , touchingly mending a child's pain for his dead mother via communication with an old woman straight out of eudora welty . 
it's always fascinating to watch marker the essayist at work . 
a quiet family drama with a little bit of romance and a dose of darkness . 
the tasteful little revision works wonders , enhancing the cultural and economic subtext , bringing richer meaning to the story's morals . 
kosminsky . . . puts enough salt into the wounds of the tortured and self-conscious material to make it sting . 
one of the greatest films i've ever seen . 
its gentle , touching story creeps into your heart . 
about as big a crowdpleaser as they possibly come . 
bound to appeal to women looking for a howlingly trashy time . 
even these tales of just seven children seem at times too many , although in reality they are not enough . every child's story is what matters . this film can only point the way -- but thank goodness for this signpost . 
a poignant and gently humorous parable that loves its characters and communicates something rather beautiful about human nature . 
real women have curves doesn't offer any easy answers . 
vampire epic succeeds as spooky action-packed trash of the highest order . 
one of the funniest motion pictures of the year , but . . . also one of the most curiously depressing . 
while somewhat less than it might have been , the film is a good one , and you've got to hand it to director george clooney for biting off such a big job the first time out . 
like the chilled breath of oral storytelling frozen onto film . 
a charmer from belgium . 
a wild , endearing , masterful documentary . 
jackie chan movies are a guilty pleasure - he's easy to like and always leaves us laughing . 
brown sugar signals director rick famuyiwa's emergence as an articulate , grown-up voice in african-american cinema . 
with exquisite craftsmanship . . . olivier assayas has fashioned an absorbing look at provincial bourgeois french society . 
it's rare for any movie to be as subtle and touching as the son's room . 
it has a way of seeping into your consciousness , with lingering questions about what the film is really getting at . 
maelstrom is a deliberately unsteady mixture of stylistic elements . 
[leigh] has a true talent for drawing wrenching performances from his actors ( improvised over many months ) and for conveying the way tiny acts of kindness make ordinary life survivable . 
[d]espite its familiar subject matter , ice age is consistently amusing and engrossing . . . 
the ingenious construction ( adapted by david hare from michael cunningham's novel ) constantly flows forwards and back , weaving themes among three strands which allow us to view events as if through a prism
assured , glossy and shot through with brittle desperation . 
the bottom line is the piece works brilliantly . 
it was only a matter of time before some savvy producer saw the potential success inherent in the mixture of bullock bubble and hugh goo . 
it is scott's convincing portrayal of roger the sad cad that really gives the film its oomph . 
while this movie , by necessity , lacks fellowship's heart , two towers outdoes its spectacle . 
meyjes . . . has done his homework and soaked up some jazzy new revisionist theories about the origins of nazi politics and aesthetics . 
para hitler , o mundo era sua tela ; e o horror , seu pincel . e max retrata este fato com elegante abandono , numa triste constatação da realidade histórica . 
aside from rohmer's bold choices regarding point of view , the lady and the duke represents the filmmaker's lifelong concern with formalist experimentation in cinematic art . 
what 'dumb and dumber' would have been without the vulgarity and with an intelligent , life-affirming script . 
 . . . a vivid , thoughtful , unapologetically raw coming-of-age tale full of sex , drugs and rock 'n' roll . 
you wouldn't want to live waydowntown , but it is a hilarious place to visit . 
films are made of little moments . changing lanes tries for more . it doesn't reach them , but the effort is gratefully received . 
when the movie mixes the cornpone and the cosa nostra , it finds a nice rhythm . 
the story is a rather simplistic one : grief drives her , love drives him , and a second chance to find love in the most unlikely place - it struck a chord in me . 
terrific casting and solid execution give all three stories life . 
a hard look at one man's occupational angst and its subsequent reinvention , a terrifying study of bourgeois desperation worthy of claude chabrol . 
neatly constructed thriller . 
[ramsay] visually transforms the dreary expanse of dead-end distaste the characters inhabit into a poem of art , music and metaphor . 
frequent flurries of creative belly laughs and genuinely enthusiastic performances . . . keep the movie slaloming through its hackneyed elements with enjoyable ease . 
at its best , this is grand-scale moviemaking for a larger-than-life figure , an artist who has been awarded mythic status in contemporary culture . 
'possession , ' based on the book by a . s . byatt , demands that labute deal with the subject of love head-on ; trading in his cynicism for reverence and a little wit
the plot of the comeback curlers isn't very interesting actually , but what i like about men with brooms and what is kind of special is how the film knows what's unique and quirky about canadians . 
