Claudia Puig

The climactic rescue by Navy SEALs is riveting. But it's Phillips' devastating after-the-fact shock that leaves the most haunting impression in this ambitious, taut and captivating thriller.

While there is a pleasantness about this faithful Shakespearean reboot, there also is some woeful miscasting and a lukewarm feeling about the straightforward production.

A spotty comedy with a great cast and a catchy title that falls apart in the final third.

The events of those days would have been better covered in greater depth in a miniseries, rather than a 90-minute movie.

One of the film's biggest problems is that Richie is an unsympathetic and rather dim character. The badly drawn role does the likable Timberlake no favors.

The telling of this simple tale of survival required cutting-edge technology, but we don't notice the bells and whistles: They're on hand to immerse us in an unforgettable personal story.

Johansson gives one of her best performances as the bossy, gum-chewing Jersey girl determined to change Jon into her image of a romantic hero. Tony Danza and Glenne Headly are hilarious as Jon's parents. Gordon-Levitt proves he can act, write and direct with equal dexterity.

It would have worked better if the silly premise had been played for farcical satire, rather than following the cookie-cutter rules of the romantic comedy playbook.

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

Prisoners is infused with a poetic intensity that's rare in American thrillers. The closest cinematic comparisons would be "Zodiac," "In the Bedroom" and "Mystic River."

It's clever, farcical and offers wry social commentary. With its heartfelt performances, intelligent writing and subtle humor, this is easily one of the most perceptive and engaging movies of the year.

Well-written, terrifically acted and compelling. It deftly avoids sentimentality and offers a window into the lives of believable, multilayered characters.

Insidious: Chapter 2 appears to be the sum of the unusable parts from James Wan's recent haunted house feature "The Conjuring."

Self-indulgent, heavy-handed and lumbering, Jayne Mansfield's Car is not a wreck, but it's certainly a vehicle for boredom.

Not only is this a deftly crafted and superbly acted film, but Wadjda sheds a powerful light on what women face, starting in childhood, in an oppressive regime.

The Family is a fish-out-of-water/buddy comedy/Mob flick. But most of all, it's a missed opportunity.

Populaire takes an intrinsically boring activity — typing — and makes it unusually entertaining.

Insightful gems are unearthed throughout the flawed but engrossing Salinger,a much-anticipated documentary about the author of The Catcher in the Rye.

Move along, there's nothing to see and no one to root for in this murky franchise reboot.

Winnie Mandela is a simplistic look at a complex figure.

It's misleading to call this a documentary — fan fodder is more like it.

A clever, likable comedy that sends up sexism, satirizes Hollywood, examines family ties and features a surprisingly tender romance at its core.

It's a meandering film that prompts the viewer to anticipate characters' actions. Fortunately, they don't take predictable paths.

Not only an intelligent, well-told and deftly acted story, it provides refreshing counter-programming in a season filled with noisy, uninspired sequels and mindless action movies.

The premise of visiting so many pubs as a narrative device, however, bogs down the initially energetic pacing and goofiness. Piling on the mayhem renders The World's End a sometimes chaotic and uneven comedy.

Authentic emotion competes with manufactured sentiment for the heart of Lee Daniels' The Butler.

Kick-Ass is a prime example of a movie that never should have bothered with a sequel. Not only is its successor played-out, but it revels in carnage while lacking the visual style and gleeful humor of the original.

One thing it doesn't do is offer a revealing look at the mercurial entrepreneur. The movie that bears his name settles on a blandly superficial treatment of a deeply complex man.

A humorous chick flick for well-read audiences, Austenland is a novel concept.

Lovelace is a lackluster, skin-deep biopic.

The Canyons is billed as an erotic thriller, but the sexcapades of these empty-headed twentysomethings are far more likely to elicit yawns than titillation.

Essentially Cars in midair.

This sweetly eccentric and low-key buddy picture/bromance bears little resemblance to more well-known examples of the genre, such as "Lethal Weapon" or "Pineapple Express."

