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


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

julia is played with exasperating blandness by laura regan .


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


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 .

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


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


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


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


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

it 's a bittersweet and lyrical mix of elements .


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- .


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

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


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


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

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


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


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 .

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


-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 .


gollum 's ` performance ' is incredible !


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

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


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


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 .

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 .


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


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


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


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 .


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


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


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 .


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

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


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


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

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


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


another rent installment for the ian fleming estate .


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


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


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


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

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


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 .

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


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 .

sensitive , insightful and beautifully rendered film .


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


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

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


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


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 .

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


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


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

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


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 .

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


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


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

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 cast is uniformly excellent and relaxed .


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

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


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


a film of precious increments artfully camouflaged as everyday activities .


gollum 's ` performance ' is incredible !

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


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


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

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


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


creepy but ultimately unsatisfying thriller .


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


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

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


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


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 .

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


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


and in this regard , on guard delivers .

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 .


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


credibility sinks into a mire of sentiment .

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 .


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


kinnear gives a tremendous performance .


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

a harmless and mildly amusing family comedy .


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


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

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


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

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


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


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


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 .

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 .


-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 .


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

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 .


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


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

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


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


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


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


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

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 .


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


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

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


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 .

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


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 .


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

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 .


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


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 ...

credibility sinks into a mire of sentiment .


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


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 .

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


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


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

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


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


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 .


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


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

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 .


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


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

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


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 .


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

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 .


a harmless and mildly amusing family comedy .


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 .

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 ...


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


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 .


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 .


julia is played with exasperating blandness by laura regan .


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

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 .


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


a harmless and mildly amusing family comedy .

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


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


another rent installment for the ian fleming estate .

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


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


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

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 .


life is a crock -- or something like it .


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

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


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


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

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


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


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

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


-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 .


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

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


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


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

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 .


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


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

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


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


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 .

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 .


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


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

men in black ii has sequel-itis something fierce .


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 .


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


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


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

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 .


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


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

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 .


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


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

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


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 .

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


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


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

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


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

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


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


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 .

julia is played with exasperating blandness by laura regan .


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 .


it 's a bittersweet and lyrical mix of elements .

and in this regard , on guard delivers .


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


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 .

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


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

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


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

unfortunately , the picture failed to capture me .


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


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 .


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


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


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


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


-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 .

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


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

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


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


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 .

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


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 .

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


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 .


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

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

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 .


this time kaufman 's imagination has failed him .


life is a crock -- or something like it .

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


sensitive , insightful and beautifully rendered film .


a deliciously mordant , bitter black comedy .

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


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


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


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


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 .


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


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

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


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


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

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


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


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

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


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 .


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

men in black ii has sequel-itis something fierce .


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 .


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 .

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


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


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

a harmless and mildly amusing family comedy .


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


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


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 .

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


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


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

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 .


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


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

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


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


the tenderness of the piece is still intact .

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


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 .


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 .

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


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 movie exists for its soccer action and its fine acting .

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


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


a taut , intelligent psychological drama .

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


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 .

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


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


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 .

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 .


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


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 .


credibility sinks into a mire of sentiment .


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


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 .

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


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

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


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


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

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


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 .

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 .


sensitive , insightful and beautifully rendered film .

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 .


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 .


-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 .

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 .


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


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

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


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


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 .


hilarious , touching and wonderfully dyspeptic .


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

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 .


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 .


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


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

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


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


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

sensitive , insightful and beautifully rendered film .


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


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 .

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


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


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 .

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


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 .


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

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 .


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

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


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 .


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


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


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


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 .


men in black ii has sequel-itis something fierce .


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

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


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


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

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


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


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


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 .


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 .

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


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

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


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


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

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


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


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 .

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


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


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

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


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

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 .


a tv episode inflated past its natural length .


unfortunately , the picture failed to capture me .

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 .


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

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


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


a film of precious increments artfully camouflaged as everyday activities .

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


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 .


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

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 .


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


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


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

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


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


a turgid little history lesson , humourless and dull .


a harmless and mildly amusing family comedy .


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

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 .


thurman and lewis are hilarious throughout .


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


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


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

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


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


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 ...


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


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 taut , intelligent psychological drama .


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


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

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


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


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


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


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


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


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 .

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 .


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


despite some gulps the film is a fuzzy huggy .

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 .


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


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

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


life is a crock -- or something like it .


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

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


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


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 .

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


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


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 .

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


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 .


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

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 .


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 .


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

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 .


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


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

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


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

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


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


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


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


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

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 .


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 .


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

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 .


