... -lrb- a -rrb- strained comedy that jettisons all opportunities for rock to make his mark by serving up the usual chaotic nonsense .


the film 's real appeal wo n't be to clooney fans or adventure buffs , but to moviegoers who enjoy thinking about compelling questions with no easy answers .


the powers team has fashioned a comedy with more laughs than many , no question .


this is a particularly toxic little bonbon , palatable to only a chosen and very jaundiced few .


if melville is creatively a great whale , this film is canned tuna .


only an epic documentary could get it all down , and spike lee 's jim brown : all american at long last gives its subject a movie worthy of his talents .


the editing is chaotic , the photography grainy and badly focused , the writing unintentionally hilarious , the direction unfocused , the performances as wooden .

a great ending does n't make up for a weak movie , and crazy as hell does n't even have a great ending .


this film is so slick , superficial and trend-hoppy , that it 's easy to imagine that a new software program spit out the screenplay .


it 's amazingly perceptive in its subtle , supportive but unsentimental look at the marks family .


a love for films shines through each frame and the era is recreated with obvious affection , scored to perfection with some tasty boogaloo beats .

this is a raw and disturbing tale that took five years to make , and the trio 's absorbing narrative is a heart-wrenching showcase indeed .


... a weak , manipulative , pencil-thin story that is miraculously able to entertain anyway .


there 's an audience for it , but it could have been funnier and more innocent .

if you 're looking for comedy to be served up , better look elsewhere .


it 's hard not to be seduced by -lrb- witherspoon 's -rrb- charisma , even in this run-of-the-mill vehicle , because this girl knows how to drive it to the max .


and if the hours wins ` best picture ' i just might .

subversive , meditative , clinical and poetic , the piano teacher is a daring work of genius .


but hard-to-believe plot twists force the movie off track in its final half hour .


the angst-ridden , affluent slacker characters are more grating than engaging .


this version incarnates the prophetic book in a way even its exacting author might admire .


it 's getting harder and harder to ignore the fact that hollywood is n't laughing with us , folks .

being author wells ' great-grandson , you 'd think filmmaker simon wells would have more reverence for the material .


the movie has an avalanche of eye-popping visual effects .

and if the hours wins ` best picture ' i just might .


christians sensitive to a reductionist view of their lord as a luv-spreading dr. feelgood or omnipotent slacker will feel vastly more affronted than secularists , who might even praise god for delivering such an instant camp classic .

the film hinges on its performances , and both leads are up to the task .


credibility sinks into a mire of sentiment .


i enjoyed the ride -lrb- bumps and all -rrb- , creamy depth , and ultimate theme .

the cast is uniformly excellent and relaxed .


others may find it migraine-inducing , despite moore 's attempts at whimsy and spoon feeding .


sucking all the ` classic ' out of robert louis stevenson 's treasure island and filling the void with sci-fi video game graphics and disney-fied adolescent angst ...


intriguing and beautiful film , but those of you who read the book are likely to be disappointed .


the vampire thriller blade ii starts off as a wild hoot and then sucks the blood out of its fun -- toward the end , you can feel your veins cringing from the workout .


from spiritual rebirth to bruising defeat , vincent 's odyssey resonates in a profound way , comparable to the classic films of jean renoir .


it wo n't be long before you 'll spy i spy at a video store near you .


this road movie gives you emotional whiplash , and you 'll be glad you went along for the ride .


the people in dogtown and z-boys are so funny , aggressive and alive , you have to watch them because you ca n't wait to see what they do next .

this is such a dazzlingly self-assured directorial debut that it 's hard to know what to praise first .


i wish i could say `` thank god it 's friday '' , but the truth of the matter is i was glad when it was over .


offers enough playful fun to entertain the preschool set while embracing a wholesome attitude .


the character is too forced and overwritten to be funny or believable much of the time , and clayburgh does n't always improve the over-the-top mix .


while benigni -lrb- who stars and co-wrote -rrb- seems to be having a wonderful time , he might be alone in that .


if it 's possible for a sequel to outshine the original , then sl2 does just that .


without a strong script and energetic acting , dogma films can produce the same sleep-inducing effects as watching your neighbor 's home videos .

this film is so slick , superficial and trend-hoppy , that it 's easy to imagine that a new software program spit out the screenplay .


a lighthearted , feel-good film that embraces the time-honored truth that the most powerful thing in life is love .


while mcfarlane 's animation lifts the film firmly above the level of other coming-of-age films ... it 's also so jarring that it 's hard to get back into the boys ' story .

watching the film is like reading a times portrait of grief that keeps shifting focus to the journalist who wrote it .


those outside show business will enjoy a close look at people they do n't really want to know .


men in black ii has sequel-itis something fierce .


... a polished and relatively sincere piece of escapism .


two generations within one family test boundaries in this intelligent and restrained coming-of-age drama .

-lrb- davis -rrb- has a bright , chipper style that keeps things moving , while never quite managing to connect her wish-fulfilling characters to the human race .


dazzling and sugar-sweet , a blast of shallow magnificence that only sex , scandal , and a chorus line of dangerous damsels can deliver .

smith 's approach is never to tease , except gently and in that way that makes us consider our own eccentricities and how they are expressed through our homes .


a harmless and mildly amusing family comedy .

while not as aggressively impressive as its american counterpart , `` in the bedroom , '' moretti 's film makes its own , quieter observations


a hideous , confusing spectacle , one that may well put the nail in the coffin of any future rice adaptations .


another rent installment for the ian fleming estate .

i watched the brainless insanity of no such thing with mounting disbelief .


reign of fire may be little more than another platter of reheated aliens , but it 's still pretty tasty .


moore 's performance impresses almost as much as her work with haynes in 1995 's safe .

a picture that extols the virtues of comradeship and community in a spunky , spirited fashion .


suffers from rambling , repetitive dialogue and the visual drabness endemic to digital video .


the weight of water uses water as a metaphor for subconscious desire , but this leaky script barely stays afloat .

this is a particularly toxic little bonbon , palatable to only a chosen and very jaundiced few .


chicago is sophisticated , brash , sardonic , completely joyful in its execution .


i admired it , particularly that unexpected downer of an ending .

this is a raw and disturbing tale that took five years to make , and the trio 's absorbing narrative is a heart-wrenching showcase indeed .


plays less like a coming-of-age romance than an infomercial .


a boring , formulaic mix of serial killers and stalk 'n' slash .

if you 're not the target demographic ... this movie is one long chick-flick slog .


a film that takes you inside the rhythms of its subject : you experience it as you watch .


what will , most likely , turn out to be the most repellent movie of 2002 .

julia is played with exasperating blandness by laura regan .


though the violence is far less sadistic than usual , the film is typical miike : fast , furious and full of off-the-cuff imaginative flourishes .


a soggy , cliche-bound epic-horror yarn that ends up being even dumber than its title .

the title 's lameness should clue you in on how bad the movie is .


as shaky as the plot is , kaufman 's script is still memorable for some great one-liners .


even with all those rough edges safely sanded down , the american insomnia is still pretty darned good .

the comic performances are all spot on , especially lee ross 's turn as ken .


if you 're like me , a sucker for a good old fashion romance and someone who shamelessly loves to eat , then mostly martha offers all the perfect ingredients to more than satisfy your appetite .

though it is by no means his best work , laissez-passer is a distinguished and distinctive effort by a bona-fide master , a fascinating film replete with rewards to be had by all willing to make the effort to reap them .


might have been better off as a documentary , with less of mr. eyre 's uninspired dramatics and more of his sense of observation and outrage .


but the characters tend to be cliches whose lives are never fully explored .

it 's fairly self-aware in its dumbness .


despite some gulps the film is a fuzzy huggy .


sensitive , insightful and beautifully rendered film .


you 're better off staying home and watching the x-files .


the film hinges on its performances , and both leads are up to the task .

much of the way , though , this is a refreshingly novel ride .


birot is a competent enough filmmaker , but her story has nothing fresh or very exciting about it .


there 's a disreputable air about the whole thing , and that 's what makes it irresistible .

from spiritual rebirth to bruising defeat , vincent 's odyssey resonates in a profound way , comparable to the classic films of jean renoir .


-lrb- two -rrb- fairly dull -- contrasting and interlocking stories about miserable scandinavian settlers in 18th-century canada , and yuppie sailboaters in the here and now .


it 's badly acted , blandly directed , and could have been scripted by someone who just graduated from elementary school .

say this for the soundtrack , it drowns out the lousy dialogue .


but in imax 3-d , the clichés disappear into the vertiginous perspectives opened up by the photography .


reign of fire may be little more than another platter of reheated aliens , but it 's still pretty tasty .

a taut , intelligent psychological drama .


while benigni -lrb- who stars and co-wrote -rrb- seems to be having a wonderful time , he might be alone in that .


it 's hard to tell with all the crashing and banging where the salesmanship ends and the movie begins .

the saturation bombing of reggio 's images and glass ' evocative music ... ultimately leaves viewers with the task of divining meaning .


and if the hours wins ` best picture ' i just might .


behind the snow games and lovable siberian huskies -lrb- plus one sheep dog -rrb- , the picture hosts a parka-wrapped dose of heart .

an amusing , breezily apolitical documentary about life on the campaign trail .


collateral damage is , despite its alleged provocation post-9 \/ 11 , an antique , in the end .


the two leads are almost good enough to camouflage the dopey plot , but so much naturalistic small talk , delivered in almost muffled exchanges , eventually has a lulling effect .


a deliciously mordant , bitter black comedy .


it 's a bittersweet and lyrical mix of elements .

has a shambling charm ... a cheerfully inconsequential diversion .


a hideous , confusing spectacle , one that may well put the nail in the coffin of any future rice adaptations .


with a story inspired by the tumultuous surroundings of los angeles , where feelings of marginalization loom for every dreamer with a burst bubble , the dogwalker has a few characters and ideas , but it never manages to put them on the same path .

being author wells ' great-grandson , you 'd think filmmaker simon wells would have more reverence for the material .


thurman and lewis are hilarious throughout .


a highly intriguing thriller , coupled with some ingenious plot devices and some lavishly built settings . .

though the controversial korean filmmaker 's latest effort is not for all tastes , it offers gorgeous imagery , effective performances , and an increasingly unsettling sense of foreboding .


these are names to remember , in order to avoid them in the future .

just like hearst 's enormous yacht , it 's slow and unwieldy and takes a long time to reach its destination .


this is a film brimming with detail and nuance and one that speaks volumes about the ability of the human spirit to find solace in events that could easily crush it forever .


does what a fine documentary does best : it extends a warm invitation into an unfamiliar world , then illuminates it fully and allows the larger implications of the journey to sink in unobtrusively .

in the process , they demonstrate that there 's still a lot of life in hong kong cinema .


the smug , oily demeanor that donovan adopts throughout the stupidly named pipe dream is just repulsive .


a clutchy , indulgent and pretentious travelogue and diatribe against ... well , just stuff .


occasionally funny , always very colorful and enjoyably overblown in the traditional almodóvar style .

you might not want to hang out with samantha , but you 'll probably see a bit of yourself in her unfinished story .


