a hugely rewarding experience that 's every bit as enlightening , insightful and entertaining as grant 's two best films -- four weddings and a funeral and bridget jones 's diary .

one of the most gloriously unsubtle and adrenalized extreme shockers since the evil dead .


adults , other than the parents ... will be hard pressed to succumb to the call of the wild .


i have a new favorite musical -- and i 'm not even a fan of the genre

it 's fairly solid -- not to mention well edited so that it certainly does n't feel like a film that strays past the two and a half mark .


does n't deserve a passing grade -lrb- even on a curve -rrb- .


first , for a movie that tries to be smart , it 's kinda dumb .

... the whole thing succeeded only in making me groggy .


happily stays close to the ground in a spare and simple manner and does n't pummel us with phony imagery or music .


even with all its botches , enigma offers all the pleasure of a handsome and well-made entertainment .


the low-key direction is pleasingly emphatic in this properly intense , claustrophobic tale of obsessive love .


a sloppy slapstick throwback to long gone bottom-of-the-bill fare like the ghost and mr. chicken .


snoots will no doubt rally to its cause , trotting out threadbare standbys like ` masterpiece ' and ` triumph ' and all that malarkey , but rarely does an established filmmaker so ardently waste viewers ' time with a gobbler like this .


angel presents events partly from the perspective of aurelie and christelle , and infuses the film with the sensibility of a particularly nightmarish fairytale .


the film starts promisingly , but the ending is all too predictable and far too cliched to really work .

talky , artificial and opaque ... an interesting technical exercise , but a tedious picture .


waiting for godard can be fruitful : ` in praise of love ' is the director 's epitaph for himself .


full frontal , which opens today nationwide , could almost be classified as a movie-industry satire , but it lacks the generous inclusiveness that is the genre 's definitive , if disingenuous , feature .

the film is so busy making reference to other films and trying to be other films that it fails to have a heart , mind or humor of its own .


likely to have decades of life as a classic movie franchise ?


there 's a whole heap of nothing at the core of this slight coming-of-age\/coming-out tale .

like the hanks character , he 's a slow study : the action is stilted and the tabloid energy embalmed .


wonder of wonders -- a teen movie with a humanistic message .


the characters are based on stock clichés , and the attempt to complicate the story only defies credibility .

what starts off as a potentially incredibly twisting mystery becomes simply a monster chase film .


though in some ways similar to catherine breillat 's fat girl , rain is the far superior film .


this is an insultingly inept and artificial examination of grief and its impacts upon the relationships of the survivors .

comes off as a long , laborious whine , the bellyaching of a paranoid and unlikable man .


a portrait of hell so shattering it 's impossible to shake .


it celebrates the group 's playful spark of nonconformity , glancing vividly back at what hibiscus grandly called his ` angels of light . '

and thanks to kline 's superbly nuanced performance , that pondering is highly pleasurable .


we just do n't really care too much about this love story .


it ai n't art , by a long shot , but unlike last year 's lame musketeer , this dumas adaptation entertains .


the banter between calvin and his fellow barbers feels like a streetwise mclaughlin group ... and never fails to entertain .


a soul-stirring documentary about the israeli\/palestinian conflict as revealed through the eyes of some children who remain curious about each other against all odds .

tully is in many ways the perfect festival film : a calm , self-assured portrait of small town regret , love , duty and friendship that appeals to the storytelling instincts of a slightly more literate filmgoing audience .


does n't deserve a passing grade -lrb- even on a curve -rrb- .


it 's good , hard-edged stuff , violent and a bit exploitative but also nicely done , morally alert and street-smart .

as a film director , labute continues to improve .


the whole film has this sneaky feel to it -- as if the director is trying to dupe the viewer into taking it all as very important simply because the movie is ugly to look at and not a hollywood product .


hollywood ending is the most disappointing woody allen movie ever .

long before it 's over , you 'll be thinking of 51 ways to leave this loser .


lovingly photographed in the manner of a golden book sprung to life , stuart little 2 manages sweetness largely without stickiness .


i suspect that you 'll be as bored watching morvern callar as the characters are in it .


` if you are in the mood for an intelligent weepy , it can easily worm its way into your heart . '


the problem with the bread , my sweet is that it 's far too sentimental .

the country bears wastes an exceptionally good idea .


below may not mark mr. twohy 's emergence into the mainstream , but his promise remains undiminished .


and they succeed merrily at their noble endeavor .


impostor is a step down for director gary fleder .


make like the title and dodge this one .

so devoid of pleasure or sensuality that it can not even be dubbed hedonistic .


spielberg 's picture is smarter and subtler than -lrb- total recall and blade runner -rrb- , although its plot may prove too convoluted for fun-seeking summer audiences .


waiting for godard can be fruitful : ` in praise of love ' is the director 's epitaph for himself .

a film of delicate interpersonal dances .


how this one escaped the lifetime network i 'll never know .


a dark comedy that goes for sick and demented humor simply to do so .


boasts a handful of virtuosic set pieces and offers a fair amount of trashy , kinky fun .


it 's a funny little movie with clever dialogue and likeable characters .


its initial excitement settles into a warmed over pastiche .


imagine kevin smith , the blasphemous bad boy of suburban jersey , if he were stripped of most of his budget and all of his sense of humor .

we just do n't really care too much about this love story .


one of the most gloriously unsubtle and adrenalized extreme shockers since the evil dead .


everything about girls ca n't swim , even its passages of sensitive observation , feels secondhand , familiar -- and not in a good way .

michele is a such a brainless flibbertigibbet that it 's hard to take her spiritual quest at all seriously .


wonder of wonders -- a teen movie with a humanistic message .


the bottom line with nemesis is the same as it has been with all the films in the series : fans will undoubtedly enjoy it , and the uncommitted need n't waste their time on it .

i have a new favorite musical -- and i 'm not even a fan of the genre


no amount of arty theorizing -- the special effects are ` german-expressionist , ' according to the press notes -- can render it anything but laughable .


a droll , bitchy frolic which pokes fun at the price of popularity and small-town pretension in the lone star state .

adrift , bentley and hudson stare and sniffle , respectively , as ledger attempts , in vain , to prove that movie-star intensity can overcome bad hair design .


a pretty decent kid-pleasing , tolerable-to-adults lark of a movie .


what 's really sad is to see two academy award winning actresses -lrb- and one academy award winning actor -rrb- succumb to appearing in this junk that 's tv sitcom material at best .

... the whole thing succeeded only in making me groggy .


and thanks to kline 's superbly nuanced performance , that pondering is highly pleasurable .


ourside the theatre roger might be intolerable company , but inside it he 's well worth spending some time with .


pretend like your sat scores are below 120 and you might not notice the flaws .


a baffling mixed platter of gritty realism and magic realism with a hard-to-swallow premise .

an inexperienced director , mehta has much to learn .


offers a clear-eyed chronicle of a female friendship that is more complex and honest than anything represented in a hollywood film .


spielberg 's picture is smarter and subtler than -lrb- total recall and blade runner -rrb- , although its plot may prove too convoluted for fun-seeking summer audiences .


long before it 's over , you 'll be thinking of 51 ways to leave this loser .


adam sandler 's heart may be in the right place , but he needs to pull his head out of his butt

a dark comedy that goes for sick and demented humor simply to do so .


an edifying glimpse into the wit and revolutionary spirit of these performers and their era .


the film has -lrb- its -rrb- moments , but they are few and far between .


nohe 's documentary about the event is sympathetic without being gullible : he is n't blind to the silliness , but also captures moments of spontaneous creativity and authentic co-operative interaction .


woody allen has really found his groove these days .

if you 're down for a silly hack-and-slash flick , you can do no wrong with jason x.


make like the title and dodge this one .


contrived , maudlin and cliche-ridden ... if this sappy script was the best the contest received , those rejected must have been astronomically bad .

i suspect that you 'll be as bored watching morvern callar as the characters are in it .


and , there 's no way you wo n't be talking about the film once you exit the theater .


i 'm sorry to say that this should seal the deal - arnold is not , nor will he be , back .

but the movie 's narrative hook is way too muddled to be an effectively chilling guilty pleasure .


almodovar is an imaginative teacher of emotional intelligence in this engaging film about two men who discover what william james once called ` the gift of tears . '


mr. wollter and ms. seldhal give strong and convincing performances , but neither reaches into the deepest recesses of the character to unearth the quaking essence of passion , grief and fear .

what 's really sad is to see two academy award winning actresses -lrb- and one academy award winning actor -rrb- succumb to appearing in this junk that 's tv sitcom material at best .


these people are really going to love the piano teacher .


nothing happens , and it happens to flat characters .


tully is in many ways the perfect festival film : a calm , self-assured portrait of small town regret , love , duty and friendship that appeals to the storytelling instincts of a slightly more literate filmgoing audience .


the film has a terrific look and salma hayek has a feel for the character at all stages of her life .

with an unusual protagonist -lrb- a kilt-wearing jackson -rrb- and subject matter , the improbable `` formula 51 '' is somewhat entertaining , but it could have been much stronger .


the film does n't sustain its initial promise with a jarring , new-agey tone creeping into the second half


while easier to sit through than most of jaglom 's self-conscious and gratingly irritating films , it 's still tainted by cliches , painful improbability and murky points .

first , for a movie that tries to be smart , it 's kinda dumb .


happily stays close to the ground in a spare and simple manner and does n't pummel us with phony imagery or music .


a film of delicate interpersonal dances .

it 's far from a frothy piece , and the characters are complex , laden with plenty of baggage and tinged with tragic undertones .


jackson shamefully strolls through this mess with a smug grin , inexplicably wearing a kilt and carrying a bag of golf clubs over one shoulder .


like the hanks character , he 's a slow study : the action is stilted and the tabloid energy embalmed .


with this masterful , flawless film , -lrb- wang -rrb- emerges in the front ranks of china 's now numerous , world-renowned filmmakers .

one of the most gloriously unsubtle and adrenalized extreme shockers since the evil dead .


little more than a well-mounted history lesson .


has all the complexity and realistic human behavior of an episode of general hospital .


