an unclassifiably awful study in self - and audience-abuse .

it offers little beyond the momentary joys of pretty and weightless intellectual entertainment .


writer\/director joe carnahan 's grimy crime drama is a manual of precinct cliches , but it moves fast enough to cover its clunky dialogue and lapses in logic .


a big , gorgeous , sprawling swashbuckler that delivers its diversions in grand , uncomplicated fashion .

far more imaginative and ambitious than the trivial , cash-in features nickelodeon has made from its other animated tv series .


... nothing scary here except for some awful acting and lame special effects .

the film 's few ideas are stretched to the point of evaporation ; the whole central section is one big chase that seems to have no goal and no urgency .


even if you do n't think -lrb- kissinger 's -rrb- any more guilty of criminal activity than most contemporary statesmen , he 'd sure make a courtroom trial great fun to watch .


whether writer-director anne fontaine 's film is a ghost story , an account of a nervous breakdown , a trip down memory lane , all three or none of the above , it is as seductive as it is haunting .

for the most part , director anne-sophie birot 's first feature is a sensitive , extraordinarily well-acted drama .


wince-inducing dialogue , thrift-shop costumes , prosthetic makeup by silly putty and kmart blue-light-special effects all conspire to test trekkie loyalty .


the so-inept - it 's - surreal dubbing -lrb- featuring the voices of glenn close , regis philbin and breckin meyer -rrb- brings back memories of cheesy old godzilla flicks .

... a hollow joke told by a cinematic gymnast having too much fun embellishing the misanthropic tale to actually engage it .


a quiet treasure -- a film to be savored .


manages to be both repulsively sadistic and mundane .

taylor appears to have blown his entire budget on soundtrack rights and had nothing left over for jokes .


candid and comfortable ; a film that deftly balances action and reflection as it lets you grasp and feel the passion others have for their work .


but it 's too long and too convoluted and it ends in a muddle .

a by-the-numbers patient\/doctor pic that covers all the usual ground


the terrific and bewilderingly underrated campbell scott gives a star performance that is nothing short of mesmerizing .


fresnadillo 's dark and jolting images have a way of plying into your subconscious like the nightmare you had a week ago that wo n't go away .

drops you into a dizzying , volatile , pressure-cooker of a situation that quickly snowballs out of control , while focusing on the what much more than the why .


it 's a work by an artist so in control of both his medium and his message that he can improvise like a jazzman .

bennett 's naturalistic performance speaks volumes more truth than any ` reality ' show , and anybody contemplating their own drastic life changes should watch some body first .


moretti 's compelling anatomy of grief and the difficult process of adapting to loss .


it 's another video movie photographed like a film , with the bad lighting that 's often written off as indie film naturalism .

i thought my own watch had stopped keeping time as i slogged my way through clockstoppers .


whether writer-director anne fontaine 's film is a ghost story , an account of a nervous breakdown , a trip down memory lane , all three or none of the above , it is as seductive as it is haunting .


some of their jokes work , but most fail miserably and in the end , pumpkin is far more offensive than it is funny .

-lrb- t -rrb- here 's only so much anyone can do with a florid , overplotted , anne rice rock 'n' roll vampire novel before the built-in silliness of the whole affair defeats them .


the lion king was a roaring success when it was released eight years ago , but on imax it seems better , not just bigger .


the story and the friendship proceeds in such a way that you 're watching a soap opera rather than a chronicle of the ups and downs that accompany lifelong friendships .

all that 's missing is the spontaneity , originality and delight .


martin and barbara are complex characters -- sometimes tender , sometimes angry -- and the delicate performances by sven wollter and viveka seldahl make their hopes and frustrations vivid .


the notion that bombing buildings is the funniest thing in the world goes entirely unexamined in this startlingly unfunny comedy .

the film tries too hard to be funny and tries too hard to be hip .


worth watching for dong jie 's performance -- and for the way it documents a culture in the throes of rapid change .


despite the 2-d animation , the wild thornberrys movie makes for a surprisingly cinematic experience .


every dance becomes about seduction , where backstabbing and betrayals are celebrated , and sex is currency .

although huppert 's intensity and focus has a raw exhilaration about it , the piano teacher is anything but fun .


aside from minor tinkering , this is the same movie you probably loved in 1994 , except that it looks even better .


the movie , directed by mick jackson , leaves no cliche unturned , from the predictable plot to the characters straight out of central casting .

indifferently implausible popcorn programmer of a movie .


it seems like i have been waiting my whole life for this movie and now i ca n't wait for the sequel .


whether you like rap music or loathe it , you ca n't deny either the tragic loss of two young men in the prime of their talent or the power of this movie .

reggio 's continual visual barrage is absorbing as well as thought-provoking .


it feels like an after-school special gussied up with some fancy special effects , and watching its rote plot points connect is about as exciting as gazing at an egg timer for 93 minutes .


the subtle strength of `` elling '' is that it never loses touch with the reality of the grim situation .


even on those rare occasions when the narrator stops yammering , miller 's hand often feels unsure .


the humor is forced and heavy-handed , and occasionally simply unpleasant .

detox is ultimately a pointless endeavor .


scooby dooby doo \/ and shaggy too \/ you both look and sound great .


and when you 're talking about a slapstick comedy , that 's a pretty big problem .


true tale of courage -- and complicity -- at auschwitz is a harrowing drama that tries to tell of the unspeakable .


a by-the-numbers patient\/doctor pic that covers all the usual ground


but taken as a stylish and energetic one-shot , the queen of the damned can not be said to suck .

the terrific and bewilderingly underrated campbell scott gives a star performance that is nothing short of mesmerizing .


it takes talent to make a lifeless movie about the most heinous man who ever lived .


a taut psychological thriller that does n't waste a moment of its two-hour running time .

if you dig on david mamet 's mind tricks ... rent this movie and enjoy !


it takes a strange kind of laziness to waste the talents of robert forster , anne meara , eugene levy , and reginald veljohnson all in the same movie .


although german cooking does not come readily to mind when considering the world 's best cuisine , mostly martha could make deutchland a popular destination for hungry tourists .

but taken as a stylish and energetic one-shot , the queen of the damned can not be said to suck .


ultimately feels empty and unsatisfying , like swallowing a communion wafer without the wine .


holm ... embodies the character with an effortlessly regal charisma .

one of those energetic surprises , an original that pleases almost everyone who sees it .


however it may please those who love movies that blare with pop songs , young science fiction fans will stomp away in disgust .


scooby dooby doo \/ and shaggy too \/ you both look and sound great .

writer\/director joe carnahan 's grimy crime drama is a manual of precinct cliches , but it moves fast enough to cover its clunky dialogue and lapses in logic .


of course , by more objective measurements it 's still quite bad .


it takes a certain kind of horror movie to qualify as ` worse than expected , ' but ghost ship somehow manages to do exactly that .

feels haphazard , as if the writers mistakenly thought they could achieve an air of frantic spontaneity by simply tossing in lots of characters doing silly stuff and stirring the pot .


a strangely compelling and brilliantly acted psychological drama .


it feels like an after-school special gussied up with some fancy special effects , and watching its rote plot points connect is about as exciting as gazing at an egg timer for 93 minutes .

this is n't even madonna 's swept away .


it 's a work by an artist so in control of both his medium and his message that he can improvise like a jazzman .


it 's dumb , but more importantly , it 's just not scary .

manages to show life in all of its banality when the intention is quite the opposite .


broomfield turns his distinctive ` blundering ' style into something that could really help clear up the case .


a giggle-inducing comedy with snappy dialogue and winning performances by an unlikely team of oscar-winners : susan sarandon and goldie hawn .


for starters , the story is just too slim .


even with a green mohawk and a sheet of fire-red flame tattoos covering his shoulder , however , kilmer seems to be posing , rather than acting .


aside from minor tinkering , this is the same movie you probably loved in 1994 , except that it looks even better .


has a lot of the virtues of eastwood at his best .

though only 60 minutes long , the film is packed with information and impressions .


... the movie is just a plain old monster .


ultimately feels empty and unsatisfying , like swallowing a communion wafer without the wine .


majidi is an unconventional storyteller , capable of finding beauty in the most depressing places .


his last movie was poetically romantic and full of indelible images , but his latest has nothing going for it .

made with no discernible craft and monstrously sanctimonious in dealing with childhood loss .


two hours fly by -- opera 's a pleasure when you do n't have to endure intermissions -- and even a novice to the form comes away exhilarated .


if steven soderbergh 's ` solaris ' is a failure it is a glorious failure .

true tale of courage -- and complicity -- at auschwitz is a harrowing drama that tries to tell of the unspeakable .


shaky close-ups of turkey-on-rolls , stubbly chins , liver spots , red noses and the filmmakers new bobbed do draw easy chuckles but lead nowhere .


unlike the speedy wham-bam effect of most hollywood offerings , character development -- and more importantly , character empathy -- is at the heart of italian for beginners .

this is wild surreal stuff , but brilliant and the camera just kind of sits there and lets you look at this and its like you 're going from one room to the next and none of them have any relation to the other .


comes ... uncomfortably close to coasting in the treads of the bicycle thief .


bennett 's naturalistic performance speaks volumes more truth than any ` reality ' show , and anybody contemplating their own drastic life changes should watch some body first .

highbrow self-appointed guardians of culture need not apply , but those who loved cool as ice have at last found a worthy follow-up .


the script kicks in , and mr. hartley 's distended pace and foot-dragging rhythms follow .


although huppert 's intensity and focus has a raw exhilaration about it , the piano teacher is anything but fun .

the piquant story needs more dramatic meat on its bones .


if steven soderbergh 's ` solaris ' is a failure it is a glorious failure .


a rarity among recent iranian films : it 's a comedy full of gentle humor that chides the absurdity of its protagonist 's plight .

may be far from the best of the series , but it 's assured , wonderfully respectful of its past and thrilling enough to make it abundantly clear that this movie phenomenon has once again reinvented itself for a new generation .


a synthesis of cliches and absurdities that seems positively decadent in its cinematic flash and emptiness .


it is great summer fun to watch arnold and his buddy gerald bounce off a quirky cast of characters .


even on those rare occasions when the narrator stops yammering , miller 's hand often feels unsure .


the best that can be said about the work here of scottish director ritchie ... is that he obviously does n't have his heart in it .