10 minutes into the film you'll be white-knuckled and unable to look away . 
it's a beautiful film , full of elaborate and twisted characters - and it's also pretty funny . 
could this be the first major studio production shot on video tape instead of film ? 
not since ghostbusters has a film used manhattan's architecture in such a gloriously goofy way . 
as tricky and satisfying as any of david mamet's airless cinematic shell games . 
the universal theme of becoming a better person through love has never been filmed more irresistibly than in 'baran . '
cube's charisma and chemistry compensate for corniness and cliche . 
with lesser talents , high crimes would be entertaining , but forgettable . with freeman and judd , i'll at least remember their characters . 
as a director , paxton is surprisingly brilliant , deftly sewing together what could have been a confusing and horrifying vision into an intense and engrossing head-trip . 
the film is filled with humorous observations about the general absurdity of modern life as seen through the eyes outsiders , but deftly manages to avoid many of the condescending stereotypes that so often plague films dealing with the mentally ill . 
daughter from danang sticks with its subjects a little longer and tells a deeper story
a coming-of-age film that avoids the cartoonish clichés and sneering humor of the genre as it provides a fresh view of an old type -- the uncertain girl on the brink of womanhood . 
the faithful will enjoy this sometimes wry adaptation of v . s . naipaul's novel , but newcomers may find themselves stifling a yawn or two during the first hour . 
a distinguished and thoughtful film , marked by acute writing and a host of splendid performances . 
barry convinces us he's a dangerous , secretly unhinged guy who could easily have killed a president because it made him feel powerful . 
takes you by the face , strokes your cheeks and coos beseechingly at you : slow down , shake off your tensions and take this picture at its own breezy , distracted rhythms . 
i don't feel the least bit ashamed in admitting that my enjoyment came at the expense of seeing justice served , even if it's a dish that's best served cold . 
it's a smart , solid , kinetically-charged spy flick worthy of a couple hours of summertime and a bucket of popcorn . nothing overly original , mind you , but solidly entertaining . 
changing lanes is an anomaly for a hollywood movie ; it's a well-written and occasionally challenging social drama that actually has something interesting to say . 
borrows a bit from the classics " wait until dark " and " extremities " . . . but in terms of its style , the movie is in a class by itself . 
because eight legged freaks is partly an homage to them , tarantula and other low- budget b-movie thrillers of the 1950s and '60s , the movie is a silly ( but not sophomoric ) romp through horror and hellish conditions . 
puts a refreshing and comical spin on the all-too-familiar saga of the contemporary single woman . 
if you grew up on scooby -- you'll love this movie . matthew lillard is born to play shaggy ! 
intimate and panoramic . 
though filmed partly in canada , paid in full has clever ways of capturing inner-city life during the reagan years . 
 " spider-man is better than any summer blockbuster we had to endure last summer , and hopefully , sets the tone for a summer of good stuff . if you're a comic fan , you can't miss it . if you're not , you'll still have a good time . " 
exciting documentary . 
this movie has a strong message about never giving up on a loved one , but it's not an easy movie to watch and will probably disturb many who see it . 
the movie is a trove of delights . 
excellent performances from jacqueline bisset and martha plimpton grace this deeply touching melodrama . 
in a summer of clones , harvard man is something rare and riveting : a wild ride that relies on more than special effects . 
while the humor is recognizably plympton , he has actually bothered to construct a real story this time . 
jolting into charleston rhythms , the story has the sizzle of old news that has finally found the right vent ( accurate ? who cares ? ) . 
an overly melodramatic but somewhat insightful french coming-of-age film . . . 
most thrillers send audiences out talking about specific scary scenes or startling moments ; " frailty " leaves us with the terrifying message that the real horror may be waiting for us at home . 
close enough in spirit to its freewheeling trash-cinema roots to be a breath of fresh air . 
skillfully weaves both the elements of the plot and a powerfully evocative mood combining heated sexuality with a haunting sense of malaise . 
damon brings the proper conviction to his role as [jason bourne] . 
for the most part , it works beautifully as a movie without sacrificing the integrity of the opera . 
as played by ryan gosling , danny is a frighteningly fascinating contradiction . 
this is not chabrol's best , but even his lesser works outshine the best some directors can offer . 
despite its flaws , crazy as hell marks an encouraging new direction for la salle . 
you'll end up moved . 
if you ever wondered what it would be like to be smack in the middle of a war zone armed with nothing but a camera , this oscar-nominated documentary takes you there . 
the woodman seems to have directly influenced this girl-meets-girl love story , but even more reassuring is how its makers actually seem to understand what made allen's romantic comedies so pertinent and enduring . 
i loved the look of this film . 
it's the kind of movie that , aside from robert altman , spike lee , the coen brothers and a few others , our moviemakers don't make often enough . 
those with a modicum of patience will find in these characters' foibles a timeless and unique perspective . 
beautiful to watch and holds a certain charm . 
13 conversations may be a bit too enigmatic and overly ambitious to be fully successful , but sprecher and her screenwriting partner and sister , karen sprecher , don't seem ever to run out of ideas . 
the movie is our story as much as it is schmidt's , no matter if it's viewed as a self-reflection or cautionary tale . 
foster breathes life into a roll that could have otherwise been bland and run of the mill . 
quitting offers piercing domestic drama with spikes of sly humor . 
some people want the ol' ball-and-chain and then there are those who just want the ball and chain . 
[barry] gives assassin a disquieting authority . 
it's refreshing to see a romance this smart . 
at its best ( and it does have some very funny sequences ) looking for leonard reminds you just how comically subversive silence can be . 
as improbable as this premise may seem , abbass's understated , shining performance offers us the sense that on some elemental level , lilia deeply wants to break free of her old life . 
anyone who ever fantasized about space travel but can't afford the $20 million ticket to ride a russian rocket should catch this imax offering . 