an essentially awkward version of the lightweight female empowerment picture we 've been watching for decades

chan 's stunts are limited and so embellished by editing that there 's really not much of a sense of action or even action-comedy .


it 's a funny little movie with clever dialogue and likeable characters .


but unless you 're an absolute raving star wars junkie , it is n't much fun .

imagine susan sontag falling in love with howard stern .


the solid filmmaking and convincing characters makes this a high water mark for this genre .


if you 're as happy listening to movies as you are watching them , and the slow parade of human frailty fascinates you , then you 're at the right film .

it 's never dull and always looks good .


what they 're doing is a matter of plumbing arrangements and mind games , of no erotic or sensuous charge .


the movie is so resolutely cobbled together out of older movies that it even uses a totally unnecessary prologue , just because it seems obligatory .


fortunately , elling never gets too cloying thanks to the actors ' perfect comic timing and sweet , genuine chemistry .


tully is in many ways the perfect festival film : a calm , self-assured portrait of small town regret , love , duty and friendship that appeals to the storytelling instincts of a slightly more literate filmgoing audience .

the story 's scope and pageantry are mesmerizing , and mr. day-lewis roars with leonine power .


snoots will no doubt rally to its cause , trotting out threadbare standbys like ` masterpiece ' and ` triumph ' and all that malarkey , but rarely does an established filmmaker so ardently waste viewers ' time with a gobbler like this .


the script was reportedly rewritten a dozen times -- either 11 times too many or else too few .

what starts off as a potentially incredibly twisting mystery becomes simply a monster chase film .


the movie is hardly a masterpiece , but it does mark ms. bullock 's best work in some time .


and thanks to kline 's superbly nuanced performance , that pondering is highly pleasurable .


michele is a such a brainless flibbertigibbet that it 's hard to take her spiritual quest at all seriously .


a compelling yarn , but not quite a ripping one .

the bottom line with nemesis is the same as it has been with all the films in the series : fans will undoubtedly enjoy it , and the uncommitted need n't waste their time on it .


the story is bogus and its characters tissue-thin .


imamura has said that warm water under a red bridge is a poem to the enduring strengths of women .

your children will be occupied for 72 minutes .


and , there 's no way you wo n't be talking about the film once you exit the theater .

... by the time it 's done with us , mira nair 's new movie has its audience giddy with the delight of discovery , of having been immersed in a foreign culture only to find that human nature is pretty much the same all over .


the only camouflage carvey should now be considering is a paper bag to wear over his head when he goes out into public , to avoid being recognized as the man who bilked unsuspecting moviegoers .


there 's nothing to gain from watching they .

adam sandler 's heart may be in the right place , but he needs to pull his head out of his butt


with so many bad romances out there , this is the kind of movie that deserves a chance to shine .


imagine susan sontag falling in love with howard stern .

nicks and steinberg match their own creations for pure venality -- that 's giving it the old college try .


a harrowing account of a psychological breakdown .


the performers are so spot on , it is hard to conceive anyone else in their roles .


eddie murphy and owen wilson have a cute partnership in i spy , but the movie around them is so often nearly nothing that their charm does n't do a load of good .


too much of storytelling moves away from solondz 's social critique , casting its audience as that of intellectual lector in contemplation of the auteur 's professional injuries .

anyone who suffers through this film deserves , at the very least , a big box of consolation candy .


although shot with little style , skins is heartfelt and achingly real .


an overstylized , puréed mélange of sex , psychology , drugs and philosophy .


richard pryor mined his personal horrors and came up with a treasure chest of material , but lawrence gives us mostly fool 's gold .


a sham construct based on theory , sleight-of-hand , and ill-wrought hypothesis .

a sloppy slapstick throwback to long gone bottom-of-the-bill fare like the ghost and mr. chicken .


the film , despite the gratuitous cinematic distractions impressed upon it , is still good fun .


has all the complexity and realistic human behavior of an episode of general hospital .

how this one escaped the lifetime network i 'll never know .


visually breathtaking , viscerally exciting , and dramatically moving , it 's the very definition of epic adventure .

a hypnotic cyber hymn and a cruel story of youth culture .


ah , yes , that would be me : fighting off the urge to doze .


exudes the fizz of a busby berkeley musical and the visceral excitement of a sports extravaganza .


one ca n't shake the feeling that crossroads is nothing more than an hour-and-a-half-long commercial for britney 's latest album .


and thanks to kline 's superbly nuanced performance , that pondering is highly pleasurable .

there are so few films about the plight of american indians in modern america that skins comes as a welcome , if downbeat , missive from a forgotten front .


this gorgeous epic is guaranteed to lift the spirits of the whole family .

the movie 's thesis -- elegant technology for the masses -- is surprisingly refreshing .


hollywood ending is the most disappointing woody allen movie ever .


like life on the island , the movie grows boring despite the scenery .

mostly , shafer and co-writer gregory hinton lack a strong-minded viewpoint , or a sense of humor .


` if you are in the mood for an intelligent weepy , it can easily worm its way into your heart . '


cherry orchard is badly edited , often awkwardly directed and suffers from the addition of a wholly unnecessary pre-credit sequence designed to give some of the characters a ` back story . '

imagine susan sontag falling in love with howard stern .


one of those rare films that come by once in a while with flawless amounts of acting , direction , story and pace .


i 'd be hard pressed to think of a film more cloyingly sappy than evelyn this year .


a timely look back at civil disobedience , anti-war movements and the power of strong voices .


for all its shoot-outs , fistfights , and car chases , this movie is a phlegmatic bore , so tedious it makes the silly spy vs. spy film the sum of all fears , starring ben affleck , seem downright hitchcockian .


on the granger movie gauge of 1 to 10 , the powerpuff girls is a fast , frenetic , funny , even punny 6 -- aimed specifically at a grade-school audience .


an edifying glimpse into the wit and revolutionary spirit of these performers and their era .


what 's hard to understand is why anybody picked it up .


depicts the sorriest and most sordid of human behavior on the screen , then laughs at how clever it 's being .


the wonder of mostly martha is the performance of gedeck , who makes martha enormously endearing .


a timely look back at civil disobedience , anti-war movements and the power of strong voices .

the performers are so spot on , it is hard to conceive anyone else in their roles .


after you laugh once -lrb- maybe twice -rrb- , you will have completely forgotten the movie by the time you get back to your car in the parking lot .


the film , despite the gratuitous cinematic distractions impressed upon it , is still good fun .


the film has -lrb- its -rrb- moments , but they are few and far between .


happily stays close to the ground in a spare and simple manner and does n't pummel us with phony imagery or music .

with an unusual protagonist -lrb- a kilt-wearing jackson -rrb- and subject matter , the improbable `` formula 51 '' is somewhat entertaining , but it could have been much stronger .


this low-rent -- and even lower-wit -- rip-off of the farrelly brothers ' oeuvre gets way too mushy -- and in a relatively short amount of time .


while insomnia is in many ways a conventional , even predictable remake , nolan 's penetrating undercurrent of cerebral and cinemantic flair lends -lrb- it -rrb- stimulating depth .

spielberg 's picture is smarter and subtler than -lrb- total recall and blade runner -rrb- , although its plot may prove too convoluted for fun-seeking summer audiences .


the whole film has this sneaky feel to it -- as if the director is trying to dupe the viewer into taking it all as very important simply because the movie is ugly to look at and not a hollywood product .


the characters are more deeply thought through than in most ` right-thinking ' films .

it must be the end of the world : the best film so far this year is a franchise sequel starring wesley snipes .


the film starts promisingly , but the ending is all too predictable and far too cliched to really work .


the movie is hardly a masterpiece , but it does mark ms. bullock 's best work in some time .


cherry orchard is badly edited , often awkwardly directed and suffers from the addition of a wholly unnecessary pre-credit sequence designed to give some of the characters a ` back story . '


i love the opening scenes of a wintry new york city in 1899 .

a poignant and gently humorous parable that loves its characters and communicates something rather beautiful about human nature .


full frontal , which opens today nationwide , could almost be classified as a movie-industry satire , but it lacks the generous inclusiveness that is the genre 's definitive , if disingenuous , feature .


while most films these days are about nothing , this film seems to be about everything that 's plaguing the human spirit in a relentlessly globalizing world .


adrift , bentley and hudson stare and sniffle , respectively , as ledger attempts , in vain , to prove that movie-star intensity can overcome bad hair design .


no amount of arty theorizing -- the special effects are ` german-expressionist , ' according to the press notes -- can render it anything but laughable .

talky , artificial and opaque ... an interesting technical exercise , but a tedious picture .


the banter between calvin and his fellow barbers feels like a streetwise mclaughlin group ... and never fails to entertain .


a lightweight , uneven action comedy that freely mingles french , japanese and hollywood cultures .

i suspect that you 'll be as bored watching morvern callar as the characters are in it .


and , there 's no way you wo n't be talking about the film once you exit the theater .


offers a clear-eyed chronicle of a female friendship that is more complex and honest than anything represented in a hollywood film .

a weird little movie that 's amusing enough while you watch it , offering fine acting moments and pungent insights into modern l.a. 's show-biz and media subcultures .


a loud , brash and mainly unfunny high school comedy .


if you 're the kind of parent who enjoys intentionally introducing your kids to films which will cause loads of irreparable damage that years and years of costly analysis could never fix , i have just one word for you - -- decasia


one of the most gloriously unsubtle and adrenalized extreme shockers since the evil dead .


an overstylized , puréed mélange of sex , psychology , drugs and philosophy .

never inspires more than an interested detachment .


exudes the fizz of a busby berkeley musical and the visceral excitement of a sports extravaganza .


but it also has many of the things that made the first one charming .


i 'd be hard pressed to think of a film more cloyingly sappy than evelyn this year .


a loud , brash and mainly unfunny high school comedy .

even accepting this in the right frame of mind can only provide it with so much leniency .


as a film director , labute continues to improve .


almodovar is an imaginative teacher of emotional intelligence in this engaging film about two men who discover what william james once called ` the gift of tears . '


if ever such a dependable concept was botched in execution , this is it .


if you 're down for a silly hack-and-slash flick , you can do no wrong with jason x.