-lrb- t -rrb- here 's only so much anyone can do with a florid , overplotted , anne rice rock 'n' roll vampire novel before the built-in silliness of the whole affair defeats them .


whether writer-director anne fontaine 's film is a ghost story , an account of a nervous breakdown , a trip down memory lane , all three or none of the above , it is as seductive as it is haunting .


all that 's missing is the spontaneity , originality and delight .

when leguizamo finally plugged an irritating character late in the movie .


a taut psychological thriller that does n't waste a moment of its two-hour running time .


mr. tsai is a very original artist in his medium , and what time is it there ?

the piece plays as well as it does thanks in large measure to anspaugh 's three lead actresses .


sticky sweet sentimentality , clumsy plotting and a rosily myopic view of life in the wwii-era mississippi delta undermine this adaptation .


it 's clear the filmmakers were n't sure where they wanted their story to go , and even more clear that they lack the skills to get us to this undetermined destination .


it inspires a continuing and deeply satisfying awareness of the best movies as monumental ` picture shows . '


i do n't think i laughed out loud once .

shaky close-ups of turkey-on-rolls , stubbly chins , liver spots , red noses and the filmmakers new bobbed do draw easy chuckles but lead nowhere .


the wild thornberrys movie is a jolly surprise .


it seems like i have been waiting my whole life for this movie and now i ca n't wait for the sequel .

escaping the studio , piccoli is warmly affecting and so is this adroitly minimalist movie .


the so-inept - it 's - surreal dubbing -lrb- featuring the voices of glenn close , regis philbin and breckin meyer -rrb- brings back memories of cheesy old godzilla flicks .


a celebration of quirkiness , eccentricity , and certain individuals ' tendency to let it all hang out , and damn the consequences .

this is human comedy at its most amusing , interesting and confirming .


it 's hard to like a film about a guy who is utterly unlikeable , and shiner , starring michael caine as an aging british boxing promoter desperate for a taste of fame and fortune , is certainly that .

the film tries too hard to be funny and tries too hard to be hip .


the performances take the movie to a higher level .


first-time writer-director serry shows a remarkable gift for storytelling with this moving , effective little film .

two hours fly by -- opera 's a pleasure when you do n't have to endure intermissions -- and even a novice to the form comes away exhilarated .


while -lrb- hill -rrb- has learned new tricks , the tricks alone are not enough to salvage this lifeless boxing film .


the heavy-handed film is almost laughable as a consequence .

the film flat lines when it should peak and is more missed opportunity and trifle than dark , decadent truffle .


jones ... does offer a brutal form of charisma .


even on those rare occasions when the narrator stops yammering , miller 's hand often feels unsure .

for all its impressive craftsmanship , and despite an overbearing series of third-act crescendos , lily chou-chou never really builds up a head of emotional steam .


it 's great escapist fun that recreates a place and time that will never happen again .


shaky close-ups of turkey-on-rolls , stubbly chins , liver spots , red noses and the filmmakers new bobbed do draw easy chuckles but lead nowhere .

comes ... uncomfortably close to coasting in the treads of the bicycle thief .


broomfield turns his distinctive ` blundering ' style into something that could really help clear up the case .


american chai encourages rueful laughter at stereotypes only an indian-american would recognize .

however it may please those who love movies that blare with pop songs , young science fiction fans will stomp away in disgust .


bennett 's naturalistic performance speaks volumes more truth than any ` reality ' show , and anybody contemplating their own drastic life changes should watch some body first .


nelson 's brutally unsentimental approach ... sucks the humanity from the film , leaving behind an horrific but weirdly unemotional spectacle .


majidi is an unconventional storyteller , capable of finding beauty in the most depressing places .


determined to be fun , and bouncy , with energetic musicals , the humor did n't quite engage this adult .

taylor appears to have blown his entire budget on soundtrack rights and had nothing left over for jokes .


it 's a work by an artist so in control of both his medium and his message that he can improvise like a jazzman .


not only is undercover brother as funny , if not more so , than both austin powers films , but it 's also one of the smarter , savvier spoofs to come along in some time .

an entertaining , colorful , action-filled crime story with an intimate heart .


the title not only describes its main characters , but the lazy people behind the camera as well .


mattei is tiresomely grave and long-winded , as if circularity itself indicated profundity .

nonsensical , dull `` cyber-horror '' flick is a grim , hollow exercise in flat scares and bad acting .


` de niro ... is a veritable source of sincere passion that this hollywood contrivance orbits around . '


i am sorry that i was unable to get the full brunt of the comedy .

it 's hard to like a film about a guy who is utterly unlikeable , and shiner , starring michael caine as an aging british boxing promoter desperate for a taste of fame and fortune , is certainly that .


not only is undercover brother as funny , if not more so , than both austin powers films , but it 's also one of the smarter , savvier spoofs to come along in some time .


generally , clockstoppers will fulfill your wildest fantasies about being a different kind of time traveler , while happily killing 94 minutes .


slapstick buffoonery can tickle many a preschooler 's fancy , but when it costs a family of four about $ 40 to see a film in theaters , why spend money on a dog like this when you can rent a pedigree instead ?


it has charm to spare , and unlike many romantic comedies , it does not alienate either gender in the audience .


the piquant story needs more dramatic meat on its bones .

it 's another video movie photographed like a film , with the bad lighting that 's often written off as indie film naturalism .


a full world has been presented onscreen , not some series of carefully structured plot points building to a pat resolution .


this movie is something of an impostor itself , stretching and padding its material in a blur of dead ends and distracting camera work .

the piquant story needs more dramatic meat on its bones .


more romantic , more emotional and ultimately more satisfying than the teary-eyed original .


in the end , the movie collapses on its shaky foundation despite the best efforts of director joe carnahan .

it made me want to wrench my eyes out of my head and toss them at the screen .


so , too , is this comedy about mild culture clashing in today 's new delhi .

intriguing documentary which is emotionally diluted by focusing on the story 's least interesting subject .


instead of hiding pinocchio from critics , miramax should have hidden it from everyone .


detox is ultimately a pointless endeavor .

an unclassifiably awful study in self - and audience-abuse .


visually imaginative , thematically instructive and thoroughly delightful , it takes us on a roller-coaster ride from innocence to experience without even a hint of that typical kiddie-flick sentimentality .


broomfield turns his distinctive ` blundering ' style into something that could really help clear up the case .

challenging , intermittently engrossing and unflaggingly creative .


hit and miss as far as the comedy goes and a big ole ' miss in the way of story .


for all its impressive craftsmanship , and despite an overbearing series of third-act crescendos , lily chou-chou never really builds up a head of emotional steam .

a dumb movie with dumb characters doing dumb things and you have to be really dumb not to see where this is going .


martin and barbara are complex characters -- sometimes tender , sometimes angry -- and the delicate performances by sven wollter and viveka seldahl make their hopes and frustrations vivid .


verbinski implements every hack-artist trick to give us the ooky-spookies .

even the finest chef ca n't make a hotdog into anything more than a hotdog , and robert de niro ca n't make this movie anything more than a trashy cop buddy comedy .


far more imaginative and ambitious than the trivial , cash-in features nickelodeon has made from its other animated tv series .


however it may please those who love movies that blare with pop songs , young science fiction fans will stomp away in disgust .

every time you look , sweet home alabama is taking another bummer of a wrong turn .


offers much to enjoy ... and a lot to mull over in terms of love , loyalty and the nature of staying friends .


jose campanella delivers a loosely autobiographical story brushed with sentimentality but brimming with gentle humor , bittersweet pathos , and lyric moments that linger like snapshots of memory .

the subtle strength of `` elling '' is that it never loses touch with the reality of the grim situation .


it feels like an after-school special gussied up with some fancy special effects , and watching its rote plot points connect is about as exciting as gazing at an egg timer for 93 minutes .


-lrb- a -rrb- n utterly charming and hilarious film that reminded me of the best of the disney comedies from the 60s .

uses high comedy to evoke surprising poignance .


it offers little beyond the momentary joys of pretty and weightless intellectual entertainment .

the words , ` frankly , my dear , i do n't give a damn , ' have never been more appropriate .


the best revenge may just be living well because this film , unlike other dumas adaptations , is far more likened to a treasure than a lengthy jail sentence .

on this tricky topic , tadpole is very much a step in the right direction , with its blend of frankness , civility and compassion .


... the movie is just a plain old monster .


the best revenge may just be living well because this film , unlike other dumas adaptations , is far more likened to a treasure than a lengthy jail sentence .


a bloated gasbag thesis grotesquely impressed by its own gargantuan aura of self-importance ...


made with no discernible craft and monstrously sanctimonious in dealing with childhood loss .

a broad , melodramatic estrogen opera that 's pretty toxic in its own right .


a big , gorgeous , sprawling swashbuckler that delivers its diversions in grand , uncomplicated fashion .


sam mendes has become valedictorian at the school for soft landings and easy ways out .

if looking for a thrilling sci-fi cinematic ride , do n't settle for this imposter .


the terrific and bewilderingly underrated campbell scott gives a star performance that is nothing short of mesmerizing .


