Claudia Puig

Doesn't always have a clear path, but that is part of its meandering appeal. It asks if true love exists, then renders it a rhetorical question.

This Pride & Prejudice is a stellar adaptation, bewitching the viewer completely and incandescently with an exquisite blend of emotion and wit.

A refreshingly silly and clever portrait of a strikingly daft and clueless man.

One of the series's best, with spectacular effects, nuanced performances and witty dialogue.

McKay's performance is a revelation. He nails Welles' imperiousness, charm and vocal cadences, and even bears a strong resemblance to the iconic actor/director. He is thoroughly convincing as Welles and electrifies the screen when he's on it.

Visually exhilarating, provocative and disturbing.

This is the rare movie that blends long scenes of meticulous research with a sweeping story and sustains a feeling of riveting suspense. Zodiac grips you by the throat and doesn't let go.

While style trumps substance, something in the way this '60s tribute moves attracts us.

Deception is not the cool, noirish thriller it tries to be. Despite a cast that includes double-crossers Hugh Jackman and Ewan McGregor and Michelle Williams caught in the middle, the film is a yawn.

Shaolin Soccer's infectious style has a way of lifting spirits. You don't have to be a fan of soccer or kung fu to enjoy it.

A mesmerizing look at the mythic quality and anarchic spirit of the irreverent and rabble-rousing journalist.

The movie is devoid of laughs, except for a mildly funny segment when one of the chipmunks inhales helium. And since this is aimed at the under-10 set, it includes the requisite flatulence joke and a spit take or two.

While the story does not quite come to magical life, the themes of courage, hope and decency are sweetly inspiring.

Mottola, who wrote and directed 1996's "The Daytrippers," crafts smart, witty dialogue. But the movie suffers in tone. While much of the story feels like a brainier John Hughes comedy, it veers into more dramatic terrain and loses focus.

Murphy's breathy, high voice as Kitten feels forced, but not nearly as much as the film's efforts to be both whimsical and weighty.

Movies often don't do their stories justice, and that has happened again here. The main problem is a tone that jarringly switches from a kind of Forrest Gump-style narrative to a more generic biopic.

The movie, based on a true story, takes surprising twists and turns right up to its chilling ending and is probably the best gangster crime drama of the year.

This Hulk is more viscerally angry and packs a bigger wallop than Ang Lee's talkier, more introspective version. But it's hardly the best superhero movie around. "Iron Man" was wittier and more fun.

The courtroom scenes emphasize the movie's potency as a David and Goliath saga. But the film's strength lies in its fact-based story of a wronged man turned crusader, played with vigor by Kinnear.

There are some effectively suspenseful moments in the movie, particularly during the gambling sequences, but one longs for more context and probing into the psyche of an ordinary man with an extraordinary compulsion.

Don't be too quick to turn down The Uninvited. A stylish horror thriller in the vein of "The Ring," it's well-acted, frightening and handsomely produced

Shocking is the fact that three highly regarded actors -- Kim Basinger, Mickey Rourke and Billy Bob Thornton -- chose to star in this dreadful film.

Taut, tightly paced and thrilling, with some of the best chase sequences -- whether by foot, taxi or Jeep -- in recent memory.

"Who wants to see a movie about a kid who's stuck in middle school with a bunch of morons?" Thanks to an endearing cast of characters and an energetic, if light, comic story, we do.

The story teeters on the edge of soap opera and emotional manipulation, but director Robert Benton (Kramer vs. Kramer) pulls back in the nick of time. What results is an involving and often poignant examination of love and loss.

Youth's screenplay, by Gustin Nash, is generally witty.

In this Amityville, the performances are bad, the special effects ho-hum, and it's not even particularly scary.

Yes is more of a maybe. Or even a hmmm.

A tribute to a giant leap for mankind feels like a clumsy shuffle backward for animation.

While the neo-Gothic tale is inherently intriguing, the film should inspire strong emotion, but deliberate pacing and a contained sense of melodrama make it a surprisingly passive experience.

Rather than being a fascinating exploration of a much more constrained time in our social history, the film simply feels anachronistic.

It's Complicated is vacuous overall, although attractively packaged.

Melodramatic and laden with cop-thriller clichés, the story, set in one of New York's toughest precincts, is contrived and inauthentic -- and also grisly.

It is a rare performance when one of the world's most recognizable stars can disappear completely into a character on the screen.

There are ribald jokes and gross-out episodes, but the movie works because everything hinges on the camaraderie and undeniable chemistry between Rudd and Segel.

With its excessive sleaze and gross-out gags, Soul Plane overshoots effective spoofery. Mostly it's a foul, eye-rolling experience.

Marked by clever twists and turns, the story unfolds at just the right pace. The dialogue -- adapted by Polanski and British writer Robert Harris from Harris' novel The Ghost-- is incisive and interspersed with wit.

Bruno Coulais' musical score provides an evocative counterpoint to the often dazzling photography. A scene featuring diving sea birds and whales moving in concert with the rhythm of the waves is stunning.

White Noise is the celluloid equivalent of a bad cell phone connection.

Haunting and inspiring film.

Mesmerizing and highly entertaining.

Highly imaginative and consistently amusing without pretensions.

Neither side is worth rooting for in this ridiculous blood feud, which features some of the year's most laughable dialogue.

Once fresh, the story is now buried under a hoary coating.

Like the book, the movie blends a primitive quality with an imaginative artfulness. It also amplifies upon the story's gentle, sly wit.

An engaging and moving film with a universal story about the bonds of family as told through two generations of a Bengali family.

It's a run-of-the-mill cop thriller but also a gripping family drama. It is in the moments spent untangling the threads of troubled relationships that the movie is at its best.