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


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


-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 .

this time kaufman 's imagination has failed him .


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


men in black ii has sequel-itis something fierce .

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


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

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


thurman and lewis are hilarious throughout .


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


it 's fairly self-aware in its dumbness .

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


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 .


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


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


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

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 .


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


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

sensitive , insightful and beautifully rendered film .


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 .


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


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


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


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- .

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


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 .


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


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


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

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


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


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

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


and in this regard , on guard delivers .


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

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


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


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

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


a taut , intelligent psychological drama .


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

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


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


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 .


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


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

a turgid little history lesson , humourless and dull .


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


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


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 .


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 .


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 .

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


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


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 .

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 .


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 .


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 .

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


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

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 .


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


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

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 .


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


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

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 .


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


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

hilarious , touching and wonderfully dyspeptic .


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

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 .


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 .

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 .


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 .


the cast is uniformly excellent and relaxed .

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 .


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


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

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


a turgid little history lesson , humourless and dull .


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 .

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


sensitive , insightful and beautifully rendered film .


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


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 .


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


a work of astonishing delicacy and force .


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


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 .

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


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

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 .


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


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

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


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


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 .

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


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

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 .


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


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

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


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


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

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


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


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

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


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

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


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


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 .

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


kinnear gives a tremendous performance .


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

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


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

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


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 .


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

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


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

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 .


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


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 .

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


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 .


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 .

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


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


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

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 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 .


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

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


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


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

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


men in black ii has sequel-itis something fierce .


a tv episode inflated past its natural length .

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


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 .


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

-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 .


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


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 .

gollum 's ` performance ' is incredible !


another rent installment for the ian fleming estate .


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

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


thurman and lewis are hilarious throughout .


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

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


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


kinnear gives a tremendous performance .

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


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


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


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 fairly self-aware in its dumbness .


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

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


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

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


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


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 .


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


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


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


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 .


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

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


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


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

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


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

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


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

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 .


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


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


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


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

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 .


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


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


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 .

gollum 's ` performance ' is incredible !


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 .

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 .


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


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 .

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 .


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


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


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


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

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


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


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

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


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


this time kaufman 's imagination has failed him .

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


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


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

a taut , intelligent psychological drama .


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


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

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


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 .


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


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 .


never -lrb- sinks -rrb- into exploitation .

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


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


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 .


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


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


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

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


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


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

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


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


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


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

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 .


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


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


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 .


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

-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 .


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


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


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

a tv episode inflated past its natural length .


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


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

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


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


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

hilarious , touching and wonderfully dyspeptic .


unfortunately , the picture failed to capture me .


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

gollum 's ` performance ' is incredible !


men in black ii has sequel-itis something fierce .


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 .

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


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 .


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

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


thurman and lewis are hilarious throughout .


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

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 .


this time kaufman 's imagination has failed him .


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

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 .


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


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

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


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


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


despite some gulps the film is a fuzzy huggy .


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

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


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 .


hilarious , touching and wonderfully dyspeptic .

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


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


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


a deliciously mordant , bitter black comedy .


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

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


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 .


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 .

hilarious , touching and wonderfully dyspeptic .


-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 .


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

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


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


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


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 .


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


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


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 .

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


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


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


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


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


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


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

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 .


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


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 .

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 .


life is a crock -- or something like it .


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

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 .


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


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

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


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 .


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


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


julia is played with exasperating blandness by laura regan .

it 's fairly self-aware in its dumbness .


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


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

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


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


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


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 .


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

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


hilarious , touching and wonderfully dyspeptic .


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

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


despite some gulps the film is a fuzzy huggy .


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 .


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


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

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


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 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 .

a deliciously mordant , bitter black comedy .


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


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

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


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


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

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


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


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

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


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 .


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

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


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 .


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 .

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


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


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


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 .


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

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


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


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 .

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


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


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

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


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 .


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 .

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


creepy but ultimately unsatisfying thriller .


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

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 .


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


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

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 .


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


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


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


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

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


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 .

a deliciously mordant , bitter black comedy .


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


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 .

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


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


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

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


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


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 .

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- .


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


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

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


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


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 .

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 .


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 .


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


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


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


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


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


a taut , intelligent psychological drama .


gollum 's ` performance ' is incredible !


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


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

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


the cast is uniformly excellent and relaxed .


creepy but ultimately unsatisfying thriller .

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


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 .


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

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


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


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 movie exists for its soccer action and its fine acting .


and in this regard , on guard delivers .

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


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 .


credibility sinks into a mire of sentiment .

-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 .


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