... the movie is just a plain old monster .

the movie , directed by mick jackson , leaves no cliche unturned , from the predictable plot to the characters straight out of central casting .


unlike the speedy wham-bam effect of most hollywood offerings , character development -- and more importantly , character empathy -- is at the heart of italian for beginners .


a strangely compelling and brilliantly acted psychological drama .

pacino is brilliant as the sleep-deprived dormer , his increasing weariness as much existential as it is physical .


villeneuve spends too much time wallowing in bibi 's generic angst -lrb- there are a lot of shots of her gazing out windows -rrb- .


ramsay , as in ratcatcher , remains a filmmaker with an acid viewpoint and a real gift for teasing chilly poetry out of lives and settings that might otherwise seem drab and sordid .


it 's as if you 're watching a movie that was made in 1978 but not released then because it was so weak , and it has been unearthed and released now , when it has become even weaker .


one of the most significant moviegoing pleasures of the year .

a good piece of work more often than not .


the cold turkey would 've been a far better title .


what the director ca n't do is make either of val kilmer 's two personas interesting or worth caring about .


scooby dooby doo \/ and shaggy too \/ you both look and sound great .


hit and miss as far as the comedy goes and a big ole ' miss in the way of story .

it 's hampered by a lifetime-channel kind of plot and a lead actress who is out of her depth .


if you are an actor who can relate to the search for inner peace by dramatically depicting the lives of others onstage , then esther 's story is a compelling quest for truth .


far more imaginative and ambitious than the trivial , cash-in features nickelodeon has made from its other animated tv series .

so , too , is this comedy about mild culture clashing in today 's new delhi .


it 's clear the filmmakers were n't sure where they wanted their story to go , and even more clear that they lack the skills to get us to this undetermined destination .


trite , banal , cliched , mostly inoffensive .


if steven soderbergh 's ` solaris ' is a failure it is a glorious failure .


beautifully observed , miraculously unsentimental comedy-drama .

majidi is an unconventional storyteller , capable of finding beauty in the most depressing places .


its well of thorn and vinegar -lrb- and simple humanity -rrb- has long been plundered by similar works featuring the insight and punch this picture so conspicuously lacks .


it 's another stale , kill-by-numbers flick , complete with blade-thin characters and terrible , pun-laden dialogue .

every dance becomes about seduction , where backstabbing and betrayals are celebrated , and sex is currency .


the inspirational screenplay by mike rich covers a lot of ground , perhaps too much , but ties things together , neatly , by the end .


it made me want to wrench my eyes out of my head and toss them at the screen .

once the 50 year old benigni appears as the title character , we find ourselves longing for the block of wood to come back .


it is great summer fun to watch arnold and his buddy gerald bounce off a quirky cast of characters .


one of those energetic surprises , an original that pleases almost everyone who sees it .


it 's as if you 're watching a movie that was made in 1978 but not released then because it was so weak , and it has been unearthed and released now , when it has become even weaker .


a dumb movie with dumb characters doing dumb things and you have to be really dumb not to see where this is going .

it takes talent to make a lifeless movie about the most heinous man who ever lived .


a pleasant enough romance with intellectual underpinnings , the kind of movie that entertains even as it turns maddeningly predictable .


the film 's welcome breeziness and some unbelievably hilarious moments -- most portraying the idiocy of the film industry -- make it mostly worth the trip .

puts a human face on a land most westerners are unfamiliar with .


it 's another video movie photographed like a film , with the bad lighting that 's often written off as indie film naturalism .


rarely has so much money delivered so little entertainment .

a dumb movie with dumb characters doing dumb things and you have to be really dumb not to see where this is going .


-lrb- lawrence bounces -rrb- all over the stage , dancing , running , sweating , mopping his face and generally displaying the wacky talent that brought him fame in the first place .


falls neatly into the category of good stupid fun .

for the first time in years , de niro digs deep emotionally , perhaps because he 's been stirred by the powerful work of his co-stars .


no way i can believe this load of junk .


what the director ca n't do is make either of val kilmer 's two personas interesting or worth caring about .

instead of hiding pinocchio from critics , miramax should have hidden it from everyone .


the moviegoing equivalent of going to a dinner party and being forced to watch the host and hostess 's home video of their baby 's birth .


if steven soderbergh 's ` solaris ' is a failure it is a glorious failure .


we know the plot 's a little crazy , but it held my interest from start to finish .


-lrb- a -rrb- n utterly charming and hilarious film that reminded me of the best of the disney comedies from the 60s .


pumpkin means to be an outrageous dark satire on fraternity life , but its ambitions far exceed the abilities of writer adam larson broder and his co-director , tony r. abrams , in their feature debut .


yakusho and shimizu ... create engaging characterizations in imamura 's lively and enjoyable cultural mix .

it 's a work by an artist so in control of both his medium and his message that he can improvise like a jazzman .


and when you 're talking about a slapstick comedy , that 's a pretty big problem .


it 's hampered by a lifetime-channel kind of plot and a lead actress who is out of her depth .


though only 60 minutes long , the film is packed with information and impressions .


the lion king was a roaring success when it was released eight years ago , but on imax it seems better , not just bigger .

you do n't have to know about music to appreciate the film 's easygoing blend of comedy and romance .


it 's hard to like a film about a guy who is utterly unlikeable , and shiner , starring michael caine as an aging british boxing promoter desperate for a taste of fame and fortune , is certainly that .


it inspires a continuing and deeply satisfying awareness of the best movies as monumental ` picture shows . '

whether writer-director anne fontaine 's film is a ghost story , an account of a nervous breakdown , a trip down memory lane , all three or none of the above , it is as seductive as it is haunting .


his last movie was poetically romantic and full of indelible images , but his latest has nothing going for it .


a pleasant enough romance with intellectual underpinnings , the kind of movie that entertains even as it turns maddeningly predictable .


it takes a strange kind of laziness to waste the talents of robert forster , anne meara , eugene levy , and reginald veljohnson all in the same movie .


of course , by more objective measurements it 's still quite bad .

the movie , directed by mick jackson , leaves no cliche unturned , from the predictable plot to the characters straight out of central casting .


it haunts you , you ca n't forget it , you admire its conception and are able to resolve some of the confusions you had while watching it .


and that 's a big part of why we go to the movies .


the script kicks in , and mr. hartley 's distended pace and foot-dragging rhythms follow .


the subtle strength of `` elling '' is that it never loses touch with the reality of the grim situation .

the format gets used best ... to capture the dizzying heights achieved by motocross and bmx riders , whose balletic hotdogging occasionally ends in bone-crushing screwups .


however it may please those who love movies that blare with pop songs , young science fiction fans will stomp away in disgust .


the overall effect is less like a children 's movie than a recruitment film for future hollywood sellouts .

dull , lifeless , and amateurishly assembled .


it 's refreshing to see a girl-power movie that does n't feel it has to prove anything .


in exactly 89 minutes , most of which passed as slowly as if i 'd been sitting naked on an igloo , formula 51 sank from quirky to jerky to utter turkey .

it all drags on so interminably it 's like watching a miserable relationship unfold in real time .


if you are an actor who can relate to the search for inner peace by dramatically depicting the lives of others onstage , then esther 's story is a compelling quest for truth .


escaping the studio , piccoli is warmly affecting and so is this adroitly minimalist movie .

the characters are interesting and often very creatively constructed from figure to backstory .


it 's hampered by a lifetime-channel kind of plot and a lead actress who is out of her depth .


challenging , intermittently engrossing and unflaggingly creative .

although german cooking does not come readily to mind when considering the world 's best cuisine , mostly martha could make deutchland a popular destination for hungry tourists .


manages to be both repulsively sadistic and mundane .


sticky sweet sentimentality , clumsy plotting and a rosily myopic view of life in the wwii-era mississippi delta undermine this adaptation .

... a hollow joke told by a cinematic gymnast having too much fun embellishing the misanthropic tale to actually engage it .


if you dig on david mamet 's mind tricks ... rent this movie and enjoy !


the wild thornberrys movie is a jolly surprise .

rare birds has more than enough charm to make it memorable .


not an objectionable or dull film ; it merely lacks everything except good intentions .


based on a devilishly witty script by heather mcgowan and niels mueller , the film gets great laughs , but never at the expense of its characters


this is a shameless sham , calculated to cash in on the popularity of its stars .


a synthesis of cliches and absurdities that seems positively decadent in its cinematic flash and emptiness .

nonsensical , dull `` cyber-horror '' flick is a grim , hollow exercise in flat scares and bad acting .


will amuse and provoke adventurous adults in specialty venues .


the performances take the movie to a higher level .

reggio 's continual visual barrage is absorbing as well as thought-provoking .


his last movie was poetically romantic and full of indelible images , but his latest has nothing going for it .


it ca n't decide if it wants to be a mystery\/thriller , a romance or a comedy .

despite all evidence to the contrary , this clunker has somehow managed to pose as an actual feature movie , the kind that charges full admission and gets hyped on tv and purports to amuse small children and ostensible adults .


a quiet treasure -- a film to be savored .


if you 've ever entertained the notion of doing what the title of this film implies , what sex with strangers actually shows may put you off the idea forever .

the overall effect is less like a children 's movie than a recruitment film for future hollywood sellouts .


it deserves to be seen by anyone with even a passing interest in the events shaping the world beyond their own horizons .


not only unfunny , but downright repellent .


for the first time in years , de niro digs deep emotionally , perhaps because he 's been stirred by the powerful work of his co-stars .


true tale of courage -- and complicity -- at auschwitz is a harrowing drama that tries to tell of the unspeakable .

for the most part , director anne-sophie birot 's first feature is a sensitive , extraordinarily well-acted drama .


whaley 's determination to immerse you in sheer , unrelenting wretchedness is exhausting .

i 'll bet the video game is a lot more fun than the film .


a rarity among recent iranian films : it 's a comedy full of gentle humor that chides the absurdity of its protagonist 's plight .


it haunts you , you ca n't forget it , you admire its conception and are able to resolve some of the confusions you had while watching it .

-lrb- a -rrb- n utterly charming and hilarious film that reminded me of the best of the disney comedies from the 60s .


while -lrb- hill -rrb- has learned new tricks , the tricks alone are not enough to salvage this lifeless boxing film .


... a hollow joke told by a cinematic gymnast having too much fun embellishing the misanthropic tale to actually engage it .

it takes a certain kind of horror movie to qualify as ` worse than expected , ' but ghost ship somehow manages to do exactly that .


it inspires a continuing and deeply satisfying awareness of the best movies as monumental ` picture shows . '


slapstick buffoonery can tickle many a preschooler 's fancy , but when it costs a family of four about $ 40 to see a film in theaters , why spend money on a dog like this when you can rent a pedigree instead ?

for starters , the story is just too slim .


it 's a demented kitsch mess -lrb- although the smeary digital video does match the muddled narrative -rrb- , but it 's savvy about celebrity and has more guts and energy than much of what will open this year .


it 's great escapist fun that recreates a place and time that will never happen again .

a swashbuckling tale of love , betrayal , revenge and above all , faith .


and when you 're talking about a slapstick comedy , that 's a pretty big problem .


