the premise is in extremely bad taste , and the film 's supposed insights are so poorly thought-out and substance-free that even a high school senior taking his or her first psychology class could dismiss them .


where last time jokes flowed out of cho 's life story , which provided an engrossing dramatic through line , here the comedian hides behind obviously constructed routines .


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


as ( the characters ) get more depressed , the story gets more tiresome , especially as it continues to mount a conspicuous effort to be profound .


it 's laughing at us .


intended to be a comedy about relationships , this wretched work falls flat in just about every conceivable area .


in his debut as a film director , denzel washington delivers a lean and engaging work .


mr. wedge and mr. saldanha handle the mix of verbal jokes and slapstick well .


an intriguing and entertaining introduction to johnson .


i did n't believe for a moment in these villains or their plot .


what makes the movie a comedy is the way it avoids the more serious emotions involved .


... ambition is in short supply in the cinema , and egoyan tackles his themes and explores his characters ' crises with seriousness and compassion .


my response to the film is best described as lukewarm .


not for everyone , but for those with whom it will connect , it 's a nice departure from standard moviegoing fare .


denzel washington 's efforts are sunk by all the sanctimony .


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


the pleasures of super troopers may be fleeting , but they 'll register strongly with anybody who still retains a soft spot for precollegiate humor .


what jackson has accomplished here is amazing on a technical level .


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


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


ethan hawke has always fancied himself the bastard child of the beatnik generation and it 's all over his chelsea walls .


the film is like a series of beginnings and middles that never take off .


a very average science fiction film .


if you 're not into the pokemon franchise , this fourth animated movie in four years wo n't convert you -- or even keep your eyes open .


... watching this film nearly provoked me to take my own life .


foster nails the role , giving a tight , focused performance illuminated by shards of feeling .


they felt like the same movie to me .


it 's just a silly black genre spoof .


kaufman creates an eerie sense of not only being there at the time of these events but the very night matthew was killed .


with the film 's striking ending , one realizes that we have a long way to go before we fully understand all the sexual permutations involved .


still , i 'm not quite sure what the point is ...


it tries too hard , and overreaches the logic of its own world .


we need ( moore 's ) noisy , cocky energy , his passion and class consciousness ; we need his shticks , we need his stones .


for anyone who remembers the '60s or is interested in one man 's response to stroke , ram dass : fierce grace is worth seeking out .


neither funny nor suspenseful nor particularly well-drawn .


ranging from funny to shattering and featuring some of the year 's best acting , personal velocity gathers plenty of dramatic momentum .


a dreary rip-off of goodfellas that serves as a muddled and offensive cautionary tale for hispanic americans .


a 93-minute condensation of a 26-episode tv series , with all of the pitfalls of such you 'd expect .


the movie takes itself too seriously and , as a result , it makes for only intermittent fun .


it 's painful .


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


for a good chunk of its running time , trapped is an effective and claustrophobic thriller .


it 's not horrible , just horribly mediocre .


the kooky yet shadowy vision clooney sustains throughout is daring , inventive and impressive .


this is a happy throwback to the time when cartoons were cinema 's most idiosyncratic form instead of one of its most predictable .


it suggests the wide-ranging effects of media manipulation , from the kind of reporting that is done by the supposedly liberal media ... to the intimate and ultimately tragic heartache of maverick individuals like hatfield and hicks .


but this time there 's some mold on the gold .


this ecologically minded , wildlife friendly film teaches good ethics while entertaining with its unconventionally wacky but loving family


fans of nijinsky will savor every minute of cox 's work .


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


clever , brutal and strangely soulful movie .


if you collected all the moments of coherent dialogue , they still would n't add up to the time required to boil a four - minute egg .


somewhat blurred , but kinnear 's performance is razor sharp .


what 's next ?


attal mixes comedy with a serious exploration of ego and jealousy within a seemingly serene marriage .


all these developments and challenges facing santa weigh down the plot so heavily that they drain all the film of its energy and needlessly strain credibility .


the movie will reach far beyond its core demographic .


... too gory to be a comedy and too silly to be an effective horror film .


this is the type of movie best enjoyed by frat boys and college kids while sucking on the bong and downing one alcoholic beverage after another .


it 's an old story , but a lively script , sharp acting and partially animated interludes make just a kiss seem minty fresh .


for the first time in several years , mr. allen has surpassed himself with the magic he 's spun with the hollywood empress of ms. leoni 's ellie .


fans of the animated wildlife adventure show will be in warthog heaven ; others need not necessarily apply .


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


the acting alone is worth the price of admission .


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


the only thing that could possibly make them less interesting than they already are is for them to get full montied into a scrappy , jovial team .


... a big , baggy , sprawling carnival of a movie , stretching out before us with little rhyme or reason .


there are as many misses as hits , but ultimately , it finds humor in the foibles of human behavior , and it 's a welcome return to the roots of a genre that should depend on surprises .


a grim , flat and boring werewolf movie that refuses to develop an energy level .


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


a sour , nasty offering .


it never fails to engage us .


for all its alleged youthful fire , xxx is no less subservient to bond 's tired formula of guns , girls and gadgets while brandishing a new action hero .


the filmmakers skillfully evoke the sense of menace that nature holds for many urban dwellers .


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


an intelligent , moving and invigorating film .


( but it 's ) worth recommending because of two marvelous performances by michael caine and brendan fraser .


a turgid little history lesson , humourless and dull .


a cumbersome and cliche-ridden movie greased with every emotional device known to man .


succeeds in providing a disquiet world the long-dreaded completion of the police academy series .


as bundy , michael reilly burke ( octopus 2 : river of fear ) has just the right amount of charisma and menace .


adam sandler is to gary cooper what a gnat is to a racehorse .


a tale of horror and revenge that is nearly perfect in its relentless descent to the depths of one man 's tortured soul .


looks awfully like one long tourist spot for a mississippi that may never have existed outside of a scriptwriter 's imagination .


an unabashedly schmaltzy and thoroughly enjoyable true story .


this limp gender-bender-baller from a first-time director and rookie screenwriter steals wholesale from that 1982 's tootsie , forgetting only to retain a single laugh .


this is a terrific character study , a probe into the life of a complex man .


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


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


( gai ) comes closer to any actress i can remember to personifying independence in its purest and , yes , most intimidating form .


daring , mesmerizing and exceedingly hard to forget .


a solidly seaworthy chiller .


a somewhat crudely constructed but gripping , questing look at a person so racked with self-loathing , he becomes an enemy to his own race .


rich in detail , gorgeously shot and beautifully acted , les destinees is , in its quiet , epic way , daring , inventive and refreshingly unusual .


with a story as bizarre and mysterious as this , you do n't want to be worrying about whether the ineffectual broomfield is going to have the courage to knock on that door .


reinforces the often forgotten fact of the world 's remarkably varying human population and mindset , and its capacity to heal using creative , natural and ancient antidotes .


i hate this movie


you might not buy the ideas .


it 's not exactly a gourmet meal but the fare is fair , even coming from the drive-thru .


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


cantet perfectly captures the hotel lobbies , two-lane highways , and roadside cafes that permeate vincent 's days


kwan makes the mix-and - match metaphors intriguing , while lulling us into torpor with his cultivated allergy to action .


... surprisingly inert for a movie in which the main character travels back and forth between epochs .


it 's a decent glimpse into a time period , and an outcast , that is no longer accessible , but it does n't necessarily shed more light on its subject than the popular predecessor .


the overall feel of the film is pretty cheesy , but there 's still a real sense that the star trek tradition has been honored as best it can , given the embarrassing script and weak direction .


despite a story predictable enough to make the sound of music play like a nail-biting thriller , its heart is so much in the right place it is difficult to get really peeved at it .


one of the most haunting , viciously honest coming-of-age films in recent memory .


finds a way to tell a simple story , perhaps the simplest story of all , in a way that seems compelling and even original .


a moody horror/thriller elevated by deft staging and the director 's well-known narrative gamesmanship .


a map of the inner rhythms of love and jealousy and sacrifice drawn with a master 's steady stroke .


the plot is very clever , but boyd weighs it down with too many characters and events , all intertwined and far too complicated to keep track of .


i do n't know precisely what to make of steven soderbergh 's full frontal , though that did n't stop me from enjoying much of it .


city by the sea is the cinematic equivalent of defensive driving : it 's careful , conscientious and makes no major mistakes .