Decidedly more thought-provoking than most big-studio summer fare.

We're the Millers is a twisted road trip worth avoiding. Not only is it not funny, it's offensive.

Nathan Fillion is the movie's brightest spot as Hermes, re-envisioned as a UPS manager. He makes a quip about how the best TV series always get canceled, in a nod to Firefly, the iconic sci-fi show in which he starred.

By its conclusion the story has worked so hard to be twisting and clever that it runs out of steam and becomes outlandish, marked by a surplus of violence — too often casual and gratuitous — for what essentially is a buddy cop movie.

A marvel of well-rounded characters, strong performances and disarming chemistry, this deeply felt film is like a loving elegy to the end of childhood. It's easily one of summer's best films.

This insipid, and sometimes awkward, blend of animation, computer generation and live action wastes a ton of talent and lacks a true sense of whimsy.

Like the fumbling around of first-time sex, The To Do List has its enjoyable moments but doesn't exactly feel like a peak experience.

An intermittently exciting action film anchored by a strong performance by Jackman, who embodies Wolverine like no one else could.

It's one of the year's finest, most complex portrayals, in one of Allen's best films in years.

Perhaps there was a clever germ of an idea here, but the five credited writers didn't develop characters, scenarios or rules in this sci-fi world well enough to engage the audience.

The net result is an entertainingly frightening film that keeps the audience in a state of alarmed, but eager, anticipation.

A failure from start to finish.

God may forgive you for seeing this needlessly brutal film. But you won't forgive yourself.

Has some appealing characters, a few laughs and then devolves into a predictable Tortoise and the Hare spinoff.

Even as temporary visitors, the audience can feel IQ points slipping away.

An outstanding lead performance by Mads Mikkelsen (who won best actor for the role at Cannes in 2012) anchors this hauntingly layered and nuanced drama of a man falsely accused of a terrible deed.

The story's appeal is lost in all the fights between the monsters and robots.

Michael B. Jordan is superbly multi-dimensional as Grant.

This shallow sequel to 2010's much cleverer Despicable Me — the 10th-biggest animated movie in U.S. history — seems to be merely going through the motions.

Intermittently funny. But the movie's first 20 minutes is devoted to tediously showing how his career has taken off around the world. That might be fine if this were a documentary, or if it were done more artfully, and with humor — since we go into the movie expecting a 75-minute laugh-fest.

It's a 2 1/2-hour slog, with tonal inconsistencies and monotonous, drawn-out action sequences. Scenes alternate between frenetic and tedious.

While the plot strives to be a raunchy-clever sex farce, it feels more like a leaden repurposing of Airplane with drunken pilots, mile-high dalliances and dancing flight attendants.

The Heat is the best female buddy-cop movie since, well, ever.

While director Roland Emmerich (Independence Day) piles on outlandish scenarios, the chemistry of the lead actors mitigates the contrived setup and numbing explosions.

The movie works mostly because of the artistry of its stellar cast and heartfelt script by writer-director Paul Andrew Williams.

The visuals are impressive, while the goodhearted and endearing story is a little slight.

Essentially, it boils down to familiar fare: a well-paced, entertaining, conventional action thriller where a reluctant hero saves the day.

Audiences meet the most memorable voices in the world of backup singers. They perform with world-famous musical acts, but theirs are not household names. Their stories, however, are inspiring, heartbreaking and enthralling.

The Bling Ring is the cinematic equivalent of the vapid, superficial kids it features — all visual panache and minimal substance.

The story, while sometimes soaring, is other times grounded by a hyperactive and numbing vibe. But Henry Cavill has the strapping good looks of the comic icon, and humanity to match his superheroism.

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

This low-key and engrossing Belfast-based drama is as much a well-acted character study as it is a thriller about the conflict in Northern Ireland.