` easily my choice for one of the year 's best films . '

puts a human face on a land most westerners are unfamiliar with .


suffocated by its fussy script and uptight characters , this musty adaptation is all the more annoying since it 's been packaged and sold back to us by hollywood .

the moviegoing equivalent of going to a dinner party and being forced to watch the host and hostess 's home video of their baby 's birth .


perceptive in its vision of nascent industrialized world politics as a new art form , but far too clunky , didactic and saddled with scenes that seem simply an ill fit for this movie .

a bloated gasbag thesis grotesquely impressed by its own gargantuan aura of self-importance ...


i 'll bet the video game is a lot more fun than the film .

manages to show life in all of its banality when the intention is quite the opposite .


escaping the studio , piccoli is warmly affecting and so is this adroitly minimalist movie .


i just loved every minute of this film .

the movie does a good job of laying out some of the major issues that we encounter as we journey through life .


it all drags on so interminably it 's like watching a miserable relationship unfold in real time .


it 's a cookie-cutter movie , a cut-and-paste job .

sit through this one , and you wo n't need a magic watch to stop time ; your dvd player will do it for you .


reggio 's continual visual barrage is absorbing as well as thought-provoking .


an important movie , a reminder of the power of film to move us and to make us examine our values .

aside from minor tinkering , this is the same movie you probably loved in 1994 , except that it looks even better .


the piquant story needs more dramatic meat on its bones .


... is an arthritic attempt at directing by callie khouri .


in a way , the film feels like a breath of fresh air , but only to those that allow it in .


dull , lifeless , and amateurishly assembled .

no way i can believe this load of junk .


the film is beautifully mounted , but , more to the point , the issues are subtly presented , managing to walk a fine line with regard to the question of joan 's madness .


-lrb- lawrence bounces -rrb- all over the stage , dancing , running , sweating , mopping his face and generally displaying the wacky talent that brought him fame in the first place .

falls neatly into the category of good stupid fun .


for all its impressive craftsmanship , and despite an overbearing series of third-act crescendos , lily chou-chou never really builds up a head of emotional steam .


we know the plot 's a little crazy , but it held my interest from start to finish .

the wild thornberrys movie is a jolly surprise .


it all drags on so interminably it 's like watching a miserable relationship unfold in real time .

although huppert 's intensity and focus has a raw exhilaration about it , the piano teacher is anything but fun .


on this tricky topic , tadpole is very much a step in the right direction , with its blend of frankness , civility and compassion .


impostor has a handful of thrilling moments and a couple of good performances , but the movie does n't quite fly .

made with no discernible craft and monstrously sanctimonious in dealing with childhood loss .


this is wild surreal stuff , but brilliant and the camera just kind of sits there and lets you look at this and its like you 're going from one room to the next and none of them have any relation to the other .


though only 60 minutes long , the film is packed with information and impressions .

broomfield turns his distinctive ` blundering ' style into something that could really help clear up the case .


but it 's too long and too convoluted and it ends in a muddle .


sade is an engaging look at the controversial eponymous and fiercely atheistic hero .

the piece plays as well as it does thanks in large measure to anspaugh 's three lead actresses .


shaky close-ups of turkey-on-rolls , stubbly chins , liver spots , red noses and the filmmakers new bobbed do draw easy chuckles but lead nowhere .


the format gets used best ... to capture the dizzying heights achieved by motocross and bmx riders , whose balletic hotdogging occasionally ends in bone-crushing screwups .

for the first time in years , de niro digs deep emotionally , perhaps because he 's been stirred by the powerful work of his co-stars .


this is not the undisputed worst boxing movie ever , but it 's certainly not a champion - the big loser is the audience .


it 's hampered by a lifetime-channel kind of plot and a lead actress who is out of her depth .


a quiet treasure -- a film to be savored .


for starters , the story is just too slim .

a broad , melodramatic estrogen opera that 's pretty toxic in its own right .


it 's refreshing to see a girl-power movie that does n't feel it has to prove anything .


the film is quiet , threatening and unforgettable .

based on a devilishly witty script by heather mcgowan and niels mueller , the film gets great laughs , but never at the expense of its characters


determined to be fun , and bouncy , with energetic musicals , the humor did n't quite engage this adult .


martin and barbara are complex characters -- sometimes tender , sometimes angry -- and the delicate performances by sven wollter and viveka seldahl make their hopes and frustrations vivid .

worth watching for dong jie 's performance -- and for the way it documents a culture in the throes of rapid change .


affleck and jackson are good sparring partners .


sit through this one , and you wo n't need a magic watch to stop time ; your dvd player will do it for you .


you do n't have to know about music to appreciate the film 's easygoing blend of comedy and romance .

it 's a work by an artist so in control of both his medium and his message that he can improvise like a jazzman .


every time you look , sweet home alabama is taking another bummer of a wrong turn .


reign of fire looks as if it was made without much thought -- and is best watched that way .

will amuse and provoke adventurous adults in specialty venues .


this is n't even madonna 's swept away .


it 's another stale , kill-by-numbers flick , complete with blade-thin characters and terrible , pun-laden dialogue .


the script kicks in , and mr. hartley 's distended pace and foot-dragging rhythms follow .

i 'll bet the video game is a lot more fun than the film .


a good piece of work more often than not .


good old-fashioned slash-and-hack is back !

a tender , witty , captivating film about friendship , love , memory , trust and loyalty .


i thought my own watch had stopped keeping time as i slogged my way through clockstoppers .


moretti 's compelling anatomy of grief and the difficult process of adapting to loss .

a by-the-numbers patient\/doctor pic that covers all the usual ground


indifferently implausible popcorn programmer of a movie .

even with a green mohawk and a sheet of fire-red flame tattoos covering his shoulder , however , kilmer seems to be posing , rather than acting .


highbrow self-appointed guardians of culture need not apply , but those who loved cool as ice have at last found a worthy follow-up .


the title not only describes its main characters , but the lazy people behind the camera as well .

i do n't think i laughed out loud once .


a quiet treasure -- a film to be savored .


the film is beautifully mounted , but , more to the point , the issues are subtly presented , managing to walk a fine line with regard to the question of joan 's madness .


every nanosecond of the the new guy reminds you that you could be doing something else far more pleasurable .


on this tricky topic , tadpole is very much a step in the right direction , with its blend of frankness , civility and compassion .

yakusho and shimizu ... create engaging characterizations in imamura 's lively and enjoyable cultural mix .


it 's as if you 're watching a movie that was made in 1978 but not released then because it was so weak , and it has been unearthed and released now , when it has become even weaker .


a giggle-inducing comedy with snappy dialogue and winning performances by an unlikely team of oscar-winners : susan sarandon and goldie hawn .

` de niro ... is a veritable source of sincere passion that this hollywood contrivance orbits around . '


because of an unnecessary and clumsy last scene , ` swimfan ' left me with a very bad feeling .


audrey tatou has a knack for picking roles that magnify her outrageous charm , and in this literate french comedy , she 's as morning-glory exuberant as she was in amélie .

will amuse and provoke adventurous adults in specialty venues .


pumpkin takes an admirable look at the hypocrisy of political correctness , but it does so with such an uneven tone that you never know when humor ends and tragedy begins .


it 's a demented kitsch mess -lrb- although the smeary digital video does match the muddled narrative -rrb- , but it 's savvy about celebrity and has more guts and energy than much of what will open this year .

whether you like rap music or loathe it , you ca n't deny either the tragic loss of two young men in the prime of their talent or the power of this movie .


villeneuve spends too much time wallowing in bibi 's generic angst -lrb- there are a lot of shots of her gazing out windows -rrb- .


an entertaining , colorful , action-filled crime story with an intimate heart .

for the most part , director anne-sophie birot 's first feature is a sensitive , extraordinarily well-acted drama .


but the power of these -lrb- subjects -rrb- is obscured by the majority of the film that shows a stationary camera on a subject that could be mistaken for giving a public oration , rather than contributing to a film 's narrative .


shaky close-ups of turkey-on-rolls , stubbly chins , liver spots , red noses and the filmmakers new bobbed do draw easy chuckles but lead nowhere .


majidi is an unconventional storyteller , capable of finding beauty in the most depressing places .


adults will wish the movie were less simplistic , obvious , clumsily plotted and shallowly characterized .

very special effects , brilliantly bold colors and heightened reality ca n't hide the giant achilles ' heel in `` stuart little 2 `` : there 's just no story , folks .


atom egoyan has conjured up a multilayered work that tackles any number of fascinating issues

if you are an actor who can relate to the search for inner peace by dramatically depicting the lives of others onstage , then esther 's story is a compelling quest for truth .


its well of thorn and vinegar -lrb- and simple humanity -rrb- has long been plundered by similar works featuring the insight and punch this picture so conspicuously lacks .


a valueless kiddie paean to pro basketball underwritten by the nba .

jason x is positively anti-darwinian : nine sequels and 400 years later , the teens are none the wiser and jason still kills on auto-pilot .


the film is beautifully mounted , but , more to the point , the issues are subtly presented , managing to walk a fine line with regard to the question of joan 's madness .


wince-inducing dialogue , thrift-shop costumes , prosthetic makeup by silly putty and kmart blue-light-special effects all conspire to test trekkie loyalty .

for starters , the story is just too slim .


a rarity among recent iranian films : it 's a comedy full of gentle humor that chides the absurdity of its protagonist 's plight .


the structure the film takes may find matt damon and ben affleck once again looking for residuals as this officially completes a good will hunting trilogy that was never planned .


it feels like an after-school special gussied up with some fancy special effects , and watching its rote plot points connect is about as exciting as gazing at an egg timer for 93 minutes .


the film flat lines when it should peak and is more missed opportunity and trifle than dark , decadent truffle .

while the resident evil games may have set new standards for thrills , suspense , and gore for video games , the movie really only succeeds in the third of these .


broomfield turns his distinctive ` blundering ' style into something that could really help clear up the case .


the wild thornberrys movie is a jolly surprise .


slapstick buffoonery can tickle many a preschooler 's fancy , but when it costs a family of four about $ 40 to see a film in theaters , why spend money on a dog like this when you can rent a pedigree instead ?


in a way , the film feels like a breath of fresh air , but only to those that allow it in .

but taken as a stylish and energetic one-shot , the queen of the damned can not be said to suck .


suffocated by its fussy script and uptight characters , this musty adaptation is all the more annoying since it 's been packaged and sold back to us by hollywood .


this is wild surreal stuff , but brilliant and the camera just kind of sits there and lets you look at this and its like you 're going from one room to the next and none of them have any relation to the other .

may be far from the best of the series , but it 's assured , wonderfully respectful of its past and thrilling enough to make it abundantly clear that this movie phenomenon has once again reinvented itself for a new generation .


another in-your-face wallow in the lower depths made by people who have never sung those blues .


candid and comfortable ; a film that deftly balances action and reflection as it lets you grasp and feel the passion others have for their work .

a beguiling splash of pastel colors and prankish comedy from disney .