-lrb- t -rrb- hose same extremes prevent us from taking its message seriously , and the stepford wives mentality does n't work in a modern context .


an exciting and involving rock music doc , a smart and satisfying look inside that tumultuous world .


this is a particularly toxic little bonbon , palatable to only a chosen and very jaundiced few .

another rent installment for the ian fleming estate .


flavorful and romantic , you could call this how martha got her groove back -- assuming , that is , she ever had one to begin with .


this bold and lyrical first feature from raja amari expands the pat notion that middle-aged women just wanna have fun into a rousing treatise of sensual empowerment .

if you 're like me , a sucker for a good old fashion romance and someone who shamelessly loves to eat , then mostly martha offers all the perfect ingredients to more than satisfy your appetite .


it 's badly acted , blandly directed , and could have been scripted by someone who just graduated from elementary school .


a sensual performance from abbass buoys the flimsy story , but her inner journey is largely unexplored and we 're left wondering about this exotic-looking woman whose emotional depths are only hinted at .

this is as powerful a set of evidence as you 'll ever find of why art matters , and how it can resonate far beyond museum walls and through to the most painfully marginal lives .


sucking all the ` classic ' out of robert louis stevenson 's treasure island and filling the void with sci-fi video game graphics and disney-fied adolescent angst ...


... a weak , manipulative , pencil-thin story that is miraculously able to entertain anyway .


a lighthearted , feel-good film that embraces the time-honored truth that the most powerful thing in life is love .

an enchanting film that presents an audacious tour of the past and takes within its warm embrace the bounties of cultural artifacts inside st. petersburg 's hermitage museum .


a great ending does n't make up for a weak movie , and crazy as hell does n't even have a great ending .


life is a crock -- or something like it .

lacks heart , depth and , most of all , purpose .


while not as aggressively impressive as its american counterpart , `` in the bedroom , '' moretti 's film makes its own , quieter observations


a deliciously mordant , bitter black comedy .

maguire is a surprisingly effective peter\/spider-man .


` enigma ' is a good name for a movie this delibrately obtuse and unapproachable .


murder by numbers is like a couple of mediocre tv-movie - of-the-week films clumsily stuck together .

you 're better off staying home and watching the x-files .


the film hinges on its performances , and both leads are up to the task .


this is a raw and disturbing tale that took five years to make , and the trio 's absorbing narrative is a heart-wrenching showcase indeed .

this is such a dazzlingly self-assured directorial debut that it 's hard to know what to praise first .


has a shambling charm ... a cheerfully inconsequential diversion .

a harmless and mildly amusing family comedy .


... a haunting vision , with images that seem more like disturbing hallucinations .


-lrb- but it 's -rrb- worth recommending because of two marvelous performances by michael caine and brendan fraser .


being author wells ' great-grandson , you 'd think filmmaker simon wells would have more reverence for the material .

the title 's lameness should clue you in on how bad the movie is .


ms. fulford-wierzbicki is almost spooky in her sulky , calculating lolita turn .


like its two predecessors , 1983 's koyaanisqatsi and 1988 's powaqqatsi , the cinematic collage naqoyqatsi could be the most navel-gazing film ever .

a clutchy , indulgent and pretentious travelogue and diatribe against ... well , just stuff .


though the controversial korean filmmaker 's latest effort is not for all tastes , it offers gorgeous imagery , effective performances , and an increasingly unsettling sense of foreboding .


proof that a thriller can be sleekly shot , expertly cast , paced with crisp professionalism ... and still be a letdown if its twists and turns hold no more surprise than yesterday 's weather report .

it 's so underwritten that you ca n't figure out just where the other characters , including ana 's father and grandfather , come down on the issue of ana 's future .


what it lacks in originality it makes up for in intelligence and b-grade stylishness .

leave it to rohmer , now 82 , to find a way to bend current technique to the service of a vision of the past that is faithful to both architectural glories and commanding open spaces of the city as it was more than two centuries ago .


if this dud had been made in the '70s , it would have been called the hills have antlers and played for about three weeks in drive-ins .


anyone who can count to five -lrb- the film 's target market ? -rrb-

the vampire thriller blade ii starts off as a wild hoot and then sucks the blood out of its fun -- toward the end , you can feel your veins cringing from the workout .


and in this regard , on guard delivers .


if there 's a way to effectively teach kids about the dangers of drugs , i think it 's in projects like the -lrb- unfortunately r-rated -rrb- paid .

while the isle is both preposterous and thoroughly misogynistic , its vistas are incredibly beautiful to look at .


proof that a thriller can be sleekly shot , expertly cast , paced with crisp professionalism ... and still be a letdown if its twists and turns hold no more surprise than yesterday 's weather report .


if it 's possible for a sequel to outshine the original , then sl2 does just that .

i whole-heartedly recommend that everyone see this movie -- for its historical significance alone .


say this for the soundtrack , it drowns out the lousy dialogue .


nearly surreal , dabbling in french , this is no simple movie , and you 'll be taking a risk if you choose to see it .


while not all transitions to adulthood are so fraught , there 's much truth and no small amount of poetry in girls ca n't swim .


the tenderness of the piece is still intact .

a distant , even sterile , yet compulsively watchable look at the sordid life of hogan 's heroes star bob crane .


the impact of the armenian genocide is diluted by too much stage business in the modern day .


like those to rome , all roads in the banger sisters inevitably lead to a joke about hawn 's breasts , which constantly threaten to upstage the woman sporting them .

watching the film is like reading a times portrait of grief that keeps shifting focus to the journalist who wrote it .


behind the snow games and lovable siberian huskies -lrb- plus one sheep dog -rrb- , the picture hosts a parka-wrapped dose of heart .


the movie exists for its soccer action and its fine acting .


a taut , intelligent psychological drama .

moore 's performance impresses almost as much as her work with haynes in 1995 's safe .


this time kaufman 's imagination has failed him .


leave it to rohmer , now 82 , to find a way to bend current technique to the service of a vision of the past that is faithful to both architectural glories and commanding open spaces of the city as it was more than two centuries ago .

hilarious , touching and wonderfully dyspeptic .


a soggy , cliche-bound epic-horror yarn that ends up being even dumber than its title .


zhang yimou delivers warm , genuine characters who lie not through dishonesty , but because they genuinely believe it 's the only way to bring happiness to their loved ones .

-lrb- davis -rrb- has a bright , chipper style that keeps things moving , while never quite managing to connect her wish-fulfilling characters to the human race .


this film is so slick , superficial and trend-hoppy , that it 's easy to imagine that a new software program spit out the screenplay .


whether seen on a 10-inch television screen or at your local multiplex , the edge-of-your-seat , educational antics of steve irwin are priceless entertainment .

this cuddly sequel to the 1999 hit is a little more visually polished , a little funnier , and a little more madcap .


birot is a competent enough filmmaker , but her story has nothing fresh or very exciting about it .


reign of fire may be little more than another platter of reheated aliens , but it 's still pretty tasty .


the character is too forced and overwritten to be funny or believable much of the time , and clayburgh does n't always improve the over-the-top mix .

a clutchy , indulgent and pretentious travelogue and diatribe against ... well , just stuff .


an amusing , breezily apolitical documentary about life on the campaign trail .


strong setup and ambitious goals fade as the film descends into unsophisticated scare tactics and b-film thuggery .

could the whole plan here have been to produce something that makes fatal attraction look like a classic by comparison ?


everything you loved about it in 1982 is still there , for everybody who wants to be a kid again , or show it to their own kids .


-lrb- newton -rrb- wanders through charlie completely unaware she needs to show some presence and star quality .


sensitive , insightful and beautifully rendered film .


the best you can say about it is it 's so uninspired , it barely gives one pause when considering some of the other dreck out there right now .


sensitive , insightful and beautifully rendered film .

by presenting an impossible romance in an impossible world , pumpkin dares us to say why either is impossible -- which forces us to confront what 's possible and what we might do to make it so .


we miss the quirky amazement that used to come along for an integral part of the ride .


-lrb- davis -rrb- has a bright , chipper style that keeps things moving , while never quite managing to connect her wish-fulfilling characters to the human race .

you might not want to hang out with samantha , but you 'll probably see a bit of yourself in her unfinished story .


i doubt anyone will remember the picture by the time christmas really rolls around , but maybe it 'll be on video by then .


i wish i could say `` thank god it 's friday '' , but the truth of the matter is i was glad when it was over .

despite the premise of a good story ... it wastes all its star power on cliched or meaningless roles .


while the isle is both preposterous and thoroughly misogynistic , its vistas are incredibly beautiful to look at .


an absorbing trip into the minds and motivations of people under stress as well as a keen , unsentimental look at variations on the theme of motherhood .

a candid and often fascinating documentary about a pentecostal church in dallas that assembles an elaborate haunted house each year to scare teenagers into attending services .


might have been better off as a documentary , with less of mr. eyre 's uninspired dramatics and more of his sense of observation and outrage .


could the whole plan here have been to produce something that makes fatal attraction look like a classic by comparison ?

pumpkin sits in a patch somewhere between mirthless todd solondzian satire and callow student film .


with youthful high spirits , tautou remains captivating throughout michele 's religious and romantic quests , and she is backed by a likable cast .


much of the way , though , this is a refreshingly novel ride .

two generations within one family test boundaries in this intelligent and restrained coming-of-age drama .