Makes its point ham-fistedly and then devolves into a blood-spattered slasher movie. It also unashamedly cribs from more disturbing films like "Straw Dogs," "Funny Games" and "A Clockwork Orange."

Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson may be the worst interns since Monica Lewinsky.

The coming-of-age film is poignant and comical, sitting squarely on that threshold, focusing on the time when a teen is part boy, part man and all adolescent.

Provocative, issue-oriented thrillers are in sadly short supply these days. But The East fills the bill with its examination of the intense commitment and anarchic impulses of eco-terrorist organizations. It's a fascinating subject on which to anchor a spy thriller.

Though it's meant to be pulse-pounding, After Earth is a lethargic slog.

The film's clever use of emerald-colored hummingbirds as transportation is a highlight.

Who would have thought that one of the most provocative and affecting films made about the fallout from 21st century divorce would have emanated from a 19th century novel?

Bittersweet, intelligently written, deftly acted and painfully honest.

Fast & Furious 6 might have just as easily been called "Planes, Tanks and Automobiles."

Nothing about this rote exercise feels remotely fresh. It's a re-tread of the 2009 original, sans the inspired lunacy.

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

Sarah Polley's memoir is a poignant, funny and engrossing film, challenging our notions of memory and family mythology.

Spectacular special effects, superbly crafted action sequences, plenty of humor and terrific performances render it a cut above most summer blockbusters.

It's an unrelentingly brutal movie set in an unusually scenic locale — the coastal city of Valparaiso, Chile.

The film is beautifully shot, with vivid production design. But because of the tale's lack of cohesion, it doesn't carry enough emotional heft.

Grier plays the part of the pompous patrician with superb finesse and dry wit, easily the movie's highlight.

So much effort seems to have gone into the eye-popping production design, swooping camera work and anachronistic musical score that the result is hyper-active cacophony rather than enthralling entertainment.

Brosnan and Dyrholm are irresistible, communicating volumes with mere glances as well as sharp dialogue.

Shannon's restrained and mesmerizing portrayal, bolstered by an excellent offbeat supporting cast, makes for an edgy and compelling Mob yarn.

The rambunctious Iron Man 3 is a briskly paced thrill ride until about 90 minutes in, when the excitement wanes. A few late-breaking surprises re-invigorate the tale, however.

Forced, formulaic and never believable. It's a particularly unholy combination.

Arthur Newman is an old story and chronically, consistently uninvolving.

Endearing and believable, the two actors playing Ellis and Neckbone are pitch-perfect.

A badly constructed, blood-spattered caper that comes unglued early on.

With its complex look at storytelling, imagination and the teacher-student dynamic, In the House is an elaborate cinematic fresco.

Brannigan is terrific as Robbie, and the entire supporting cast is superb.

Oblivion is a slick spectacle — seeing the humorless but ultra-fit Tom Cruise wrestle with himself might be worth the price of admission alone.

Melodramatic and gritty Filly Brown marks the debut of a magnetic screen presence in Gina Rodriguez, as well as the final performance of singer Jenni Rivera, who died in a plane crash in December.

Characters are richly drawn and relatable, though at times stories teeter on melodrama. The overall effect, however, is powerful.

It takes a particularly ham-fisted filmmaker to transform a fascinating and historically significant story into something as formulaic as 42.

Never was a film so visually stunning and so intolerable as To the Wonder.

The visionary filmmaker's psychological thriller weaves a too-complicated tapestry.

The stars make this political drama engrossing, despite its few missteps.

Goes overboard on the gruesome and scrimps on humor. Raimi's "Drag Me to Hell" was a much funnierchill-fest.

Family Weekend is the kind of dark-for-dark's sake, wannabe quirkfest that proves indie films can be just as clichéd and vapid as the most soulless Hollywood movies.

A riveting crime thriller, it's also a multi-generational familial saga that approaches Greek tragedy.

Saoirse Ronan's talents are wasted on a foolish dual part in this dull sci-fi fantasy.