-lrb- t -rrb- here 's only so much anyone can do with a florid , overplotted , anne rice rock 'n' roll vampire novel before the built-in silliness of the whole affair defeats them .


and that 's a big part of why we go to the movies .

-lrb- lawrence bounces -rrb- all over the stage , dancing , running , sweating , mopping his face and generally displaying the wacky talent that brought him fame in the first place .


every time you look , sweet home alabama is taking another bummer of a wrong turn .


offers much to enjoy ... and a lot to mull over in terms of love , loyalty and the nature of staying friends .


all that 's missing is the spontaneity , originality and delight .


` de niro ... is a veritable source of sincere passion that this hollywood contrivance orbits around . '


adults will wish the movie were less simplistic , obvious , clumsily plotted and shallowly characterized .


drops you into a dizzying , volatile , pressure-cooker of a situation that quickly snowballs out of control , while focusing on the what much more than the why .

affleck and jackson are good sparring partners .


trite , banal , cliched , mostly inoffensive .


nonsensical , dull `` cyber-horror '' flick is a grim , hollow exercise in flat scares and bad acting .

in the end , the movie collapses on its shaky foundation despite the best efforts of director joe carnahan .


dense with characters and contains some thrilling moments .


it 's clear the filmmakers were n't sure where they wanted their story to go , and even more clear that they lack the skills to get us to this undetermined destination .


with virtually no interesting elements for an audience to focus on , chelsea walls is a triple-espresso endurance challenge .


highbrow self-appointed guardians of culture need not apply , but those who loved cool as ice have at last found a worthy follow-up .

the movie does a good job of laying out some of the major issues that we encounter as we journey through life .


it feels like an after-school special gussied up with some fancy special effects , and watching its rote plot points connect is about as exciting as gazing at an egg timer for 93 minutes .


sit through this one , and you wo n't need a magic watch to stop time ; your dvd player will do it for you .

the iditarod lasts for days - this just felt like it did .


the cold turkey would 've been a far better title .

the film tries too hard to be funny and tries too hard to be hip .


this surreal gilliam-esque film is also a troubling interpretation of ecclesiastes .


rare birds has more than enough charm to make it memorable .

uses high comedy to evoke surprising poignance .


it takes a certain kind of horror movie to qualify as ` worse than expected , ' but ghost ship somehow manages to do exactly that .


it showcases carvey 's talent for voices , but not nearly enough and not without taxing every drop of one 's patience to get to the good stuff .

if looking for a thrilling sci-fi cinematic ride , do n't settle for this imposter .


two hours fly by -- opera 's a pleasure when you do n't have to endure intermissions -- and even a novice to the form comes away exhilarated .


a by-the-numbers patient\/doctor pic that covers all the usual ground


a pleasant enough romance with intellectual underpinnings , the kind of movie that entertains even as it turns maddeningly predictable .


having had the good sense to cast actors who are , generally speaking , adored by the movie-going public , khouri then gets terrific performances from them all .

a full world has been presented onscreen , not some series of carefully structured plot points building to a pat resolution .


the words , ` frankly , my dear , i do n't give a damn , ' have never been more appropriate .


it 's refreshing to see a girl-power movie that does n't feel it has to prove anything .

vera 's three actors -- mollà , gil and bardem -- excel in insightful , empathetic performances .


but the power of these -lrb- subjects -rrb- is obscured by the majority of the film that shows a stationary camera on a subject that could be mistaken for giving a public oration , rather than contributing to a film 's narrative .


jones ... does offer a brutal form of charisma .


the heavy-handed film is almost laughable as a consequence .


for the first time in years , de niro digs deep emotionally , perhaps because he 's been stirred by the powerful work of his co-stars .

not since tom cruise in risky business has an actor made such a strong impression in his underwear .


ultimately feels empty and unsatisfying , like swallowing a communion wafer without the wine .


puts a human face on a land most westerners are unfamiliar with .


a quiet treasure -- a film to be savored .

the characters are interesting and often very creatively constructed from figure to backstory .


pumpkin takes an admirable look at the hypocrisy of political correctness , but it does so with such an uneven tone that you never know when humor ends and tragedy begins .


it has charm to spare , and unlike many romantic comedies , it does not alienate either gender in the audience .

mr. tsai is a very original artist in his medium , and what time is it there ?


its well of thorn and vinegar -lrb- and simple humanity -rrb- has long been plundered by similar works featuring the insight and punch this picture so conspicuously lacks .


even the finest chef ca n't make a hotdog into anything more than a hotdog , and robert de niro ca n't make this movie anything more than a trashy cop buddy comedy .


a working class `` us vs. them '' opera that leaves no heartstring untugged and no liberal cause unplundered .


what better message than ` love thyself ' could young women of any size receive ?

worth watching for dong jie 's performance -- and for the way it documents a culture in the throes of rapid change .


while -lrb- hill -rrb- has learned new tricks , the tricks alone are not enough to salvage this lifeless boxing film .


this is n't even madonna 's swept away .

the best that can be said about the work here of scottish director ritchie ... is that he obviously does n't have his heart in it .


the movie does a good job of laying out some of the major issues that we encounter as we journey through life .


because of an unnecessary and clumsy last scene , ` swimfan ' left me with a very bad feeling .

verbinski implements every hack-artist trick to give us the ooky-spookies .


blanchett 's performance confirms her power once again .


the inspirational screenplay by mike rich covers a lot of ground , perhaps too much , but ties things together , neatly , by the end .

drops you into a dizzying , volatile , pressure-cooker of a situation that quickly snowballs out of control , while focusing on the what much more than the why .


a swashbuckling tale of love , betrayal , revenge and above all , faith .

visually imaginative , thematically instructive and thoroughly delightful , it takes us on a roller-coaster ride from innocence to experience without even a hint of that typical kiddie-flick sentimentality .


there is n't nearly enough fun here , despite the presence of some appealing ingredients .


majidi is an unconventional storyteller , capable of finding beauty in the most depressing places .

escaping the studio , piccoli is warmly affecting and so is this adroitly minimalist movie .


impostor has a handful of thrilling moments and a couple of good performances , but the movie does n't quite fly .


tries to add some spice to its quirky sentiments but the taste is all too familiar .

once the 50 year old benigni appears as the title character , we find ourselves longing for the block of wood to come back .


pacino is brilliant as the sleep-deprived dormer , his increasing weariness as much existential as it is physical .

the terrific and bewilderingly underrated campbell scott gives a star performance that is nothing short of mesmerizing .


taylor appears to have blown his entire budget on soundtrack rights and had nothing left over for jokes .


two hours fly by -- opera 's a pleasure when you do n't have to endure intermissions -- and even a novice to the form comes away exhilarated .


when leguizamo finally plugged an irritating character late in the movie .

pumpkin means to be an outrageous dark satire on fraternity life , but its ambitions far exceed the abilities of writer adam larson broder and his co-director , tony r. abrams , in their feature debut .


intriguing documentary which is emotionally diluted by focusing on the story 's least interesting subject .


the story and structure are well-honed .

atom egoyan has conjured up a multilayered work that tackles any number of fascinating issues


feels haphazard , as if the writers mistakenly thought they could achieve an air of frantic spontaneity by simply tossing in lots of characters doing silly stuff and stirring the pot .


a working class `` us vs. them '' opera that leaves no heartstring untugged and no liberal cause unplundered .

if steven soderbergh 's ` solaris ' is a failure it is a glorious failure .


blanchett 's performance confirms her power once again .

has a lot of the virtues of eastwood at his best .


feels haphazard , as if the writers mistakenly thought they could achieve an air of frantic spontaneity by simply tossing in lots of characters doing silly stuff and stirring the pot .

-lrb- t -rrb- here 's only so much anyone can do with a florid , overplotted , anne rice rock 'n' roll vampire novel before the built-in silliness of the whole affair defeats them .


` de niro ... is a veritable source of sincere passion that this hollywood contrivance orbits around . '


the movie does a good job of laying out some of the major issues that we encounter as we journey through life .

candid and comfortable ; a film that deftly balances action and reflection as it lets you grasp and feel the passion others have for their work .


... nothing scary here except for some awful acting and lame special effects .


villeneuve spends too much time wallowing in bibi 's generic angst -lrb- there are a lot of shots of her gazing out windows -rrb- .

in exactly 89 minutes , most of which passed as slowly as if i 'd been sitting naked on an igloo , formula 51 sank from quirky to jerky to utter turkey .


so , too , is this comedy about mild culture clashing in today 's new delhi .


comes ... uncomfortably close to coasting in the treads of the bicycle thief .

a dumb movie with dumb characters doing dumb things and you have to be really dumb not to see where this is going .


the film tries too hard to be funny and tries too hard to be hip .

i thought my own watch had stopped keeping time as i slogged my way through clockstoppers .


it appears that something has been lost in the translation to the screen .

of course , by more objective measurements it 's still quite bad .


broomfield turns his distinctive ` blundering ' style into something that could really help clear up the case .