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


you 'll have more fun setting fire to yourself in the parking lot .


a very stylish but ultimately extremely silly tale ... a slick piece of nonsense but nothing more .


escapism in its purest form .


gets under the skin of a man who has just lost his wife .


an endlessly fascinating , landmark movie that is as bold as anything the cinema has seen in years .


cliches are as thick as the cigarette smoke .


an uneven but intriguing drama that is part homage and part remake of the italian masterpiece .


it 's like a poem .


bartleby is a one-joke movie , and a bad joke at that .


as a witness to several greek-american weddings -- but , happily , a victim of none -- i can testify to the comparative accuracy of ms. vardalos ' memories and insights .


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


there 's more scatological action in 8 crazy nights than a proctologist is apt to encounter in an entire career .


schindler 's list it ai n't .


like a tone-deaf singer at a benefit concert , john q. is a bad movie appearing on behalf of a good cause .


serry does a fine job of capturing the climate of the times and , perhaps unwittingly , relating it to what is happening in america in 2002 .


a carefully structured scream of consciousness that is tortured and unsettling -- but unquestionably alive .


de niro and mcdormand give solid performances , but their screen time is sabotaged by the story 's inability to create interest .


a breezy , diverting , conventional , well-acted tale of two men locked in an ongoing game of cat-and-cat .


the movie gets muted and routine .


desperately unfunny when it tries to makes us laugh and desperately unsuspenseful when it tries to make us jump out of our seats .


for its seriousness , high literary aspirations and stunning acting , the film can only be applauded .


one of the greatest romantic comedies of the past decade .


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


lead provocatuers testud and parmentier give superlative performances


watching it is rather like an overlong visit from a large group of your relatives .


murderous maids may well be the most comprehensive of these films and also strike closest to the truth .


... the film falls back on the same old formula of teen sex , outrageous pranks and scenes designed to push the envelope of bad taste for laughs .


it further declares its director , zhang yang of shower , as a boldly experimental , contemporary stylist with a bright future .


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


the talents of the actors helps `` moonlight mile '' rise above its heart-on-its-sleeve writing .


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


glib , satirical documentary that fudges facts , makes facile points and engages in the cinematic equivalent of tabloid journalism .


as an entertainment , the movie keeps you diverted and best of all , it lightens your wallet without leaving a sting .


for a film about two mismatched buddies , crystal and de niro share little screen time and even less chemistry .


a woozy , roisterous , exhausting mess , and the off-beat casting of its two leads turns out to be as ill-starred as you might expect .


is n't quite the equal of woo 's best earlier work , but it 's easily his finest american film ... comes close to recapturing the brilliance of his hong kong films .


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


westfeldt and juergensen exude a chemistry and comfort level that 's both saucy and endearing .


windtalkers is shapelessly gratifying , the kind of movie that invites you to pick apart its faults even as you have to admit that somehow it hit you where you live .


there is not a character in the movie with a shred of plausibility , not an event that is believable , not a confrontation that is not staged , not a moment that is not false .


marries the amateurishness of the blair witch project with the illogic of series 7 : the contenders to create a completely crass and forgettable movie .


if somebody was bored and ... decided to make a dull , pretentious version of jesus ' son , they 'd come up with something like bart freundlich 's world traveler .


( villeneuve ) seems to realize intuitively that even morality is reduced to an option by the ultimate mysteries of life and death .


madonna still ca n't act a lick .


little more than a frothy vanity project .


as written by michael berg and michael j. wilson from a story by wilson , this relentless , all-wise-guys-all-the-time approach tries way too hard and gets tiring in no time at all .


involving at times , but lapses quite casually into the absurd .


a long-winded and stagy session of romantic contrivances that never really gels like the shrewd feminist fairy tale it could have been .


an eccentric little comic/thriller deeply in love with its own quirky personality .


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


hugh grant and sandra bullock are two such likeable actors .


( drumline ) is entertaining for what it does , and admirable for what it does n't do .


it 's still worth a look .


an utterly compelling ` who wrote it ' in which the reputation of the most famous author who ever lived comes into question .


a thoughtful , provocative , insistently humanizing film .


ana is a vivid , vibrant individual and the movie 's focus upon her makes it successful and accessible .


credit must be given to harland williams , michael rosenbaum and barry watson , who inject far more good-natured spirit and talent into this project than it deserves


if this is satire , it 's the smug and self-congratulatory kind that lets the audience completely off the hook .


the stupidest , most insulting movie of 2002 's first quarter .


like most sequels , it takes what worked last time , repeats it and adds more characters , more stunts , more stuff in attempt to camouflage its sameness .


the timing in nearly every scene seems a half beat off .


high crimes miscasts nearly every leading character .


must be seen to be believed .


a recipe for cinematic disaster ... part quentin tarantino , part guy ritchie , and part 1960s spy spoof , it 's all bad .


zany , exuberantly irreverent animated space adventure .


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


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


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


and forget about any attempt at a plot !


showtime is one of the hapless victims of the arrogant `` if we put together a wry white man and a chatty black man and give them guns , the movie will be funny '' syndrome .


sandra nettelbeck beautifully orchestrates the transformation of the chilly , neurotic , and self-absorbed martha as her heart begins to open .


spousal abuse is a major problem in contemporary society , but the film reduces this domestic tragedy to florid melodrama .


while it would be easy to give crush the new title of two weddings and a funeral , it 's a far more thoughtful film than any slice of hugh grant whimsy .


despite a blue-chip cast and a provocative title , writer-director peter mattei 's first feature microwaves dull leftover romantic motifs basted in faux-contemporary gravy .


it 's as close as we 'll ever come to looking through a photographer 's viewfinder as he works .


while surprisingly sincere , this average little story is adorned with some awesome action photography and surfing .


a sophomoric exploration of ` life problems ' most people solved long ago -- or at least got tired of hearing people kvetch about .


but i was n't .


throwing caution to the wind with an invitation to the hedonist in us all , nair has constructed this motion picture in such a way that even the most cynical curmudgeon with find himself or herself smiling at one time or another .


a pleasant enough movie , held together by skilled ensemble actors .


as a randy film about sexy people in gorgeous places being pushed and pulled ( literally and figuratively ) by desire ... ( sex and lucía ) makes for an arousing good time .


the movie has a soft , percolating magic , a deadpan suspense .


an enthralling , playful film that constantly frustrates our desire to know the ` truth ' about this man , while deconstructing the very format of the biography in a manner that derrida would doubtless give his blessing to .


quick : who wants to see a comedy about shoddy airport security ?


maguire is a surprisingly effective peter/spider-man .


what might have been a predictably heartwarming tale is suffused with complexity .


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


scores a few points for doing what it does with a dedicated and good-hearted professionalism .


makes s&m seem very romantic , and maggie gyllenhaal is a delight .


sets up a nice concept for its fiftysomething leading ladies , but fails loudly in execution .


the film is a travesty of the genre and even as spoof takes itself too seriously .


a bit of an unwieldy mess .


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


extremely confusing .


it 's neither as romantic nor as thrilling as it should be .


hilarious , acidic brit comedy .


a worthwhile way to spend two hours .


culkin , who 's in virtually every scene , shines as a young man who uses sarcastic lies like a shield .


tuck everlasting achieves a delicate balance of romantic innocence and philosophical depth .


a droll , well-acted , character-driven comedy with unexpected deposits of feeling .


shot perhaps ` artistically ' with handheld cameras and apparently no movie lights by joaquin baca-asay , the low-budget production swings annoyingly between vertigo and opacity .


( director peter ) jackson and his crew have so steeped themselves in the majesty of tolkien 's writing that every frame produces new joys , whether you 're a fan of the books or not .


one scarcely needs the subtitles to enjoy this colorful action farce .