A potent combination of rousing music, appealing performances and an uplifting story renders this film-festival favorite nearly impossible to resist.

Largely because of its engaging cast, Admission is an amiable, but only slightly-above-average, comic romp.

More than anything, the striking spectacle of primordial flora and one-of-a-kind fauna makes it easy for audiences to get pleasantly lost in the adventure.

This is for those who like their political thrillers far-fetched, far-reaching and filled with pretty people.

With director Harmony Korine's visual overload and somnolent voice-overs — the same sentences are repeated ad nauseum — it manages to be both mind-numbingly dull and off-putting.

The action starts with a bang, but deteriorates and grows more absurd as the story strays farther from the LAPD call center.

What might have been an entertaining, silly comedy opts for pseudo-earnestness over movie magic.

Some of the film's most illuminating scenes involve Aya's uncle, General Kajima (Toshiyuki Nishida), who schools Fellers on the sense of duty that is ingrained in Japanese culture.

It's a story that could only happen in an era of YouTube and American Idol. Well-chronicled and fascinating, Don't Stop Believin' is a cinematic journey well worth taking.

As a gritty thriller, Dead Man Down doesn't stand out among its bullet-riddled brethren.

The combination of tight close-ups and jarring camera work might require a dose of Dramamine. Better yet, give this movie a wide berth and check out a superb film set in a submarine, the 1981 classic "Das Boot."

Despite its collegiate setting, 21 and Over is pretty much for people with an IQ of 21 and under.

Vivid visuals are the key to this handsome and moderately entertaining adventure. And the tone is more fairy-tale appropriate than video-game friendly, though the effects-laden swashbuckling sometimes obscures efforts at light whimsy.

In its focus on an ordinary family facing a nightmarish scenario, Snitch is a terrifying but relatable story.

What might have made Bless Me, Ultima more powerful would have been additional scenes with its mystical title character.

For anyone fascinated by the political process and the powers of persuasive advertising, No is a resounding yes.

Lead actor Ehrenreich conveys a spirited charm, while Englert, the object of his affections, is more blandly self-contained.

The picture-postcard location of Southport, N.C., is the film's strong suit.

The best thing about A Good Day to Die Hard is its title.

This genre stew throws in so many ingredients - including sundry body parts that are cut off and go flying, and heads that explode - that the result is a tasteless mash-up that's hard to stomach.

Quartet is endearing, sometimes even irresistible.

It tries to be a moody thriller, but cliched dialogue and too many coincidences make for a predictable and hackneyed film.

In the last five minutes the film shifts gears and offers a tribute to law enforcement. But this tacked-on resolution is as sticky and fake as Sean Penn's make-up job.

The highlight of Not Fade Away, a meandering and bittersweet coming-of-age story, is its killer '60s pop-rock soundtrack.

Promised Land is an involving and timely tale that explores the changing nature and complex challenges of rural life.

This is a tale not only of epic disaster but also of resilience. The Impossible is a nimbly acted drama that is at once a stellar visual achievement and a life-affirming story of familial love and courage.

Les Misérables is sweeping, as would be expected given the scope of the hugely popular stage musical from which it is adapted. But it's also wonderfully intimate, thanks to Tom Hooper's deft direction.

Despite a terrific cast, Jack Reacher comes up empty-handed.

There's an epic spaghetti Western feel to Quentin Tarantino's latest action/comedy/romance hybrid that is by turns dazzling, daring, gruesome and astonishingly funny.

Give it plenty of points for brutal honesty. But This is 40 could have used more laughs.

While this decade-long look at the inner workings of the CIA is intriguing, the movie would have benefited by more character development and additional editing.

Audiences deserve a resounding "mea culpa" for the embarrassing dreck, masquerading as comedy, in The Guilt Trip.

While the production design is impeccable and the journey intermittently involving, The Hobbit is overlong and lacks the enchantment of the Lord of the Rings films.