` enigma ' is a good name for a movie this delibrately obtuse and unapproachable .


it 's amazingly perceptive in its subtle , supportive but unsentimental look at the marks family .


if you 're looking for comedy to be served up , better look elsewhere .


a richly imagined and admirably mature work from a gifted director who definitely has something on his mind .

an experience so engrossing it is like being buried in a new environment .


a pro-fat farce that overcomes much of its excessive moral baggage thanks to two appealing lead performances .

moore 's performance impresses almost as much as her work with haynes in 1995 's safe .


... a weak , manipulative , pencil-thin story that is miraculously able to entertain anyway .


a candid and often fascinating documentary about a pentecostal church in dallas that assembles an elaborate haunted house each year to scare teenagers into attending services .

the film hinges on its performances , and both leads are up to the task .


ritchie 's treatment of the class reversal is majorly ham-fisted , from the repetitive manifestos that keep getting thrown in people 's faces to the fact amber is such a joke .


but it offers plenty to ponder and chew on as its unusual relationship slowly unfolds .


harsh , effective documentary on life in the israeli-occupied palestinian territories .

it 's -lrb- ricci 's -rrb- best work yet , this girl-woman who sincerely believes she can thwart the world 's misery with blind good will .


subversive , meditative , clinical and poetic , the piano teacher is a daring work of genius .

zhang yimou delivers warm , genuine characters who lie not through dishonesty , but because they genuinely believe it 's the only way to bring happiness to their loved ones .


egoyan 's movie is too complicated to sustain involvement , and , if you 'll excuse a little critical heresy , too intellectually ambitious .


theirs is a simple and heart-warming story , full of mirth that should charm all but the most cynical .

well-written , nicely acted and beautifully shot and scored , the film works on several levels , openly questioning social mores while ensnaring the audience with its emotional pull .


the weight of water uses water as a metaphor for subconscious desire , but this leaky script barely stays afloat .


a great ending does n't make up for a weak movie , and crazy as hell does n't even have a great ending .

the smug , oily demeanor that donovan adopts throughout the stupidly named pipe dream is just repulsive .


the result is mesmerizing -- filled with menace and squalor .


the acting is stiff , the story lacks all trace of wit , the sets look like they were borrowed from gilligan 's island -- and the cgi scooby might well be the worst special-effects creation of the year .


i kept thinking over and over again , ' i should be enjoying this . '

one hour photo is an intriguing snapshot of one man and his delusions ; it 's just too bad it does n't have more flashes of insight .


a taut , intelligent psychological drama .


this self-infatuated goofball is far from the only thing wrong with the clumsy comedy stealing harvard , but he 's the most obvious one .

guided more by intellect than heart , his story flattens instead of sharpens .


whether seen on a 10-inch television screen or at your local multiplex , the edge-of-your-seat , educational antics of steve irwin are priceless entertainment .


its underlying mythology is a hodgepodge of inconsistencies that pose the question : since when did dumb entertainment have to be this dumb ?

unfortunately , the picture failed to capture me .


kinnear gives a tremendous performance .


moore 's complex and important film is also , believe it or not , immensely entertaining , a david and goliath story that 's still very much playing itself out .

only an epic documentary could get it all down , and spike lee 's jim brown : all american at long last gives its subject a movie worthy of his talents .


it 's so underwritten that you ca n't figure out just where the other characters , including ana 's father and grandfather , come down on the issue of ana 's future .


do n't expect any surprises in this checklist of teamwork cliches ...

if you 're not the target demographic ... this movie is one long chick-flick slog .


a tough go , but leigh 's depth and rigor , and his skill at inspiring accomplished portrayals that are all the more impressive for their lack of showiness , offsets to a notable degree the film 's often-mined and despairing milieu .


sunshine state lacks the kind of dynamic that limbo offers , and in some ways is a rather indulgent piece .

strong setup and ambitious goals fade as the film descends into unsophisticated scare tactics and b-film thuggery .


a deliciously mordant , bitter black comedy .


only an epic documentary could get it all down , and spike lee 's jim brown : all american at long last gives its subject a movie worthy of his talents .

moore 's complex and important film is also , believe it or not , immensely entertaining , a david and goliath story that 's still very much playing itself out .


i 'd give real money to see the perpetrators of chicago torn apart by dingoes .

the two leads are almost good enough to camouflage the dopey plot , but so much naturalistic small talk , delivered in almost muffled exchanges , eventually has a lulling effect .


it 's hard not to be seduced by -lrb- witherspoon 's -rrb- charisma , even in this run-of-the-mill vehicle , because this girl knows how to drive it to the max .


flavorful and romantic , you could call this how martha got her groove back -- assuming , that is , she ever had one to begin with .


despite the premise of a good story ... it wastes all its star power on cliched or meaningless roles .


unfortunately , the picture failed to capture me .

anyone who can count to five -lrb- the film 's target market ? -rrb-


leave these flowers unpicked -- they 're dead on the vine .

the vampire thriller blade ii starts off as a wild hoot and then sucks the blood out of its fun -- toward the end , you can feel your veins cringing from the workout .


the tenderness of the piece is still intact .


a film of precious increments artfully camouflaged as everyday activities .

if there 's a way to effectively teach kids about the dangers of drugs , i think it 's in projects like the -lrb- unfortunately r-rated -rrb- paid .


too timid to bring a sense of closure to an ugly chapter of the twentieth century .


just like hearst 's enormous yacht , it 's slow and unwieldy and takes a long time to reach its destination .


chicago is sophisticated , brash , sardonic , completely joyful in its execution .


pray 's film works well and will appeal even to those who are n't too familiar with turntablism .


everytime you think undercover brother has run out of steam , it finds a new way to surprise and amuse .

this is such a dazzlingly self-assured directorial debut that it 's hard to know what to praise first .


while benigni -lrb- who stars and co-wrote -rrb- seems to be having a wonderful time , he might be alone in that .


a turgid little history lesson , humourless and dull .

one hour photo is an intriguing snapshot of one man and his delusions ; it 's just too bad it does n't have more flashes of insight .


a candid and often fascinating documentary about a pentecostal church in dallas that assembles an elaborate haunted house each year to scare teenagers into attending services .


if you 're looking for comedy to be served up , better look elsewhere .

not every animated film from disney will become a classic , but forgive me if i 've come to expect more from this studio than some 79-minute after-school `` cartoon '' .


mr. parker has brilliantly updated his source and grasped its essence , composing a sorrowful and hilarious tone poem about alienated labor , or an absurdist workplace sitcom .


sunshine state lacks the kind of dynamic that limbo offers , and in some ways is a rather indulgent piece .


the comic performances are all spot on , especially lee ross 's turn as ken .


but it offers plenty to ponder and chew on as its unusual relationship slowly unfolds .


a soggy , cliche-bound epic-horror yarn that ends up being even dumber than its title .


guided more by intellect than heart , his story flattens instead of sharpens .

sucking all the ` classic ' out of robert louis stevenson 's treasure island and filling the void with sci-fi video game graphics and disney-fied adolescent angst ...


a picture that extols the virtues of comradeship and community in a spunky , spirited fashion .


smith 's approach is never to tease , except gently and in that way that makes us consider our own eccentricities and how they are expressed through our homes .

with youthful high spirits , tautou remains captivating throughout michele 's religious and romantic quests , and she is backed by a likable cast .


a great ending does n't make up for a weak movie , and crazy as hell does n't even have a great ending .


the principals in this cast are all fine , but bishop and stevenson are standouts .

christians sensitive to a reductionist view of their lord as a luv-spreading dr. feelgood or omnipotent slacker will feel vastly more affronted than secularists , who might even praise god for delivering such an instant camp classic .


a clutchy , indulgent and pretentious travelogue and diatribe against ... well , just stuff .


it would be hard to think of a recent movie that has worked this hard to achieve this little fun .

-lrb- newton -rrb- wanders through charlie completely unaware she needs to show some presence and star quality .


it 's a good film -- not a classic , but odd , entertaining and authentic .


despite the premise of a good story ... it wastes all its star power on cliched or meaningless roles .


a tough go , but leigh 's depth and rigor , and his skill at inspiring accomplished portrayals that are all the more impressive for their lack of showiness , offsets to a notable degree the film 's often-mined and despairing milieu .


an enchanting film that presents an audacious tour of the past and takes within its warm embrace the bounties of cultural artifacts inside st. petersburg 's hermitage museum .

offers enough playful fun to entertain the preschool set while embracing a wholesome attitude .


do n't expect any surprises in this checklist of teamwork cliches ...


despite some gulps the film is a fuzzy huggy .

an absorbing trip into the minds and motivations of people under stress as well as a keen , unsentimental look at variations on the theme of motherhood .


this self-infatuated goofball is far from the only thing wrong with the clumsy comedy stealing harvard , but he 's the most obvious one .


for benigni it was n't shakespeare whom he wanted to define his career with but pinocchio .

it will delight newcomers to the story and those who know it from bygone days .


a distant , even sterile , yet compulsively watchable look at the sordid life of hogan 's heroes star bob crane .

it 's a beautifully accomplished lyrical meditation on a bunch of despondent and vulnerable characters living in the renown chelsea hotel ...


none of this violates the letter of behan 's book , but missing is its spirit , its ribald , full-throated humor .


mr. parker has brilliantly updated his source and grasped its essence , composing a sorrowful and hilarious tone poem about alienated labor , or an absurdist workplace sitcom .

mixes likeable personalities , inventive photography and cutting , and wall-to-wall toe-tapping music to paint a picture of a subculture that is at once exhilarating , silly , perverse , hopeful and always fun .


one hour photo is an intriguing snapshot of one man and his delusions ; it 's just too bad it does n't have more flashes of insight .


the only thing in pauline and paulette that you have n't seen before is a scene featuring a football field-sized oriental rug crafted out of millions of vibrant flowers .


the comic performances are all spot on , especially lee ross 's turn as ken .


with its hints of a greater intelligence lurking somewhere , the ring makes its stupidity more than obvious .