` film aficionados can not help but love cinema paradiso , whether the original version or new director 's cut . '


woven together handsomely , recalling sixties ' rockumentary milestones from lonely boy to do n't look back .

it 's a day at the beach -- with air conditioning and popcorn .


everything about girls ca n't swim , even its passages of sensitive observation , feels secondhand , familiar -- and not in a good way .


below may not mark mr. twohy 's emergence into the mainstream , but his promise remains undiminished .

one of those rare films that come by once in a while with flawless amounts of acting , direction , story and pace .


director elie chouraqui , who co-wrote the script , catches the chaotic horror of war , but why bother if you 're going to subjugate truth to the tear-jerking demands of soap opera ?


spielberg 's picture is smarter and subtler than -lrb- total recall and blade runner -rrb- , although its plot may prove too convoluted for fun-seeking summer audiences .

a compelling yarn , but not quite a ripping one .


one can only assume that the jury who bestowed star hoffman 's brother gordy with the waldo salt screenwriting award at 2002 's sundance festival were honoring an attempt to do something different over actually pulling it off


though it pretends to expose the life of male hustlers , it 's exploitive without being insightful .

the script has less spice than a rat burger and the rock 's fighting skills are more in line with steven seagal .


with so many bad romances out there , this is the kind of movie that deserves a chance to shine .


but seriously , folks , it does n't work .

impostor is a step down for director gary fleder .


wonder of wonders -- a teen movie with a humanistic message .


fortunately , elling never gets too cloying thanks to the actors ' perfect comic timing and sweet , genuine chemistry .

while most films these days are about nothing , this film seems to be about everything that 's plaguing the human spirit in a relentlessly globalizing world .


while easier to sit through than most of jaglom 's self-conscious and gratingly irritating films , it 's still tainted by cliches , painful improbability and murky points .


your 20th outing shows off a lot of stamina and vitality , and get this , madonna 's cameo does n't suck !

dogtown & z-boys evokes the blithe rebel fantasy with the kind of insouciance embedded in the sexy demise of james dean .


an inexperienced director , mehta has much to learn .


fortunately , elling never gets too cloying thanks to the actors ' perfect comic timing and sweet , genuine chemistry .


the adventures of pluto nash is a whole lot of nada .

maybe there 's a metaphor here , but figuring it out would n't make trouble every day any better .


lovingly photographed in the manner of a golden book sprung to life , stuart little 2 manages sweetness largely without stickiness .


the beautiful images and solemn words can not disguise the slack complacency of -lrb- godard 's -rrb- vision , any more than the gorgeous piano and strings on the soundtrack can drown out the tinny self-righteousness of his voice .

the script was reportedly rewritten a dozen times -- either 11 times too many or else too few .


at times , the movie looks genuinely pretty .

visually breathtaking , viscerally exciting , and dramatically moving , it 's the very definition of epic adventure .


the movie is so resolutely cobbled together out of older movies that it even uses a totally unnecessary prologue , just because it seems obligatory .


enough is not a bad movie , just mediocre .

depicts the sorriest and most sordid of human behavior on the screen , then laughs at how clever it 's being .


nohe 's documentary about the event is sympathetic without being gullible : he is n't blind to the silliness , but also captures moments of spontaneous creativity and authentic co-operative interaction .


almodovar is an imaginative teacher of emotional intelligence in this engaging film about two men who discover what william james once called ` the gift of tears . '

with an unusual protagonist -lrb- a kilt-wearing jackson -rrb- and subject matter , the improbable `` formula 51 '' is somewhat entertaining , but it could have been much stronger .


while some of the camera work is interesting , the film 's mid-to-low budget is betrayed by the surprisingly shoddy makeup work .


a portrait of hell so shattering it 's impossible to shake .

a good film with a solid pedigree both in front of and , more specifically , behind the camera .


... too contrived to be as naturally charming as it needs to be .


an enjoyable comedy of lingual and cultural differences ... the château is a film -- full of life and small delights -- that has all the wiggling energy of young kitten .

it establishes its ominous mood and tension swiftly , and if the suspense never rises to a higher level , it is nevertheless maintained throughout .


the performers are so spot on , it is hard to conceive anyone else in their roles .

with so many bad romances out there , this is the kind of movie that deserves a chance to shine .


... the whole thing succeeded only in making me groggy .


sensual , funny and , in the end , very touching .

the performers are so spot on , it is hard to conceive anyone else in their roles .


adrift , bentley and hudson stare and sniffle , respectively , as ledger attempts , in vain , to prove that movie-star intensity can overcome bad hair design .


even accepting this in the right frame of mind can only provide it with so much leniency .

ah , yes , that would be me : fighting off the urge to doze .


the film , despite the gratuitous cinematic distractions impressed upon it , is still good fun .


... the whole thing succeeded only in making me groggy .

it 's just that it 's so not-at-all-good .


it 's fairly solid -- not to mention well edited so that it certainly does n't feel like a film that strays past the two and a half mark .


one of those rare films that come by once in a while with flawless amounts of acting , direction , story and pace .


nothing happens , and it happens to flat characters .


rarely does a film so graceless and devoid of merit as this one come along .

michele is a such a brainless flibbertigibbet that it 's hard to take her spiritual quest at all seriously .


lovingly photographed in the manner of a golden book sprung to life , stuart little 2 manages sweetness largely without stickiness .


it must be the end of the world : the best film so far this year is a franchise sequel starring wesley snipes .

as comedic spotlights go , notorious c.h.o. hits all the verbal marks it should .


it 's about issues most adults have to face in marriage and i think that 's what i liked about it -- the real issues tucked between the silly and crude storyline .


it 's fairly solid -- not to mention well edited so that it certainly does n't feel like a film that strays past the two and a half mark .

the solid filmmaking and convincing characters makes this a high water mark for this genre .


spider-man is about growing strange hairs , getting a more mature body , and finding it necessary to hide new secretions from the parental units .


but the movie 's narrative hook is way too muddled to be an effectively chilling guilty pleasure .

the script has less spice than a rat burger and the rock 's fighting skills are more in line with steven seagal .


but it also has many of the things that made the first one charming .


but the movie 's narrative hook is way too muddled to be an effectively chilling guilty pleasure .


and we do n't avert our eyes for a moment .


if you 're willing to have fun with it , you wo n't feel cheated by the high infidelity of unfaithful .


what starts off as a potentially incredibly twisting mystery becomes simply a monster chase film .


a fake street drama that keeps telling you things instead of showing them .


visually breathtaking , viscerally exciting , and dramatically moving , it 's the very definition of epic adventure .


the story 's scope and pageantry are mesmerizing , and mr. day-lewis roars with leonine power .

it 's about issues most adults have to face in marriage and i think that 's what i liked about it -- the real issues tucked between the silly and crude storyline .


this low-rent -- and even lower-wit -- rip-off of the farrelly brothers ' oeuvre gets way too mushy -- and in a relatively short amount of time .


a bittersweet contemporary comedy about benevolent deception , which , while it may not rival the filmmaker 's period pieces , is still very much worth seeing .

and they succeed merrily at their noble endeavor .


contrived , maudlin and cliche-ridden ... if this sappy script was the best the contest received , those rejected must have been astronomically bad .


stevens ' vibrant creative instincts are the difference between this and countless other flicks about guys and dolls .

dogtown & z-boys evokes the blithe rebel fantasy with the kind of insouciance embedded in the sexy demise of james dean .


the lady and the duke is a smart , romantic drama that dares to depict the french revolution from the aristocrats ' perspective .


i 'd be hard pressed to think of a film more cloyingly sappy than evelyn this year .


it 's never dull and always looks good .


waiting for godard can be fruitful : ` in praise of love ' is the director 's epitaph for himself .


a waterlogged version of ` fatal attraction ' for the teeny-bopper set ... a sad , soggy potboiler that wastes the talents of its attractive young leads .


pretend like your sat scores are below 120 and you might not notice the flaws .

imagine susan sontag falling in love with howard stern .


woody allen has really found his groove these days .


what starts off as a potentially incredibly twisting mystery becomes simply a monster chase film .

talky , artificial and opaque ... an interesting technical exercise , but a tedious picture .


i love the opening scenes of a wintry new york city in 1899 .


but there 's plenty to offend everyone ...


little more than a well-mounted history lesson .

michele is a such a brainless flibbertigibbet that it 's hard to take her spiritual quest at all seriously .


the story 's scope and pageantry are mesmerizing , and mr. day-lewis roars with leonine power .


what they 're doing is a matter of plumbing arrangements and mind games , of no erotic or sensuous charge .

this bond film goes off the beaten path , not necessarily for the better .


an uncluttered , resonant gem that relays its universal points without lectures or confrontations . '


it celebrates the group 's playful spark of nonconformity , glancing vividly back at what hibiscus grandly called his ` angels of light . '


a droll , bitchy frolic which pokes fun at the price of popularity and small-town pretension in the lone star state .


a rambling ensemble piece with loosely connected characters and plots that never quite gel .


and thanks to kline 's superbly nuanced performance , that pondering is highly pleasurable .


dogtown & z-boys evokes the blithe rebel fantasy with the kind of insouciance embedded in the sexy demise of james dean .