The shenanigans of randy soccer moms and their obnoxious blowhard husbands are intended as comic relief. But the sappy plot of this formulaic romantic comedy is just as silly as its inane attempts at farce.

The setting is vivid but the film is lifeless, despite many innuendos dropped about FDR's alleged infidelity.

This gritty examination of physical and psychological wounds offers a superb performance by Marion Cotillard, who speaks volumes with her eyes, and a less convincing one by her lead co-star.

Takes a fascinating chapter in Danish history, little-known to general audiences, and presents it engagingly.

There's nothing touchy-feely about Killing Them Softly, a stylish thriller worth seeing -- despite its relentless violence -- for its sharp dialogue, mesmerizing photography and gritty performances.

Though the film is titled Hitchcock and ostensibly centers on the legendary director, we get a better sense of the women around him than the enigmatic filmmaker.

A spectacular high-seas epic that employs technology brilliantly and underscores the power of a vividly told story.

Only those with paranoid fantasies of an en masse invasion on American soil will find Red Dawn remotely powerful. The concept should have been updated to allow for more complex and surreptitious kinds of warfare.

With its fanciful razzle-dazzle, Rise of the Guardians is appealing, if slightly hectic, family fare.

Though energetic, daring and gorgeous to behold, this re-imagining of Tolstoy's classic tale lacks a viable sense of passion, holding the characters at arm's length and glossing over social issues.

There may never have been a movie whose quality mattered less than this final chapter of The Twilight Saga.

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

Through this very specific look at a critical time in Lincoln's presidency, Kushner, Spielberg and Day-Lewis work together to present an honest look at America's most revered statesman. Kushner finds an artful way to weave in the texts of the Gettysburg Address and the 13th Amendment, as well as a creative way to present Lincoln's assassination.

With a powerful jolt, 007 feels relevant again, with serious questions about espionage vs. cyber hacking amid the fun.

With Halloween bags still brimming, it's an ideal time for the inventive candy-colored fun and wicked humor that is Wreck-It Ralph.

The film is not without flaws. It glosses over the story of the dissolution of Whitaker's marriage and does not delve deeply enough into the source of his problems with his son. A romance with recovering junkie Nicole (Kelly Reilly) rarely rings true.

Fun is hiding behind a bad movie costume in this humorless and idiotic Halloween teen comedy.

Ultimately the story of Jay Moriarity, who died tragically in a diving accident at 22, is a moving one, and he deserved a better tribute than this film.

The cinematography is gorgeous and the makeup amazing, but the story lines are too disconnected.

Nothing is easily resolved in this complex drama, which makes it all the more honestly moving. More than anything, this is a film about a woman on a journey of self-discovery, finding her way gingerly.

There's virtually nothing new in the dull Paranormal Activity 4 except for a modification in the method of documenting the spooky shenanigans.

A moving tale with wryly funny moments.

Perry must have felt it was high time for him to try his hand at playing a darker role. But starring in this badly directed, suspense-free film with its unintentionally laughable dialogue does Perry no favors.

Smashed is quietly affecting, though sometimes difficult to sit through. The saving grace is Winstead's smashing performance.

A superbly crafted and darkly funny real-life political thriller, with pitch-perfect performances.

Men in movies are often just overgrown boys, and Seven Psychopaths is out to prove it - in the most twisted, hilarious way possible.

The new Wuthering Heightsis all gloomy moors and muck, but not much convincing passion.

Gator-filled swamps, an ultra-grungy murderer, racial undertones and a sexually charged atmosphere make up the tense and lurid world of The Paperboy.

Frankenweenie is a love story between a boy and his dog. It is also a beautifully crafted homage to classic horror films, a study of grief and a commentary on the mysteries of science and those who narrow-mindedly fear its advances.

The spirited a cappella singing in Pitch Perfect makes a predictable, feather-light coming-of-age film irresistibly fun.