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


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


the hours is what movies are supposed to be ...


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


an impossible romance , but we root for the patronized iranian lad .


as expected , sayles ' smart wordplay and clever plot contrivances are as sharp as ever , though they may be overshadowed by some strong performances .


dark and disturbing , but also surprisingly funny .


happily for mr. chin -- though unhappily for his subjects -- the invisible hand of the marketplace wrote a script that no human screenwriter could have hoped to match .


if it seems like a minor miracle that its septuagenarian star is young enough to be the nonagenarian filmmaker 's son , more incredible still are the clear-eyed boldness and quiet irony with which actor and director take on life 's urgent questions .


the picture is a primer on what happens when lack of know-how mixes with lack of give-a-damn .


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


a fascinating and fun film .


some actors have so much charisma that you 'd be happy to listen to them reading the phone book .


if high crimes were any more generic it would have a universal product code instead of a title .


a chaotic panorama that 's too busy flying a lot of metaphoric flags .


a mix of velocity and idiocy , this ruinous remake lacks the brawn -- and the brains -- of the 1970s original .


the film is surprisingly well-directed by brett ratner , who keeps things moving well -- at least until the problematic third act .


ice cube holds the film together with an engaging and warm performance ...


a pleasant ramble through the sort of idoosyncratic terrain that errol morris has often dealt with ... it does possess a loose , lackadaisical charm .


so many documentaries like this presuppose religious bigotry or zealous nuttiness of its antagonists , but family fundamentals displays a rare gift for unflinching impartiality .


bears is bad .


consider the title 's clunk-on-the-head that suggests the overtime someone put in to come up with an irritatingly unimaginative retread concept .


cedar takes a very open-minded approach to this sensitive material , showing impressive control , both visually and in the writing .


a very funny look at how another culture handles the process of courting and marriage .


romanek keeps the film constantly taut ... reflecting the character 's instability with a metaphorical visual style and an unnerving , heartbeat-like score .


let your silly childhood nostalgia slumber unmolested .


as tweedy talks about canning his stockbroker and repairing his pool , you yearn for a few airborne tv sets or nude groupies on the nod to liven things up .


well-shot but badly written tale set in a future ravaged by dragons .


murder and mayhem of this sort quickly becomes monotonous .


this is one of polanski 's best films .


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


the director , steven shainberg , has succeeded by focusing intently on his characters , making them quirky individuals rather than figures of fun .


... an unimaginative , nasty , glibly cynical piece of work .


the movie succumbs to being nothing more than a formulaic chase in the dark .


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


its over-reliance on genre conventions , character types and formulaic conflict resolutions crushes all the goodwill it otherwise develops .


some decent actors inflict big damage upon their reputations .


it 's a movie forged in the fires of chick flick hell .


droll caper-comedy remake of `` big deal on madonna street '' that 's a sly , amusing , laugh-filled little gem in which the ultimate `` bellini '' begins to look like a `` real kaputschnik . ''


he 'd create a movie better than this .


it smacks of purely commercial motivation , with no great love for the original .


notorious c.h.o. has oodles of vulgar highlights .


`` collateral damage '' goes by the numbers and reps decent action entertainment -- until the silly showdown ending that forces the viewer to totally suspend disbelief


even the imaginative gore ca n't hide the musty scent of todd farmer 's screenplay , which is a simple retread of the 1979 alien , with a plucky heroine battling a monster loose in a spaceship .


rather quickly , the film falls into a soothing formula of brotherly conflict and reconciliation .


i was perplexed to watch it unfold with an astonishing lack of passion or uniqueness .


... just a big mess of a movie , full of images and events , but no tension or surprise .


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


at its best , the good girl is a refreshingly adult take on adultery ...


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


there 's not much more to this adaptation of the nick hornby novel than charm -- effortless , pleasurable , featherweight charm .


highlights are the terrific performances by christopher plummer , as the prime villain , and nathan lane as vincent crummles , the eccentric theater company manager .


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


no , it 's not nearly as good as any of its influences .


scarlet diva has a voyeuristic tug , but all in all it 's a lot less sensational than it wants to be .


just when the movie seems confident enough to handle subtlety , it dives into soapy bathos .


sushi for the connoisseurs of the macabre .


the problem with this film is that it 's forced to make its characters idiots in order to advance the plot .


director nalin pan does n't do much to weigh any arguments one way or the other .


a work of intricate elegance , literary lyricism and profound common sense .


all the characters are stereotypes , and their interaction is numbingly predictable .


the subject of swinging still seems ripe for a documentary -- just not this one .


occasionally funny and consistently odd , and it works reasonably well as a star vehicle for zhao .


the best thing the film does is to show us not only what that mind looks like , but how the creative process itself operates .


the ending is a cop-out .


one groan-inducing familiarity begets another .


it 's a sly wink to the others without becoming a postmodern joke , made creepy by its `` men in a sardine can '' warped logic .


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


the values that have held the enterprise crew together through previous adventures and perils do so again-courage , self-sacrifice and patience under pressure .


it is a comedy that 's not very funny and an action movie that is not very thrilling ( and an uneasy alliance , at that ) .


a gentle blend of present day testimonials , surviving footage of burstein and his family performing , historical archives , and telling stills .


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


while undercover brother is definitely one for the masses , it 's also full of sharp , smart satire .


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


leaves you with a knot in your stomach , its power is undercut by its own head-banging obviousness .


a simple , sometimes maddeningly slow film that has just enough charm and good acting to make it interesting , but is ultimately pulled under by the pacing and lack of creativity within .


not so much a movie as a picture book for the big screen .


a long slog for anyone but the most committed pokemon fan .


earnest falls short of its ideal predecessor largely due to parker 's ill-advised meddling with the timeless source material .


an excellent romp that boasts both a heart and a mind .


after seeing swept away , i feel sorry for madonna .


there 's something fundamental missing from this story : something or someone to care about .


a compelling , moving film that respects its audience and its source material .


... if you 're in a mind set for goofy comedy , the troopers will entertain with their gross outs , bawdy comedy and head games .


it 's predictable , but it jumps through the expected hoops with style and even some depth .


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


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


nothing denis has made before , like beau travil and nenette et boni , could prepare us for this gory , perverted , sex-soaked riff on the cannibal genre .


credibility levels are low and character development a non-starter .


it 's so full of wrong choices that all you can do is shake your head in disbelief -- and worry about what classic oliver parker intends to mangle next time .


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


i kept wishing i was watching a documentary about the wartime navajos and what they accomplished instead of all this specious hollywood hoo-ha .


still , it gets the job done -- a sleepy afternoon rental .


shainberg weaves a carefully balanced scenario that is controlled by neither character , is weirdly sympathetic to both and manages to be tender and darkly comic .


it should be mentioned that the set design and interiors of the haunted vessel are more than effectively creepy and moodily lit .


flaunts its quirky excesses like a new year 's eve drunk sporting a paper party hat .


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


there is a refreshing absence of cynicism in stuart little 2 -- quite a rarity , even in the family film market .


sluggishly directed by episodic tv veteran joe zwick , it 's a sitcom without the snap-crackle .


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


it 's fairly self-aware in its dumbness .


remarkably accessible and affecting .


a smart , sweet and playful romantic comedy .


as adapted by kevin molony from simon leys ' novel `` the death of napoleon '' and directed by alan taylor , napoleon 's journey is interesting but his parisian rebirth is stillborn


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


topkapi this is not .


no . .


the second chapter of the harry potter series is even more magical than the first and simply the best family film of the year .