this goofy gangster yarn never really elevates itself from being yet another earnestly generic crime-busting comic vehicle -- a well-intentioned remake that shows some spunk and promise but fails to register as anything distinctive or daring


the film 's real appeal wo n't be to clooney fans or adventure buffs , but to moviegoers who enjoy thinking about compelling questions with no easy answers .


this cuddly sequel to the 1999 hit is a little more visually polished , a little funnier , and a little more madcap .

while not all transitions to adulthood are so fraught , there 's much truth and no small amount of poetry in girls ca n't swim .


any one episode of the sopranos would send this ill-conceived folly to sleep with the fishes .


a feel-good picture in the best sense of the term .


i did n't laugh at the ongoing efforts of cube , and his skinny buddy mike epps , to make like laurel and hardy 'n the hood .


but hard-to-believe plot twists force the movie off track in its final half hour .

strong setup and ambitious goals fade as the film descends into unsophisticated scare tactics and b-film thuggery .


a candid and often fascinating documentary about a pentecostal church in dallas that assembles an elaborate haunted house each year to scare teenagers into attending services .


whether seen on a 10-inch television screen or at your local multiplex , the edge-of-your-seat , educational antics of steve irwin are priceless entertainment .


from spiritual rebirth to bruising defeat , vincent 's odyssey resonates in a profound way , comparable to the classic films of jean renoir .

a highly intriguing thriller , coupled with some ingenious plot devices and some lavishly built settings . .


another rent installment for the ian fleming estate .


collateral damage is , despite its alleged provocation post-9 \/ 11 , an antique , in the end .


it 's -lrb- ricci 's -rrb- best work yet , this girl-woman who sincerely believes she can thwart the world 's misery with blind good will .


every bit as bogus as most disney live action family movies are -- no real plot , no real conflict , no real point .

the picture , scored by a perversely cheerful marcus miller accordion\/harmonica\/banjo abomination , is a monument to bad in all its florid variety .


-lrb- two -rrb- fairly dull -- contrasting and interlocking stories about miserable scandinavian settlers in 18th-century canada , and yuppie sailboaters in the here and now .

when -lrb- de palma 's -rrb- bad , he 's really bad , and femme fatale ranks with the worst he has done .


an enchanting film that presents an audacious tour of the past and takes within its warm embrace the bounties of cultural artifacts inside st. petersburg 's hermitage museum .


men in black ii has sequel-itis something fierce .


and in this regard , on guard delivers .


if there 's a way to effectively teach kids about the dangers of drugs , i think it 's in projects like the -lrb- unfortunately r-rated -rrb- paid .


thurman and lewis are hilarious throughout .

a well-made and often lovely depiction of the mysteries of friendship .


it virtually defines a comedy that 's strongly mediocre , with funny bits surfacing every once in a while .


it 's fairly self-aware in its dumbness .


an amusing , breezily apolitical documentary about life on the campaign trail .


ostensibly celebrates middle-aged girl power , even as it presents friendship between women as pathetic , dysfunctional and destructive .

none of this violates the letter of behan 's book , but missing is its spirit , its ribald , full-throated humor .


-lrb- davis -rrb- has a bright , chipper style that keeps things moving , while never quite managing to connect her wish-fulfilling characters to the human race .


intriguing and beautiful film , but those of you who read the book are likely to be disappointed .

dazzling and sugar-sweet , a blast of shallow magnificence that only sex , scandal , and a chorus line of dangerous damsels can deliver .


this self-infatuated goofball is far from the only thing wrong with the clumsy comedy stealing harvard , but he 's the most obvious one .


those outside show business will enjoy a close look at people they do n't really want to know .

moore 's complex and important film is also , believe it or not , immensely entertaining , a david and goliath story that 's still very much playing itself out .


say this for the soundtrack , it drowns out the lousy dialogue .


even if britney spears is really cute , her movie is really bad .

i 'd give real money to see the perpetrators of chicago torn apart by dingoes .


an experience so engrossing it is like being buried in a new environment .


anyone who can count to five -lrb- the film 's target market ? -rrb-


the director 's twitchy sketchbook style and adroit perspective shifts grow wearisome amid leaden pacing and indifferent craftsmanship -lrb- most notably wretched sound design -rrb- .

the weight of water uses water as a metaphor for subconscious desire , but this leaky script barely stays afloat .


this is as powerful a set of evidence as you 'll ever find of why art matters , and how it can resonate far beyond museum walls and through to the most painfully marginal lives .


the comic performances are all spot on , especially lee ross 's turn as ken .

a film of precious increments artfully camouflaged as everyday activities .


it 's a good film -- not a classic , but odd , entertaining and authentic .

do n't plan on the perfect ending , but sweet home alabama hits the mark with critics who escaped from a small town life .


the editing is chaotic , the photography grainy and badly focused , the writing unintentionally hilarious , the direction unfocused , the performances as wooden .


it 's disappointing when filmmakers throw a few big-name actors and cameos at a hokey script .

another rent installment for the ian fleming estate .


flavorful and romantic , you could call this how martha got her groove back -- assuming , that is , she ever had one to begin with .


... a polished and relatively sincere piece of escapism .

and if the hours wins ` best picture ' i just might .


technically , the film is about as interesting as an insurance commercial .

if this dud had been made in the '70s , it would have been called the hills have antlers and played for about three weeks in drive-ins .


well-written , nicely acted and beautifully shot and scored , the film works on several levels , openly questioning social mores while ensnaring the audience with its emotional pull .


this road movie gives you emotional whiplash , and you 'll be glad you went along for the ride .

this cuddly sequel to the 1999 hit is a little more visually polished , a little funnier , and a little more madcap .


sucking all the ` classic ' out of robert louis stevenson 's treasure island and filling the void with sci-fi video game graphics and disney-fied adolescent angst ...


we are left with a superficial snapshot that , however engaging , is insufficiently enlightening and inviting .

a tv episode inflated past its natural length .


despite some gulps the film is a fuzzy huggy .


do n't plan on the perfect ending , but sweet home alabama hits the mark with critics who escaped from a small town life .

kinnear gives a tremendous performance .


the tug-of-war at the core of beijing bicycle becomes weighed down with agonizing contrivances , overheated pathos and long , wistful gazes .


it wo n't be long before you 'll spy i spy at a video store near you .


those outside show business will enjoy a close look at people they do n't really want to know .


the impact of the armenian genocide is diluted by too much stage business in the modern day .

the character is too forced and overwritten to be funny or believable much of the time , and clayburgh does n't always improve the over-the-top mix .


and in this regard , on guard delivers .


this is a film brimming with detail and nuance and one that speaks volumes about the ability of the human spirit to find solace in events that could easily crush it forever .


it 's fairly self-aware in its dumbness .


it 's -lrb- ricci 's -rrb- best work yet , this girl-woman who sincerely believes she can thwart the world 's misery with blind good will .

harsh , effective documentary on life in the israeli-occupied palestinian territories .


-lrb- newton -rrb- wanders through charlie completely unaware she needs to show some presence and star quality .


the acting is stiff , the story lacks all trace of wit , the sets look like they were borrowed from gilligan 's island -- and the cgi scooby might well be the worst special-effects creation of the year .

its underlying mythology is a hodgepodge of inconsistencies that pose the question : since when did dumb entertainment have to be this dumb ?


a candid and often fascinating documentary about a pentecostal church in dallas that assembles an elaborate haunted house each year to scare teenagers into attending services .


by presenting an impossible romance in an impossible world , pumpkin dares us to say why either is impossible -- which forces us to confront what 's possible and what we might do to make it so .

it uses an old-time formula , it 's not terribly original and it 's rather messy -- but you just have to love the big , dumb , happy movie my big fat greek wedding .


if you 're looking for comedy to be served up , better look elsewhere .


i did n't laugh at the ongoing efforts of cube , and his skinny buddy mike epps , to make like laurel and hardy 'n the hood .

safe conduct , however ambitious and well-intentioned , fails to hit the entertainment bull 's - eye .


smith 's approach is never to tease , except gently and in that way that makes us consider our own eccentricities and how they are expressed through our homes .


more a load of enjoyable , conan-esque claptrap than the punishing , special-effects soul assaults the mummy pictures represent .

a tough go , but leigh 's depth and rigor , and his skill at inspiring accomplished portrayals that are all the more impressive for their lack of showiness , offsets to a notable degree the film 's often-mined and despairing milieu .


men in black ii has sequel-itis something fierce .


too timid to bring a sense of closure to an ugly chapter of the twentieth century .

this is a particularly toxic little bonbon , palatable to only a chosen and very jaundiced few .


a highly intriguing thriller , coupled with some ingenious plot devices and some lavishly built settings . .


this is cool , slick stuff , ready to quench the thirst of an audience that misses the summer blockbusters .

what it lacks in originality it makes up for in intelligence and b-grade stylishness .


it 's a beautifully accomplished lyrical meditation on a bunch of despondent and vulnerable characters living in the renown chelsea hotel ...

from spiritual rebirth to bruising defeat , vincent 's odyssey resonates in a profound way , comparable to the classic films of jean renoir .


might have been better off as a documentary , with less of mr. eyre 's uninspired dramatics and more of his sense of observation and outrage .


though the violence is far less sadistic than usual , the film is typical miike : fast , furious and full of off-the-cuff imaginative flourishes .

a lighthearted , feel-good film that embraces the time-honored truth that the most powerful thing in life is love .


i watched the brainless insanity of no such thing with mounting disbelief .


everything that has to do with yvan and charlotte , and everything that has to do with yvan 's rambunctious , jewish sister and her non-jew husband , feels funny and true .

this is a raw and disturbing tale that took five years to make , and the trio 's absorbing narrative is a heart-wrenching showcase indeed .


i doubt anyone will remember the picture by the time christmas really rolls around , but maybe it 'll be on video by then .


the cast is uniformly excellent and relaxed .

this is such a dazzlingly self-assured directorial debut that it 's hard to know what to praise first .


it 's getting harder and harder to ignore the fact that hollywood is n't laughing with us , folks .


you can feel the heat that ignites this gripping tale , and the humor and humanity that root it in feeling .

mixes likeable personalities , inventive photography and cutting , and wall-to-wall toe-tapping music to paint a picture of a subculture that is at once exhilarating , silly , perverse , hopeful and always fun .


i did n't laugh at the ongoing efforts of cube , and his skinny buddy mike epps , to make like laurel and hardy 'n the hood .


k-19 may not hold a lot of water as a submarine epic , but it holds even less when it turns into an elegiacally soggy saving private ryanovich .