When so much of what Hollywood churns out is almost instantly forgettable, it says a lot about a film when viewers want to take time to argue, ponder and puzzle over it.

While it's an energetic romp, there is more slapstick humor than wit at work here, and a good deal of borrowing from the far more clever "Monsters, Inc."

While there are moments where this drama, about a pair of mothers hellbent on improving their children's education, is compelling and deeply moving, the film gets mired in heavy-handed cliches.

Its title notwithstanding, there's nothing that remotely approaches a narrative curve ball in this tired saga of an aging baseball scout.

Unlike many action thrillers where the viewer is fairly certain that no real harm can come to the protagonists, such is never the case here. In this gritty ride-along, we sense that anything can happen, which adds to the propulsive momentum of a riveting story.

While there are humorous and poignant moments, this angst-filled story of tender kisses, awkward dances, friends drifting apart, kindly English teachers, unrequited crushes and drug-addled partying has a nagging sense of deja vu.

An artful blend of tenderness and sharp, clear-eyed observations. Its characters talk like real people -- who also happen to be smart, appealing and thoughtful.

While it's too hastily and neatly resolved, Hello I Must Be Going is a funny, well-written, involving and emotionally honest tale.

Anderson has taken pains to re-create the '50s with superb production design and gorgeous cinematography. But he seems less concerned with whether the audience is along for the ride. The story can leave viewers at sea, floundering to give meaning to what they are watching.

Chicken With Plums is not a thoroughly delectable concoction, but its exotic flavor is worth sampling.

Ironically, the dialogue in The Words is its chief failing.

Talented actors are wasted in a film that induces more cringes than chuckles as women old enough to know better act like horny sailors on leave, absorb mass quantities of alcohol and drugs, and generally behave horribly.

A dream for fans of offbeat, well-written, subtly acted projects.

While the sound design and spooky minimalist music add suspense, and CGI effects are duly sinister, a climactic strobe effect is more annoying than frightening.

So stunningly photographed that the blood that spurts early and often in this grisly period piece is extra-vivid red. But that hardly makes the Prohibition-era story of a trio of bootlegging brothers feel authentic.

Despite far-fetched plot points - such as a flash mob of bike messengers ready to rumble and thwart evil - it's easy to get caught up in this life-or-death two-wheeled slalom.

The handsome production design notwithstanding, The Awakening is not an elegant thriller. It's more like solemn drivel.

This fun-loving genre-bender, inspired by "Smokey and the Bandit," opens languidly, then picks up the pace. Even in the midst of cars racing, it's funny and endearing.

Unlike most rom-coms, Celeste and Jesse Forever delves into the complicated heart of relationships, exposes some painful truths and allows melancholy to co-exist alongside breezy humor.

Shines brightest during its musical numbers.

The Expendables 2 is corny, barbaric and sometimes visually murky. But humor and self-deprecating macho charm make this male pattern badness crowd-pleasing fun.

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.

Robert Pattinson must be hellbent on escaping the world of sparkly-skinned undead to take on the starring role in the leaden, obtuse and ultra-pretentious Cosmopolis.

Drama/comedy fables such as "Big" and "13 Going on 30" effectively transported viewers to their whimsical alternate reality. But Timothy Green feels more predictable than other-worldly.

This latest Bourne doesn't send adrenaline surging the way "Ultimatum" did, but it's still a tense, well-acted thrill ride.

"It's a mess" is the campaign slogan of Marty Huggins, played by Galifianakis. He's referring to the state of government. But he might as well be describing the movie in which he co-stars.

It's about as uncomfortable as sitting through an interminable counseling session - involving two people you hardly know and don't much care about.

The bone-crunchingly violent film has luridly entertaining moments. But by its resolution, this sleazy Southern Gothic nightmare has simply gone off the rails.

Instead of drawing the audience in, the action scenes merely blur together. And the intriguing, thoughtful concepts at the story's core are glossed over.

