Claudia Puig

Though the deliberate pace can feel slow to glacial at times, the visuals are gorgeous, and the melancholy mood is exquisitely evoked.

In a season filled with dark-themed films, it stands out as an elegantly mounted, surprisingly humane but terrifying horror thriller well worth seeing.

Sentiment is at its heart. The legions who grew up on Disney's Mary Poppins will find it delightfully satisfying to hear snippets of its enormously catchy songs and watch its captivating creative journey.

Bolstered by the natural performances of a trio of little-known actors, the very watchable Chronicle keeps us captive throughout.

Not an expansive biopic but a fascinating snapshot of a pivotal chapter for Chanel, her formative fashionista years.

It's a rare romantic comedy/road picture that's not only flat-out funny, but also presents complex and well-developed characters.

Forest Whitaker is astoundingly multifaceted and convincing as Ugandan dictator Idi Amin. In the performance of his career, he fully inhabits the part of the barbaric and charismatic ruler.

Director George Tillman Jr. compellingly probes how parentless kids cope without financial resources or adults who give a damn.

Unafraid of stillness and scenes of quiet contemplation, the film also celebrates companionship and community, which are all good reasons to embrace the experience along The Way.

Downey is absurdly funny.

Princess Diana's antecedent, both genetically and figuratively, was a beautiful and glamorous duchess named Georgiana Spencer. Like her descendant, her charm and vivacity captivated England.

The Doors lit rock 'n' roll fires for only 54 months, having formed after Morrison met Manzarek in 1965, when both were UCLA film students. We get a sense of them as bandmates as they hang around backstage or rehearse, garage-band-style.

This is not a simple, uplifting tale. It's never clear whether Charlie will fully recover, and that sense of realism is the film's strength.

Will not be for everyone, but it works if you surrender to its lilting and unabashedly sentimental tale of evocative music and visual poetry.

The final installment of the Hobbit trilogy is the best, featuring more spectacular action scenes as well as the series' most emotionally resonant moments.

The most endearing character in Disney's animated superhero animated movie is a one-man Affordable Care Act. (Make that a one-robot ACA.)

Think "Boogie Nights" meets "Casino," though it's not likely to make the lasting impression of either seminal film.

Compelling tale of a free-spirited record producer, played with perfect pitch by Frances McDormand.

It's hard to beat the last movie, "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," and this film is not better, but it has much to recommend it.

It does deliver a combustible combination of ingredients for a summer blockbuster: a cornucopia of action and dazzling effects, some raucous humor and a large dose of Depp's winning charm.

Amusing, charming and pleasantly nostalgic.

An engaging and exciting family film that at times feels a bit like "The Lord of the Rings Jr."

Though it features no battle scenes, The Notebook shines a powerful, unflinching light on the horrors of World War II.

The film is uneven and about 15 minutes too long. But when it's funny, it's hilarious.

George is cute, and the simple story has its entertaining moments.

Godzilla 2014 is a more somber and frightening reboot than the cartoonish 1998 movie.

As subtle and shattering as its title.

It's a provocative game that plays out with intelligence and wit.

Iron Man's biggest strength is that the fantastically armored suit doesn't overpower the intriguingly flawed character encased within.

Despite its melodramatic moments, remarkable performances drive home the film's inspiring message.

A refreshing, mature fairy tale.

Nathan Lane steals the show in this tale of a high school English teacher who becomes obsessed with a student's play.

Silver Linings is consistently entertaining, with its scrappy, well-drawn characters, offbeat humor and indefatigable positive outlook.

It's a maniacal performance, complete with mad gales of laughter and insane bouts of temper. Cage doesn't go over the top, but he teeters darn close.

The layered film's blend of Austen-style romance, courtroom drama and historical look at the British slave trade works surprisingly well, though there are moments — especially involving the conniving suitors — that teeter on melodrama.

Where "United 93" was a superb example of masterful storytelling, World Trade Center is a more conventional rendering.

The Illusionist casts an exquisitely bewitching spell with its dreamy atmosphere and pervasive sense of suspense.

Albert Brooks may have come up with the funniest movie premise of the year in Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World.

The saga ultimately lacks the emotional wallop of the TV version. But its clever writing, strong performances and sumptuous production design make for a rich experience nonetheless.

Love Actually is irresistible. You'd have to be Ebenezer Scrooge not to walk out smiling.

Disappearing into the role of the troubled actress, Williams' portrayal captures the star's breathy voice and distinctive mannerisms, while delving a few notches deeper.

A cross-cultural charmer, an endearing true story told with intelligence and warmth by director Niki Caro (2002's Whale Rider).

Each character is decent and likable, as well as complex. The four main portrayals are outstanding -- so natural and believable that you are drawn into their story immediately.

While it doesn't scratch much below the surface, The September Issue is an entertainingly voyeuristic glimpse into the fashion world.

A charmingly sweet experience.

This wryly funny take on the classic ghost story, with its tributes to horror thrillers from "Halloween" to "Friday the 13th" and rich cast of characters, has distinctive Tim Burton-esque visuals, and a welcome dearth of potty humor.

The movie really belongs to Phoenix, who gives a haunting performance with just the right degree of intensity.

This portrait of the soldier as an old man is deeply moving.

A vigorous spy thriller that consistently beckons the viewer to catch up with its narrative twists and turns. Bordering on convoluted, it works best when in combat mode.

Compelling, poignant and gently funny.

Rather than a glossy, superficial movie-star vanity project, In the Land of Blood and Honey feels like the sober, hard-hitting work of a humanitarian.

This is a powerful, poignant and provocative film, told in an unconventional and effective fashion.

A haunting and disturbing film, set in 1938, about "widow houses." Though occasionally overwrought, it emerges as life-affirming.

Trade unflinchingly sheds light on a heinous crime. Yes, it's tough to sit through. But don't let that keep you away.

This pop-culture-infused mistaken-identity thriller ultimately grabs hold and beguiles, though its convoluted plot takes a while to get going.

The best thing Hustle & Flow has going for it is Terrence Howard's powerful performance.

The film employs a largely British cast that is perhaps the most impressive ensemble of any movie this year.

One of the year's most clever and visually arresting computer-animated films, enlivened by a well-developed and credible cast of characters who just happen to be superheroes.

Should warm viewers' hearts globally.

The good-natured silliness is contagious. When Streep runs singing through a Greek village, it's like a spirited homage to "The Sound of Music."

This is definitely the year of Philip Seymour Hoffman.In Charlie Wilson's War, he and Tom Hanks make a particularly sharp and engaging duo, bouncing clever lines off each other as if it were a verbal ping-pong match.

A rousing spectacle.

Sweet, family-friendly and philosophically complex, Tuck Everlasting is an unexpected delight.

Whatever problems some might have with its execution, it's hard to argue against a film whose intent is to kindle youthful compassion for living things and inspire action to protect Earth and its creatures.

Quartet is endearing, sometimes even irresistible.

The improvised dialogue has a no-holds-barred quality that can hit or miss. But when it hits, it can be hysterical.