 " the turntable is now outselling the electric guitar . . . " 
transforms one of [shakespeare's] deepest tragedies into a smart new comedy . 
an intelligent and deeply felt work about impossible , irrevocable choices and the price of making them . 
it may sound like a mere disease-of- the-week tv movie , but a song for martin is made infinitely more wrenching by the performances of real-life spouses seldahl and wollter . 
sayles is making a statement about the inability of dreams and aspirations to carry forward into the next generation . 
as antonia is assimilated into this newfangled community , the film settles in and becomes compulsively watchable in a guilty-pleasure , daytime-drama sort of fashion . 
every once in a while , a movie will come along that turns me into that annoying specimen of humanity that i usually dread encountering the most - the fanboy
on its own staggeringly unoriginal terms , this gender-bending comedy is generally quite funny . 
it's never dull and always looks good . 
the tonal shifts are jolting , and though wen's messages are profound and thoughtfully delivered , more thorough transitions would have made the film more cohesive . 
chicago pode até ser um filme divertido e cativante ( como é ) , mas acaba representando um passo que vai na direção contrária à evolução dos musicais . 
as commander-in-chief of this film , bigelow demonstrates a breadth of vision and an attention to detail that propels her into the upper echelons of the directing world . 
with wit and empathy to spare , waydowntown acknowledges the silent screams of workaday inertia but stops short of indulging its characters' striving solipsism . 
all of it works smoothly under the direction of spielberg , who does a convincing impersonation here of a director enjoying himself immensely . 
the kind of sweet-and-sour insider movie that film buffs will eat up like so much gelati . 
with 'bowling for columbine , ' michael moore gives us the perfect starting point for a national conversation about guns , violence , and fear . 
one of the year's most weirdly engaging and unpredictable character pieces . 
one of the best inside-show-biz yarns ever . 
none of his actors stand out , but that's less of a problem here than it would be in another film : characterization matters less than atmosphere . 
a terrifically entertaining specimen of spielbergian sci-fi . 
a rare and lightly entertaining look behind the curtain that separates comics from the people laughing in the crowd . 
solondz is so intent on hammering home his message that he forgets to make it entertaining . 
whatever heartwarming scene the impressively discreet filmmakers may have expected to record with their mini dv , they show a remarkable ability to document both sides of this emotional car-wreck . 
it establishes its ominous mood and tension swiftly , and if the suspense never rises to a higher level , it is nevertheless maintained throughout . 
although what time offers tsai's usual style and themes , it has a more colorful , more playful tone than his other films . 
a moving and stark reminder that the casualties of war reach much further than we imagine . 
a thoroughly engaging , surprisingly touching british comedy . 
a sloppy , amusing comedy that proceeds from a stunningly unoriginal premise . 
 . . . a rich and intelligent film that uses its pulpy core conceit to probe questions of attraction and interdependence and how the heart accomodates practical needs . it is an unstinting look at a collaboration between damaged people that may or may not qual
captures that perverse element of the kafkaesque where identity , overnight , is robbed and replaced with a persecuted " other . " 
the actors are simply too good , and the story too intriguing , for technical flaws to get in the way . 
an estrogen opera so intensely feminine that it serves as the antidote ( and cannier doppelganger ) to diesel's xxx flex-a-thon . 
imamura has said that warm water under a red bridge is a poem to the enduring strengths of women . it may also be the best sex comedy about environmental pollution ever made . 
it's a ripper of a yarn and i for one enjoyed the thrill of the chill . naomi watts is terrific as rachel ; her petite frame and vulnerable persona emphasising her plight and isolation . 
a family film that contains some hefty thematic material on time , death , eternity , and what is needed to live a rich and full life . 
with dickens' words and writer-director douglas mcgrath's even-toned direction , a ripping good yarn is told . 
exactly what its title implies : lusty , boisterous and utterly charming . 
the film is darkly funny in its observation of just how much more grueling and time-consuming the illusion of work is than actual work . 
a smart , compelling drama . 
a must-see for fans of thoughtful war films and those interested in the sights and sounds of battle . 
i found myself liking the film , though in this case one man's treasure could prove to be another man's garbage . 
rogers's mouth never stops shut about the war between the sexes and how to win the battle . 
deliberately and skillfully uses ambiguity to suggest possibilities which imbue the theme with added depth and resonance . 
it's all entertaining enough , but don't look for any hefty anti-establishment message in what is essentially a whip-crack of a buddy movie that ends with a whimper . 
nicholson's understated performance is wonderful . as warren he stumbles in search of all the emotions and life experiences he's neglected over the years . 
despite its old-hat set-up and predictable plot , empire still has enough moments to keep it entertaining . 
another entertaining romp from robert rodriguez . 
it's not a classic spy-action or buddy movie , but it's entertaining enough and worth a look . 
i am more offended by his lack of faith in his audience than by anything on display here . 
a sharp satire of desperation and cinematic deception . 
tsai convincingly paints a specifically urban sense of disassociation here . 
if you can swallow its absurdities and crudities lagaan really is enormously good fun . 
an unorthodox little film noir organized crime story that includes one of the strangest love stories you will ever see . 
a pleasing , often-funny comedy . 