A musical detective story, this enthralling documentary focuses on a little-known American musician whose haunting voice and poetic lyrics were essentially unknown in his own country, but had a massive impact across the globe.

The film is one long Costco joke - but the punch line is never all that funny.

The fictional premise is used cleverly to illuminate the creative process and explore romantic minefields, and the appealing Ruby Sparks has a low-key, polished charm.

The point of the film is not to scorn or mock the Siegels, despite their excesses. They embody the quintessentially American urge to live beyond one's means. Their saga is simply the story of a nation's materialism writ large.

While it's the most ambitious of the three films, it's not as mesmerizing as 2008's "The Dark Knight." The plot is occasionally murky, its archvillain lacks charismatic menace, and the last hour is belabored.

It's mystifying how such a muddled and silly movie drew the talented cast it did.

Much of the action in Ice Age: Continental Drift takes place on an iceberg fashioned into a seagoing vessel. No one seems to be piloting the boat, which is an apt metaphor for the film.

So sobering an example of why crime doesn't pay that it could be shown to petty drug thugs to scare them straight.

Williams is hampered by her character's limitations. What results is a mannered tale of an immature, empty vessel.

Savages comes off as director Oliver Stone trying to rekindle his "Natural Born Killers" mojo from 1994. But when the bigger-name stars show up here in cartoonish roles, things feel more silly than gritty.

As a new chapter in the superpowered arachnid saga, it stands on its own quite nicely, focusing more on human emotions than on a panoply of special effects.

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

The movie's soap opera quality undermines its efforts to tell a family saga with much believability.

This bromance with rapid-fire quips, however, is undermined by unoriginal scenarios and a long, drawn-out chase scene.

So many movies try to capture human relationships and fail miserably. A few come close. Your Sister's Sister nails it with grace, humor and winning charm.

Almost as impressive as Tatum's moves are his comic flair and breezy grace. He proved his comic talents earlier this year in "21 Jump Street" and shows them off winningly here.

It's unlikely there will be a film as visually stunning or poetic this year - or perhaps any year - to rival Beasts of the Southern Wild.

It's a lively, psychologically astute tale filled with humanity, wit and charming performances.

It's neither one of Allen's best, nor among his worst. It is also not likely to win audiences over with the passion that "Midnight in Paris" did.

This is a romantic comedy for people who don't like rom-coms. There's no chance of a happy ending, but its tender mercies speak volumes.

It's equally endearing as a sweetly funny romance between two likable oddballs and as a low-tech time-travel thriller, and has something profound to say about making the most of the present.

That's My Boy is puerile, mean-spirited and charmless.

Don't stop believing. Just avoid clichéd musicals that try to capture the anarchic spirit of rock with trite commercial re-treads.

Hardly fresh, but it never stints on energy or vivid colors.

Scott seduces audiences with thought-provoking possibilities, then pulls a bait-and-switch, subbing in a familiar monster thriller and fiery explosion-fest.

Despite an unlikely setting and a moderately intriguing premise, Chernobyl Diaries proves to be a generic horror flick where young tourists are systematically victimized in unoriginal and not terribly scary ways.

While this third go-round may not seem necessary amid summer's blockbusters, it's an entertaining jaunt back in time with the likably mismatched duo.

The Intouchables is an exuberantly charming French buddy comedy that proves an audience will suspend disbelief and follow an unlikely story as long as it's superbly crafted.

Literate, melancholy and magical, Moonrise Kingdom is quintessential Wes Anderson, infused with his brand of daffy wit.

What audiences should expect is a tone-deaf, superficial, charmless ensemble rom-com, focused on five attractive, but uninteresting, couples.

The comic elements of this semi-factual tale are heavy-handed, and a key romance falls flat. Despite its titillating subject matter, Hysteria is only mildly stimulating. The final third of the story meanders during a tedious trial and clumsy speechifying.

Mostly, Battleship is a noisy, overlong and numbing military-vs.-aliens saga with laughably bad dialogue.