... too contrived to be as naturally charming as it needs to be .


the lively appeal of the last kiss lies in the ease with which it integrates thoughtfulness and pasta-fagioli comedy .

there are so few films about the plight of american indians in modern america that skins comes as a welcome , if downbeat , missive from a forgotten front .


the script was reportedly rewritten a dozen times -- either 11 times too many or else too few .


it collapses when mr. taylor tries to shift the tone to a thriller 's rush .

nicks and steinberg match their own creations for pure venality -- that 's giving it the old college try .


offers a clear-eyed chronicle of a female friendship that is more complex and honest than anything represented in a hollywood film .


the cinematic equivalent of patronizing a bar favored by pretentious , untalented artistes who enjoy moaning about their cruel fate .

impostor is a step down for director gary fleder .


it 's about issues most adults have to face in marriage and i think that 's what i liked about it -- the real issues tucked between the silly and crude storyline .


one of those rare films that come by once in a while with flawless amounts of acting , direction , story and pace .

on the granger movie gauge of 1 to 10 , the powerpuff girls is a fast , frenetic , funny , even punny 6 -- aimed specifically at a grade-school audience .


an overstylized , puréed mélange of sex , psychology , drugs and philosophy .


one ca n't shake the feeling that crossroads is nothing more than an hour-and-a-half-long commercial for britney 's latest album .

the film is so busy making reference to other films and trying to be other films that it fails to have a heart , mind or humor of its own .


spider-man is about growing strange hairs , getting a more mature body , and finding it necessary to hide new secretions from the parental units .


even with all its botches , enigma offers all the pleasure of a handsome and well-made entertainment .


as a film director , labute continues to improve .

at times , the movie looks genuinely pretty .


little more than a well-mounted history lesson .


its initial excitement settles into a warmed over pastiche .

one can only assume that the jury who bestowed star hoffman 's brother gordy with the waldo salt screenwriting award at 2002 's sundance festival were honoring an attempt to do something different over actually pulling it off


as comedic spotlights go , notorious c.h.o. hits all the verbal marks it should .


with so many bad romances out there , this is the kind of movie that deserves a chance to shine .


the wild thornberrys movie is pleasant enough and the message of our close ties with animals can certainly not be emphasized enough .


the emotion is impressively true for being so hot-blooded , and both leads are up to the task .

the bottom line with nemesis is the same as it has been with all the films in the series : fans will undoubtedly enjoy it , and the uncommitted need n't waste their time on it .


what they 're doing is a matter of plumbing arrangements and mind games , of no erotic or sensuous charge .


when your subject is illusion versus reality , should n't the reality seem at least passably real ?

the beautiful images and solemn words can not disguise the slack complacency of -lrb- godard 's -rrb- vision , any more than the gorgeous piano and strings on the soundtrack can drown out the tinny self-righteousness of his voice .


sensual , funny and , in the end , very touching .


though in some ways similar to catherine breillat 's fat girl , rain is the far superior film .


richard pryor mined his personal horrors and came up with a treasure chest of material , but lawrence gives us mostly fool 's gold .


it 's just that it 's so not-at-all-good .


a lot more dimensional and complex than its sunny disposition would lead you to believe .


after you laugh once -lrb- maybe twice -rrb- , you will have completely forgotten the movie by the time you get back to your car in the parking lot .


angel presents events partly from the perspective of aurelie and christelle , and infuses the film with the sensibility of a particularly nightmarish fairytale .


it establishes its ominous mood and tension swiftly , and if the suspense never rises to a higher level , it is nevertheless maintained throughout .


it should be doing a lot of things , but does n't .


it 's a funny little movie with clever dialogue and likeable characters .

this gorgeous epic is guaranteed to lift the spirits of the whole family .


the re-release of ron howard 's apollo 13 in the imax format proves absolutely that really , really , really good things can come in enormous packages .

a film of delicate interpersonal dances .


an essentially awkward version of the lightweight female empowerment picture we 've been watching for decades


... unlike -lrb- scorsese 's mean streets -rrb- , ash wednesday is essentially devoid of interesting characters or even a halfway intriguing plot .

pretend like your sat scores are below 120 and you might not notice the flaws .


and they succeed merrily at their noble endeavor .


an improvement on the feeble examples of big-screen poke-mania that have preceded it .

the story 's scope and pageantry are mesmerizing , and mr. day-lewis roars with leonine power .


the film was produced by jerry bruckheimer and directed by joel schumacher , and reflects the worst of their shallow styles : wildly overproduced , inadequately motivated every step of the way and demographically targeted to please every one -lrb- and no one -rrb- .


cinematic pyrotechnics aside , the only thing avary seems to care about are mean giggles and pulchritude .


the movie is hardly a masterpiece , but it does mark ms. bullock 's best work in some time .


this comic gem is as delightful as it is derivative .


while some of the camera work is interesting , the film 's mid-to-low budget is betrayed by the surprisingly shoddy makeup work .


it should be doing a lot of things , but does n't .

like the hanks character , he 's a slow study : the action is stilted and the tabloid energy embalmed .


but it also has many of the things that made the first one charming .


undoubtedly the scariest movie ever made about tattoos .

the movie 's thesis -- elegant technology for the masses -- is surprisingly refreshing .


a loud , brash and mainly unfunny high school comedy .


a pretty decent kid-pleasing , tolerable-to-adults lark of a movie .


contrived , maudlin and cliche-ridden ... if this sappy script was the best the contest received , those rejected must have been astronomically bad .


a waterlogged version of ` fatal attraction ' for the teeny-bopper set ... a sad , soggy potboiler that wastes the talents of its attractive young leads .

what they 're doing is a matter of plumbing arrangements and mind games , of no erotic or sensuous charge .


on the granger movie gauge of 1 to 10 , the powerpuff girls is a fast , frenetic , funny , even punny 6 -- aimed specifically at a grade-school audience .


the movie 's thesis -- elegant technology for the masses -- is surprisingly refreshing .


the whole film has this sneaky feel to it -- as if the director is trying to dupe the viewer into taking it all as very important simply because the movie is ugly to look at and not a hollywood product .


exudes the fizz of a busby berkeley musical and the visceral excitement of a sports extravaganza .

imamura has said that warm water under a red bridge is a poem to the enduring strengths of women .


for all its shoot-outs , fistfights , and car chases , this movie is a phlegmatic bore , so tedious it makes the silly spy vs. spy film the sum of all fears , starring ben affleck , seem downright hitchcockian .


all leather pants & augmented boobs , hawn is hilarious as she tries to resuscitate the fun-loving libertine lost somewhere inside the conservative , handbag-clutching sarandon .


comes off as a long , laborious whine , the bellyaching of a paranoid and unlikable man .

a seriously bad film with seriously warped logic by writer-director kurt wimmer at the screenplay level .


an enjoyable comedy of lingual and cultural differences ... the château is a film -- full of life and small delights -- that has all the wiggling energy of young kitten .


lovingly photographed in the manner of a golden book sprung to life , stuart little 2 manages sweetness largely without stickiness .

nohe 's documentary about the event is sympathetic without being gullible : he is n't blind to the silliness , but also captures moments of spontaneous creativity and authentic co-operative interaction .


but there 's plenty to offend everyone ...

imagine susan sontag falling in love with howard stern .


likely to have decades of life as a classic movie franchise ?


whether or not you 're enlightened by any of derrida 's lectures on `` the other '' and `` the self , '' derrida is an undeniably fascinating and playful fellow .


the film was produced by jerry bruckheimer and directed by joel schumacher , and reflects the worst of their shallow styles : wildly overproduced , inadequately motivated every step of the way and demographically targeted to please every one -lrb- and no one -rrb- .


the country bears wastes an exceptionally good idea .


the movie is hardly a masterpiece , but it does mark ms. bullock 's best work in some time .


while some of the camera work is interesting , the film 's mid-to-low budget is betrayed by the surprisingly shoddy makeup work .

the events of the film are just so weird that i honestly never knew what the hell was coming next .


one of those rare films that come by once in a while with flawless amounts of acting , direction , story and pace .


if divine secrets of the ya-ya sisterhood suffers from a ploddingly melodramatic structure , it comes to life in the performances .

like life on the island , the movie grows boring despite the scenery .


happily stays close to the ground in a spare and simple manner and does n't pummel us with phony imagery or music .


has all the complexity and realistic human behavior of an episode of general hospital .


an uncluttered , resonant gem that relays its universal points without lectures or confrontations . '


the characters are based on stock clichés , and the attempt to complicate the story only defies credibility .


... too contrived to be as naturally charming as it needs to be .

mostly , shafer and co-writer gregory hinton lack a strong-minded viewpoint , or a sense of humor .


dogtown & z-boys evokes the blithe rebel fantasy with the kind of insouciance embedded in the sexy demise of james dean .


the banter between calvin and his fellow barbers feels like a streetwise mclaughlin group ... and never fails to entertain .


true to its animatronic roots : ... as stiff , ponderous and charmless as a mechanical apparatus ... ` the country bears ' should never have been brought out of hibernation .

a fake street drama that keeps telling you things instead of showing them .


an energizing , intoxicating documentary charting the rise of hip-hop culture in general and the art of scratching -lrb- or turntablism -rrb- in particular .


hawn and sarandon form an acting bond that makes the banger sisters a fascinating character study with laughs to spare .


... the whole thing succeeded only in making me groggy .


it 's about issues most adults have to face in marriage and i think that 's what i liked about it -- the real issues tucked between the silly and crude storyline .


even accepting this in the right frame of mind can only provide it with so much leniency .


-lrb- a -rrb- rather thinly-conceived movie .


the movie 's thesis -- elegant technology for the masses -- is surprisingly refreshing .


it is scott 's convincing portrayal of roger the sad cad that really gives the film its oomph .


these people are really going to love the piano teacher .

a film of delicate interpersonal dances .


the adventures of pluto nash is a whole lot of nada .


cinematic pyrotechnics aside , the only thing avary seems to care about are mean giggles and pulchritude .

though it pretends to expose the life of male hustlers , it 's exploitive without being insightful .


woody allen has really found his groove these days .


it 's difficult to conceive of anyone who has reached puberty actually finding the characters in slackers or their antics amusing , let alone funny .

this is a fragmented film , once a good idea that was followed by the bad idea to turn it into a movie .


almodovar is an imaginative teacher of emotional intelligence in this engaging film about two men who discover what william james once called ` the gift of tears . '


true to its animatronic roots : ... as stiff , ponderous and charmless as a mechanical apparatus ... ` the country bears ' should never have been brought out of hibernation .


if ever such a dependable concept was botched in execution , this is it .

snoots will no doubt rally to its cause , trotting out threadbare standbys like ` masterpiece ' and ` triumph ' and all that malarkey , but rarely does an established filmmaker so ardently waste viewers ' time with a gobbler like this .


another trumpet blast that there may be a new mexican cinema a-bornin ' . '


mostly , shafer and co-writer gregory hinton lack a strong-minded viewpoint , or a sense of humor .

the country bears wastes an exceptionally good idea .


a buoyant romantic comedy about friendship , love , and the truth that we 're all in this together .