... designed to provide a mix of smiles and tears , `` crossroads '' instead provokes a handful of unintentional howlers and numerous yawns .

the cold turkey would 've been a far better title .


a pleasant enough romance with intellectual underpinnings , the kind of movie that entertains even as it turns maddeningly predictable .


not an objectionable or dull film ; it merely lacks everything except good intentions .

vera 's technical prowess ends up selling his film short ; he smoothes over hard truths even as he uncovers them .


pumpkin means to be an outrageous dark satire on fraternity life , but its ambitions far exceed the abilities of writer adam larson broder and his co-director , tony r. abrams , in their feature debut .

the script kicks in , and mr. hartley 's distended pace and foot-dragging rhythms follow .


we know the plot 's a little crazy , but it held my interest from start to finish .


not only unfunny , but downright repellent .

taylor appears to have blown his entire budget on soundtrack rights and had nothing left over for jokes .


the story and structure are well-honed .


another in-your-face wallow in the lower depths made by people who have never sung those blues .

nonsensical , dull `` cyber-horror '' flick is a grim , hollow exercise in flat scares and bad acting .


offers much to enjoy ... and a lot to mull over in terms of love , loyalty and the nature of staying friends .


a full world has been presented onscreen , not some series of carefully structured plot points building to a pat resolution .

although german cooking does not come readily to mind when considering the world 's best cuisine , mostly martha could make deutchland a popular destination for hungry tourists .


the piquant story needs more dramatic meat on its bones .


despite all evidence to the contrary , this clunker has somehow managed to pose as an actual feature movie , the kind that charges full admission and gets hyped on tv and purports to amuse small children and ostensible adults .

the story and the friendship proceeds in such a way that you 're watching a soap opera rather than a chronicle of the ups and downs that accompany lifelong friendships .


it haunts you , you ca n't forget it , you admire its conception and are able to resolve some of the confusions you had while watching it .


its well of thorn and vinegar -lrb- and simple humanity -rrb- has long been plundered by similar works featuring the insight and punch this picture so conspicuously lacks .


two hours fly by -- opera 's a pleasure when you do n't have to endure intermissions -- and even a novice to the form comes away exhilarated .


if you are an actor who can relate to the search for inner peace by dramatically depicting the lives of others onstage , then esther 's story is a compelling quest for truth .

a celebration of quirkiness , eccentricity , and certain individuals ' tendency to let it all hang out , and damn the consequences .


nelson 's brutally unsentimental approach ... sucks the humanity from the film , leaving behind an horrific but weirdly unemotional spectacle .


michael gerbosi 's script is economically packed with telling scenes .

the subtle strength of `` elling '' is that it never loses touch with the reality of the grim situation .


indifferently implausible popcorn programmer of a movie .


-lrb- t -rrb- here 's only so much anyone can do with a florid , overplotted , anne rice rock 'n' roll vampire novel before the built-in silliness of the whole affair defeats them .


though only 60 minutes long , the film is packed with information and impressions .


i can take infantile humor ... but this is the sort of infantile that makes you wonder about changing the director and writer 's diapers .

even on those rare occasions when the narrator stops yammering , miller 's hand often feels unsure .


-lrb- a -rrb- n utterly charming and hilarious film that reminded me of the best of the disney comedies from the 60s .


worth watching for dong jie 's performance -- and for the way it documents a culture in the throes of rapid change .

good old-fashioned slash-and-hack is back !


i thought my own watch had stopped keeping time as i slogged my way through clockstoppers .

every dance becomes about seduction , where backstabbing and betrayals are celebrated , and sex is currency .


what better message than ` love thyself ' could young women of any size receive ?


just embarrassment and a vague sense of shame .

trite , banal , cliched , mostly inoffensive .


rare birds has more than enough charm to make it memorable .


the vivid lead performances sustain interest and empathy , but the journey is far more interesting than the final destination .

majidi is an unconventional storyteller , capable of finding beauty in the most depressing places .


manages to show life in all of its banality when the intention is quite the opposite .


more romantic , more emotional and ultimately more satisfying than the teary-eyed original .

the lion king was a roaring success when it was released eight years ago , but on imax it seems better , not just bigger .


it 's a grab bag of genres that do n't add up to a whole lot of sense .


vera 's three actors -- mollà , gil and bardem -- excel in insightful , empathetic performances .

but taken as a stylish and energetic one-shot , the queen of the damned can not be said to suck .


what the director ca n't do is make either of val kilmer 's two personas interesting or worth caring about .


very special effects , brilliantly bold colors and heightened reality ca n't hide the giant achilles ' heel in `` stuart little 2 `` : there 's just no story , folks .

tries to add some spice to its quirky sentiments but the taste is all too familiar .


if steven soderbergh 's ` solaris ' is a failure it is a glorious failure .


will amuse and provoke adventurous adults in specialty venues .

i just loved every minute of this film .


it 's another video movie photographed like a film , with the bad lighting that 's often written off as indie film naturalism .


awesome creatures , breathtaking scenery , and epic battle scenes add up to another ` spectacular spectacle . '

aside from minor tinkering , this is the same movie you probably loved in 1994 , except that it looks even better .


... a hollow joke told by a cinematic gymnast having too much fun embellishing the misanthropic tale to actually engage it .


trademark american triteness and simplicity are tossed out the window with the intelligent french drama that deftly explores the difficult relationship between a father and son .

having had the good sense to cast actors who are , generally speaking , adored by the movie-going public , khouri then gets terrific performances from them all .


the overall effect is less like a children 's movie than a recruitment film for future hollywood sellouts .


and when you 're talking about a slapstick comedy , that 's a pretty big problem .

in exactly 89 minutes , most of which passed as slowly as if i 'd been sitting naked on an igloo , formula 51 sank from quirky to jerky to utter turkey .


falls neatly into the category of good stupid fun .


not since tom cruise in risky business has an actor made such a strong impression in his underwear .

far more imaginative and ambitious than the trivial , cash-in features nickelodeon has made from its other animated tv series .


here 's yet another studio horror franchise mucking up its storyline with glitches casual fans could correct in their sleep .


a beguiling splash of pastel colors and prankish comedy from disney .

worth watching for dong jie 's performance -- and for the way it documents a culture in the throes of rapid change .


suffocated by its fussy script and uptight characters , this musty adaptation is all the more annoying since it 's been packaged and sold back to us by hollywood .


the words , ` frankly , my dear , i do n't give a damn , ' have never been more appropriate .


a rarity among recent iranian films : it 's a comedy full of gentle humor that chides the absurdity of its protagonist 's plight .


it takes a strange kind of laziness to waste the talents of robert forster , anne meara , eugene levy , and reginald veljohnson all in the same movie .

it appears that something has been lost in the translation to the screen .


the characters are interesting and often very creatively constructed from figure to backstory .


but the power of these -lrb- subjects -rrb- is obscured by the majority of the film that shows a stationary camera on a subject that could be mistaken for giving a public oration , rather than contributing to a film 's narrative .

nonsensical , dull `` cyber-horror '' flick is a grim , hollow exercise in flat scares and bad acting .


candid and comfortable ; a film that deftly balances action and reflection as it lets you grasp and feel the passion others have for their work .


writer\/director joe carnahan 's grimy crime drama is a manual of precinct cliches , but it moves fast enough to cover its clunky dialogue and lapses in logic .

a big , gorgeous , sprawling swashbuckler that delivers its diversions in grand , uncomplicated fashion .


perceptive in its vision of nascent industrialized world politics as a new art form , but far too clunky , didactic and saddled with scenes that seem simply an ill fit for this movie .


if looking for a thrilling sci-fi cinematic ride , do n't settle for this imposter .

wince-inducing dialogue , thrift-shop costumes , prosthetic makeup by silly putty and kmart blue-light-special effects all conspire to test trekkie loyalty .


ramsay , as in ratcatcher , remains a filmmaker with an acid viewpoint and a real gift for teasing chilly poetry out of lives and settings that might otherwise seem drab and sordid .


at its worst , it implodes in a series of very bad special effects .

it made me want to wrench my eyes out of my head and toss them at the screen .


while the resident evil games may have set new standards for thrills , suspense , and gore for video games , the movie really only succeeds in the third of these .

it all drags on so interminably it 's like watching a miserable relationship unfold in real time .


will amuse and provoke adventurous adults in specialty venues .


the movie , directed by mick jackson , leaves no cliche unturned , from the predictable plot to the characters straight out of central casting .


a must-see for the david mamet enthusiast and for anyone who appreciates intelligent , stylish moviemaking .


every nanosecond of the the new guy reminds you that you could be doing something else far more pleasurable .

here 's yet another studio horror franchise mucking up its storyline with glitches casual fans could correct in their sleep .


so , too , is this comedy about mild culture clashing in today 's new delhi .


a difficult , absorbing film that manages to convey more substance despite its repetitions and inconsistencies than do most films than are far more pointed and clear .

the story and structure are well-honed .


... the movie is just a plain old monster .


with rabbit-proof fence , noyce has tailored an epic tale into a lean , economical movie .

a taut psychological thriller that does n't waste a moment of its two-hour running time .


a broad , melodramatic estrogen opera that 's pretty toxic in its own right .


no way i can believe this load of junk .

this is not the undisputed worst boxing movie ever , but it 's certainly not a champion - the big loser is the audience .


a strangely compelling and brilliantly acted psychological drama .


the iditarod lasts for days - this just felt like it did .

nonsensical , dull `` cyber-horror '' flick is a grim , hollow exercise in flat scares and bad acting .


it is great summer fun to watch arnold and his buddy gerald bounce off a quirky cast of characters .

although german cooking does not come readily to mind when considering the world 's best cuisine , mostly martha could make deutchland a popular destination for hungry tourists .


for the most part , director anne-sophie birot 's first feature is a sensitive , extraordinarily well-acted drama .

the wild thornberrys movie is a jolly surprise .