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


it 's a terrific american sports movie and dennis quaid is its athletic heart .


a potent allegorical love story .


if you 're not a prepubescent girl , you 'll be laughing at britney spears ' movie-starring debut whenever it does n't have you impatiently squinting at your watch .


not sweet enough to liven up its predictable story and will leave even fans of hip-hop sorely disappointed .


blessed with immense physical prowess he may well be , but ahola is simply not an actor .


it 's the kind of movie that ends up festooning u.s. art house screens for no reason other than the fact that it 's in french ( well , mostly ) with english subtitles and is magically ` significant ' because of that .


tailored to entertain !


at the bottom rung of the series ' entries .


as a singular character study , it 's perfect .


gollum 's ` performance ' is incredible !


tim story 's not there yet - but ` barbershop ' shows he 's on his way .


my goodness , queen latifah has a lot to offer and she seemed to have no problem flaunting her natural gifts .


all in all , there 's only one thing to root for : expulsion for everyone .


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


but he loses his focus when he concentrates on any single person .


as teen movies go , `` orange county '' is a refreshing change


shocking only in that it reveals the filmmaker 's bottomless pit of self-absorption .


its gross-out gags and colorful set pieces ... are of course stultifyingly contrived and too stylized by half .


the sum of all fears is almost impossible to follow -- and there 's something cringe-inducing about seeing an american football stadium nuked as pop entertainment .


the master of disaster - it 's a piece of dreck disguised as comedy .


nothing about it fits .


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


it does n't do the original any particular dishonor , but neither does it exude any charm or personality .


acting , particularly by tambor , almost makes `` never again '' worthwhile , but ( writer/director ) schaeffer should follow his titular advice


daughter from danang is a film that should be seen by all , especially those who are n't aware of , or have forgotten about the unmentioned victims of war .


a deliciously mordant , bitter black comedy .


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


the only way this supernatural snore-fest could give anyone a case of the frights is if they were put to sleep by the movie and had a nightmare .


the period -- swinging london in the time of the mods and the rockers -- gets the once-over once again in gangster no. 1 , but falls apart long before the end .


it 's a pleasure to see seinfeld griping about the biz with buddies chris rock , garry shandling and colin quinn .


sound the trumpets : for the first time since desperately seeking susan , madonna does n't suck as an actress .


the film has a few cute ideas and several modest chuckles but it is n't exactly kiddie-friendly ... alas , santa is more ho-hum than ho-ho-ho and the snowman ( who never gets to play that flute ) has all the charm of a meltdown .


although based on a real-life person , john , in the movie , is a rather dull person to be stuck with for two hours .


superior genre storytelling , which gets under our skin simply by crossing the nuclear line .


a romantic comedy that operates by the rules of its own self-contained universe .


it 's one of the most honest films ever made about hollywood .


diane lane shines in unfaithful .


a perverse little truffle , dainty psychological terror on the outside with a creamy filling of familial jealousy and unrepentant domestic psychopathy .


narc may not get an ` a ' for originality , but it wears its b-movie heritage like a badge of honor .


scotland , pa. is a strangely drab romp .


the film is exhilarating to watch because sandler , liberated from the constraints of formula , reveals unexpected depths as an actor .


when the painted backdrops in a movie are more alive than its characters , you know you 're in trouble .


the tone is balanced , reflective and reasonable .


in scope , ambition and accomplishment , children of the century ... takes kurys ' career to a whole new level .


the story bogs down in a mess of purposeless violence .


feels like one of those contrived , only-in - hollywood productions where name actors deliver big performances created for the sole purpose of generating oscar talk .


( an ) hilarious romantic comedy .


its direction , its script , and weaver 's performance as a vaguely discontented woman of substance make for a mildly entertaining 77 minutes , if that 's what you 're in the mood for .


a trashy , exploitative , thoroughly unpleasant experience .


an incendiary , deeply thought-provoking look at one of the most peculiar ( and peculiarly venomous ) bigotries in our increasingly frightening theocracy


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


unfortunately , the picture failed to capture me .


if this is the resurrection of the halloween franchise , it would have been better off dead .


a mixed bag of a comedy that ca n't really be described as out of this world .


given that both movies expect us to root for convicted violent felons over those assigned to protect us from same , we need every bit of sympathy the cons can muster ; this time , there is n't much .


as the story moves inexorably through its seven day timeframe , the picture becomes increasingly mesmerizing .


even as lame horror flicks go , this is lame .


the two leads chomp considerably more scenery with their acting than fire-breathing monsters barbecue with their breath ...


screenwriters scott abbott and michael petroni have turned rice 's complex akasha into a cartoon monster .


all the necessary exposition prevents the picture from rising above your generic sand 'n' sandal adventure .


funny and , at times , poignant , the film from director george hickenlooper all takes place in pasadena , `` a city where people still read . ''


though everything might be literate and smart , it never took off and always seemed static .


( plays ) in broad outline as pandering middle-age buddy-comedy .


francophiles will snicker knowingly and you 'll want to slap them .


resourceful and ingenious entertainment .


... blade ii is more enjoyable than the original .


but what saves lives on the freeway does not necessarily make for persuasive viewing .


a wonderful character-based comedy .


or some damn thing .


a thoughtful , moving piece that faces difficult issues with honesty and beauty .


unfortunately , heartbreak hospital wants to convey the same kind of haughtiness in its own sketchy material but this territory has already been explored previously with better aplomb and sardonic wit .


works because , for the most part , it avoids the stupid cliches and formulaic potholes that befall its brethren .


flat , but with a revelatory performance by michelle williams .


the movie 's biggest offense is its complete and utter lack of tension .


when a film is created solely because it 's a marketable product , soulless and ugly movies like this are the result .


while the film misfires at every level , the biggest downside is the paucity of laughter in what 's supposed to be a comedy .


the film takes too long getting to the good stuff , then takes too long figuring out what to do next .


this romantic thriller is steeped in the atmosphere of wartime england , and ably captures the speech patterns , moral codes and ideals of the 1940s .


earnest but earthbound ... a slow , soggy , soporific , visually dank crime melodrama/character study that would be more at home on the small screen but for its stellar cast .


the tone shifts abruptly from tense to celebratory to soppy .


can see where this dumbed-down concoction is going .


b. ) that sure is pathetic !


impresses you with its open-endedness and surprises .


a film so tedious that it is impossible to care whether that boast is true or not .


it is inspirational in characterizing how people from such diverse cultures share the same human and spiritual needs .


despite what anyone believes about the goal of its makers , the show ... represents a spectacular piece of theater , and there 's no denying the talent of the creative forces behind it .


helmer devito ... attempts to do too many things in this story about ethics , payola , vice , murder , kids ' tv and revenge .


a dreadful live-action movie .


day is not a great bond movie , but it is a good bond movie , which still makes it much better than your typical bond knock-offs .


even those of a single digit age will be able to recognize that this story is too goofy ... even for disney .


... too dull to enjoy .


a waste of good performances .


rates an ` e ' for effort -- and a ` b ' for boring .


the fight scenes are fun , but it grows tedious .


what could and should have been biting and droll is instead a tepid waste of time and talent .


disturbing and brilliant documentary .


it 's a great deal of sizzle and very little steak .


there is no entry portal in the rules of attraction , and i spent most of the movie feeling depressed by the shallow , selfish , greedy characters .


dawdles and drags when it should pop ; it does n't even have the virtue of enough mindless violence to break up the tedium of all its generational bonding .


... an inviting piece of film .


it 's a humble effort , but spiced with wry humor and genuine pathos , especially between morgan and redgrave .


it turns out to be a cut above the norm , thanks to some clever writing and sprightly acting .


exquisitely acted and masterfully if preciously interwoven ... ( the film ) addresses in a fascinating , intelligent manner the intermingling of race , politics and local commerce .


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


it 's hard not to feel you 've just watched a feature-length video game with some really heavy back story .


a long-winded , predictable scenario .


a one-trick pony whose few t&a bits still ca n't save itself from being unoriginal , unfunny and unrecommendable .


from the big giant titles of the opening credits to elmer bernstein 's perfectly melodic score , haynes gets just about everything right .


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


huppert gives erika a persona that is so intriguing that you find yourself staring hypnotically at her , trying to understand her and wondering if she 'll crack .


this one 's weaker than most .


most of the supporting characters in eastwood films are weak , as are most of the subplots .


everyone connected to this movie seems to be part of an insider clique , which tends to breed formulaic films rather than fresh ones .


enough similarities to gymkata and howie long 's firestorm that my fingernails instinctively crawled towards my long-suffering eyeballs .