the performers are so spot on , it is hard to conceive anyone else in their roles .


after one gets the feeling that the typical hollywood disregard for historical truth and realism is at work here , it 's a matter of finding entertainment in the experiences of zishe and the fiery presence of hanussen .

on the granger movie gauge of 1 to 10 , the powerpuff girls is a fast , frenetic , funny , even punny 6 -- aimed specifically at a grade-school audience .


hollywood ending is the most disappointing woody allen movie ever .


a seriously bad film with seriously warped logic by writer-director kurt wimmer at the screenplay level .


the low-key direction is pleasingly emphatic in this properly intense , claustrophobic tale of obsessive love .


to the filmmakers , ivan is a prince of a fellow , but he comes across as shallow and glib though not mean-spirited , and there 's no indication that he 's been responsible for putting together any movies of particular value or merit .

the problem with the bread , my sweet is that it 's far too sentimental .


the film , despite the gratuitous cinematic distractions impressed upon it , is still good fun .


chan 's stunts are limited and so embellished by editing that there 's really not much of a sense of action or even action-comedy .


a soul-stirring documentary about the israeli\/palestinian conflict as revealed through the eyes of some children who remain curious about each other against all odds .


as a feature-length film , it wears out its welcome as tryingly as the title character .

the film was produced by jerry bruckheimer and directed by joel schumacher , and reflects the worst of their shallow styles : wildly overproduced , inadequately motivated every step of the way and demographically targeted to please every one -lrb- and no one -rrb- .


the movie is hardly a masterpiece , but it does mark ms. bullock 's best work in some time .


the film has -lrb- its -rrb- moments , but they are few and far between .


one can only assume that the jury who bestowed star hoffman 's brother gordy with the waldo salt screenwriting award at 2002 's sundance festival were honoring an attempt to do something different over actually pulling it off

the film does n't sustain its initial promise with a jarring , new-agey tone creeping into the second half


exudes the fizz of a busby berkeley musical and the visceral excitement of a sports extravaganza .


the solid filmmaking and convincing characters makes this a high water mark for this genre .

and they succeed merrily at their noble endeavor .


this bond film goes off the beaten path , not necessarily for the better .


the film never finds its tone and several scenes run too long .

but unless you 're an absolute raving star wars junkie , it is n't much fun .


a good film with a solid pedigree both in front of and , more specifically , behind the camera .


i 'd be hard pressed to think of a film more cloyingly sappy than evelyn this year .


and we do n't avert our eyes for a moment .


i suspect that you 'll be as bored watching morvern callar as the characters are in it .

problem is , we have no idea what in creation is going on .


likely to have decades of life as a classic movie franchise ?


there 's got to be a more graceful way of portraying the devastation of this disease .

a droll , bitchy frolic which pokes fun at the price of popularity and small-town pretension in the lone star state .


even with all its botches , enigma offers all the pleasure of a handsome and well-made entertainment .


this is a fragmented film , once a good idea that was followed by the bad idea to turn it into a movie .

the characters are based on stock clichés , and the attempt to complicate the story only defies credibility .


tully is in many ways the perfect festival film : a calm , self-assured portrait of small town regret , love , duty and friendship that appeals to the storytelling instincts of a slightly more literate filmgoing audience .


a hugely rewarding experience that 's every bit as enlightening , insightful and entertaining as grant 's two best films -- four weddings and a funeral and bridget jones 's diary .


a weird little movie that 's amusing enough while you watch it , offering fine acting moments and pungent insights into modern l.a. 's show-biz and media subcultures .

an enjoyable comedy of lingual and cultural differences ... the château is a film -- full of life and small delights -- that has all the wiggling energy of young kitten .


it 's far from a frothy piece , and the characters are complex , laden with plenty of baggage and tinged with tragic undertones .

turturro is fabulously funny and over the top as a ` very sneaky ' butler who excels in the art of impossible disappearing\/reappearing acts


a baffling mixed platter of gritty realism and magic realism with a hard-to-swallow premise .


first-time director joão pedro rodrigues ' unwillingness to define his hero 's background or motivations becomes more and more frustrating as the film goes on .


the country bears wastes an exceptionally good idea .

gets the look and the period trappings right , but it otherwise drowns in a sea of visual and verbal clichés .


i love the opening scenes of a wintry new york city in 1899 .


yet another iteration of what 's become one of the movies ' creepiest conventions , in which the developmentally disabled are portrayed with almost supernatural powers to humble , teach and ultimately redeem their mentally `` superior '' friends , family ...


a moving tale of love and destruction in unexpected places , unexamined lives .


visually breathtaking , viscerally exciting , and dramatically moving , it 's the very definition of epic adventure .


the script has less spice than a rat burger and the rock 's fighting skills are more in line with steven seagal .


and they succeed merrily at their noble endeavor .


` film aficionados can not help but love cinema paradiso , whether the original version or new director 's cut . '


depicts the sorriest and most sordid of human behavior on the screen , then laughs at how clever it 's being .


this low-rent -- and even lower-wit -- rip-off of the farrelly brothers ' oeuvre gets way too mushy -- and in a relatively short amount of time .

what they 're doing is a matter of plumbing arrangements and mind games , of no erotic or sensuous charge .


fortunately , elling never gets too cloying thanks to the actors ' perfect comic timing and sweet , genuine chemistry .


never inspires more than an interested detachment .

maybe there 's a metaphor here , but figuring it out would n't make trouble every day any better .


it 's far from a frothy piece , and the characters are complex , laden with plenty of baggage and tinged with tragic undertones .


... unlike -lrb- scorsese 's mean streets -rrb- , ash wednesday is essentially devoid of interesting characters or even a halfway intriguing plot .


an uncluttered , resonant gem that relays its universal points without lectures or confrontations . '


talky , artificial and opaque ... an interesting technical exercise , but a tedious picture .

a waterlogged version of ` fatal attraction ' for the teeny-bopper set ... a sad , soggy potboiler that wastes the talents of its attractive young leads .


the bottom line with nemesis is the same as it has been with all the films in the series : fans will undoubtedly enjoy it , and the uncommitted need n't waste their time on it .


adults , other than the parents ... will be hard pressed to succumb to the call of the wild .

-lrb- a -rrb- rather thinly-conceived movie .


offers a clear-eyed chronicle of a female friendship that is more complex and honest than anything represented in a hollywood film .


it all plays out ... like a high-end john hughes comedy , a kind of elder bueller 's time out .

stevens ' vibrant creative instincts are the difference between this and countless other flicks about guys and dolls .


while some of the camera work is interesting , the film 's mid-to-low budget is betrayed by the surprisingly shoddy makeup work .


so devoid of pleasure or sensuality that it can not even be dubbed hedonistic .

imagine kevin smith , the blasphemous bad boy of suburban jersey , if he were stripped of most of his budget and all of his sense of humor .


a weird little movie that 's amusing enough while you watch it , offering fine acting moments and pungent insights into modern l.a. 's show-biz and media subcultures .


the story is bogus and its characters tissue-thin .

first-time director joão pedro rodrigues ' unwillingness to define his hero 's background or motivations becomes more and more frustrating as the film goes on .


turturro is fabulously funny and over the top as a ` very sneaky ' butler who excels in the art of impossible disappearing\/reappearing acts


the wonder of mostly martha is the performance of gedeck , who makes martha enormously endearing .

hawn and sarandon form an acting bond that makes the banger sisters a fascinating character study with laughs to spare .


the beautiful images and solemn words can not disguise the slack complacency of -lrb- godard 's -rrb- vision , any more than the gorgeous piano and strings on the soundtrack can drown out the tinny self-righteousness of his voice .


i love the opening scenes of a wintry new york city in 1899 .


despite terrific special effects and funnier gags , harry potter and the chamber of secrets finds a way to make j.k. rowling 's marvelous series into a deadly bore .


... by the time it 's done with us , mira nair 's new movie has its audience giddy with the delight of discovery , of having been immersed in a foreign culture only to find that human nature is pretty much the same all over .

a moving tale of love and destruction in unexpected places , unexamined lives .


what starts off as a potentially incredibly twisting mystery becomes simply a monster chase film .


the wonder of mostly martha is the performance of gedeck , who makes martha enormously endearing .


the cinematic equivalent of patronizing a bar favored by pretentious , untalented artistes who enjoy moaning about their cruel fate .


and we do n't avert our eyes for a moment .

the solid filmmaking and convincing characters makes this a high water mark for this genre .


if ever such a dependable concept was botched in execution , this is it .


michele is a such a brainless flibbertigibbet that it 's hard to take her spiritual quest at all seriously .

the problem with the bread , my sweet is that it 's far too sentimental .


though in some ways similar to catherine breillat 's fat girl , rain is the far superior film .


anyone who suffers through this film deserves , at the very least , a big box of consolation candy .

nothing happens , and it happens to flat characters .


the emotion is impressively true for being so hot-blooded , and both leads are up to the task .


adrift , bentley and hudson stare and sniffle , respectively , as ledger attempts , in vain , to prove that movie-star intensity can overcome bad hair design .


the movie 's thesis -- elegant technology for the masses -- is surprisingly refreshing .


a poignant and gently humorous parable that loves its characters and communicates something rather beautiful about human nature .

whether or not you 're enlightened by any of derrida 's lectures on `` the other '' and `` the self , '' derrida is an undeniably fascinating and playful fellow .


an inexperienced director , mehta has much to learn .


wonder of wonders -- a teen movie with a humanistic message .

stevens ' vibrant creative instincts are the difference between this and countless other flicks about guys and dolls .


there 's got to be a more graceful way of portraying the devastation of this disease .


what 's hard to understand is why anybody picked it up .

one can only assume that the jury who bestowed star hoffman 's brother gordy with the waldo salt screenwriting award at 2002 's sundance festival were honoring an attempt to do something different over actually pulling it off


it 's a wonderful , sobering , heart-felt drama .


nohe 's documentary about the event is sympathetic without being gullible : he is n't blind to the silliness , but also captures moments of spontaneous creativity and authentic co-operative interaction .