... is an arthritic attempt at directing by callie khouri .


a good piece of work more often than not .

offers much to enjoy ... and a lot to mull over in terms of love , loyalty and the nature of staying friends .


but the power of these -lrb- subjects -rrb- is obscured by the majority of the film that shows a stationary camera on a subject that could be mistaken for giving a public oration , rather than contributing to a film 's narrative .


trite , banal , cliched , mostly inoffensive .

and when you 're talking about a slapstick comedy , that 's a pretty big problem .


may be far from the best of the series , but it 's assured , wonderfully respectful of its past and thrilling enough to make it abundantly clear that this movie phenomenon has once again reinvented itself for a new generation .


reggio 's continual visual barrage is absorbing as well as thought-provoking .

if you are an actor who can relate to the search for inner peace by dramatically depicting the lives of others onstage , then esther 's story is a compelling quest for truth .


this movie is something of an impostor itself , stretching and padding its material in a blur of dead ends and distracting camera work .


jose campanella delivers a loosely autobiographical story brushed with sentimentality but brimming with gentle humor , bittersweet pathos , and lyric moments that linger like snapshots of memory .


although huppert 's intensity and focus has a raw exhilaration about it , the piano teacher is anything but fun .


a broad , melodramatic estrogen opera that 's pretty toxic in its own right .

it 's clear the filmmakers were n't sure where they wanted their story to go , and even more clear that they lack the skills to get us to this undetermined destination .


with rabbit-proof fence , noyce has tailored an epic tale into a lean , economical movie .


pumpkin takes an admirable look at the hypocrisy of political correctness , but it does so with such an uneven tone that you never know when humor ends and tragedy begins .

with virtually no interesting elements for an audience to focus on , chelsea walls is a triple-espresso endurance challenge .


falls neatly into the category of good stupid fun .


two hours fly by -- opera 's a pleasure when you do n't have to endure intermissions -- and even a novice to the form comes away exhilarated .

what better message than ` love thyself ' could young women of any size receive ?


at its worst , it implodes in a series of very bad special effects .


if you dig on david mamet 's mind tricks ... rent this movie and enjoy !

whether writer-director anne fontaine 's film is a ghost story , an account of a nervous breakdown , a trip down memory lane , all three or none of the above , it is as seductive as it is haunting .


once the 50 year old benigni appears as the title character , we find ourselves longing for the block of wood to come back .


it 's a stunning lyrical work of considerable force and truth .


the film flat lines when it should peak and is more missed opportunity and trifle than dark , decadent truffle .


it 's a grab bag of genres that do n't add up to a whole lot of sense .


candid and comfortable ; a film that deftly balances action and reflection as it lets you grasp and feel the passion others have for their work .


a tv style murder mystery with a few big screen moments -lrb- including one that seems to be made for a different film altogether -rrb- .

shaky close-ups of turkey-on-rolls , stubbly chins , liver spots , red noses and the filmmakers new bobbed do draw easy chuckles but lead nowhere .


nelson 's brutally unsentimental approach ... sucks the humanity from the film , leaving behind an horrific but weirdly unemotional spectacle .


it 's great escapist fun that recreates a place and time that will never happen again .


it offers little beyond the momentary joys of pretty and weightless intellectual entertainment .


true tale of courage -- and complicity -- at auschwitz is a harrowing drama that tries to tell of the unspeakable .


vera 's technical prowess ends up selling his film short ; he smoothes over hard truths even as he uncovers them .


it proves quite compelling as an intense , brooding character study .


this surreal gilliam-esque film is also a troubling interpretation of ecclesiastes .

aside from minor tinkering , this is the same movie you probably loved in 1994 , except that it looks even better .


the piece plays as well as it does thanks in large measure to anspaugh 's three lead actresses .

mr. tsai is a very original artist in his medium , and what time is it there ?


it all drags on so interminably it 's like watching a miserable relationship unfold in real time .


worth watching for dong jie 's performance -- and for the way it documents a culture in the throes of rapid change .


while -lrb- hill -rrb- has learned new tricks , the tricks alone are not enough to salvage this lifeless boxing film .

villeneuve spends too much time wallowing in bibi 's generic angst -lrb- there are a lot of shots of her gazing out windows -rrb- .


first-time writer-director serry shows a remarkable gift for storytelling with this moving , effective little film .


intriguing documentary which is emotionally diluted by focusing on the story 's least interesting subject .


rarely has so much money delivered so little entertainment .


a poignant , artfully crafted meditation on mortality .

a swashbuckling tale of love , betrayal , revenge and above all , faith .


perceptive in its vision of nascent industrialized world politics as a new art form , but far too clunky , didactic and saddled with scenes that seem simply an ill fit for this movie .


a bloated gasbag thesis grotesquely impressed by its own gargantuan aura of self-importance ...


falls neatly into the category of good stupid fun .


the film 's few ideas are stretched to the point of evaporation ; the whole central section is one big chase that seems to have no goal and no urgency .

slapstick buffoonery can tickle many a preschooler 's fancy , but when it costs a family of four about $ 40 to see a film in theaters , why spend money on a dog like this when you can rent a pedigree instead ?


it is great summer fun to watch arnold and his buddy gerald bounce off a quirky cast of characters .


it deserves to be seen by anyone with even a passing interest in the events shaping the world beyond their own horizons .

ramsay , as in ratcatcher , remains a filmmaker with an acid viewpoint and a real gift for teasing chilly poetry out of lives and settings that might otherwise seem drab and sordid .


puts a human face on a land most westerners are unfamiliar with .

two hours fly by -- opera 's a pleasure when you do n't have to endure intermissions -- and even a novice to the form comes away exhilarated .


the overall effect is less like a children 's movie than a recruitment film for future hollywood sellouts .


may be far from the best of the series , but it 's assured , wonderfully respectful of its past and thrilling enough to make it abundantly clear that this movie phenomenon has once again reinvented itself for a new generation .

the characters are interesting and often very creatively constructed from figure to backstory .


all that 's missing is the spontaneity , originality and delight .


by getting myself wrapped up in the visuals and eccentricities of many of the characters , i found myself confused when it came time to get to the heart of the movie .

for all its impressive craftsmanship , and despite an overbearing series of third-act crescendos , lily chou-chou never really builds up a head of emotional steam .


dense with characters and contains some thrilling moments .


intriguing documentary which is emotionally diluted by focusing on the story 's least interesting subject .

you do n't have to know about music to appreciate the film 's easygoing blend of comedy and romance .


if you 've ever entertained the notion of doing what the title of this film implies , what sex with strangers actually shows may put you off the idea forever .


a pleasant enough romance with intellectual underpinnings , the kind of movie that entertains even as it turns maddeningly predictable .


does little more than play an innocuous game of fill-in - the-blanks with a tragic past .

in the end , the movie collapses on its shaky foundation despite the best efforts of director joe carnahan .


mr. tsai is a very original artist in his medium , and what time is it there ?


a must-see for the david mamet enthusiast and for anyone who appreciates intelligent , stylish moviemaking .

and that 's a big part of why we go to the movies .


it appears that something has been lost in the translation to the screen .


the characters are interesting and often very creatively constructed from figure to backstory .

jose campanella delivers a loosely autobiographical story brushed with sentimentality but brimming with gentle humor , bittersweet pathos , and lyric moments that linger like snapshots of memory .


and when you 're talking about a slapstick comedy , that 's a pretty big problem .


here 's yet another studio horror franchise mucking up its storyline with glitches casual fans could correct in their sleep .

it all drags on so interminably it 's like watching a miserable relationship unfold in real time .


good old-fashioned slash-and-hack is back !


instead of hiding pinocchio from critics , miramax should have hidden it from everyone .

because of an unnecessary and clumsy last scene , ` swimfan ' left me with a very bad feeling .


two hours fly by -- opera 's a pleasure when you do n't have to endure intermissions -- and even a novice to the form comes away exhilarated .


the characters are interesting and often very creatively constructed from figure to backstory .


i am sorry that i was unable to get the full brunt of the comedy .


uses high comedy to evoke surprising poignance .

vera 's three actors -- mollà , gil and bardem -- excel in insightful , empathetic performances .


this movie is something of an impostor itself , stretching and padding its material in a blur of dead ends and distracting camera work .


this is a shameless sham , calculated to cash in on the popularity of its stars .

what the director ca n't do is make either of val kilmer 's two personas interesting or worth caring about .


the vivid lead performances sustain interest and empathy , but the journey is far more interesting than the final destination .


it takes talent to make a lifeless movie about the most heinous man who ever lived .

comes ... uncomfortably close to coasting in the treads of the bicycle thief .


even if you do n't think -lrb- kissinger 's -rrb- any more guilty of criminal activity than most contemporary statesmen , he 'd sure make a courtroom trial great fun to watch .

intriguing documentary which is emotionally diluted by focusing on the story 's least interesting subject .


every dance becomes about seduction , where backstabbing and betrayals are celebrated , and sex is currency .


it proves quite compelling as an intense , brooding character study .

holm ... embodies the character with an effortlessly regal charisma .


the moviegoing equivalent of going to a dinner party and being forced to watch the host and hostess 's home video of their baby 's birth .