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


a very bad sign .


in adobo , ethnicity is not just the spice , but at the heart of more universal concerns .


the reason we keep seeing the same movie with roughly the same people every year is because so many of us keep going and then , out of embarrassment or stupidity , not warning anyone .


the sort of movie that gives tastelessness a bad rap .


punish the vehicle to adore the star .


instead of accurately accounting a terrible true story , the film 's more determined to become the next texas chainsaw massacre .


steve irwin 's method is ernest hemmingway at accelerated speed and volume .


far from perfect , but its heart is in the right place ... innocent and well-meaning .


much of what is meant to be ` inspirational ' and ` uplifting ' is simply distasteful to audiences not already sharing ( the movie 's ) mindset .


as weber and weissman demonstrate with such insight and celebratory verve , the cockettes were n't as much about gender , sexual preference or political agitprop as they were simply a triumph of the indomitable human will to rebel , connect and create .


there are a few stabs at absurdist comedy ... but mostly the humor is of the sweet , gentle and occasionally cloying kind that has become an iranian specialty .


so young , so smart , such talent , such a wise *** .


soul is what 's lacking in every character in this movie and , subsequently , the movie itself .


it helps that the central performers are experienced actors , and that they know their roles so well .


energetic and boldly provocative .


trivial where it should be profound , and hyper-cliched where it should be sincere .


had anyone here done anything remotely intelligent , we all could have stopped watching long ago .


having never been a huge fan of dickens ' 800-page novel , it surprised me how much pleasure i had watching mcgrath 's version .


go see it and enjoy .


the film has just enough of everything -- re-enactments , archival footage , talking-head interviews -- and the music is simply sublime .


a didactic and dull documentary glorifying software anarchy .


... too slow , too boring , and occasionally annoying .


message movie or an action-packed submarine spectacular ?


together , tok and o orchestrate a buoyant , darkly funny dance of death .


is this progress ?


pretty darn good , despite its smarty-pants aura .


this is a film well worth seeing , talking and singing heads and all .


dolgin and franco fashion a fascinating portrait of a vietnamese-born youngster who eagerly and easily assimilated as an all-american girl with a brand new name in southern tennessee .


it 's a glorious groove that leaves you wanting more .


an enchanting spectacular for potter fans anxious to ride the hogwarts express toward a new year of magic and mischief .


the film seems a dead weight .


( i ) f you 've been to more than one indie flick in your life , chances are you 've already seen this kind of thing .


an overstuffed compendium of teen-catholic-movie dogma .


the movie makes absolutely no sense .


when it 's on dry land , though , this surfer-girl melodrama starts gasping like a beached grouper .


her film is unrelentingly claustrophobic and unpleasant .


the scope of the silberstein family is large and we grow attached to their lives , full of strength , warmth and vitality . .


guaranteed to move anyone who ever shook , rattled , or rolled .


those who managed to avoid the deconstructionist theorizing of french philosopher jacques derrida in college can now take an 85-minute brush-up course with the documentary derrida .


whatever eyre 's failings as a dramatist , he deserves credit for bringing audiences into this hard and bitter place .


stay clear of reminding yourself that it 's a `` true story '' and you 're likely to have one helluva time at the movies .


he just wants them to be part of the action , the wallpaper of his chosen reality .


jolie 's performance vanishes somewhere between her hair and her lips .


a strong first quarter , slightly less so second quarter , and average second half .


once you get into its rhythm ... the movie becomes a heady experience .


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


a sweet-natured reconsideration of one of san francisco 's most vital , if least widely recognized , creative fountainheads .


a little too pat for its own good .


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


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


the new guy does have a heart .


led by griffin 's smartly nuanced performance and enthusiasm , the cast has a lot of fun with the material .


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


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


about as cutting-edge as pet rock : the movie .


this idea has lost its originality ... and neither star appears very excited at rehashing what was basically a one-joke picture .


a miniscule little bleep on the film radar , but one that many more people should check out


the wwii drama is well plotted , visually striking and filled with enjoyably complex characters who are never what they first appear .


it is a film that will have people walking out halfway through , will encourage others to stand up and applaud , and will , undoubtedly , leave both camps engaged in a ferocious debate for years to come .


cho 's fans are sure to be entertained ; it 's only fair in the interest of full disclosure to say that -- on the basis of this film alone -- i 'm not one of them .


here 's a self-congratulatory 3d imax rah-rah .


this is pretty dicey material .


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


a blessed gift to film geeks and historians .


that rara avis : the intelligent romantic comedy with actual ideas on its mind .


never quite transcends jokester status ... and the punchline does n't live up to barry 's dead-eyed , perfectly chilled delivery .


remember when bond had more glamour than clamor ?


an uneven film dealing with too many problems to be taken seriously .


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


my oh my , is this an invigorating , electric movie .


audiences conditioned to getting weepy over saucer-eyed , downy-cheeked moppets and their empathetic caretakers will probably feel emotionally cheated by the film 's tart , sugar-free wit .


almost every scene in this film is a gem that could stand alone , a perfectly realized observation of mood , behavior and intent .


the story may not be new , but australian director john polson , making his american feature debut , jazzes it up adroitly .


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


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


so lazy and slipshod it confuses the mere flashing of kinky soft-core imagery with naughty fun .


unlike the nauseating fictions peddled by such ` have-yourself-a-happy-little-holocaust ' movies as life is beautiful and jakob the liar , the grey zone is honest enough to deny the possibility of hope in auschwitz .


drags along in a dazed and enervated , drenched-in-the - past numbness .


britney has been delivered to the big screen safe and sound , the way we like our 20-year-old superstar girls to travel on the fame freeway .


this may be the dumbest , sketchiest movie on record about an aspiring writer 's coming-of-age .


steers turns in a snappy screenplay that curls at the edges ; it 's so clever you want to hate it .


it extends the writings of jean genet and john rechy , the films of fassbinder , perhaps even the nocturnal works of goya .


julia is played with exasperating blandness by laura regan .


extremely dumb .


the production values are up there .


perhaps no picture ever made has more literally showed that the road to hell is paved with good intentions .


i complain all the time about seeing the same ideas repeated in films over and over again , but the bourne identity proves that a fresh take is always possible .


a movie that , rather than skip along the seine , more or less slogs its way through soggy paris , tongue uncomfortably in cheek .


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


it 's also the year 's sweetest movie .


jagger the actor is someone you want to see again .


the ill-conceived modern-day ending falls flat where it should deliver a moral punch .


when the plot kicks in , the film loses credibility .


ray liotta and jason patric do some of their best work in their underwritten roles , but do n't be fooled : nobody deserves any prizes here .


for a shoot - 'em - up , ballistic is oddly lifeless .


all i can say is fuhgeddaboutit .


the film might have been more satisfying if it had , in fact , been fleshed out a little more instead of going for easy smiles .


a bold and subversive film that cuts across the grain of what is popular and powerful in this high-tech age , speaking its truths with spellbinding imagery and the entrancing music of philip glass .


although life or something like it is very much in the mold of feel-good movies , the cast and director stephen herek 's polished direction pour delightfully piquant wine from aged bottles .


( anderson ) uses a hit-or-miss aesthetic that hits often enough to keep the film entertaining even if none of it makes a lick of sense .


anyone who can count to five ( the film 's target market ? )


an impressive debut for first-time writer-director mark romanek , especially considering his background is in music video .


sadly , hewitt 's forte is leaning forward while wearing low-cut gowns , not making snappy comebacks .


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


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


but in its child-centered , claustrophobic context , it can be just as frightening and disturbing -- even punishing .


some of seagal 's action pictures are guilty pleasures , but this one is so formulaic that it seems to be on auto-pilot .


time changer may not be the most memorable cinema session but its profound self-evaluation message about our fragile existence and the absence of spiritual guidance should at least invade an abundance of mindsets


a triumph of art direction over narrative , but what art direction !