-lrb- two -rrb- fairly dull -- contrasting and interlocking stories about miserable scandinavian settlers in 18th-century canada , and yuppie sailboaters in the here and now .


well-written , nicely acted and beautifully shot and scored , the film works on several levels , openly questioning social mores while ensnaring the audience with its emotional pull .


with its hints of a greater intelligence lurking somewhere , the ring makes its stupidity more than obvious .


christians sensitive to a reductionist view of their lord as a luv-spreading dr. feelgood or omnipotent slacker will feel vastly more affronted than secularists , who might even praise god for delivering such an instant camp classic .


it 's best to avoid imprisonment with the dull , nerdy folks that inhabit cherish .


occasionally funny , always very colorful and enjoyably overblown in the traditional almodóvar style .


a work of astonishing delicacy and force .

if there 's a way to effectively teach kids about the dangers of drugs , i think it 's in projects like the -lrb- unfortunately r-rated -rrb- paid .


sunshine state lacks the kind of dynamic that limbo offers , and in some ways is a rather indulgent piece .


it 's disappointing when filmmakers throw a few big-name actors and cameos at a hokey script .


it 's best to avoid imprisonment with the dull , nerdy folks that inhabit cherish .

collateral damage is , despite its alleged provocation post-9 \/ 11 , an antique , in the end .


this delicately observed story , deeply felt and masterfully stylized , is a triumph for its maverick director .

two generations within one family test boundaries in this intelligent and restrained coming-of-age drama .


it uses an old-time formula , it 's not terribly original and it 's rather messy -- but you just have to love the big , dumb , happy movie my big fat greek wedding .

a lighthearted , feel-good film that embraces the time-honored truth that the most powerful thing in life is love .


it would be hard to think of a recent movie that has worked this hard to achieve this little fun .


an experience so engrossing it is like being buried in a new environment .

chicago is sophisticated , brash , sardonic , completely joyful in its execution .


one hour photo is an intriguing snapshot of one man and his delusions ; it 's just too bad it does n't have more flashes of insight .


this version incarnates the prophetic book in a way even its exacting author might admire .

an exciting and involving rock music doc , a smart and satisfying look inside that tumultuous world .


-lrb- t -rrb- hose same extremes prevent us from taking its message seriously , and the stepford wives mentality does n't work in a modern context .


in the process , they demonstrate that there 's still a lot of life in hong kong cinema .

barney has created a tour de force that is weird , wacky and wonderful .


a tv episode inflated past its natural length .


absorbing and disturbing -- perhaps more disturbing than originally intended -- but a little clarity would have gone a long way .

leave these flowers unpicked -- they 're dead on the vine .


does what a fine documentary does best : it extends a warm invitation into an unfamiliar world , then illuminates it fully and allows the larger implications of the journey to sink in unobtrusively .


the level of maturity displayed by this 33-year-old first-time feature director is astonishing , considering her inexperience and her subject matter .

the powers team has fashioned a comedy with more laughs than many , no question .


i kept thinking over and over again , ' i should be enjoying this . '


while the mystery surrounding the nature of the boat 's malediction remains intriguing enough to sustain mild interest , the picture refuses to offer much accompanying sustenance in the way of characterization , humor or plain old popcorn fun .

i 'd give real money to see the perpetrators of chicago torn apart by dingoes .


the tenderness of the piece is still intact .


the charms of willful eccentricity , at least as evidenced by this latest cinematic essay , are beginning to wear a bit thin .

others may find it migraine-inducing , despite moore 's attempts at whimsy and spoon feeding .


a distant , even sterile , yet compulsively watchable look at the sordid life of hogan 's heroes star bob crane .


the angst-ridden , affluent slacker characters are more grating than engaging .


sensitive , insightful and beautifully rendered film .


while the isle is both preposterous and thoroughly misogynistic , its vistas are incredibly beautiful to look at .

occasionally funny , always very colorful and enjoyably overblown in the traditional almodóvar style .


plays less like a coming-of-age romance than an infomercial .


if this movie were a book , it would be a page-turner , you ca n't wait to see what happens next .

do n't plan on the perfect ending , but sweet home alabama hits the mark with critics who escaped from a small town life .


suffers from rambling , repetitive dialogue and the visual drabness endemic to digital video .


to imagine the life of harry potter as a martial arts adventure told by a lobotomized woody allen is to have some idea of the fate that lies in store for moviegoers lured to the mediocrity that is kung pow : enter the fist .


a picture that extols the virtues of comradeship and community in a spunky , spirited fashion .


somehow we 're meant to buy that this doting mother would shun her kids , travel to one of the most dangerous parts of the world , don fatigues and become g.i. jane .

the angst-ridden , affluent slacker characters are more grating than engaging .


pray 's film works well and will appeal even to those who are n't too familiar with turntablism .


a hideous , confusing spectacle , one that may well put the nail in the coffin of any future rice adaptations .

the only thing in pauline and paulette that you have n't seen before is a scene featuring a football field-sized oriental rug crafted out of millions of vibrant flowers .


though the violence is far less sadistic than usual , the film is typical miike : fast , furious and full of off-the-cuff imaginative flourishes .


you 're better off staying home and watching the x-files .

the two leads are almost good enough to camouflage the dopey plot , but so much naturalistic small talk , delivered in almost muffled exchanges , eventually has a lulling effect .


more a load of enjoyable , conan-esque claptrap than the punishing , special-effects soul assaults the mummy pictures represent .


while not as aggressively impressive as its american counterpart , `` in the bedroom , '' moretti 's film makes its own , quieter observations

reign of fire may be little more than another platter of reheated aliens , but it 's still pretty tasty .


another rent installment for the ian fleming estate .


a tv episode inflated past its natural length .

we are left with a superficial snapshot that , however engaging , is insufficiently enlightening and inviting .


this cuddly sequel to the 1999 hit is a little more visually polished , a little funnier , and a little more madcap .


none of this violates the letter of behan 's book , but missing is its spirit , its ribald , full-throated humor .


ms. fulford-wierzbicki is almost spooky in her sulky , calculating lolita turn .


the latest installment in the pokemon canon , pokemon 4ever is surprising less moldy and trite than the last two , likely because much of the japanese anime is set in a scenic forest where pokemon graze in peace .

this version incarnates the prophetic book in a way even its exacting author might admire .


the editing is chaotic , the photography grainy and badly focused , the writing unintentionally hilarious , the direction unfocused , the performances as wooden .


taken individually or collectively , the stories never add up to as much as they promise .


with youthful high spirits , tautou remains captivating throughout michele 's religious and romantic quests , and she is backed by a likable cast .


birot is a competent enough filmmaker , but her story has nothing fresh or very exciting about it .

its underlying mythology is a hodgepodge of inconsistencies that pose the question : since when did dumb entertainment have to be this dumb ?


what it lacks in originality it makes up for in intelligence and b-grade stylishness .


kinnear gives a tremendous performance .

this bold and lyrical first feature from raja amari expands the pat notion that middle-aged women just wanna have fun into a rousing treatise of sensual empowerment .


it 's so underwritten that you ca n't figure out just where the other characters , including ana 's father and grandfather , come down on the issue of ana 's future .


an amusing , breezily apolitical documentary about life on the campaign trail .


a tv episode inflated past its natural length .


not every animated film from disney will become a classic , but forgive me if i 've come to expect more from this studio than some 79-minute after-school `` cartoon '' .

too timid to bring a sense of closure to an ugly chapter of the twentieth century .


the film 's real appeal wo n't be to clooney fans or adventure buffs , but to moviegoers who enjoy thinking about compelling questions with no easy answers .


` enigma ' is a good name for a movie this delibrately obtuse and unapproachable .

to imagine the life of harry potter as a martial arts adventure told by a lobotomized woody allen is to have some idea of the fate that lies in store for moviegoers lured to the mediocrity that is kung pow : enter the fist .


a work of astonishing delicacy and force .


i doubt anyone will remember the picture by the time christmas really rolls around , but maybe it 'll be on video by then .

absorbing and disturbing -- perhaps more disturbing than originally intended -- but a little clarity would have gone a long way .


has a shambling charm ... a cheerfully inconsequential diversion .


like its two predecessors , 1983 's koyaanisqatsi and 1988 's powaqqatsi , the cinematic collage naqoyqatsi could be the most navel-gazing film ever .


i whole-heartedly recommend that everyone see this movie -- for its historical significance alone .


you 're better off staying home and watching the x-files .


reign of fire may be little more than another platter of reheated aliens , but it 's still pretty tasty .


others may find it migraine-inducing , despite moore 's attempts at whimsy and spoon feeding .

a great ending does n't make up for a weak movie , and crazy as hell does n't even have a great ending .


do n't plan on the perfect ending , but sweet home alabama hits the mark with critics who escaped from a small town life .


an amusing , breezily apolitical documentary about life on the campaign trail .

a distant , even sterile , yet compulsively watchable look at the sordid life of hogan 's heroes star bob crane .


one hour photo is an intriguing snapshot of one man and his delusions ; it 's just too bad it does n't have more flashes of insight .


safe conduct , however ambitious and well-intentioned , fails to hit the entertainment bull 's - eye .

strong setup and ambitious goals fade as the film descends into unsophisticated scare tactics and b-film thuggery .


with youthful high spirits , tautou remains captivating throughout michele 's religious and romantic quests , and she is backed by a likable cast .


the saturation bombing of reggio 's images and glass ' evocative music ... ultimately leaves viewers with the task of divining meaning .

the character is too forced and overwritten to be funny or believable much of the time , and clayburgh does n't always improve the over-the-top mix .


by presenting an impossible romance in an impossible world , pumpkin dares us to say why either is impossible -- which forces us to confront what 's possible and what we might do to make it so .


unless you are in dire need of a diesel fix , there is no real reason to see it .