[a] rare movie that makes us re-assess the basis for our lives and evaluate what is truly ours in a world of meaningless activity . 
all three actresses are simply dazzling , particularly balk , who's finally been given a part worthy of her considerable talents . 
an asian neo-realist treasure . 
plummer steals the show without resorting to camp as nicholas' wounded and wounding uncle ralph . it's a great performance and a reminder of dickens' grandeur . 
less a story than an inexplicable nightmare , right down to the population's shrugging acceptance to each new horror . 
i am highly amused by the idea that we have come to a point in society where it has been deemed important enough to make a film in which someone has to be hired to portray richard dawson . 
a compassionate , moving portrait of an american ( and an america ) always reaching for something just outside his grasp . 
'estupendamente actuada , sumamente emotiva y profundamente humana , es una experiencia fílmica imposible de olvidar'
an original little film about one young woman's education . 
the film is about the relationships rather than about the outcome . and it sees those relationships , including that between the son and his wife , and the wife and the father , and between the two brothers , with incredible subtlety and acumen . 
one of those terrific documentaries that collect a bunch of people who are enthusiastic about something and then figures out how to make us share their enthusiasm . 
an instance of an old dog not only learning but inventing a remarkable new trick . 
rodriguez has the chops of a smart-aleck film school brat and the imagination of a big kid . . . 
amy and matthew have a bit of a phony relationship , but the film works in spite of it . 
garcia and the other actors help make the wobbly premise work . 
it's surprisingly decent , particularly for a tenth installment in a series . 
a fascinating , unnerving examination of the delusions of one unstable man . 
good , solid storytelling . 
it's no accident that the accidental spy is a solid action pic that returns the martial arts master to top form . 
leave it to the french to truly capture the terrifying angst of the modern working man without turning the film into a cheap thriller , a dumb comedy or a sappy melodrama . 
the director , mark pellington , does a terrific job conjuring up a sinister , menacing atmosphere though unfortunately all the story gives us is flashing red lights , a rattling noise , and a bump on the head . 
heartwarming here relies less on forced air than on petter næss' delicate , clever direction . . . and a wonderful , imaginative script by axel hellstenius . 
makes the case for a strong education and good teachers being more valuable in the way they help increase an average student's self-esteem , and not strictly in the knowledge imparted . 
steers refreshingly clear of the usual cliches . 
 " home movie " is a sweet treasure and something well worth your time . 
highly recommended viewing for its courage , ideas , technical proficiency and great acting . 
the movie's thesis -- elegant technology for the masses -- is surprisingly refreshing . 
scott delivers a terrific performance in this fascinating portrait of a modern lothario . 
 . . . wallace is smart to vary the pitch of his movie , balancing deafening battle scenes with quieter domestic scenes of women back home receiving war department telegrams . 
combines sharp comedy , old-fashioned monster movie atmospherics , and genuine heart to create a film that's not merely about kicking undead * * * , but also about dealing with regret and , ultimately , finding redemption . 
while most films these days are about nothing , this film seems to be about everything that's plaguing the human spirit in a relentlessly globalizing world . 
marshall puts a suspenseful spin on standard horror flick formula . 
as lively an account as seinfeld is deadpan . 
though lan yu lacks a sense of dramatic urgency , the film makes up for it with a pleasing verisimilitude . 
you may leave the theater with more questions than answers , but darned if your toes won't still be tapping . 
take any 12-year-old boy to see this picture , and he'll be your slave for a year . 
but this is not a movie about an inhuman monster ; it's about a very human one . 
at times the guys taps into some powerful emotions , but this kind of material is more effective on stage . it's not a motion picture ; it's an utterly static picture . 
what makes it worth watching is quaid's performance . 
soderbergh skims the fat from the 1972 film . what's left is a rich stew of longing . 
it's the brilliant surfing photography bringing you right inside the massive waves that lifts blue crush into one of the summer's most pleasurable movies . 
more of the same from taiwanese auteur tsai ming-liang , which is good news to anyone who's fallen under the sweet , melancholy spell of this unique director's previous films . 
hatfield and hicks make the oddest of couples , and in this sense the movie becomes a study of the gambles of the publishing world , offering a case study that exists apart from all the movie's political ramifications . 
infidelity drama is nicely shot , well-edited and features a standout performance by diane lane . 
best of all is garcia , who perfectly portrays the desperation of a very insecure man . 
the filmmakers try to balance pointed , often incisive satire and unabashed sweetness , with results that are sometimes bracing , sometimes baffling and quite often , and in unexpected ways , touching . 
a sobering and powerful documentary about the most severe kind of personal loss : rejection by one's mother . 
audacious-impossible yet compelling . . . 
often overwrought and at times positively irritating , the film turns into an engrossing thriller almost in spite of itself . 
humorous and heartfelt , douglas mcgrath's version of 'nicholas nickleby' left me feeling refreshed and hopeful . not many movies have that kind of impact on me these days . 
a poignant lyricism runs through balzac and the little chinese seamstress that transforms this story about love and culture into a cinematic poem . 
this is so de palma . if you love him , you'll like it . if you don't . . . well , skip to another review . 