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


not everything works , but the average is higher than in mary and most other recent comedies .


though ganesh is successful in a midlevel sort of way , there 's nothing so striking or fascinating or metaphorically significant about his career as to rate two hours of our attention .


a sports movie with action that 's exciting on the field and a story you care about off it .


the result is solemn and horrifying , yet strangely detached .


not a cozy or ingratiating work , but it 's challenging , sometimes clever , and always interesting , and those are reasons enough to see it .


for me , this opera is n't a favorite , so it 's a long time before the fat lady sings .


chicago is , in many ways , an admirable achievement .


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


excellent acting and direction .


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


we get some truly unique character studies and a cross-section of americana that hollywood could n't possibly fictionalize and be believed .


if your senses have n't been dulled by slasher films and gorefests , if you 're a connoisseur of psychological horror , this is your ticket .


( a ) hollywood sheen bedevils the film from the very beginning ... ( but ) lohman 's moist , deeply emotional eyes shine through this bogus veneer ...


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


when ( de palma 's ) bad , he 's really bad , and femme fatale ranks with the worst he has done .


as are its star , its attitude and its obliviousness .


it is also , at times , curiously moving .


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


is n't it great ?


think of it as a sort of comfort food for the mind .


a worthy entry into a very difficult genre .


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


flaccid drama and exasperatingly slow journey .


and in truth , cruel as it may sound , he makes arnold schwarzenegger look like spencer tracy .


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


a stunning piece of visual poetry that will , hopefully , be remembered as one of the most important stories to be told in australia 's film history .


truth to tell , if you 've seen more than half-a-dozen horror films , there 's nothing here you have n't seen before .


branagh , in his most forceful non-shakespeare screen performance , grounds even the softest moments in the angry revolt of his wit .


all this turns out to be neither funny nor provocative - only dull .


splashes its drama all over the screen , subjecting its audience and characters to action that feels not only manufactured , but also so false you can see the filmmakers ' puppet strings .


an intelligent fiction about learning through cultural clash .


may be spoofing an easy target -- those old ' 50 's giant creature features -- but ... it acknowledges and celebrates their cheesiness as the reason why people get a kick out of watching them today .


this is the kind of movie that used to be right at home at the saturday matinee , and it still is .


this series should have died long ago , but they keep bringing it back another day as punishment for paying money to see the last james bond movie .


an original gem about an obsession with time .


obstacles are too easily overcome and there is n't much in the way of character development in the script .


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


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


katz uses archival footage , horrifying documents of lynchings , still photographs and charming old reel-to-reel recordings of meeropol entertaining his children to create his song history , but most powerful of all is the song itself


much monkeyfun for all .


there 's suspension of disbelief and then there 's bad screenwriting ... this film packs a wallop of the latter .


all the well-meaningness in the world ca n't erase the fact that the believer feels like a 12-step program for the jewish nazi .


in fessenden 's horror trilogy , this theme has proved important to him and is especially so in the finale .


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


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


half of it is composed of snappy patter and pseudo-sophisticated cultural observations , while the remainder ... would be more at home on a daytime television serial .


filmmakers have to dig deep to sink this low .


like the film 's almost anthropologically detailed realization of early - '80s suburbia , it 's significant without being overstated .


i loved looking at this movie .


the cold and dreary weather is a perfect metaphor for the movie itself , which contains few laughs and not much drama .


as hugh grant says repeatedly throughout the movie , ` lovely !


a spunky , original take on a theme that will resonate with singles of many ages .


the plot is straight off the shelf , the performances are television - caliber and the message of providing solace through deception is a little creepy .


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


fear dot com is so rambling and disconnected it never builds any suspense .


it 's a hoot and a half , and a great way for the american people to see what a candidate is like when he 's not giving the same 15-cent stump speech .


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


nothing plot-wise is worth e-mailing home about .


the problem is n't that the movie hits so close to home so much as that it hits close to home while engaging in such silliness as that snake-down-the-throat business and the inevitable shot of schwarzenegger outrunning a fireball .


it 's all pretty cynical and condescending , too .


writer/director john mckay ignites some charming chemistry between kate and jed but , when he veers into sodden melodrama , punctuated by violins , it 's disastrous and kate 's jealous female friends become downright despicable .


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


newton draws our attention like a magnet , and acts circles around her better known co-star , mark wahlberg .


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


but like most rabbits , it seems to lack substance .


birot 's directorial debut ( she co-wrote the script with christophe honoré ) is n't so much bad as it is bland .


this warm and gentle romantic comedy has enough interesting characters to fill several movies , and its ample charms should win over the most hard-hearted cynics .


in the end , punch-drunk love is one of those films that i wanted to like much more than i actually did .


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


boring we did n't .


children may not understand everything that happens -- i 'm not sure even miyazaki himself does -- but they will almost certainly be fascinated , and undoubtedly delighted .


a captivating cross-cultural comedy of manners .


director brian levant , who never strays far from his sitcom roots , skates blithely from one implausible situation to another , pausing only to tie up loose ends with more bows than you 'll find on a french poodle .


the movie has very little to offer besides unintentional laughs .


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


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


sorry , charlie


the lack of pace kills it , although , in a movie about cancer , this might be apt .


while super troopers is above academy standards , its quintet of writers could still use some more schooling .


cute , funny , heartwarming digitally animated feature film with plenty of slapstick humor for the kids , lots of in-jokes for the adults and heart enough for everyone .


with a cast that includes some of the top actors working in independent film , lovely & amazing involves us because it is so incisive , so bleakly amusing about how we go about our lives .


a film of precious increments artfully camouflaged as everyday activities .


feel bad for king , who 's honestly trying , and schwartzman , who 's shot himself in the foot .


this clever caper movie has twists worthy of david mamet and is enormous fun for thinking audiences .


a dream cast of solid female talent who build a seamless ensemble .


quite funny for the type of movie it is ...


despite its flaws , secretary stays in your head and makes you question your own firmly held positions .


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


münch 's genuine insight makes the film 's occasional overindulgence forgivable .


this is one of the most visually stunning and thematically moving epics in recent memory , and in spite of numerous minor flaws , scorsese 's best in more than a decade .


undercover brother does n't go far enough .


maudlin and melodramatic we expected .


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


lacking gravitas , macdowell is a placeholder for grief , and ergo this sloppy drama is an empty vessel .


this time out , ( sade ) is an unsettlingly familiar figure -- in turns loyal and deceitful , responsible and reckless , idealistically selfless and coldly self-interested .


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


a triumph , relentless and beautiful in its downbeat darkness .


the experience of watching blobby old-school cgi animation in this superlarge format is just surreal enough to be diverting .


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


the film delivers not just the full assault of reno 's immense wit and insight , but a time travel back to what it felt like during those unforgettably uncertain days .


do not , under any circumstances , consider taking a child younger than middle school age to this wallow in crude humor .


human nature talks the talk , but it fails to walk the silly walk that distinguishes the merely quirky from the surreal .


you have to pay attention to follow all the stories , but they 're each interesting .


what 's at stake in this film is nothing more than an obsolete , if irritating , notion of class .


anchored by a terrific performance by abbass , satin rouge shows that the idea of women 's self-actualization knows few continental divides .


awkward but sincere and , ultimately , it wins you over .


though howard demonstrates a great eye as a director , this southern gothic drama is sadly a tough sit , with an undeveloped narrative and enough flashbacks and heavy-handed metaphors to choke a horse -- or at least slow him down to a canter .


a worthy tribute to a great humanitarian and her vibrant ` co-stars . '


a minor picture with a major identity crisis -- it 's sort of true and it 's sort of bogus and it 's ho-hum all the way through .


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


lauren ambrose comes alive under the attention from two strangers in town - with honest performances and realistic interaction between the characters , this is a coming-of-age story with a twist .


the ring just left me cold and wet like i was out in the seattle drizzle without rainwear .


