Claudia Puig

A well-acted, inspiring story of female empowerment, the captivating “Roxanne Roxanne” is as much about survival and the bonds of family as it is about busting rhymes.

He lies with such conviction it's terrifying. And his galling hubris is all there for audiences to watch, absorb and puzzle over in the fascinating The Armstrong Lie.

Brilliantly captures the exhilaration that comes from facing death head-on. It's also an ode to joyous rivalry.

Bully forces audiences to face actions that are unthinkable, inexcusable and excruciatingly sad. It offers no solutions, only the testimony of brave youths.

Mongol is quality escapism: an exotic saga that compels, moves and envelops us with its grand and captivating story.

Farmiga never seems to strike a false note in any role, but this is perhaps her most reflective and multi-layered performance.

Though the narrative is a conventional one, the well-acted, suspenseful story deals in fascinatingly murky morality and mines intriguing material from a historic and complex city.

Middle-aged romance can be a dicey prospect. And it gets more complicated when children are in the picture. But it gets more complex still if the "child" is actually 21, and creepily meddlesome.

While it reaches for the stars, director Christopher Nolan's Interstellar is a flawed masterpiece...The story is ever-ambitious, sometimes riveting and thought-provoking, but also plodding and hokey and not as visionary as its cutting-edge special effects.

For a movie about the power of imagination, Bridge to Terabithia is not as clever as you would hope.

It captures an authentic feel-good spirit and inspirational message that most Hollywood movies barely approximate.

A junior chick flick. But unlike many of its more mature counterparts, it is emotionally affecting, avoiding the manipulation and formulaic camaraderie that often spoil the genre.

Clever and often enchanting.

This follow-up seems so similar to the 1953 Disney classic that it makes one long for a geriatric Peter.

If you want a brain puzzler that will ensure a lively conversation on the way home, Nine Queens is the real deal.

The clash over the house quickly escalates into a modern-day tragedy. It is a fascinating film, handsomely adapted from the book and well directed.

Though occasionally visually inventive, Kung Fu Panda is a disappointment when it comes to matters of simple black and white: the script.

The History Boys is an erudite, sharply written film with consummate performances, but its origins on the stage are all too obvious.

Emotionally and viscerally compelling and retains a suspenseful, edge-of-the-seat quality.

Invictus, which is Latin for "unconquered," gives the poem several meanings in the context of the film. It also applies to Eastwood, who, as one of America's greatest storytellers, finds enthralling tales and fashions them with finesse and an indomitable spirit.

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

The whole journey feels like a rich girl gone slumming. And for those of us along for the ride, it's a bit of a slog.

Joaquin Phoenix gives a superbly raw and excruciatingly vulnerable performance.

It certainly stays alive in this spare and intriguing film directed by Jonathan Demme, who has helmed two previous Young concert films.

A revelation: funny, fascinating and insightful.

A high-octane mind game best enjoyed by following a key character's advice: "The Source Code is a gift. Don't squander it by thinking."

Naji is an expressive actor, and so are the wonderful young non-pros who play his children.

Teacher's Pet is no "Finding Nemo," nor even "Lilo and Stitch," but it is an enjoyable family film -- particularly for younger kids -- during a time of year when such fare is lacking.