rouge is less about a superficial midlife crisis than it is about the need to stay in touch with your own skin , at 18 or 80 . 
the moral shrapnel and mental shellshock will linger long after this film has ended . 
o Último suspeito ganha força ao também funcionar em uma esfera adicional : a do drama familiar . 
unfolds in a series of achronological vignettes whose cumulative effect is chilling . 
the movie enters a realm where few non-porn films venture , and comes across as darkly funny , energetic , and surprisingly gentle . 
although the subject matter may still be too close to recent national events , the film works - mostly due to its superior cast of characters . 
it's not going to be everyone's bag of popcorn , but it definitely gives you something to chew on . 
huppert and girardot give performances of exceptional honesty . 
it has that rare quality of being able to creep the living hell out of you . . . 
a cautionary tale about the grandiosity of a college student who sees himself as impervious to a fall . 
an infinitely wittier version of the home alone formula . 
feardotcom's thrills are all cheap , but they mostly work . 
[hayek] throws herself into this dream hispanic role with a teeth-clenching gusto , she strikes a potent chemistry with molina and she gradually makes us believe she is kahlo . 
mr . deeds is , as comedy goes , very silly -- and in the best way . 
you could love safe conduct ( laissez passer ) for being a subtitled french movie that is 170 minutes long . you could hate it for the same reason . 
with we were soldiers , hollywood makes a valiant attempt to tell a story about the vietnam war before the pathology set in . 
'moore is like a progressive bull in a china shop , a provocateur crashing into ideas and special-interest groups as he slaps together his own brand of liberalism . '
broomfield reveals an ironic manifestation of institutionalized slavery that ties a black-owned record label with a white-empowered police force . 
at just over an hour , home movie will leave you wanting more , not to mention leaving you with some laughs and a smile on your face . 
stuart's poor-me persona needs a whole bunch of snowball's cynicism to cut through the sugar coating . but once the falcon arrives in the skies above manhattan , the adventure is on red alert . 
there is greatness here . 
boasts enough funny dialogue and sharp characterizations to be mildly amusing . 
director juan jose campanella could have turned this into an argentine retread of " iris " or " american beauty , " but instead pulls a little from each film and creates something more beautiful than either of those films . 
if you love the music , and i do , its hard to imagine having more fun watching a documentary . . . 
nakata's technique is to imply terror by suggestion , rather than the overuse of special effects . 
 " 13 conversations about one thing " is an intelligent flick that examines many different ideas from happiness to guilt in an intriguing bit of storytelling . 
satin rouge is not a new , or inventive , journey , but it's encouraging to see a three-dimensional , average , middle-aged woman's experience of self-discovery handled with such sensitivity . 
though an important political documentary , this does not really make the case the kissinger should be tried as a war criminal . 
cannon's confidence and laid-back good spirits are , with the drumming routines , among the film's saving graces . 
in its understanding , often funny way , it tells a story whose restatement is validated by the changing composition of the nation . 
she may not be real , but the laughs are . 
a fiercely clever and subtle film , capturing the precarious balance between the extravagant confidence of the exiled aristocracy and the cruel earnestness of the victorious revolutionaries . 
ok arthouse . the power of this script , and the performances that come with it , is that the whole damned thing didn't get our moral hackles up . 
the movie itself is far from disappointing , offering an original take on courtroom movies , a few nifty twists that are so crucial to the genre and another first-rate performance by top-billed star bruce willis . 
about schmidt is undoubtedly one of the finest films of the year . if you're not deeply touched by this movie , check your pulse . 
the charm of revolution os is rather the way it introduces you to new , fervently held ideas and fanciful thinkers . 
until its final minutes this is a perceptive study of two families in crisis -- and of two girls whose friendship is severely tested by bad luck and their own immaturity . 
offers the flash of rock videos fused with solid performances and eerie atmosphere . 
filmmakers dana janklowicz-mann and amir mann area headed east , far east , in retelling a historically significant , and personal , episode detailing how one international city welcomed tens of thousands of german jewish refugees while the world's democracie
for all its problems . . . the lady and the duke surprisingly manages never to grow boring . . . which proves that rohmer still has a sense of his audience . 
an edifying glimpse into the wit and revolutionary spirit of these performers and their era . 
craig bartlett and director tuck tucker should be commended for illustrating the merits of fighting hard for something that really matters . 
the film is saved from aren't-kids-cute sentimentality by a warmth that isn't faked and a stately sense of composition . 
this is one of the year's best films . 
a fleet-footed and pleasingly upbeat family diversion . 
sorvino is delightful in the central role . she nearly glows with enthusiasm , sensuality and a conniving wit . 
it's immensely ambitious , different than anything that's been done before and amazingly successful in terms of what it's trying to do . 
the story , once it gets rolling , is nothing short of a great one . 
great performances , stylish cinematography and a gritty feel help make gangster no . 1 a worthwhile moviegoing experience . 