zhang yimou delivers warm , genuine characters who lie not through dishonesty , but because they genuinely believe it 's the only way to bring happiness to their loved ones .


this formulaic chiller will do little to boost stallone 's career .

a clutchy , indulgent and pretentious travelogue and diatribe against ... well , just stuff .


even with all those rough edges safely sanded down , the american insomnia is still pretty darned good .


what really surprises about wisegirls is its low-key quality and genuine tenderness .

an absorbing trip into the minds and motivations of people under stress as well as a keen , unsentimental look at variations on the theme of motherhood .


the smug , oily demeanor that donovan adopts throughout the stupidly named pipe dream is just repulsive .

while the mystery surrounding the nature of the boat 's malediction remains intriguing enough to sustain mild interest , the picture refuses to offer much accompanying sustenance in the way of characterization , humor or plain old popcorn fun .


christians sensitive to a reductionist view of their lord as a luv-spreading dr. feelgood or omnipotent slacker will feel vastly more affronted than secularists , who might even praise god for delivering such an instant camp classic .


this is a film brimming with detail and nuance and one that speaks volumes about the ability of the human spirit to find solace in events that could easily crush it forever .

barney has created a tour de force that is weird , wacky and wonderful .


not every animated film from disney will become a classic , but forgive me if i 've come to expect more from this studio than some 79-minute after-school `` cartoon '' .


everything you loved about it in 1982 is still there , for everybody who wants to be a kid again , or show it to their own kids .

it 's hard not to be seduced by -lrb- witherspoon 's -rrb- charisma , even in this run-of-the-mill vehicle , because this girl knows how to drive it to the max .


the angst-ridden , affluent slacker characters are more grating than engaging .


a tough go , but leigh 's depth and rigor , and his skill at inspiring accomplished portrayals that are all the more impressive for their lack of showiness , offsets to a notable degree the film 's often-mined and despairing milieu .

the principals in this cast are all fine , but bishop and stevenson are standouts .


i wish i could say `` thank god it 's friday '' , but the truth of the matter is i was glad when it was over .


every bit as bogus as most disney live action family movies are -- no real plot , no real conflict , no real point .


a picture that extols the virtues of comradeship and community in a spunky , spirited fashion .


the best you can say about it is it 's so uninspired , it barely gives one pause when considering some of the other dreck out there right now .


this is such a dazzlingly self-assured directorial debut that it 's hard to know what to praise first .


the saturation bombing of reggio 's images and glass ' evocative music ... ultimately leaves viewers with the task of divining meaning .


the makers have forsaken the entertaining elements of the original and , instead , rehash old jokes and leave any life at the doorstep .

-lrb- two -rrb- fairly dull -- contrasting and interlocking stories about miserable scandinavian settlers in 18th-century canada , and yuppie sailboaters in the here and now .


mixes likeable personalities , inventive photography and cutting , and wall-to-wall toe-tapping music to paint a picture of a subculture that is at once exhilarating , silly , perverse , hopeful and always fun .


this time kaufman 's imagination has failed him .


offers enough playful fun to entertain the preschool set while embracing a wholesome attitude .


after making several adaptations of other writers ' work , armenian-canadian director atom egoyan broached an original treatment of a deeply personal subject .

by presenting an impossible romance in an impossible world , pumpkin dares us to say why either is impossible -- which forces us to confront what 's possible and what we might do to make it so .


despite the premise of a good story ... it wastes all its star power on cliched or meaningless roles .


though the film 's scenario is certainly not earthshaking , this depiction of fluctuating female sexuality has two winning lead performances and charm to spare .

a well-made and often lovely depiction of the mysteries of friendship .


another rent installment for the ian fleming estate .


compelling revenge thriller , though somewhat weakened by a miscast leading lady .

intriguing and beautiful film , but those of you who read the book are likely to be disappointed .


never -lrb- sinks -rrb- into exploitation .

christians sensitive to a reductionist view of their lord as a luv-spreading dr. feelgood or omnipotent slacker will feel vastly more affronted than secularists , who might even praise god for delivering such an instant camp classic .


unless you are in dire need of a diesel fix , there is no real reason to see it .


the picture , scored by a perversely cheerful marcus miller accordion\/harmonica\/banjo abomination , is a monument to bad in all its florid variety .

-lrb- newton -rrb- wanders through charlie completely unaware she needs to show some presence and star quality .


a richly imagined and admirably mature work from a gifted director who definitely has something on his mind .


everything you loved about it in 1982 is still there , for everybody who wants to be a kid again , or show it to their own kids .


the two leads are almost good enough to camouflage the dopey plot , but so much naturalistic small talk , delivered in almost muffled exchanges , eventually has a lulling effect .


the title 's lameness should clue you in on how bad the movie is .

it virtually defines a comedy that 's strongly mediocre , with funny bits surfacing every once in a while .


barney has created a tour de force that is weird , wacky and wonderful .


collateral damage is , despite its alleged provocation post-9 \/ 11 , an antique , in the end .


it will delight newcomers to the story and those who know it from bygone days .

never -lrb- sinks -rrb- into exploitation .


proof that a thriller can be sleekly shot , expertly cast , paced with crisp professionalism ... and still be a letdown if its twists and turns hold no more surprise than yesterday 's weather report .


chicago is sophisticated , brash , sardonic , completely joyful in its execution .

theirs is a simple and heart-warming story , full of mirth that should charm all but the most cynical .


the best you can say about it is it 's so uninspired , it barely gives one pause when considering some of the other dreck out there right now .


this goofy gangster yarn never really elevates itself from being yet another earnestly generic crime-busting comic vehicle -- a well-intentioned remake that shows some spunk and promise but fails to register as anything distinctive or daring

julia is played with exasperating blandness by laura regan .


gollum 's ` performance ' is incredible !


say this for the soundtrack , it drowns out the lousy dialogue .

while benigni -lrb- who stars and co-wrote -rrb- seems to be having a wonderful time , he might be alone in that .


the film hinges on its performances , and both leads are up to the task .


a film that takes you inside the rhythms of its subject : you experience it as you watch .

by presenting an impossible romance in an impossible world , pumpkin dares us to say why either is impossible -- which forces us to confront what 's possible and what we might do to make it so .


the director 's twitchy sketchbook style and adroit perspective shifts grow wearisome amid leaden pacing and indifferent craftsmanship -lrb- most notably wretched sound design -rrb- .


... a weak , manipulative , pencil-thin story that is miraculously able to entertain anyway .

safe conduct , however ambitious and well-intentioned , fails to hit the entertainment bull 's - eye .


an enchanting film that presents an audacious tour of the past and takes within its warm embrace the bounties of cultural artifacts inside st. petersburg 's hermitage museum .


-lrb- but it 's -rrb- worth recommending because of two marvelous performances by michael caine and brendan fraser .

intriguing and beautiful film , but those of you who read the book are likely to be disappointed .


the impact of the armenian genocide is diluted by too much stage business in the modern day .


at its best early on as it plays the culture clashes between the brothers .

this is a very fine movie -- go see it .


absorbing and disturbing -- perhaps more disturbing than originally intended -- but a little clarity would have gone a long way .


but in imax 3-d , the clichés disappear into the vertiginous perspectives opened up by the photography .

dazzling and sugar-sweet , a blast of shallow magnificence that only sex , scandal , and a chorus line of dangerous damsels can deliver .


you 'll be more entertained getting hit by a bus .


it 's so underwritten that you ca n't figure out just where the other characters , including ana 's father and grandfather , come down on the issue of ana 's future .

the makers have forsaken the entertaining elements of the original and , instead , rehash old jokes and leave any life at the doorstep .


the tug-of-war at the core of beijing bicycle becomes weighed down with agonizing contrivances , overheated pathos and long , wistful gazes .

it would be hard to think of a recent movie that has worked this hard to achieve this little fun .


two generations within one family test boundaries in this intelligent and restrained coming-of-age drama .


you might not want to hang out with samantha , but you 'll probably see a bit of yourself in her unfinished story .


i watched the brainless insanity of no such thing with mounting disbelief .


suffers from rambling , repetitive dialogue and the visual drabness endemic to digital video .

one hour photo is an intriguing snapshot of one man and his delusions ; it 's just too bad it does n't have more flashes of insight .


flavorful and romantic , you could call this how martha got her groove back -- assuming , that is , she ever had one to begin with .


stephen earnhart 's homespun documentary mule skinner blues has nothing but love for its posse of trailer park denizens .

leave it to rohmer , now 82 , to find a way to bend current technique to the service of a vision of the past that is faithful to both architectural glories and commanding open spaces of the city as it was more than two centuries ago .


the picture , scored by a perversely cheerful marcus miller accordion\/harmonica\/banjo abomination , is a monument to bad in all its florid variety .


we miss the quirky amazement that used to come along for an integral part of the ride .

julia is played with exasperating blandness by laura regan .


a distant , even sterile , yet compulsively watchable look at the sordid life of hogan 's heroes star bob crane .


pray 's film works well and will appeal even to those who are n't too familiar with turntablism .

whether seen on a 10-inch television screen or at your local multiplex , the edge-of-your-seat , educational antics of steve irwin are priceless entertainment .


there 's an audience for it , but it could have been funnier and more innocent .


hilarious , touching and wonderfully dyspeptic .

smith 's approach is never to tease , except gently and in that way that makes us consider our own eccentricities and how they are expressed through our homes .


not every animated film from disney will become a classic , but forgive me if i 've come to expect more from this studio than some 79-minute after-school `` cartoon '' .


it 's amazingly perceptive in its subtle , supportive but unsentimental look at the marks family .


it virtually defines a comedy that 's strongly mediocre , with funny bits surfacing every once in a while .

the weight of water uses water as a metaphor for subconscious desire , but this leaky script barely stays afloat .


stephen earnhart 's homespun documentary mule skinner blues has nothing but love for its posse of trailer park denizens .


though the controversial korean filmmaker 's latest effort is not for all tastes , it offers gorgeous imagery , effective performances , and an increasingly unsettling sense of foreboding .

behind the snow games and lovable siberian huskies -lrb- plus one sheep dog -rrb- , the picture hosts a parka-wrapped dose of heart .


