Calvin Wilson

Skarsgard, who is perhaps best known for "Good Will Hunting" and "Breaking the Waves," makes the most of his rich role, imbuing Ulrik with a knockabout charm.

An exhilarating balancing act, at once a science-fiction romp, a paranoid thriller and a philosophical treatise.

As a drama about coping with hard times, The Company Men doesn't come close to being as sharp or entertaining as "Up in the Air" - which starred Wells' "ER" associate George Clooney.

Unhurried in its storytelling but unshakable in its impact.

A foul-mouthed comedy, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. "Bad Santa" (2003) also had plenty of crude language and lewd behavior. The difference is, "Bad Santa" was extremely funny.

Might be mistaken for a mere soap opera. But it's actually an emotional symphony.

Seth Rogen is the Green Hornet. What else do you need to know?

Loosely - very loosely - based on the classic Jonathan Swift story, "Gulliver's Travels" begins promisingly but quickly loses its way.

Director David O. Russell ("Three Kings") delivers a film of staggering impact.

A bit slow to get started, and it's nowhere near as funny as "The Hangover." But it'll make you smile.

Pregnant with possibility; it's the delivery that disappoints.

Plays as if Tillman studied the works of director Michael Mann ("Heat"), but got a C on the final exam.

Black Swan is ridiculously over the top, but in a way that makes it fascinating to watch.

A would-be light thriller that's so deficient in the genre's essentials - such as witty dialogue, intriguing characters and surprising yet credible plot turns - that you're embarrassed for everyone involved.

Stone isn't for everyone. But for all its shortcomings, it is courageously original.

Traditional in the best sense.

Although their latest film is not without a certain charm, it quickly wears out its welcome.

A stark, contemplative and hauntingly brilliant film.

A comedy of discomfort -- and one of their (Coen brothers) best, most insightful and most provocative films.

Fulfills its mission, which is to be a crowd-pleasing tearjerker.

Unfortunately, Garcia can't quite resist sentimentality, giving us an ending that's a bit too emotionally neat. Still, Mother and Child is a thoughtful and provocative film about the way we live now.

After watching Post Grad, you may wonder whether Hollywood will ever stop making generic comedies with zero tolerance for originality.

In the early scenes, Cambridge brilliantly conveys Gerber's obnoxiousness while making him sympathetic. Later, Cambridge imbues the character with a blend of outrage and pride that's breathtaking. [31 Jul 2008, p.8]

If you're interested in a drama about a few days in the life of an American abroad, you may find Cairo Time engaging. But for some viewers, it all may be just too subtle.

A film that's at once timely and timeless.

At once an unforgettable war film and a brilliant character study.

Perhaps tracking down the folks responsible for this film should be Milo's next assignment.

Shot mostly in black and white and imbued with a romanticism that's at once nostalgic and exhilarating, Tetro sneaks up on you. What threatens to be a mere exercise in style proves to be as involving as it is inventive.

A film that's as much a character study as it is a crime drama. At the heart of it is Caine's hauntingly memorable performance.

Although it has a great look and offers a few thrills, the animated film 9 is one of this year's biggest disappointments.

Has been criticized as endorsing or condoning violence, but that assessment is unfair and inaccurate. If terrorism is to be eliminated, it must be understood, not oversimplified.

Manages to waste the talents of its strong supporting cast, which includes Thomas Haden Church, Patricia Clarkson, Lisa Kudrow, Malcolm McDowell and Stanley Tucci.

In Hollywood, it’s all about the concept, and some studio executive must have thought it would be fun to watch Adams slogging around in the Irish mud. Unfortunately, there’s no accounting for taste.

Involves the gradual revelation of the hopes, fears and insecurities of well-observed characters.

Although Lebanon is to be congratulated for its bold visual strategy and strong antiwar stance, the film becomes claustrophobic after a while.

Nev and the filmmakers prove to be charismatic, and at times hilarious, investigators of the unfolding mystery.

Bursting with smart dialogue, surprising situations and humor that springs from richly imagined characters.

Egoyan doesn't flinch from exploring the dark side of curiosity. That includes dealing with sexuality in a way that might make some moviegoers uncomfortable.

Perhaps best appreciated as a character study -- about a character some moviegoers might prefer to avoid. Still, it's a smart, funny film that flirts with the edge.

The comedy is so lame that the whole enterprise comes across as depressing.

Best appreciated as an exercise in style. Based on Martin Booth's novel "A Very Private Gentleman," the film establishes and sustains a mood of suspense, but Corbijn seems only minimally interested in conventional thrills.

Sophisticated comedies have gone out of fashion, largely because Hollywood finds it easier and more profitable to simply gross out moviegoers. But Please Give has real class -- and for that it deserves our gratitude.

Tests the loyalty of fans that may expect his work to be extreme, but not to such an extent.

Washington is surprisingly persuasive as a world-weary blade-wielder, and Oldman makes the most of a not particularly interesting villain. But the film's breakout star may be Kunis, who brings to Solara a blend of sassiness and sexiness that's reminiscent of Michelle Pfeiffer.

This isn't just another crime story, and it would be misleading to suggest that it has anything to do with stylish gunplay, exhilarating car chases or brutal fistfights.

Would have benefited from the kind of objectivity that Bass -- as Sar's well-heeled sponsor -- was hardly in a position to deliver.

Although the film begins promisingly, it proves to be little more than a soap opera.

It's one of the funniest and most perceptive films of the year.

The been-there, done-that nature of the plot doesn't take away from the undeniable sweetness found in Just Wright.

An action comedy that works. But it’s also a surprisingly poignant romance. This is the summer flick you’ve been waiting for.

As a melodrama, Brothers is passable entertainment. But the film squanders the opportunity to meaningfully portray the impact of war on American lives.

Gilchrist ("United States of Tara") is immensely appealing as a kid who's just a bit too wrapped up in himself to grasp that perhaps his problems aren't insurmountable.

Only a heartfelt performance by Diane Lane rescues the film from abject mediocrity.

Not many science-fiction films can accurately be described as poignant, especially those from the kitschy 1950s. But The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957) definitely qualifies. [26 Jun 2008, p.4]

The success of the three, separately screened films -- the first set in 1974, the second in 1980 and the concluding segment in 1983 -- depends not on their specifics, but on their ability to sustain an atmosphere that's appropriate to the dark but haunting story.

Jeunet -- whose influence can be seen in everything from the short-lived TV series "Pushing Daisies" to the Oscar-winning film "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" -- remains one of the world's most imaginative directors. But Micmacs is a misfire.

The Kids Are All Right probably could have used a few more scenes to come to an even more satisfying conclusion. But it's a terrific film anyway.

Essential viewing for art-film buffs and crime-flick fans, but also for anyone who's looking for a great story, terrific acting and masterful filmmaking.

$9.99 may not be entirely successful from a dramatic perspective, and it certainly offers little enlightenment about the meaning of life. But the film is so intriguing in other ways that it's definitely worth a look.

Green Zone can't make up its mind whether it's "The Bourne Insurrection" or "Hurt Locker: The Prequel."