Anita Gates

It isn't often that you see a film about Israelis and Palestinians that can be called hopeful, but Ronit Avni's assured, thoughtful and clear-eyed documentary certainly qualifies.

Appealing if obvious little fable.

The film’s storytelling is straightforward, almost standard-issue, but the story itself is compelling, as is the testimony of devotees.

By the time the long, throbbing concert finale begins, there is no doubt that Mr. Brown’s intensity has not faded over the years and that the Stone Roses’ breakup was a serious loss.

Anne Fontaine's seductive film Nathalie is mostly about French star power and sex, so it's somewhat surprising that it is also subtle and intriguing.

Makes it case expertly and powerfully, but it does not propose a solution. The cumulative effect of the film's message is enormous sadness that hate is so strong and so resistant to reason.

Cube, the story in question, proves surprisingly gripping, in the best ''Twilight Zone'' tradition.

When Mr. Mitchell says it, it's hysterically funny. And he's immensely likable.

A Requiem for Syrian Refugees is as powerfully direct as it is unfortunately heavy-handed, with lingering black-and-white close-ups of barbed wire and children’s wide eyes. But the film is eloquent, too, thanks to the voices of the refugees themselves.

The film is an unabashed promotion for space exploration.

There is little new insight, although the film does create an instructive tension between admiring bravery and sacrifice and being appalled by war itself.

Dan Harnden's screenplay keeps things relatively interesting, despite the very thin plot.

Having a mild-mannered writer tell this story by sitting in a chair in front of some pretty art in a house museum and just talking seems lackadaisical, but Mr. Moss’s message is clear, shrewdly edited and peculiarly interesting.

Mr. Wranovics sometimes goes too far in setting up cute situations for filming witnesses' comments.

Sheriff may have a point to make about the impact of family, roots and religion on the changing face of rural America, but the film, while admirably restrained and competently made, is too polite to clarify that.

Mr. Coyote, who appears to be playing Steven Spielberg and steals every scene he is in.

This film from Rebecca Richman Cohen is a mostly dutiful documentary that drifts dangerously close to earnestness.

This quiet romantic drama never soars but keeps its sense of humor and its balance while taking its subject matter for granted in the best possible way.

The concert itself was a bold, life-affirming project, but with a couple of additional extended music sequences, Mr. Xido’s film might have been more powerful and way more hardcore.

At first, there is something a little too straightforward about the characters and their dialogue. But gradually, a group of strong, sure performances and the script’s twists... take hold, and we are fully involved.

This is certainly competent filmmaking, sort of like a long “60 Minutes” segment without the confrontational interview style.

There is occasionally some gorgeous scenery, and the challenge of driving through silt is mildly interesting.

A one-dimensional romantic comedy that feels like an old-fashioned vehicle picture, the kind the big movie studios used to make in the 1930's and 40's just to bring in the fans of a particular actor or actress.

Inconsequential sequel for the undemanding moviegoer.

With smarter dialogue, it might have made a fascinating film.

The message is repeated ad infinitum; this documentary is painfully long for a project of this kind.

The film’s writer and director, Ivan Kavanagh, and his team pull off a few enjoyable, decently creepy scares, but over all, the action is too cryptic, and the pedestrian dialogue doesn’t help.

There is something good-natured about Jaan-E-Mann that makes it possible to forgive its many faults -- even the film's opening, a "2001: A Space Odyssey" ripoff with a space station gliding through the cosmos to the tune of the "Blue Danube" Waltz.