shadyac shoots his film like an m. night shyamalan movie , and he frequently maintains the same snail 's pace ; he just forgot to add any genuine tension .


though avary has done his best to make something out of ellis ' nothing novel , in the end , his rules is barely worth following .

the acting is stiff , the story lacks all trace of wit , the sets look like they were borrowed from gilligan 's island -- and the cgi scooby might well be the worst special-effects creation of the year .


harsh , effective documentary on life in the israeli-occupied palestinian territories .


one hour photo is an intriguing snapshot of one man and his delusions ; it 's just too bad it does n't have more flashes of insight .


chicago is sophisticated , brash , sardonic , completely joyful in its execution .


the whole thing plays out with the drowsy heaviness of synchronized swimmer wearing a wool wetsuit .


there 's a disreputable air about the whole thing , and that 's what makes it irresistible .


if this dud had been made in the '70s , it would have been called the hills have antlers and played for about three weeks in drive-ins .

it wo n't be long before you 'll spy i spy at a video store near you .


the principals in this cast are all fine , but bishop and stevenson are standouts .


there 's enough science to make it count as educational , and enough beauty to make it unforgettable .

dazzling and sugar-sweet , a blast of shallow magnificence that only sex , scandal , and a chorus line of dangerous damsels can deliver .


sunshine state lacks the kind of dynamic that limbo offers , and in some ways is a rather indulgent piece .


maguire is a surprisingly effective peter\/spider-man .

i whole-heartedly recommend that everyone see this movie -- for its historical significance alone .


somehow we 're meant to buy that this doting mother would shun her kids , travel to one of the most dangerous parts of the world , don fatigues and become g.i. jane .


this is a very fine movie -- go see it .

and in this regard , on guard delivers .


a clutchy , indulgent and pretentious travelogue and diatribe against ... well , just stuff .


it 's hard not to be seduced by -lrb- witherspoon 's -rrb- charisma , even in this run-of-the-mill vehicle , because this girl knows how to drive it to the max .

though the violence is far less sadistic than usual , the film is typical miike : fast , furious and full of off-the-cuff imaginative flourishes .


a hideous , confusing spectacle , one that may well put the nail in the coffin of any future rice adaptations .


a well-made and often lovely depiction of the mysteries of friendship .

the movie exists for its soccer action and its fine acting .


not every animated film from disney will become a classic , but forgive me if i 've come to expect more from this studio than some 79-minute after-school `` cartoon '' .


it 's one of the saddest films i have ever seen that still manages to be uplifting but not overly sentimental .

everything that has to do with yvan and charlotte , and everything that has to do with yvan 's rambunctious , jewish sister and her non-jew husband , feels funny and true .


pumpkin sits in a patch somewhere between mirthless todd solondzian satire and callow student film .


though it is by no means his best work , laissez-passer is a distinguished and distinctive effort by a bona-fide master , a fascinating film replete with rewards to be had by all willing to make the effort to reap them .


julia is played with exasperating blandness by laura regan .

men in black ii has sequel-itis something fierce .


a candid and often fascinating documentary about a pentecostal church in dallas that assembles an elaborate haunted house each year to scare teenagers into attending services .


obvious politics and rudimentary animation reduce the chances that the appeal of hey arnold !


when -lrb- de palma 's -rrb- bad , he 's really bad , and femme fatale ranks with the worst he has done .

say this for the soundtrack , it drowns out the lousy dialogue .


as shaky as the plot is , kaufman 's script is still memorable for some great one-liners .


pumpkin sits in a patch somewhere between mirthless todd solondzian satire and callow student film .

a soggy , cliche-bound epic-horror yarn that ends up being even dumber than its title .


an exciting and involving rock music doc , a smart and satisfying look inside that tumultuous world .


if you 're not the target demographic ... this movie is one long chick-flick slog .

it virtually defines a comedy that 's strongly mediocre , with funny bits surfacing every once in a while .


only an epic documentary could get it all down , and spike lee 's jim brown : all american at long last gives its subject a movie worthy of his talents .


this pep-talk for faith , hope and charity does little to offend , but if saccharine earnestness were a crime , the film 's producers would be in the clink for life .

a tv episode inflated past its natural length .


does what a fine documentary does best : it extends a warm invitation into an unfamiliar world , then illuminates it fully and allows the larger implications of the journey to sink in unobtrusively .


i watched the brainless insanity of no such thing with mounting disbelief .

creepy but ultimately unsatisfying thriller .


ms. fulford-wierzbicki is almost spooky in her sulky , calculating lolita turn .


the film 's real appeal wo n't be to clooney fans or adventure buffs , but to moviegoers who enjoy thinking about compelling questions with no easy answers .

we can see the wheels turning , and we might resent it sometimes , but this is still a nice little picture , made by bright and friendly souls with a lot of good cheer .


the vampire thriller blade ii starts off as a wild hoot and then sucks the blood out of its fun -- toward the end , you can feel your veins cringing from the workout .


ms. fulford-wierzbicki is almost spooky in her sulky , calculating lolita turn .

flavorful and romantic , you could call this how martha got her groove back -- assuming , that is , she ever had one to begin with .


but hard-to-believe plot twists force the movie off track in its final half hour .


with youthful high spirits , tautou remains captivating throughout michele 's religious and romantic quests , and she is backed by a likable cast .

christians sensitive to a reductionist view of their lord as a luv-spreading dr. feelgood or omnipotent slacker will feel vastly more affronted than secularists , who might even praise god for delivering such an instant camp classic .


as shaky as the plot is , kaufman 's script is still memorable for some great one-liners .

a love for films shines through each frame and the era is recreated with obvious affection , scored to perfection with some tasty boogaloo beats .


despite the premise of a good story ... it wastes all its star power on cliched or meaningless roles .


lacks heart , depth and , most of all , purpose .

it 's hard to tell with all the crashing and banging where the salesmanship ends and the movie begins .


an experience so engrossing it is like being buried in a new environment .


it could change america , not only because it is full of necessary discussion points , but because it is so accessible that it makes complex politics understandable to viewers looking for nothing but energetic entertainment .


murder by numbers is like a couple of mediocre tv-movie - of-the-week films clumsily stuck together .


the editing is chaotic , the photography grainy and badly focused , the writing unintentionally hilarious , the direction unfocused , the performances as wooden .


while the isle is both preposterous and thoroughly misogynistic , its vistas are incredibly beautiful to look at .


watching the film is like reading a times portrait of grief that keeps shifting focus to the journalist who wrote it .

it virtually defines a comedy that 's strongly mediocre , with funny bits surfacing every once in a while .


compelling revenge thriller , though somewhat weakened by a miscast leading lady .


though it is by no means his best work , laissez-passer is a distinguished and distinctive effort by a bona-fide master , a fascinating film replete with rewards to be had by all willing to make the effort to reap them .

reign of fire may be little more than another platter of reheated aliens , but it 's still pretty tasty .


too timid to bring a sense of closure to an ugly chapter of the twentieth century .


but if it is indeed a duty of art to reflect life , than leigh has created a masterful piece of artistry right here .

subversive , meditative , clinical and poetic , the piano teacher is a daring work of genius .


the character is too forced and overwritten to be funny or believable much of the time , and clayburgh does n't always improve the over-the-top mix .


mixes likeable personalities , inventive photography and cutting , and wall-to-wall toe-tapping music to paint a picture of a subculture that is at once exhilarating , silly , perverse , hopeful and always fun .

this road movie gives you emotional whiplash , and you 'll be glad you went along for the ride .


creepy but ultimately unsatisfying thriller .


the movie exists for its soccer action and its fine acting .


... -lrb- a -rrb- strained comedy that jettisons all opportunities for rock to make his mark by serving up the usual chaotic nonsense .


overall , the film misses the brilliance of jelinek 's novel by some way .

the director 's twitchy sketchbook style and adroit perspective shifts grow wearisome amid leaden pacing and indifferent craftsmanship -lrb- most notably wretched sound design -rrb- .


do n't plan on the perfect ending , but sweet home alabama hits the mark with critics who escaped from a small town life .


what 's most striking about this largely celebratory film ... is the sense of isolation that permeates these bastions of individuality in an ikea world .

while not as aggressively impressive as its american counterpart , `` in the bedroom , '' moretti 's film makes its own , quieter observations


suffers from rambling , repetitive dialogue and the visual drabness endemic to digital video .


any one episode of the sopranos would send this ill-conceived folly to sleep with the fishes .


if you 're looking for comedy to be served up , better look elsewhere .


it 's a good film -- not a classic , but odd , entertaining and authentic .


the result is mesmerizing -- filled with menace and squalor .

barney has created a tour de force that is weird , wacky and wonderful .


strong setup and ambitious goals fade as the film descends into unsophisticated scare tactics and b-film thuggery .


we can see the wheels turning , and we might resent it sometimes , but this is still a nice little picture , made by bright and friendly souls with a lot of good cheer .

never -lrb- sinks -rrb- into exploitation .


if you 're not the target demographic ... this movie is one long chick-flick slog .


while not all transitions to adulthood are so fraught , there 's much truth and no small amount of poetry in girls ca n't swim .

this is such a dazzlingly self-assured directorial debut that it 's hard to know what to praise first .


a picture that extols the virtues of comradeship and community in a spunky , spirited fashion .

the people in dogtown and z-boys are so funny , aggressive and alive , you have to watch them because you ca n't wait to see what they do next .


say this for the soundtrack , it drowns out the lousy dialogue .


shadyac shoots his film like an m. night shyamalan movie , and he frequently maintains the same snail 's pace ; he just forgot to add any genuine tension .

despite the premise of a good story ... it wastes all its star power on cliched or meaningless roles .


at its best early on as it plays the culture clashes between the brothers .


egoyan 's movie is too complicated to sustain involvement , and , if you 'll excuse a little critical heresy , too intellectually ambitious .

i wish i could say `` thank god it 's friday '' , but the truth of the matter is i was glad when it was over .


though it is by no means his best work , laissez-passer is a distinguished and distinctive effort by a bona-fide master , a fascinating film replete with rewards to be had by all willing to make the effort to reap them .