 " mr . deeds " is suitable summer entertainment that offers escapism without requiring a great deal of thought . 
it's an ambitious film , and as with all ambitious films , it has some problems . but on the whole , you're gonna like this movie . 
chaiken ably balances real-time rhythms with propulsive incident . 
this is an extraordinary film , not least because it is japanese and yet feels universal . 
in a summer overrun with movies dominated by cgi aliens and super heroes , it revigorates the mind to see a feature that concentrates on people , a project in which the script and characters hold sway . 
there's just something about watching a squad of psychopathic underdogs whale the tar out of unsuspecting lawmen that reaches across time and distance . 
a funny and touching film that is gorgeously acted by a british cast to rival gosford park's . 
there's nothing more satisfying during a summer of event movies than a spy thriller like the bourne identity that's packed with just as much intelligence as action . 
i'm not generally a fan of vegetables but this batch is pretty cute . 
qutting may be a flawed film , but it is nothing if not sincere . 
beautifully crafted , engaging filmmaking that should attract upscale audiences hungry for quality and a nostalgic , twisty yarn that will keep them guessing . 
a thoughtful and surprisingly affecting portrait of a screwed-up man who dared to mess with some powerful people , seen through the eyes of the idealistic kid who chooses to champion his ultimately losing cause . 
a cultural wildcard experience : wacky , different , unusual , even nutty . 
daughter from danang reveals that efforts toward closure only open new wounds . it doesn't flinch from its unsettling prognosis , namely , that the legacy of war is a kind of perpetual pain . 
for most of its footage , the new thriller proves that director m . night shyamalan can weave an eerie spell and that mel gibson can gasp , shudder and even tremble without losing his machismo . 
this is not an easy film . but it could be , by its art and heart , a necessary one . 
a very good film sits in the place where a masterpiece should be . 
 . . . spellbinding fun and deliciously exploitative . 
it's jagger's bone-dry , mournfully brittle delivery that gives the film its bittersweet bite . 
impossible as it may sound , this film's heart is even more embracing than monty , if only because it accepts nasty behavior and severe flaws as part of the human condition . 
despite the predictable parent vs . child coming-of-age theme , first-class , natural acting and a look at " the real americans " make this a charmer . 
one of the smarter offerings the horror genre has produced in recent memory , even if it's far tamer than advertised . 
one of recent memory's most thoughtful films about art , ethics , and the cost of moral compromise . 
the film doesn't sustain its initial promise with a jarring , new-agey tone creeping into the second half
blade ii is as estrogen-free as movies get , so you might want to leave your date behind for this one , or she's gonna make you feel like you owe her big-time . 
the message is that even the most unlikely can link together to conquer all kinds of obstacles , whether they be of nature , of man or of one another . 
many a parent and their teen ( or preteen ) kid could bond while watching a walk to remember . so could young romantics out on a date . 
all leather pants & augmented boobs , hawn is hilarious as she tries to resuscitate the fun-loving libertine lost somewhere inside the conservative , handbag-clutching sarandon . 
the members manage to pronounce kok exactly as you think they might , thus giving the cast ample opportunity to use that term as often as possible . it's very beavis and butthead , yet always seems to elicit a chuckle . 
while this gentle and affecting melodrama will have luvvies in raptures , it's far too slight and introspective to appeal to anything wider than a niche audience . 
chicago offers much colorful eye candy , including the spectacle of gere in his dancing shoes , hoofing and crooning with the best of them . 
a difficult but worthy film that bites off more than it can chew by linking the massacre of armenians in 1915 with some difficult relationships in the present . 
by and large this is mr . kilmer's movie , and it's his strongest performance since the doors . 
some of the most ravaging , gut-wrenching , frightening war scenes since " saving private ryan " have been recreated by john woo in this little-known story of native americans and their role in the second great war . 
a charming but slight comedy . 
henry bean's thoughtful screenplay provides no easy answers , but offers a compelling investigation of faith versus intellect
a great cast and a wonderful but sometimes confusing flashback movie about growing up in a dysfunctional family . 
playing a role of almost bergmanesque intensity . . . bisset is both convincing and radiant . 
a smart , provocative drama that does the nearly impossible : it gets under the skin of a man we only know as an evil , monstrous lunatic . 
an alternately fascinating and frustrating documentary . 
griffin & co . manage to be spectacularly outrageous . 
nair's cast is so large it's altman-esque , but she deftly spins the multiple stories in a vibrant and intoxicating fashion . 
the movie plays up the cartoon's more obvious strength of snazziness while neglecting its less conspicuous writing strength . 
poignant japanese epic about adolescent anomie and heartbreak . 
we've seen it all before in one form or another , but director hoffman , with great help from kevin kline , makes us care about this latest reincarnation of the world's greatest teacher . 
secretary is not a movie about fetishism . it is a movie about passion . 
even though it's common knowledge that park and his founding partner , yong kang , lost kozmo in the end , you can't help but get caught up in the thrill of the company's astonishing growth . 
although some viewers will not be able to stomach so much tongue-in-cheek weirdness , those who do will have found a cult favorite to enjoy for a lifetime . 
what could have easily become a cold , calculated exercise in postmodern pastiche winds up a powerful and deeply moving example of melodramatic moviemaking . 
a delightful surprise because despite all the backstage drama , this is a movie that tells stories that work -- is charming , is moving , is funny and looks professional . 
the imax screen enhances the personal touch of manual animation . 