... by the time it 's done with us , mira nair 's new movie has its audience giddy with the delight of discovery , of having been immersed in a foreign culture only to find that human nature is pretty much the same all over .


does n't deserve a passing grade -lrb- even on a curve -rrb- .


one of the most gloriously unsubtle and adrenalized extreme shockers since the evil dead .


maybe there 's a metaphor here , but figuring it out would n't make trouble every day any better .


although god is great addresses interesting matters of identity and heritage , it 's hard to shake the feeling that it was intended to be a different kind of film .

a fake street drama that keeps telling you things instead of showing them .


if you 're willing to have fun with it , you wo n't feel cheated by the high infidelity of unfaithful .


boasts a handful of virtuosic set pieces and offers a fair amount of trashy , kinky fun .


it 's never dull and always looks good .

the performers are so spot on , it is hard to conceive anyone else in their roles .


the script has less spice than a rat burger and the rock 's fighting skills are more in line with steven seagal .


turturro is fabulously funny and over the top as a ` very sneaky ' butler who excels in the art of impossible disappearing\/reappearing acts

the bottom line with nemesis is the same as it has been with all the films in the series : fans will undoubtedly enjoy it , and the uncommitted need n't waste their time on it .


impostor is a step down for director gary fleder .


gets the look and the period trappings right , but it otherwise drowns in a sea of visual and verbal clichés .

it collapses when mr. taylor tries to shift the tone to a thriller 's rush .


maybe there 's a metaphor here , but figuring it out would n't make trouble every day any better .

chan 's stunts are limited and so embellished by editing that there 's really not much of a sense of action or even action-comedy .


a buoyant romantic comedy about friendship , love , and the truth that we 're all in this together .


a droll , bitchy frolic which pokes fun at the price of popularity and small-town pretension in the lone star state .


and , there 's no way you wo n't be talking about the film once you exit the theater .


despite terrific special effects and funnier gags , harry potter and the chamber of secrets finds a way to make j.k. rowling 's marvelous series into a deadly bore .

if you 're the kind of parent who enjoys intentionally introducing your kids to films which will cause loads of irreparable damage that years and years of costly analysis could never fix , i have just one word for you - -- decasia


a hugely rewarding experience that 's every bit as enlightening , insightful and entertaining as grant 's two best films -- four weddings and a funeral and bridget jones 's diary .


with an admirably dark first script by brent hanley , paxton , making his directorial feature debut , does strong , measured work .

this gorgeous epic is guaranteed to lift the spirits of the whole family .


nicks and steinberg match their own creations for pure venality -- that 's giving it the old college try .


there are so few films about the plight of american indians in modern america that skins comes as a welcome , if downbeat , missive from a forgotten front .


a rambling ensemble piece with loosely connected characters and plots that never quite gel .


an uncluttered , resonant gem that relays its universal points without lectures or confrontations . '

and they succeed merrily at their noble endeavor .


true to its animatronic roots : ... as stiff , ponderous and charmless as a mechanical apparatus ... ` the country bears ' should never have been brought out of hibernation .


one of those films that seems tailor made to air on pay cable to offer some modest amusements when one has nothing else to watch .

has all the complexity and realistic human behavior of an episode of general hospital .


an enjoyable comedy of lingual and cultural differences ... the château is a film -- full of life and small delights -- that has all the wiggling energy of young kitten .


although frailty fits into a classic genre , in its script and execution it is a remarkably original work .


everything about girls ca n't swim , even its passages of sensitive observation , feels secondhand , familiar -- and not in a good way .


the events of the film are just so weird that i honestly never knew what the hell was coming next .

nothing happens , and it happens to flat characters .


it all plays out ... like a high-end john hughes comedy , a kind of elder bueller 's time out .


as comedic spotlights go , notorious c.h.o. hits all the verbal marks it should .

it 's never dull and always looks good .


if there was ever a movie where the upbeat ending feels like a copout , this is the one .


-lrb- rises -rrb- above its oh-so-hollywood rejiggering and its conventional direction to give the film a soul and an unabashed sense of good old-fashioned escapism .

if you 're willing to have fun with it , you wo n't feel cheated by the high infidelity of unfaithful .


the cinematic equivalent of patronizing a bar favored by pretentious , untalented artistes who enjoy moaning about their cruel fate .


` if you are in the mood for an intelligent weepy , it can easily worm its way into your heart . '

dark and unrepentant , this excursion into the epicenter of percolating mental instability is not easily dismissed or forgotten .


a raunchy and frequently hilarious follow-up to the gifted korean american stand-up 's i 'm the one that i want .

if you 're as happy listening to movies as you are watching them , and the slow parade of human frailty fascinates you , then you 're at the right film .


the film starts promisingly , but the ending is all too predictable and far too cliched to really work .


serious movie-goers embarking upon this journey will find that the road to perdition leads to a satisfying destination .

likely to have decades of life as a classic movie franchise ?


one can only assume that the jury who bestowed star hoffman 's brother gordy with the waldo salt screenwriting award at 2002 's sundance festival were honoring an attempt to do something different over actually pulling it off


a lot more dimensional and complex than its sunny disposition would lead you to believe .

a hugely rewarding experience that 's every bit as enlightening , insightful and entertaining as grant 's two best films -- four weddings and a funeral and bridget jones 's diary .


nicks and steinberg match their own creations for pure venality -- that 's giving it the old college try .


angel presents events partly from the perspective of aurelie and christelle , and infuses the film with the sensibility of a particularly nightmarish fairytale .

a moving tale of love and destruction in unexpected places , unexamined lives .


while some of the camera work is interesting , the film 's mid-to-low budget is betrayed by the surprisingly shoddy makeup work .


with an unusual protagonist -lrb- a kilt-wearing jackson -rrb- and subject matter , the improbable `` formula 51 '' is somewhat entertaining , but it could have been much stronger .

it 's fairly solid -- not to mention well edited so that it certainly does n't feel like a film that strays past the two and a half mark .


gets the look and the period trappings right , but it otherwise drowns in a sea of visual and verbal clichés .


the acting , for the most part , is terrific , although the actors must struggle with the fact that they 're playing characters who sometimes feel more like literary conceits than flesh-and-blood humans .

tully is in many ways the perfect festival film : a calm , self-assured portrait of small town regret , love , duty and friendship that appeals to the storytelling instincts of a slightly more literate filmgoing audience .


even accepting this in the right frame of mind can only provide it with so much leniency .


a moving tale of love and destruction in unexpected places , unexamined lives .


although god is great addresses interesting matters of identity and heritage , it 's hard to shake the feeling that it was intended to be a different kind of film .


nicks and steinberg match their own creations for pure venality -- that 's giving it the old college try .

there 's nothing to gain from watching they .


whether or not you 're enlightened by any of derrida 's lectures on `` the other '' and `` the self , '' derrida is an undeniably fascinating and playful fellow .


another trumpet blast that there may be a new mexican cinema a-bornin ' . '

exudes the fizz of a busby berkeley musical and the visceral excitement of a sports extravaganza .


there are now two signs that m. night shyamalan 's debut feature sucked up all he has to give to the mystic genres of cinema : unbreakable and signs .


a hypnotic cyber hymn and a cruel story of youth culture .

i have a new favorite musical -- and i 'm not even a fan of the genre


dull , a road-trip movie that 's surprisingly short of both adventure and song .


this bond film goes off the beaten path , not necessarily for the better .


problem is , we have no idea what in creation is going on .

but the movie 's narrative hook is way too muddled to be an effectively chilling guilty pleasure .


your children will be occupied for 72 minutes .


the movie is hardly a masterpiece , but it does mark ms. bullock 's best work in some time .

it celebrates the group 's playful spark of nonconformity , glancing vividly back at what hibiscus grandly called his ` angels of light . '


imagine susan sontag falling in love with howard stern .


with an unusual protagonist -lrb- a kilt-wearing jackson -rrb- and subject matter , the improbable `` formula 51 '' is somewhat entertaining , but it could have been much stronger .


a fake street drama that keeps telling you things instead of showing them .


the film is so busy making reference to other films and trying to be other films that it fails to have a heart , mind or humor of its own .

but unless you 're an absolute raving star wars junkie , it is n't much fun .


a compelling yarn , but not quite a ripping one .


ah , yes , that would be me : fighting off the urge to doze .


it 's about issues most adults have to face in marriage and i think that 's what i liked about it -- the real issues tucked between the silly and crude storyline .


it collapses when mr. taylor tries to shift the tone to a thriller 's rush .


on the granger movie gauge of 1 to 10 , the powerpuff girls is a fast , frenetic , funny , even punny 6 -- aimed specifically at a grade-school audience .

though in some ways similar to catherine breillat 's fat girl , rain is the far superior film .


a good film with a solid pedigree both in front of and , more specifically , behind the camera .

lovingly photographed in the manner of a golden book sprung to life , stuart little 2 manages sweetness largely without stickiness .


impostor is a step down for director gary fleder .


it is scott 's convincing portrayal of roger the sad cad that really gives the film its oomph .


a beguiling evocation of the quality that keeps dickens evergreen : the exuberant openness with which he expresses our most basic emotions .

the acting , for the most part , is terrific , although the actors must struggle with the fact that they 're playing characters who sometimes feel more like literary conceits than flesh-and-blood humans .


a droll , bitchy frolic which pokes fun at the price of popularity and small-town pretension in the lone star state .


likely to have decades of life as a classic movie franchise ?

with this masterful , flawless film , -lrb- wang -rrb- emerges in the front ranks of china 's now numerous , world-renowned filmmakers .


too much of storytelling moves away from solondz 's social critique , casting its audience as that of intellectual lector in contemplation of the auteur 's professional injuries .


director elie chouraqui , who co-wrote the script , catches the chaotic horror of war , but why bother if you 're going to subjugate truth to the tear-jerking demands of soap opera ?

while easier to sit through than most of jaglom 's self-conscious and gratingly irritating films , it 's still tainted by cliches , painful improbability and murky points .


long before it 's over , you 'll be thinking of 51 ways to leave this loser .


stevens ' vibrant creative instincts are the difference between this and countless other flicks about guys and dolls .


we just do n't really care too much about this love story .

eddie murphy and owen wilson have a cute partnership in i spy , but the movie around them is so often nearly nothing that their charm does n't do a load of good .