might have been better off as a documentary , with less of mr. eyre 's uninspired dramatics and more of his sense of observation and outrage .

you 're better off staying home and watching the x-files .


this delicately observed story , deeply felt and masterfully stylized , is a triumph for its maverick director .


plays less like a coming-of-age romance than an infomercial .

proof that a thriller can be sleekly shot , expertly cast , paced with crisp professionalism ... and still be a letdown if its twists and turns hold no more surprise than yesterday 's weather report .


if this movie were a book , it would be a page-turner , you ca n't wait to see what happens next .


but that 's just the problem with it - the director has n't added enough of his own ingredients .

the acting is stiff , the story lacks all trace of wit , the sets look like they were borrowed from gilligan 's island -- and the cgi scooby might well be the worst special-effects creation of the year .


i admired it , particularly that unexpected downer of an ending .


before long , the film starts playing like general hospital crossed with a saturday night live spoof of dog day afternoon .

this goofy gangster yarn never really elevates itself from being yet another earnestly generic crime-busting comic vehicle -- a well-intentioned remake that shows some spunk and promise but fails to register as anything distinctive or daring


a love for films shines through each frame and the era is recreated with obvious affection , scored to perfection with some tasty boogaloo beats .


gollum 's ` performance ' is incredible !

a richly imagined and admirably mature work from a gifted director who definitely has something on his mind .


a tv episode inflated past its natural length .


you 'll be more entertained getting hit by a bus .

what will , most likely , turn out to be the most repellent movie of 2002 .


this version incarnates the prophetic book in a way even its exacting author might admire .


creepy but ultimately unsatisfying thriller .

the whole thing plays out with the drowsy heaviness of synchronized swimmer wearing a wool wetsuit .


this is a very fine movie -- go see it .


i whole-heartedly recommend that everyone see this movie -- for its historical significance alone .

at its best early on as it plays the culture clashes between the brothers .


guided more by intellect than heart , his story flattens instead of sharpens .


this is as powerful a set of evidence as you 'll ever find of why art matters , and how it can resonate far beyond museum walls and through to the most painfully marginal lives .

the film hinges on its performances , and both leads are up to the task .


and in this regard , on guard delivers .

moore 's complex and important film is also , believe it or not , immensely entertaining , a david and goliath story that 's still very much playing itself out .


credibility sinks into a mire of sentiment .

being author wells ' great-grandson , you 'd think filmmaker simon wells would have more reverence for the material .


leave it to rohmer , now 82 , to find a way to bend current technique to the service of a vision of the past that is faithful to both architectural glories and commanding open spaces of the city as it was more than two centuries ago .


... -lrb- a -rrb- strained comedy that jettisons all opportunities for rock to make his mark by serving up the usual chaotic nonsense .

without a strong script and energetic acting , dogma films can produce the same sleep-inducing effects as watching your neighbor 's home videos .


the powers team has fashioned a comedy with more laughs than many , no question .

thurman and lewis are hilarious throughout .


shadyac shoots his film like an m. night shyamalan movie , and he frequently maintains the same snail 's pace ; he just forgot to add any genuine tension .


if melville is creatively a great whale , this film is canned tuna .

the two leads are almost good enough to camouflage the dopey plot , but so much naturalistic small talk , delivered in almost muffled exchanges , eventually has a lulling effect .


if there 's a way to effectively teach kids about the dangers of drugs , i think it 's in projects like the -lrb- unfortunately r-rated -rrb- paid .


the editing is chaotic , the photography grainy and badly focused , the writing unintentionally hilarious , the direction unfocused , the performances as wooden .

the acting is stiff , the story lacks all trace of wit , the sets look like they were borrowed from gilligan 's island -- and the cgi scooby might well be the worst special-effects creation of the year .


offers enough playful fun to entertain the preschool set while embracing a wholesome attitude .


this film is so slick , superficial and trend-hoppy , that it 's easy to imagine that a new software program spit out the screenplay .

overall , the film misses the brilliance of jelinek 's novel by some way .


everything that has to do with yvan and charlotte , and everything that has to do with yvan 's rambunctious , jewish sister and her non-jew husband , feels funny and true .


a love for films shines through each frame and the era is recreated with obvious affection , scored to perfection with some tasty boogaloo beats .

mixes likeable personalities , inventive photography and cutting , and wall-to-wall toe-tapping music to paint a picture of a subculture that is at once exhilarating , silly , perverse , hopeful and always fun .


the vampire thriller blade ii starts off as a wild hoot and then sucks the blood out of its fun -- toward the end , you can feel your veins cringing from the workout .


there 's an audience for it , but it could have been funnier and more innocent .

i 'd give real money to see the perpetrators of chicago torn apart by dingoes .


sensitive , insightful and beautifully rendered film .


and if the hours wins ` best picture ' i just might .

it 's a bittersweet and lyrical mix of elements .


even if britney spears is really cute , her movie is really bad .


the editing is chaotic , the photography grainy and badly focused , the writing unintentionally hilarious , the direction unfocused , the performances as wooden .


behind the snow games and lovable siberian huskies -lrb- plus one sheep dog -rrb- , the picture hosts a parka-wrapped dose of heart .


it 's getting harder and harder to ignore the fact that hollywood is n't laughing with us , folks .


despite some gulps the film is a fuzzy huggy .


the movie has an avalanche of eye-popping visual effects .

but it offers plenty to ponder and chew on as its unusual relationship slowly unfolds .


the best you can say about it is it 's so uninspired , it barely gives one pause when considering some of the other dreck out there right now .


christians sensitive to a reductionist view of their lord as a luv-spreading dr. feelgood or omnipotent slacker will feel vastly more affronted than secularists , who might even praise god for delivering such an instant camp classic .


when -lrb- de palma 's -rrb- bad , he 's really bad , and femme fatale ranks with the worst he has done .


i enjoyed the ride -lrb- bumps and all -rrb- , creamy depth , and ultimate theme .

compelling revenge thriller , though somewhat weakened by a miscast leading lady .


sucking all the ` classic ' out of robert louis stevenson 's treasure island and filling the void with sci-fi video game graphics and disney-fied adolescent angst ...


do n't plan on the perfect ending , but sweet home alabama hits the mark with critics who escaped from a small town life .


the vampire thriller blade ii starts off as a wild hoot and then sucks the blood out of its fun -- toward the end , you can feel your veins cringing from the workout .

anyone who can count to five -lrb- the film 's target market ? -rrb-


a highly intriguing thriller , coupled with some ingenious plot devices and some lavishly built settings . .


it wo n't be long before you 'll spy i spy at a video store near you .

it 's badly acted , blandly directed , and could have been scripted by someone who just graduated from elementary school .


the people in dogtown and z-boys are so funny , aggressive and alive , you have to watch them because you ca n't wait to see what they do next .

this bold and lyrical first feature from raja amari expands the pat notion that middle-aged women just wanna have fun into a rousing treatise of sensual empowerment .


do n't expect any surprises in this checklist of teamwork cliches ...


offers enough playful fun to entertain the preschool set while embracing a wholesome attitude .

it 's -lrb- ricci 's -rrb- best work yet , this girl-woman who sincerely believes she can thwart the world 's misery with blind good will .


strong setup and ambitious goals fade as the film descends into unsophisticated scare tactics and b-film thuggery .


while benigni -lrb- who stars and co-wrote -rrb- seems to be having a wonderful time , he might be alone in that .

but the characters tend to be cliches whose lives are never fully explored .


without a strong script and energetic acting , dogma films can produce the same sleep-inducing effects as watching your neighbor 's home videos .

this time kaufman 's imagination has failed him .


while mcfarlane 's animation lifts the film firmly above the level of other coming-of-age films ... it 's also so jarring that it 's hard to get back into the boys ' story .

lacks heart , depth and , most of all , purpose .


stephen earnhart 's homespun documentary mule skinner blues has nothing but love for its posse of trailer park denizens .


a sensual performance from abbass buoys the flimsy story , but her inner journey is largely unexplored and we 're left wondering about this exotic-looking woman whose emotional depths are only hinted at .


two generations within one family test boundaries in this intelligent and restrained coming-of-age drama .

everything that has to do with yvan and charlotte , and everything that has to do with yvan 's rambunctious , jewish sister and her non-jew husband , feels funny and true .


it virtually defines a comedy that 's strongly mediocre , with funny bits surfacing every once in a while .


dazzling and sugar-sweet , a blast of shallow magnificence that only sex , scandal , and a chorus line of dangerous damsels can deliver .

the movie has an avalanche of eye-popping visual effects .


when -lrb- de palma 's -rrb- bad , he 's really bad , and femme fatale ranks with the worst he has done .


a harmless and mildly amusing family comedy .

behind the snow games and lovable siberian huskies -lrb- plus one sheep dog -rrb- , the picture hosts a parka-wrapped dose of heart .


unless you are in dire need of a diesel fix , there is no real reason to see it .


another rent installment for the ian fleming estate .

creepy but ultimately unsatisfying thriller .


a deliciously mordant , bitter black comedy .


moore 's performance impresses almost as much as her work with haynes in 1995 's safe .

while not as aggressively impressive as its american counterpart , `` in the bedroom , '' moretti 's film makes its own , quieter observations


the picture , scored by a perversely cheerful marcus miller accordion\/harmonica\/banjo abomination , is a monument to bad in all its florid variety .


the weight of water uses water as a metaphor for subconscious desire , but this leaky script barely stays afloat .


what it lacks in originality it makes up for in intelligence and b-grade stylishness .


i admired it , particularly that unexpected downer of an ending .

-lrb- davis -rrb- has a bright , chipper style that keeps things moving , while never quite managing to connect her wish-fulfilling characters to the human race .


could the whole plan here have been to produce something that makes fatal attraction look like a classic by comparison ?


a boring , formulaic mix of serial killers and stalk 'n' slash .

obvious politics and rudimentary animation reduce the chances that the appeal of hey arnold !


what will , most likely , turn out to be the most repellent movie of 2002 .

murder by numbers is like a couple of mediocre tv-movie - of-the-week films clumsily stuck together .


reign of fire may be little more than another platter of reheated aliens , but it 's still pretty tasty .