After laughing at crudely funny scenes in The Dictator, there's a cringing sensation of guilt.

Seems like a work in progress.

At its best in comic mode, more effective as goofy spoof than horror show.

A refreshing, mature fairy tale.

This clever, low-budget film kicks the concept up a few notches to mesmerizing.

Whedon weaves a story that allows each of the heroes to do what they do best. And while they may not have exactly equal time, audiences get enough of each to feel satisfied, but not sated. Clever work, indeed.

Boaz Yakin's slick direction, marked by quick cuts, unstinting energy and a lack of sentimentality, makes the action scenes satisfying. But he's a better director than writer.

May be far more ragtag than swashbuckling, but the film is sure-footed, witty and zany fun.

This many-feathered animal occasionally soars before it crash-lands.

The story starts out well, then becomes contrived and goes on too long.

It's unfortunate that the filmmakers juxtapose those striking visuals with a warlike anthropomorphizing element.

Dog lovers will instantly warm to the handsome stray collie mix, but they may struggle to fully embrace the amiable but toothless adult story surrounding him.

Even though Think Like a Man espouses something akin to the philosophy in Beyoncé's Single Ladies(Put a Ring on It), it makes manipulation more fun than it ought to be.

So the cliches are as thick as a vat of honey. And the love story proves just as syrupy. But for those who lap up this sappy vision of romance, it contains all the key ingredients.

What's missing in Morgan Spurlock's latest documentary is a key ingredient: Morgan Spurlock.

Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford are particularly funny in their middle-management roles.

Pop culture references intermingle with the loopy trio's iconic foolishness, and the result is a movie with some big laughs, plenty of heart and terrible coifs.

These are hardly damsels, but the distress will be felt by audiences watching the collection of non sequiturs, twee remarks and tangential vignettes that is Damsels in Distress.

An immature obsession with sex at 17 seems understandable. But at 30 it's getting cringe-inducing.

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

Singh brings cheeky humor, an eccentric sensibility and an enchanting look to his re-imagined tale.

Somewhere amid the mind-numbing barrage of action sequences there's a story based on Greek mythology. But its essence is buried amid the clatter.

The dialogue is fast-paced and full of pop-culture references. It all makes for an entertaining blend of buddy-cop action and irreverent teen-comedy satire.

This very funny spoof of telenovelas and classic Mexican westerns is decidedly offbeat and absurdly daffy.

Though the project, based on the Edgar Rice Burroughs novel "A Princess of Mars," is ambitious, it's also bloated, dreary and humorless.

Friends With Kids takes a fresh and funny look at a familiar subject, with enough buoyant romance to satisfy audiences drawn to starry-eyed love stories and hopeful endings.

The concept is unoriginal, the scenarios aren't funny, and its message is banal. Plus, Murphy alternately hams it up and phones it in.

A movie about a teen party gone horribly wrong, would be every parent's worst nightmare if it weren't so inane.

Robert De Niro has made several unwise choices in roles recently, and his belligerent wannabe writer in Being Flynn definitely adds to that list.

Someone in Hollywood ought to speak for the trees, and The Lorax does it with verve and vibrancy.

Employing Navy troops as stars is a clever idea for an action thriller. But the soldiers' awkward line readings are glaring enough to distract from the potency of the story.

Some of the players are endearingly goofy in this good-natured comedy, particularly Rudd and Theroux. But Wanderlust trundles along unevenly, never reaching the cleverly raucous state it seeks.

Silly action sequences grow tedious and rarely blend with the wannabe madcap comedy.

With its lush colors, imaginative view of ordinary objects and meticulously crafted miniature civilization, it transports viewers to an enchanting alternate storybook reality.

Deftly balancing the students' stories with that of Courtney's, the film creates a fully rounded portrait of a corner of America rarely examined.

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

Though the plot can be vague and occasionally convoluted, Harrelson is mesmerizing.