... a magnificent drama well worth tracking down .

whether writer-director anne fontaine 's film is a ghost story , an account of a nervous breakdown , a trip down memory lane , all three or none of the above , it is as seductive as it is haunting .


verbinski implements every hack-artist trick to give us the ooky-spookies .


a tender , witty , captivating film about friendship , love , memory , trust and loyalty .

it has charm to spare , and unlike many romantic comedies , it does not alienate either gender in the audience .


indifferently implausible popcorn programmer of a movie .


it 's difficult to imagine the process that produced such a script , but here 's guessing that spray cheese and underarm noises played a crucial role .

a valueless kiddie paean to pro basketball underwritten by the nba .


sade is an engaging look at the controversial eponymous and fiercely atheistic hero .


the terrific and bewilderingly underrated campbell scott gives a star performance that is nothing short of mesmerizing .


however it may please those who love movies that blare with pop songs , young science fiction fans will stomp away in disgust .


there is n't nearly enough fun here , despite the presence of some appealing ingredients .

detox is ultimately a pointless endeavor .


jason x is positively anti-darwinian : nine sequels and 400 years later , the teens are none the wiser and jason still kills on auto-pilot .

it 's difficult to imagine the process that produced such a script , but here 's guessing that spray cheese and underarm noises played a crucial role .


if steven soderbergh 's ` solaris ' is a failure it is a glorious failure .


visually imaginative , thematically instructive and thoroughly delightful , it takes us on a roller-coaster ride from innocence to experience without even a hint of that typical kiddie-flick sentimentality .

puts a human face on a land most westerners are unfamiliar with .


it all drags on so interminably it 's like watching a miserable relationship unfold in real time .


this is human comedy at its most amusing , interesting and confirming .

one of the most significant moviegoing pleasures of the year .


when leguizamo finally plugged an irritating character late in the movie .


this is not the undisputed worst boxing movie ever , but it 's certainly not a champion - the big loser is the audience .

shaky close-ups of turkey-on-rolls , stubbly chins , liver spots , red noses and the filmmakers new bobbed do draw easy chuckles but lead nowhere .


although german cooking does not come readily to mind when considering the world 's best cuisine , mostly martha could make deutchland a popular destination for hungry tourists .


a swashbuckling tale of love , betrayal , revenge and above all , faith .


the moviegoing equivalent of going to a dinner party and being forced to watch the host and hostess 's home video of their baby 's birth .


every time you look , sweet home alabama is taking another bummer of a wrong turn .

the humor is forced and heavy-handed , and occasionally simply unpleasant .


not only is undercover brother as funny , if not more so , than both austin powers films , but it 's also one of the smarter , savvier spoofs to come along in some time .


manages to show life in all of its banality when the intention is quite the opposite .

there is n't nearly enough fun here , despite the presence of some appealing ingredients .


you do n't have to know about music to appreciate the film 's easygoing blend of comedy and romance .


an unclassifiably awful study in self - and audience-abuse .

the movie , directed by mick jackson , leaves no cliche unturned , from the predictable plot to the characters straight out of central casting .


blanchett 's performance confirms her power once again .


a big , gorgeous , sprawling swashbuckler that delivers its diversions in grand , uncomplicated fashion .


i do n't think i laughed out loud once .


... nothing scary here except for some awful acting and lame special effects .

this is not the undisputed worst boxing movie ever , but it 's certainly not a champion - the big loser is the audience .


it proves quite compelling as an intense , brooding character study .


whether writer-director anne fontaine 's film is a ghost story , an account of a nervous breakdown , a trip down memory lane , all three or none of the above , it is as seductive as it is haunting .

so , too , is this comedy about mild culture clashing in today 's new delhi .


the piquant story needs more dramatic meat on its bones .


the so-inept - it 's - surreal dubbing -lrb- featuring the voices of glenn close , regis philbin and breckin meyer -rrb- brings back memories of cheesy old godzilla flicks .

but the power of these -lrb- subjects -rrb- is obscured by the majority of the film that shows a stationary camera on a subject that could be mistaken for giving a public oration , rather than contributing to a film 's narrative .


it is great summer fun to watch arnold and his buddy gerald bounce off a quirky cast of characters .


manages to be both repulsively sadistic and mundane .

american chai encourages rueful laughter at stereotypes only an indian-american would recognize .


but it 's too long and too convoluted and it ends in a muddle .

the story and the friendship proceeds in such a way that you 're watching a soap opera rather than a chronicle of the ups and downs that accompany lifelong friendships .


the film is quiet , threatening and unforgettable .


fresnadillo 's dark and jolting images have a way of plying into your subconscious like the nightmare you had a week ago that wo n't go away .

but taken as a stylish and energetic one-shot , the queen of the damned can not be said to suck .


hit and miss as far as the comedy goes and a big ole ' miss in the way of story .


it 's a work by an artist so in control of both his medium and his message that he can improvise like a jazzman .

having had the good sense to cast actors who are , generally speaking , adored by the movie-going public , khouri then gets terrific performances from them all .


in the end , the movie collapses on its shaky foundation despite the best efforts of director joe carnahan .


it 's another video movie photographed like a film , with the bad lighting that 's often written off as indie film naturalism .

this is a shameless sham , calculated to cash in on the popularity of its stars .


a beguiling splash of pastel colors and prankish comedy from disney .


some of their jokes work , but most fail miserably and in the end , pumpkin is far more offensive than it is funny .

every time you look , sweet home alabama is taking another bummer of a wrong turn .


bennett 's naturalistic performance speaks volumes more truth than any ` reality ' show , and anybody contemplating their own drastic life changes should watch some body first .


the story and the friendship proceeds in such a way that you 're watching a soap opera rather than a chronicle of the ups and downs that accompany lifelong friendships .

the heavy-handed film is almost laughable as a consequence .


the film 's welcome breeziness and some unbelievably hilarious moments -- most portraying the idiocy of the film industry -- make it mostly worth the trip .


the notion that bombing buildings is the funniest thing in the world goes entirely unexamined in this startlingly unfunny comedy .

made with no discernible craft and monstrously sanctimonious in dealing with childhood loss .


despite the 2-d animation , the wild thornberrys movie makes for a surprisingly cinematic experience .

if you dig on david mamet 's mind tricks ... rent this movie and enjoy !


tries to add some spice to its quirky sentiments but the taste is all too familiar .


every dance becomes about seduction , where backstabbing and betrayals are celebrated , and sex is currency .

dull , lifeless , and amateurishly assembled .


a difficult , absorbing film that manages to convey more substance despite its repetitions and inconsistencies than do most films than are far more pointed and clear .


the movie , directed by mick jackson , leaves no cliche unturned , from the predictable plot to the characters straight out of central casting .

detox is ultimately a pointless endeavor .


it 's a stunning lyrical work of considerable force and truth .


whether you like rap music or loathe it , you ca n't deny either the tragic loss of two young men in the prime of their talent or the power of this movie .

if steven soderbergh 's ` solaris ' is a failure it is a glorious failure .


scooby dooby doo \/ and shaggy too \/ you both look and sound great .


i can take infantile humor ... but this is the sort of infantile that makes you wonder about changing the director and writer 's diapers .


the humor is forced and heavy-handed , and occasionally simply unpleasant .

impostor has a handful of thrilling moments and a couple of good performances , but the movie does n't quite fly .


a rarity among recent iranian films : it 's a comedy full of gentle humor that chides the absurdity of its protagonist 's plight .


i thought my own watch had stopped keeping time as i slogged my way through clockstoppers .


whether writer-director anne fontaine 's film is a ghost story , an account of a nervous breakdown , a trip down memory lane , all three or none of the above , it is as seductive as it is haunting .


aside from minor tinkering , this is the same movie you probably loved in 1994 , except that it looks even better .


hit and miss as far as the comedy goes and a big ole ' miss in the way of story .


but taken as a stylish and energetic one-shot , the queen of the damned can not be said to suck .

affleck and jackson are good sparring partners .


indifferently implausible popcorn programmer of a movie .


a taut psychological thriller that does n't waste a moment of its two-hour running time .

-lrb- a -rrb- n utterly charming and hilarious film that reminded me of the best of the disney comedies from the 60s .


a valueless kiddie paean to pro basketball underwritten by the nba .


although german cooking does not come readily to mind when considering the world 's best cuisine , mostly martha could make deutchland a popular destination for hungry tourists .

the movie does a good job of laying out some of the major issues that we encounter as we journey through life .


this is a shameless sham , calculated to cash in on the popularity of its stars .


holm ... embodies the character with an effortlessly regal charisma .

a beguiling splash of pastel colors and prankish comedy from disney .


it all drags on so interminably it 's like watching a miserable relationship unfold in real time .


scooby dooby doo \/ and shaggy too \/ you both look and sound great .

but taken as a stylish and energetic one-shot , the queen of the damned can not be said to suck .


it 's another video movie photographed like a film , with the bad lighting that 's often written off as indie film naturalism .


it takes a certain kind of horror movie to qualify as ` worse than expected , ' but ghost ship somehow manages to do exactly that .


scooby dooby doo \/ and shaggy too \/ you both look and sound great .


it feels like an after-school special gussied up with some fancy special effects , and watching its rote plot points connect is about as exciting as gazing at an egg timer for 93 minutes .

the overall effect is less like a children 's movie than a recruitment film for future hollywood sellouts .


the performances take the movie to a higher level .


it 's dumb , but more importantly , it 's just not scary .

even with a green mohawk and a sheet of fire-red flame tattoos covering his shoulder , however , kilmer seems to be posing , rather than acting .


the structure the film takes may find matt damon and ben affleck once again looking for residuals as this officially completes a good will hunting trilogy that was never planned .


if you are an actor who can relate to the search for inner peace by dramatically depicting the lives of others onstage , then esther 's story is a compelling quest for truth .


... a hollow joke told by a cinematic gymnast having too much fun embellishing the misanthropic tale to actually engage it .


even with a green mohawk and a sheet of fire-red flame tattoos covering his shoulder , however , kilmer seems to be posing , rather than acting .

when leguizamo finally plugged an irritating character late in the movie .


worth watching for dong jie 's performance -- and for the way it documents a culture in the throes of rapid change .


has a lot of the virtues of eastwood at his best .

whether writer-director anne fontaine 's film is a ghost story , an account of a nervous breakdown , a trip down memory lane , all three or none of the above , it is as seductive as it is haunting .


ultimately feels empty and unsatisfying , like swallowing a communion wafer without the wine .

it 's a grab bag of genres that do n't add up to a whole lot of sense .


a taut psychological thriller that does n't waste a moment of its two-hour running time .


his last movie was poetically romantic and full of indelible images , but his latest has nothing going for it .

feels haphazard , as if the writers mistakenly thought they could achieve an air of frantic spontaneity by simply tossing in lots of characters doing silly stuff and stirring the pot .


broomfield turns his distinctive ` blundering ' style into something that could really help clear up the case .


if steven soderbergh 's ` solaris ' is a failure it is a glorious failure .


i do n't think i laughed out loud once .