does an impressive job of relating the complicated history of the war and of filling in the background . 
it's all about anakin . . . and the lustrous polished visuals rich in color and creativity and , of course , special effect . 
lacks the inspiration of the original and has a bloated plot that stretches the running time about 10 minutes past a child's interest and an adult's patience . but it also has many of the things that made the first one charming . 
it's funny , touching , dramatically forceful , and beautifully shot . 
its rawness and vitality give it considerable punch . 
a live-wire film that never loses its ability to shock and amaze . 
the year's greatest adventure , and jackson's limited but enthusiastic adaptation has made literature literal without killing its soul -- a feat any thinking person is bound to appreciate . 
it's fairly solid--not to mention well edited so that it certainly doesn't feel like a film that strays past the two and a half mark . 
brims with passion : for words , for its eccentric , accident-prone characters , and for the crazy things that keep people going in this crazy life . 
it's secondary to american psycho but still has claws enough to get inside you and stay there for a couple of hours . 
the hours , a delicately crafted film , is an impressive achievement in spite of a river of sadness that pours into every frame . 
fudges fact and fancy with such confidence that we feel as if we're seeing something purer than the real thing . 
this is unusual , food-for-thought cinema that's as entertaining as it is instructive . 
with an expressive face reminiscent of gong li and a vivid personality like zhang ziyi's , dong stakes out the emotional heart of happy . 
nohe's documentary about the event is sympathetic without being gullible : he isn't blind to the silliness , but also captures moments of spontaneous creativity and authentic co-operative interaction . 
it may not be as cutting , as witty or as true as back in the glory days of weekend and two or three things i know about her , but who else engaged in filmmaking today is so cognizant of the cultural and moral issues involved in the process ? 
secret ballot is a funny , puzzling movie ambiguous enough to be engaging and oddly moving . 
although devoid of objectivity and full of nostalgic comments from the now middle-aged participants , dogtown and z-boys has a compelling story to tell . 
it's got some pretentious eye-rolling moments and it didn't entirely grab me , but there's stuff here to like . 
birthday girl walks a tricky tightrope between being wickedly funny and just plain wicked . 
a muted freak-out
the enjoyable undercover brother , a zany mix of saturday night live-style parody , '70s blaxploitation films and goofball action comedy gone wild , dishes out a ton of laughs that everyone can enjoy . 
brings an irresistible blend of warmth and humor and a consistent embracing humanity in the face of life's harshness . 
jackson is always watchable . 
to the degree that ivans xtc . works , it's thanks to huston's revelatory performance . 
a wild ride of a movie that keeps throwing fastballs . 
confessions is without a doubt a memorable directorial debut from king hunk . 
weird , vulgar comedy that's definitely an acquired taste . 
a . . . cynical and serious look at teenage boys doing what they do best - being teenagers . 
the film is a very good viewing alternative for young women . 
australian filmmaker david flatman uses the huge-screen format to make an old-fashioned nature film that educates viewers with words and pictures while entertaining them . 
a dazzling dream of a documentary . 
a keep-'em-guessing plot and an affectionate take on its screwed-up characters . 
moving and vibrant . 
brave and sweetly rendered love story . 
the film proves unrelentingly grim -- and equally engrossing . 
a hallmark film in an increasingly important film industry and worth the look . 
the last kiss will probably never achieve the popularity of my big fat greek wedding , but its provocative central wedding sequence has far more impact . 
if you like blood , guts and crazy beasts stalking men with guns though . . . you will likely enjoy this monster . 
the difference between cho and most comics is that her confidence in her material is merited . 
sad to say -- it accurately reflects the rage and alienation that fuels the self-destructiveness of many young people . 
there is a strong directorial stamp on every frame of this stylish film that is able to visualize schizophrenia but is still confident enough to step back and look at the sick character with a sane eye . 
'anyone with a passion for cinema , and indeed sex , should see it as soon as possible . '
seeks to transcend its genre with a curiously stylized , quasi-shakespearean portrait of pure misogynist evil . 
mordantly funny and intimately knowing . . . 
what makes the movie special is its utter sincerity . 
fast and funny , an action cartoon that's suspenseful enough for older kids but not too scary for the school-age crowd . 
one of those rare films that come by once in a while with flawless amounts of acting , direction , story and pace . 
the aaa of action , xxx is a blast of adrenalin , rated eee for excitement . and vin diesel is the man . 
earnest , unsubtle and hollywood-predictable , green dragon is still a deeply moving effort to put a human face on the travail of thousands of vietnamese . 
an ambitious movie that , like shiner's organizing of the big fight , pulls off enough of its effects to make up for the ones that don't come off . 
nair and writer laura cahill dare to build a movie around some flawed but rather unexceptional women , emerging with a fine character study that's short on plot but rich in the tiny revelations of real life . 
the film's unhurried pace is actually one of its strengths . entirely appropriately , the tale unfolds like a lazy summer afternoon and concludes with the crisp clarity of a fall dawn . 
despite its floating narrative , this is a remarkably accessible and haunting film . 
vibrantly colored and beautifully designed , metropolis is a feast for the eyes . 
sweetly sexy , funny and touching . 