the re-release of ron howard 's apollo 13 in the imax format proves absolutely that really , really , really good things can come in enormous packages .


snoots will no doubt rally to its cause , trotting out threadbare standbys like ` masterpiece ' and ` triumph ' and all that malarkey , but rarely does an established filmmaker so ardently waste viewers ' time with a gobbler like this .


whether or not you 're enlightened by any of derrida 's lectures on `` the other '' and `` the self , '' derrida is an undeniably fascinating and playful fellow .


blessed with a searing lead performance by ryan gosling -lrb- murder by numbers -rrb- , the movie is powerful and provocative .

it 's never dull and always looks good .


it 's far from a frothy piece , and the characters are complex , laden with plenty of baggage and tinged with tragic undertones .


although shot with little style , skins is heartfelt and achingly real .

if you 're as happy listening to movies as you are watching them , and the slow parade of human frailty fascinates you , then you 're at the right film .


a waterlogged version of ` fatal attraction ' for the teeny-bopper set ... a sad , soggy potboiler that wastes the talents of its attractive young leads .


jackson shamefully strolls through this mess with a smug grin , inexplicably wearing a kilt and carrying a bag of golf clubs over one shoulder .

a dark comedy that goes for sick and demented humor simply to do so .


a beguiling evocation of the quality that keeps dickens evergreen : the exuberant openness with which he expresses our most basic emotions .


it 's a wonderful , sobering , heart-felt drama .

your 20th outing shows off a lot of stamina and vitality , and get this , madonna 's cameo does n't suck !


your children will be occupied for 72 minutes .

spielberg 's picture is smarter and subtler than -lrb- total recall and blade runner -rrb- , although its plot may prove too convoluted for fun-seeking summer audiences .


it 's difficult to conceive of anyone who has reached puberty actually finding the characters in slackers or their antics amusing , let alone funny .


the only camouflage carvey should now be considering is a paper bag to wear over his head when he goes out into public , to avoid being recognized as the man who bilked unsuspecting moviegoers .

has all the complexity and realistic human behavior of an episode of general hospital .


what makes the film special is the refreshingly unhibited enthusiasm that the people , in spite of clearly evident poverty and hardship , bring to their music .


a moving tale of love and destruction in unexpected places , unexamined lives .


adam sandler 's heart may be in the right place , but he needs to pull his head out of his butt


eddie murphy and owen wilson have a cute partnership in i spy , but the movie around them is so often nearly nothing that their charm does n't do a load of good .

the country bears wastes an exceptionally good idea .


below may not mark mr. twohy 's emergence into the mainstream , but his promise remains undiminished .


it 's a day at the beach -- with air conditioning and popcorn .

an energizing , intoxicating documentary charting the rise of hip-hop culture in general and the art of scratching -lrb- or turntablism -rrb- in particular .


there are now two signs that m. night shyamalan 's debut feature sucked up all he has to give to the mystic genres of cinema : unbreakable and signs .


a harrowing account of a psychological breakdown .

though in some ways similar to catherine breillat 's fat girl , rain is the far superior film .


cinematic pyrotechnics aside , the only thing avary seems to care about are mean giggles and pulchritude .


there are now two signs that m. night shyamalan 's debut feature sucked up all he has to give to the mystic genres of cinema : unbreakable and signs .

so devoid of pleasure or sensuality that it can not even be dubbed hedonistic .


the movie 's thesis -- elegant technology for the masses -- is surprisingly refreshing .


dark and unrepentant , this excursion into the epicenter of percolating mental instability is not easily dismissed or forgotten .

as a film director , labute continues to improve .


this is an insultingly inept and artificial examination of grief and its impacts upon the relationships of the survivors .


the film does n't sustain its initial promise with a jarring , new-agey tone creeping into the second half


a poignant and gently humorous parable that loves its characters and communicates something rather beautiful about human nature .


an energizing , intoxicating documentary charting the rise of hip-hop culture in general and the art of scratching -lrb- or turntablism -rrb- in particular .

tully is in many ways the perfect festival film : a calm , self-assured portrait of small town regret , love , duty and friendship that appeals to the storytelling instincts of a slightly more literate filmgoing audience .


too much of storytelling moves away from solondz 's social critique , casting its audience as that of intellectual lector in contemplation of the auteur 's professional injuries .


if there was ever a movie where the upbeat ending feels like a copout , this is the one .


as comedic spotlights go , notorious c.h.o. hits all the verbal marks it should .


dull , a road-trip movie that 's surprisingly short of both adventure and song .

the film does n't sustain its initial promise with a jarring , new-agey tone creeping into the second half


an edifying glimpse into the wit and revolutionary spirit of these performers and their era .


does n't deserve a passing grade -lrb- even on a curve -rrb- .

chan 's stunts are limited and so embellished by editing that there 's really not much of a sense of action or even action-comedy .


i love the opening scenes of a wintry new york city in 1899 .


a sloppy slapstick throwback to long gone bottom-of-the-bill fare like the ghost and mr. chicken .

although god is great addresses interesting matters of identity and heritage , it 's hard to shake the feeling that it was intended to be a different kind of film .


the low-key direction is pleasingly emphatic in this properly intense , claustrophobic tale of obsessive love .


what makes the film special is the refreshingly unhibited enthusiasm that the people , in spite of clearly evident poverty and hardship , bring to their music .

the bottom line with nemesis is the same as it has been with all the films in the series : fans will undoubtedly enjoy it , and the uncommitted need n't waste their time on it .


for all its shoot-outs , fistfights , and car chases , this movie is a phlegmatic bore , so tedious it makes the silly spy vs. spy film the sum of all fears , starring ben affleck , seem downright hitchcockian .


hawn and sarandon form an acting bond that makes the banger sisters a fascinating character study with laughs to spare .

a good film with a solid pedigree both in front of and , more specifically , behind the camera .


contrived , maudlin and cliche-ridden ... if this sappy script was the best the contest received , those rejected must have been astronomically bad .


how this one escaped the lifetime network i 'll never know .

despite terrific special effects and funnier gags , harry potter and the chamber of secrets finds a way to make j.k. rowling 's marvelous series into a deadly bore .


waiting for godard can be fruitful : ` in praise of love ' is the director 's epitaph for himself .


a hugely rewarding experience that 's every bit as enlightening , insightful and entertaining as grant 's two best films -- four weddings and a funeral and bridget jones 's diary .

as a film director , labute continues to improve .


i suspect that you 'll be as bored watching morvern callar as the characters are in it .


i have a new favorite musical -- and i 'm not even a fan of the genre

happily stays close to the ground in a spare and simple manner and does n't pummel us with phony imagery or music .


but the movie 's narrative hook is way too muddled to be an effectively chilling guilty pleasure .


first , for a movie that tries to be smart , it 's kinda dumb .

we just do n't really care too much about this love story .


even with all its botches , enigma offers all the pleasure of a handsome and well-made entertainment .

a compelling yarn , but not quite a ripping one .


a lightweight , uneven action comedy that freely mingles french , japanese and hollywood cultures .


there 's got to be a more graceful way of portraying the devastation of this disease .


snoots will no doubt rally to its cause , trotting out threadbare standbys like ` masterpiece ' and ` triumph ' and all that malarkey , but rarely does an established filmmaker so ardently waste viewers ' time with a gobbler like this .

what starts off as a potentially incredibly twisting mystery becomes simply a monster chase film .


stevens ' vibrant creative instincts are the difference between this and countless other flicks about guys and dolls .


the film starts promisingly , but the ending is all too predictable and far too cliched to really work .

rarely does a film so graceless and devoid of merit as this one come along .


fortunately , elling never gets too cloying thanks to the actors ' perfect comic timing and sweet , genuine chemistry .


full frontal , which opens today nationwide , could almost be classified as a movie-industry satire , but it lacks the generous inclusiveness that is the genre 's definitive , if disingenuous , feature .


below may not mark mr. twohy 's emergence into the mainstream , but his promise remains undiminished .


there 's a whole heap of nothing at the core of this slight coming-of-age\/coming-out tale .

a baffling mixed platter of gritty realism and magic realism with a hard-to-swallow premise .


these people are really going to love the piano teacher .


the characters are based on stock clichés , and the attempt to complicate the story only defies credibility .

a rambling ensemble piece with loosely connected characters and plots that never quite gel .


likely to have decades of life as a classic movie franchise ?


this is an insultingly inept and artificial examination of grief and its impacts upon the relationships of the survivors .

the film does n't sustain its initial promise with a jarring , new-agey tone creeping into the second half


it celebrates the group 's playful spark of nonconformity , glancing vividly back at what hibiscus grandly called his ` angels of light . '


enough is not a bad movie , just mediocre .


it ai n't art , by a long shot , but unlike last year 's lame musketeer , this dumas adaptation entertains .

undoubtedly the scariest movie ever made about tattoos .


little more than a well-mounted history lesson .


spider-man is about growing strange hairs , getting a more mature body , and finding it necessary to hide new secretions from the parental units .


visually breathtaking , viscerally exciting , and dramatically moving , it 's the very definition of epic adventure .


a soul-stirring documentary about the israeli\/palestinian conflict as revealed through the eyes of some children who remain curious about each other against all odds .

with this masterful , flawless film , -lrb- wang -rrb- emerges in the front ranks of china 's now numerous , world-renowned filmmakers .


eddie murphy and owen wilson have a cute partnership in i spy , but the movie around them is so often nearly nothing that their charm does n't do a load of good .


it 's good , hard-edged stuff , violent and a bit exploitative but also nicely done , morally alert and street-smart .

woven together handsomely , recalling sixties ' rockumentary milestones from lonely boy to do n't look back .


hollywood ending is the most disappointing woody allen movie ever .