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


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


it 's never a good sign when a film 's star spends the entirety of the film in a coma .


an imaginative comedy/thriller .


audiences can be expected to suspend their disbelief only so far -- and that does not include the 5 o'clock shadow on the tall wooden kid as he skips off to school .


this version 's no classic like its predecessor , but its pleasures are still plentiful .


outrageousness is all plympton seemed to be going for this time .


bullock does a good job here of working against her natural likability .


it 's as flat as an open can of pop left sitting in the sun .


in the second half of the film , frei 's control loosens in direct proportion to the amount of screen time he gives nachtwey for self-analysis .


s personal revelations regarding what the shop means in the big picture , iconic characters gambol fluidly through the story , with charming results .


the bourne identity is what summer screen escapism used to be in the decades when it was geared more to grownups .


thirty years ago , it would have been groundbreaking .


run , do n't walk , to see this barbed and bracing comedy on the big screen .


it 's really yet another anemic and formulaic lethal weapon-derived buddy-cop movie , trying to pass off its lack of imagination as hip knowingness .


opens at a funeral , ends on the protagonist 's death bed and does n't get much livelier in the three hours in between .


nolan bravely treads where few american films dare to delve -- into the world of ambivalence and ambiguity ...


no more .


one of the greatest family-oriented , fantasy-adventure movies ever .


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


the filmmakers juggle and juxtapose three story lines but fail to come up with one cogent point , unless it 's that life stinks , especially for sensitive married women who really love other women .


it 's a minor comedy that tries to balance sweetness with coarseness , while it paints a sad picture of the singles scene .


the makers of divine secrets of the ya-ya sisterhood should offer a free ticket ( second prize , of course , two free tickets ) to anyone who can locate a genuinely honest moment in their movie .


moderately involving despite bargain-basement photography and hackneyed romance .


static , repetitive , muddy and blurry , hey arnold !


it 's a refreshing change from the self-interest and paranoia that shape most american representations of castro .


what parents will suspect is that they 're watching a 76-minute commercial .


an enjoyable film for the family , amusing and cute for both adults and kids .


a film made with as little wit , interest , and professionalism as artistically possible for a slummy hollywood caper flick .


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


she lists ingredients , but never mixes and stirs .


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


too bad the former murphy brown does n't pop reese back .


you can practically smell the patchouli oil .


shamelessly sappy and , worse , runs away from its own provocative theme .


it dares to be a little different , and that shading is what makes it worthwhile .


a slick , skillful little horror film .


would seem to have a lock on the title of ugliest movie of the year .


about nowhere kids who appropriated turfs as they found them and become self-made celebrity athletes -- a low-down version of the american dream .


hey , who else needs a shower ?


never mind whether you buy the stuff about barris being a cia hit man .


expect to be reminded of other , better films , especially seven , which director william malone slavishly copies .


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


the fact that the rookie is a nearly impeccable cinematic experience -- and a wonderful all-ages triumph besides -- is a miracle akin to the story the film portrays .


what you would end up with if you took orwell , bradbury , kafka , george lucas and the wachowski brothers and threw them into a blender .


windtalkers celebrates the human spirit and packs an emotional wallop .


smith profiles five extraordinary american homes , and because the owners seem fully aware of the uses and abuses of fame , it 's a pleasure to enjoy their eccentricities .


proves that a movie about goodness is not the same thing as a good movie .


imagine a really bad community theater production of west side story without the songs .


guillen rarely gets beneath the surface of things .


despite the long running time , the pace never feels slack -- there 's no scene that screams `` bathroom break ! ''


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


the best movie of its kind since ` brazil . '


roger michell , who did an appealing job directing persuasion and notting hill in england , gets too artsy in his american debut .


makmalbaf follows a resolutely realistic path in this uncompromising insight into the harsh existence of the kurdish refugees of iran 's borderlands .


... a roller-coaster ride of a movie


the film is faithful to what one presumes are the book 's twin premises -- that we become who we are on the backs of our parents , but we have no idea who they were at our age ; and that time is a fleeting and precious commodity no matter how old you are .


began life as a computer game , then morphed into a movie -- a bad one , of course .


disney 's live-action division has a history of releasing cinematic flotsam , but this is one occasion when they have unearthed a rare gem .


audiences will find no mention of political prisoners or persecutions that might paint the castro regime in less than saintly tones .


looks like a high school film project completed the day before it was due .


it 's obviously struck a responsive chord with many south koreans , and should work its magic in other parts of the world .


rainy days and movies about the disintegration of families always get me down .


... breathes surprising new life into the familiar by amalgamating genres and adding true human complexity to its not-so-stock characters . '


it is ridiculous , of course ... but it is also refreshing , disarming , and just outright enjoyable despite its ridiculousness .


for the most part , i spy was an amusing lark that will probably rank as one of murphy 's better performances in one of his lesser-praised movies .


it 's not so much enjoyable to watch as it is enlightening to listen to new sides of a previous reality , and to visit with some of the people who were able to make an impact in the theater world .


a yarn that respects the marvel version without becoming ensnared by it .


an atonal estrogen opera that demonizes feminism while gifting the most sympathetic male of the piece with a nice vomit bath at his wedding .


the actors do n't inhabit their roles -- they 're trapped by them , forced to change behavior in bizarre unjustified fashion and spout dialog that consists mostly of platitudes .


these spiders can outrun a motorcycle and wrap a person in a sticky cocoon in seconds , but they fall short of being interesting or entertaining .


extremely boring .


but an unwillingness to explore beyond the surfaces of her characters prevents nettelbeck 's film from coming together .


a masterpiece four years in the making .


visits spy-movie territory like a novel you ca n't put down , examines a footnote to history seldom brought to light on the screen , and keeps you guessing from first frame to last .


a silly , self-indulgent film about a silly , self-indulgent filmmaker .


rarely do films come along that are as intelligent , exuberant , and moving as monsoon wedding .


its save-the-planet message clashes with its crass marketing .


it 's traditional moviemaking all the way , but it 's done with a lot of careful period attention as well as some very welcome wit .


for all its serious sense of purpose ... ( it ) finds a way to lay bare the tragedies of its setting with a good deal of warmth and humor .


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


divertingly ridiculous , headbangingly noisy .


the title trapped turns out to be a pretty fair description of how you feel while you 're watching this ultra-manipulative thriller .


as a revenge thriller , the movie is serviceable , but it does n't really deliver the delicious guilty pleasure of the better film versions .


frustratingly , dridi tells us nothing about el gallo other than what emerges through his music .


the plot grinds on with yawn-provoking dullness .


the animated subplot keenly depicts the inner struggles of our adolescent heroes - insecure , uncontrolled , and intense .


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


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


the performances are so leaden , michael rymer 's direction is so bloodless and the dialogue is so corny that the audience laughs out loud .


a comic gem with some serious sparkles .


not a bad journey at all .


unfortunately , they 're sandwiched in between the most impossibly dry account of kahlo 's life imaginable .


extreme oops - oops , ops , no matter how you spell it , it 's still a mistake to go see it .


unfortunately , as a writer , mr. montias is n't nearly as good to his crew as he is as a director or actor .


must-see viewing for anyone involved in the high-tech industry .


like old myths and wonder tales spun afresh .


a beautiful and haunting examination of the stories we tell ourselves to make sense of the mundane horrors of the world .


life is a crock -- or something like it .


imagine if you will a tony hawk skating video interspliced with footage from behind enemy lines and set to jersey shore techno .


it 's rare to find a film that dazzles the eye , challenges the brain , and satisfies our lust for fast-paced action , but minority report delivers all that and a whole lot more .


it 's drained of life in an attempt to be sober and educational , and yet it 's so devoid of realism that its lack of whistles and bells just makes it obnoxious and stiff .


... there are enough moments of heartbreaking honesty to keep one glued to the screen .


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


now it 's just tired .


( u ) nrelentingly stupid .


a work of astonishing delicacy and force .