while dark water isn't a complete wash ( no pun intended ) , watched side-by-side with ringu , it ultimately comes off as a pale successor . 
is truth stranger than fiction ? in [screenwriter] charlie kaufman's world , truth and fiction are equally strange , and his for the taking . 
for decades we've marveled at disney's rendering of water , snow , flames and shadows in a hand-drawn animated world . prepare to marvel again . 
a witty , low-key romantic comedy . 
more good than great but freeman and judd make it work . 
if you're looking for a smart , nuanced look at de sade and what might have happened at picpus , sade is your film . 
could have been crisper and punchier , but it's likely to please audiences who like movies that demand four hankies . 
together writer-director danny verete's three tales comprise a powerful and reasonably fulfilling gestalt . 
bursting through the constraints of its source , this is one adapted- from-television movie that actually looks as if it belongs on the big screen . 
quite endearing . 
its almost too-spectacular coastal setting distracts slightly from an eccentric and good-naturedly aimless story . 
in other words , it's just another sports drama/character study . yet this one makes up for in heart what it lacks in outright newness . plus , like i already mentioned . . . it's robert duvall ! c'mon ! 
this story of a determined woman's courage to find her husband in a war zone offers winning performances and some effecting moments . 
like shrek , spirit's visual imagination reminds you of why animation is such a perfect medium for children , because of the way it allows the mind to enter and accept another world . 
a modestly made but profoundly moving documentary . 
it irritates and saddens me that martin lawrence's latest vehicle can explode obnoxiously into 2 , 500 screens while something of bubba ho-tep's clearly evident quality may end up languishing on a shelf somewhere . 
not everything in this ambitious comic escapade works , but coppola , along with his sister , sofia , is a real filmmaker . it must be in the genes . 
the performers are so spot on , it is hard to conceive anyone else in their roles . 
this slight premise . . . works because of the ideal casting of the masterful british actor ian holm as the aged napoleon . 
hashiguchi covers this territory with wit and originality , suggesting that with his fourth feature -- the first to be released in the u . s . -- a major director is emerging in world cinema . 
although the film boils down to a lightweight story about matchmaking , the characters make italian for beginners worth the journey
the dragons are the real stars of reign of fire and you won't be disappointed . 
kudos to the most enchanting film of the year . 
it works well enough , since the thrills pop up frequently , and the dispatching of the cast is as often imaginative as it is gory . 
colorful and deceptively buoyant until it suddenly pulls the rug out from under you , burkinabe filmmaker dani kouyate's reworking of a folk story whose roots go back to 7th-century oral traditions is also a pointed political allegory . 
it's a powerful though flawed movie , guaranteed to put a lump in your throat while reaffirming washington as possibly the best actor working in movies today . 
director paul cox's unorthodox , abstract approach to visualizing nijinsky's diaries is both stimulating and demanding . 
for 95 often hilarious minutes , [cho] riffs on the diciness of colonics , on straight versus gay personal ads , on how men would act if they had periods , and on the perils of a certain outré sexual practice . 
most of the things that made the original men in black such a pleasure are still there . 
mostly honest , this somber picture reveals itself slowly , intelligently , artfully . 
best enjoyed as a work of fiction inspired by real-life events . those seeking a definitive account of eisenstein's life would do better elsewhere . 
[westbrook] makes a wonderful subject for the camera . 
a film that's flawed and brilliant in equal measure . 
even if invincible is not quite the career peak that the pianist is for roman polanski , it demonstrates that werner herzog can still leave us with a sense of wonder at the diverse , marvelously twisted shapes history has taken . 
ultimately too repellent to fully endear itself to american art house audiences , but it is notable for its stylistic austerity and forcefulness . 
hardly a film that comes along every day . 
harmless fun . 
a wild ride with eight boarders from venice beach that was a deserved co-winner of the audience award for documentaries at the sundance film festival . 
the film's only missteps come from the script's insistence on providing deep emotional motivation for each and every one of abagnale's antics . 
a sweet , tender sermon about a 12-year-old welsh boy more curious about god than girls , who learns that believing in something does matter . 
the film belongs to the marvelous verdu , a sexy slip of an earth mother who mourns her tragedies in private and embraces life in public
more intimate than spectacular , e . t . is carried less by wow factors than by its funny , moving yarn that holds up well after two decades . 
for once , a movie does not proclaim the truth about two love-struck somebodies , but permits them time and space to convince us of that all on their own . 
if you're burnt out on it's a wonderful life marathons and bored with a christmas carol , it might just be the movie you're looking for . it depends on how well flatulence gags fit into your holiday concept . 
moonlight mile doesn't quite go the distance but the cast is impressive and they all give life to these broken characters who are trying to make their way through this tragedy . 
it is an indelible epic american story about two families , one black and one white , facing change in both their inner and outer lives . 
not as well-written as sexy beast , not as gloriously flippant as lock , stock and two smoking barrels , but stylish and moody and exceptionally well-acted . 
quite simply , a joy to watch and--especially--to listen to . 
a flawed film but an admirable one that tries to immerse us in a world of artistic abandon and political madness and very nearly succeeds . 
the filmmakers wisely decided to let crocodile hunter steve irwin do what he does best , and fashion a story around him .