... unlike -lrb- scorsese 's mean streets -rrb- , ash wednesday is essentially devoid of interesting characters or even a halfway intriguing plot .


dark and unrepentant , this excursion into the epicenter of percolating mental instability is not easily dismissed or forgotten .


when your subject is illusion versus reality , should n't the reality seem at least passably real ?


it 's about issues most adults have to face in marriage and i think that 's what i liked about it -- the real issues tucked between the silly and crude storyline .


the problem with the bread , my sweet is that it 's far too sentimental .

while easier to sit through than most of jaglom 's self-conscious and gratingly irritating films , it 's still tainted by cliches , painful improbability and murky points .


and they succeed merrily at their noble endeavor .


but the movie 's narrative hook is way too muddled to be an effectively chilling guilty pleasure .


make like the title and dodge this one .

the whole film has this sneaky feel to it -- as if the director is trying to dupe the viewer into taking it all as very important simply because the movie is ugly to look at and not a hollywood product .


a lot more dimensional and complex than its sunny disposition would lead you to believe .


waiting for godard can be fruitful : ` in praise of love ' is the director 's epitaph for himself .


the film has -lrb- its -rrb- moments , but they are few and far between .


a dark comedy that goes for sick and demented humor simply to do so .

a sham construct based on theory , sleight-of-hand , and ill-wrought hypothesis .


it ai n't art , by a long shot , but unlike last year 's lame musketeer , this dumas adaptation entertains .


a poignant and gently humorous parable that loves its characters and communicates something rather beautiful about human nature .


i 'm sorry to say that this should seal the deal - arnold is not , nor will he be , back .


imagine kevin smith , the blasphemous bad boy of suburban jersey , if he were stripped of most of his budget and all of his sense of humor .

an overstylized , puréed mélange of sex , psychology , drugs and philosophy .


everything about girls ca n't swim , even its passages of sensitive observation , feels secondhand , familiar -- and not in a good way .

the events of the film are just so weird that i honestly never knew what the hell was coming next .


it 's far from a frothy piece , and the characters are complex , laden with plenty of baggage and tinged with tragic undertones .


the bottom line with nemesis is the same as it has been with all the films in the series : fans will undoubtedly enjoy it , and the uncommitted need n't waste their time on it .

this gorgeous epic is guaranteed to lift the spirits of the whole family .


what they 're doing is a matter of plumbing arrangements and mind games , of no erotic or sensuous charge .


a droll , bitchy frolic which pokes fun at the price of popularity and small-town pretension in the lone star state .


a bittersweet contemporary comedy about benevolent deception , which , while it may not rival the filmmaker 's period pieces , is still very much worth seeing .


what 's really sad is to see two academy award winning actresses -lrb- and one academy award winning actor -rrb- succumb to appearing in this junk that 's tv sitcom material at best .


sensual , funny and , in the end , very touching .


ourside the theatre roger might be intolerable company , but inside it he 's well worth spending some time with .

spielberg 's picture is smarter and subtler than -lrb- total recall and blade runner -rrb- , although its plot may prove too convoluted for fun-seeking summer audiences .


chan 's stunts are limited and so embellished by editing that there 's really not much of a sense of action or even action-comedy .


a baffling mixed platter of gritty realism and magic realism with a hard-to-swallow premise .

... unlike -lrb- scorsese 's mean streets -rrb- , ash wednesday is essentially devoid of interesting characters or even a halfway intriguing plot .


another trumpet blast that there may be a new mexican cinema a-bornin ' . '


this comic gem is as delightful as it is derivative .


first , for a movie that tries to be smart , it 's kinda dumb .


adam sandler 's heart may be in the right place , but he needs to pull his head out of his butt

a rambling ensemble piece with loosely connected characters and plots that never quite gel .


wonder of wonders -- a teen movie with a humanistic message .


the film has -lrb- its -rrb- moments , but they are few and far between .

the adventures of pluto nash is a whole lot of nada .


likely to have decades of life as a classic movie franchise ?


woody allen has really found his groove these days .

a harrowing account of a psychological breakdown .


a sham construct based on theory , sleight-of-hand , and ill-wrought hypothesis .


contrived , maudlin and cliche-ridden ... if this sappy script was the best the contest received , those rejected must have been astronomically bad .

never inspires more than an interested detachment .


though in some ways similar to catherine breillat 's fat girl , rain is the far superior film .


i 'm sorry to say that this should seal the deal - arnold is not , nor will he be , back .

an overstylized , puréed mélange of sex , psychology , drugs and philosophy .


a poignant and gently humorous parable that loves its characters and communicates something rather beautiful about human nature .


mr. wollter and ms. seldhal give strong and convincing performances , but neither reaches into the deepest recesses of the character to unearth the quaking essence of passion , grief and fear .

like the hanks character , he 's a slow study : the action is stilted and the tabloid energy embalmed .


dark and unrepentant , this excursion into the epicenter of percolating mental instability is not easily dismissed or forgotten .


nothing happens , and it happens to flat characters .

i 'd be hard pressed to think of a film more cloyingly sappy than evelyn this year .


an enjoyable comedy of lingual and cultural differences ... the château is a film -- full of life and small delights -- that has all the wiggling energy of young kitten .


the film has a terrific look and salma hayek has a feel for the character at all stages of her life .

a raunchy and frequently hilarious follow-up to the gifted korean american stand-up 's i 'm the one that i want .


this bond film goes off the beaten path , not necessarily for the better .


while easier to sit through than most of jaglom 's self-conscious and gratingly irritating films , it 's still tainted by cliches , painful improbability and murky points .

what they 're doing is a matter of plumbing arrangements and mind games , of no erotic or sensuous charge .


the lady and the duke is a smart , romantic drama that dares to depict the french revolution from the aristocrats ' perspective .


a film of delicate interpersonal dances .


imagine kevin smith , the blasphemous bad boy of suburban jersey , if he were stripped of most of his budget and all of his sense of humor .


like the hanks character , he 's a slow study : the action is stilted and the tabloid energy embalmed .

first-time director joão pedro rodrigues ' unwillingness to define his hero 's background or motivations becomes more and more frustrating as the film goes on .


it 's a funny little movie with clever dialogue and likeable characters .


with this masterful , flawless film , -lrb- wang -rrb- emerges in the front ranks of china 's now numerous , world-renowned filmmakers .

blessed with a searing lead performance by ryan gosling -lrb- murder by numbers -rrb- , the movie is powerful and provocative .


the beautiful images and solemn words can not disguise the slack complacency of -lrb- godard 's -rrb- vision , any more than the gorgeous piano and strings on the soundtrack can drown out the tinny self-righteousness of his voice .


hollywood ending is the most disappointing woody allen movie ever .


an edifying glimpse into the wit and revolutionary spirit of these performers and their era .


an essentially awkward version of the lightweight female empowerment picture we 've been watching for decades

little more than a well-mounted history lesson .


` if you are in the mood for an intelligent weepy , it can easily worm its way into your heart . '


a waterlogged version of ` fatal attraction ' for the teeny-bopper set ... a sad , soggy potboiler that wastes the talents of its attractive young leads .


stevens ' vibrant creative instincts are the difference between this and countless other flicks about guys and dolls .


but unless you 're an absolute raving star wars junkie , it is n't much fun .

mostly , shafer and co-writer gregory hinton lack a strong-minded viewpoint , or a sense of humor .


with this masterful , flawless film , -lrb- wang -rrb- emerges in the front ranks of china 's now numerous , world-renowned filmmakers .


if you 're as happy listening to movies as you are watching them , and the slow parade of human frailty fascinates you , then you 're at the right film .

a film of delicate interpersonal dances .


director elie chouraqui , who co-wrote the script , catches the chaotic horror of war , but why bother if you 're going to subjugate truth to the tear-jerking demands of soap opera ?


the movie is so resolutely cobbled together out of older movies that it even uses a totally unnecessary prologue , just because it seems obligatory .


there are so few films about the plight of american indians in modern america that skins comes as a welcome , if downbeat , missive from a forgotten front .


tully is in many ways the perfect festival film : a calm , self-assured portrait of small town regret , love , duty and friendship that appeals to the storytelling instincts of a slightly more literate filmgoing audience .

the movie is hardly a masterpiece , but it does mark ms. bullock 's best work in some time .


though it pretends to expose the life of male hustlers , it 's exploitive without being insightful .


the script was reportedly rewritten a dozen times -- either 11 times too many or else too few .

it 's difficult to conceive of anyone who has reached puberty actually finding the characters in slackers or their antics amusing , let alone funny .


the film , despite the gratuitous cinematic distractions impressed upon it , is still good fun .


tully is in many ways the perfect festival film : a calm , self-assured portrait of small town regret , love , duty and friendship that appeals to the storytelling instincts of a slightly more literate filmgoing audience .


anyone who suffers through this film deserves , at the very least , a big box of consolation candy .


the acting , for the most part , is terrific , although the actors must struggle with the fact that they 're playing characters who sometimes feel more like literary conceits than flesh-and-blood humans .


a compelling yarn , but not quite a ripping one .

as comedic spotlights go , notorious c.h.o. hits all the verbal marks it should .


maybe there 's a metaphor here , but figuring it out would n't make trouble every day any better .


imamura has said that warm water under a red bridge is a poem to the enduring strengths of women .

it 's good , hard-edged stuff , violent and a bit exploitative but also nicely done , morally alert and street-smart .


snoots will no doubt rally to its cause , trotting out threadbare standbys like ` masterpiece ' and ` triumph ' and all that malarkey , but rarely does an established filmmaker so ardently waste viewers ' time with a gobbler like this .


and , there 's no way you wo n't be talking about the film once you exit the theater .

dogtown & z-boys evokes the blithe rebel fantasy with the kind of insouciance embedded in the sexy demise of james dean .


the beautiful images and solemn words can not disguise the slack complacency of -lrb- godard 's -rrb- vision , any more than the gorgeous piano and strings on the soundtrack can drown out the tinny self-righteousness of his voice .


there 's nothing to gain from watching they .

... the whole thing succeeded only in making me groggy .


a film of delicate interpersonal dances .


imagine susan sontag falling in love with howard stern .

if divine secrets of the ya-ya sisterhood suffers from a ploddingly melodramatic structure , it comes to life in the performances .


even with all its botches , enigma offers all the pleasure of a handsome and well-made entertainment .


offers a clear-eyed chronicle of a female friendship that is more complex and honest than anything represented in a hollywood film .


talky , artificial and opaque ... an interesting technical exercise , but a tedious picture .