... as the story congeals you feel the pieces of the star wars saga falling into place in a way that makes your spine tingle with revelation and excitement .


a fast-moving and remarkable film that appears destined to become a landmark in japanese animation .


the film is itself a sort of cinematic high crime , one that brings military courtroom dramas down very , very low .


the film meant well in its horse tale about freedom , but was n't able to reach the heart because it was too overbearing .


offers that rare combination of entertainment and education .


one of the best examples of how to treat a subject , you 're not fully aware is being examined , much like a photo of yourself you did n't know was being taken .


an unbelievably fun film just a leading man away from perfection .


if nothing else , this movie introduces a promising , unusual kind of psychological horror .


it does succeed by following a feel-good formula with a winning style , and by offering its target audience of urban kids some welcome role models and optimism .


going to the website may be just as fun ( and scary ) as going to the film .


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


morton is , as usual , brilliant .


an earnest , heartrending look at the divide between religious fundamentalists and their gay relatives .


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


but like bruce springsteen 's gone-to-pot asbury park , new jersey , this sad-sack waste of a movie is a city of ruins .


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


more honest about alzheimer 's disease , i think , than iris .


maybe it 's asking too much , but if a movie is truly going to inspire me , i want a little more than this .


none of these characters resembles anyone you 've ever met in real life , unless you happen to know annoyingly self-involved people who speak in glib sentences that could have only come from the pen of a screenwriter .


just one more collection of penis , breast and flatulence gags in search of a story .


but some unexpected zigs and zags help .


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


but it 's emotionally engrossing , too , thanks to strong , credible performances from the whole cast .


a movie for 11-year-old boys with sports dreams of their own and the preteen girls who worship lil ' bow wow .


skip work to see it at the first opportunity .


there are slow and repetitive parts , but it has just enough spice to keep it interesting .


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


the way coppola professes his love for movies -- both colorful pop junk and the classics that unequivocally qualify as art -- is giddily entertaining .


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


a movie far more cynical and lazy than anything a fictitious charlie kaufman might object to .


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


... with the candy-like taste of it fading faster than 25-cent bubble gum , i realized this is a throwaway movie that wo n't stand the test of time .


it might as well have been problem child iv .


all the performances are top notch and , once you get through the accents , all or nothing becomes an emotional , though still positive , wrench of a sit .


his characters are engaging , intimate and the dialogue is realistic and greatly moving .


national lampoon 's van wilder could be the worst thing to come out of national lampoon since class reunion


( it 's ) a prison soccer movie starring charismatic tough guy vinnie jones , but it had too much spitting for me to enjoy .


an intimate , good-humored ethnic comedy like numerous others but cuts deeper than expected .


mocking them now is an exercise in pointlessness .


liman , of swingers and go , makes his big-budget action film debut something of a clunker as he delivers a long , low-heat chase , interrupted by a middling car chase .


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


hands down the year 's most thought-provoking film .


and in this regard , on guard delivers .


thrilling , provocative and darkly funny , this timely sci-fi mystery works on so many different levels that it not only invites , it demands repeated viewings .


these are lives worth watching , paths worth following .


the 3d images only enhance the film 's otherworldly quality , giving it a strange combo of you-are-there closeness with the disorienting unreality of the seemingly broken-down fourth wall of the movie screen .


a slick , well-oiled machine , exquisitely polished and upholstered .


a fairly by-the-books blend of action and romance with sprinklings of intentional and unintentional comedy .


but here 's the real damn : it is n't funny , either .


its characters are thinner than cardboard -- or even comic-book paper .


... has virtually no script at all ...


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


roman coppola may never become the filmmaker his dad was , but heck -- few filmmakers will .


the movie 's eventual success should be credited to dennis quaid , in fighting trim shape as an athlete as well as an actor


the story drifts so inexorably into cliches about tortured ( and torturing ) artists and consuming but impossible love that you ca n't help but become more disappointed as each overwrought new sequence plods on .


a gentle , compassionate drama about grief and healing .


here , adrian lyne comes as close to profundity as he is likely to get .


a tv episode inflated past its natural length .


why he was given free reign over this project -- he wrote , directed , starred and produced -- is beyond me .


begins as a promising meditation on one of america 's most durable obsessions but winds up as a slender cinematic stunt .


it took 19 predecessors to get this ?


binoche and magimel are perfect in these roles .


the diversity of the artists represented , both in terms of style and ethnicity , prevents the proceedings from feeling repetitious , as does the appropriately brief 40-minute running time .


a romantic comedy , yes , but one with characters who think and talk about their goals , and are working on hard decisions .


at heart the movie is a deftly wrought suspense yarn whose richer shadings work as coloring rather than substance .


feels like six different movies fighting each other for attention .


director dirk shafer and co-writer greg hinton ride the dubious divide where gay porn reaches for serious drama .


a movie that tries to fuse the two ` woods ' but winds up a bolly-holly masala mess .


too bad , but thanks to some lovely comedic moments and several fine performances , it 's not a total loss .


ordinary melodrama that is heavy on religious symbols but wafer-thin on dramatic substance


fortunately for all involved , this movie is likely to disappear as quickly as an ice cube thrown into a pot of boiling water .


the movie is a blast of educational energy , as bouncy animation and catchy songs escort you through the entire 85 minutes .


rare is the ` urban comedy ' that even attempts the insight and honesty of this disarming indie .


it 's also stupider .


that zhang would make such a strainingly cute film -- with a blind orphan at its center , no less -- indicates where his ambitions have wandered .


reggio falls victim to relying on the very digital technology that he fervently scorns , creating a meandering , inarticulate and ultimately disappointing film .


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


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


a pleasant romantic comedy .


the perfect film for those who like sick comedies that can be snide .


a dreary , incoherent , self-indulgent mess of a movie in which a bunch of pompous windbags drone on inanely for two hours ... a cacophony of pretentious , meaningless prattle .


full frontal is the antidote for soderbergh fans who think he 's gone too commercial since his two oscar nominated films in 2000


son of the bride may be a good half-hour too long but comes replete with a flattering sense of mystery and quietness .


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


well , it does go on forever .


a graceful , contemplative film that gradually and artfully draws us into a world where the personal and the political get fatally intertwined .


there 's no denying the elaborateness of the artist 's conceptions , nor his ability to depict them with outrageous elan , but really the whole series is so much pretentious nonsense , lavishly praised by those who equate obscurity with profundity .


` dragonfly ' is a movie about a bus wreck that turns into a film wreck .


there are films that try the patience of even the most cinema-besotted critic -- and this was one of them .


the actors are forced to grapple with hazy motivations that never come into focus .


when she speaks , her creepy egyptian demigod voice is as computer processed and overproduced as it was in her music .


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


i saw knockaround guys yesterday , and already the details have faded like photographs from the spanish-american war ... it 's so unmemorable that it turned my ballpoint notes to invisible ink .


there 's plenty of style in guillermo del toro 's sequel to the 1998 hit but why do we need 117 minutes to tell a tale that simply ca n't sustain more than 90 minutes .


the unique tug-of-war with viewer expectations is undeniable , if not a pleasure in its own right .


vividly conveys both the pitfalls and the pleasures of over-the-top love .


ihops do n't pile on this much syrup .


what kids will discover is a new collectible .


when it really counts ... bloody sunday connects on a visceral level that transcends language .


windtalkers blows this way and that , but there 's no mistaking the filmmaker in the tall grass , true to himself .


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


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


there 's not enough to sustain the comedy .


formula 51 is so trite that even yu 's high-energy action stylings ca n't break through the stupor .


despite a powerful portrayal by binoche , it 's a period romance that suffers from an overly deliberate pace and uneven narrative momentum .


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


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


the transporter is as lively and as fun as it is unapologetically dumb


a real clunker .


the pivotal narrative point is so ripe the film ca n't help but go soft and stinky .


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


legendary irish writer brendan behan 's memoir , borstal boy , has been given a loving screen transferral .


the problem , it is with most of these things , is the script .


it risks seeming slow and pretentious , because it thinks the gamble is worth the promise .


take care of my cat offers a refreshingly different slice of asian cinema .


davis has filled out his cast with appealing fresh faces .


it represents better-than-average movie-making that does n't demand a dumb , distracted audience .


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