This genre-busting movie has the appearance of a love story but morphs into a thriller, told cleverly in a nonlinear style. Think "Sliding Doors" crossed with "The Sixth Sense," with a little "Memento" thrown in.

Clooney has excelled in serious roles - notably in "Michael Clayton" and "Syriana." But his Jack, a brooding assassin seeking redemption, is a bigger departure, and he pulls it off well.

Deliver Us From Evil is so horrifying it makes "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" look like a walk in the park.

A cameo by a well-known actor in the final scene suggests there will be a third ride on this familiar marriage go-round.

A surprisingly funny, female-driven romp — as long as you don't question too many plot particulars.

First they marched, then they tap-danced. Now they ride the waves on souped-up boards. It really doesn't matter what stunts they try to pull off: Who can resist an animated mockumentary in the style of "This Is Spinal Tap" starring the black-and-white big birds of the moment?

Blood Diamond is a gem in a season with lots of worthy movies.

While it features three strong performance and the debut of a promising filmmaker, the story line is obvious and rather melodramatic.

Each story has its moments, but "Air" lacks an overarching vision.

Stretching what was a cute concept to the breaking point.

Crazy Heart, based on a 1987 novel by Thomas Cobb, also has great music. Even if you're not a country music fan, the songs, by T Bone Burnett and the late Stephen Bruton, are infectious.

Poignant and well-acted, it offers heartfelt moments leavened by subtle humor.

It is by turns comic, dark and surprisingly tender. If one must reduce it to simple description, call it a love story with a twist. Or a twisted love story.

The Village emerges as a victim of its own ambitions. At one point, Edward advises Ivy: "Do your very best not to scream." That doesn't require much restraint on our part.

As a film that pays tribute to vintage '50s Hollywood, Broken Embraces is a visual delight.

Serviceable, occasionally compelling but often formulaic.

Caché is unsettling and tense, even shocking. And its story of enduring tensions between an Algerian immigrant and a well-off French family is particularly timely.

Has a couple of emotionally resonant scenes that build on the first two story lines. But it lacks the intriguing moody quality of the previous films. The mutants are more pumped up and angry this time, rather than misunderstood and conflicted.

Trust-- and the genre itself -- needs to dump the stale formula and embrace reality and reinvention.

The film has its funny moments, but they are too few to make the holiday excursion worthwhile.

An American Affair is sordid business blandly portrayed and not worth meddling with.

It has a few moments of fun and whimsy, but it lacks the joyous spirit and intelligent humor of the children's novel on which it's based.

Despite its flaws, Shutter Island is worth seeing for the palpably nightmarish and gothic world conceived by Scorsese

The opening frame of Jonah Hex should say: "Caution: Made expressly for the male teen demographic. Not suitable for anyone of any age who prefers movies with coherence, an original plot or characters they give a hoot about."

When it comes to sheer spectacle, Star Trek, as re-imagined by J.J. Abrams, delivers.

Those who appreciated "Metallica: Some Kind of Monster" will probably enjoy this documentary.

The movie's best moments are between Banderas and the kids. When the plot shifts to reveal the students' back stories (one has a prostitute mother, another a drunken father), the story becomes a melodramatic rehash of other movies, like "Fame" or "Rent."

With moments of mind-bending creepiness, the film has potential, but eventually it devolves into merely a head-scratcher.

Cinematic poetry in black and white. It also is a deeply affecting tale of the power of resilience and an unflagging sense of humor through the worst of situations

A rich gem expertly told in a surprisingly scant 95 minutes.

Talk to Me speaks powerfully to audiences with its potent blend of extraordinary performances and engaging soundtrack.

Viewers should know that the film's resolution, though admirably restrained and unsentimental, is devastatingly sad. Parents should take this into account. This beautifully rendered family film is told in a classic and old-fashioned style, in the best sense, providing poignant and powerful teachable moments.

Fast-paced, imaginative and often cute, Shorts is slight but enjoyable family fare.

Moon, a superb first feature directed by Duncan Jones (David Bowie's son) and starring an impressive Sam Rockwell, is an intelligent, evocative and deceptively low-key sci-fi adventure.

It's a shame that by its conclusion the movie feels like just another special-effects-driven story.

Should the desire to see a clever zombie movie strike, try the recent remake of "Dawn of the Dead" or last year's "28 Days."

For those who like their spoofs silly and their cartoonish gore vivid, Shaun offers some amusement.

Director Clark Johnson has an energetic style of filmmaking and a facile way with stunts and chase sequences. The result is a fairly stylish action thriller. We've seen plenty of suspense films in which a seemingly good guy is framed, so it helps when a director can pull off a few cinematic tricks to keep audiences on their toes.

School for Scoundrels will only leave you scratching your head in bewilderment and might possibly shave off IQ points.

Once is a film for anyone who has ever been transported by the power and passion of music.

True to its title, Elegy is a spare, meditative and melancholy film. It is a deeply affecting and profoundly observed saga about love, art, beauty and, especially, mortality.

Amelia goes airborne but never fully soars.

If moviegoers suspend their disbelief -- easy enough thanks to the diverse and talented cast, as well as Spielberg's capable direction -- they're bound to enjoy this cinematic fantasy.

Tooth Fairy will make your teeth ache and your skin crawl.

Made gripping almost single-handedly by Blanchett's superlative performance.

The dialogue, delivered mostly in Southern accents, is intended to be funny and fresh, but much of this Western-influenced sci-fi adventure story feels reheated.

The best action thriller of the year.

It's not nearly as enjoyable as one of his rambling, meditative songs, though perhaps it is aspiring to be the cinematic equivalent. Give me "Tangled Up in Blue" any day over this incoherent, tangled trip.

It's a pleasure to watch these men perform. These are real-life guitar heroes. But it would have been a treat to see more of them talking shop.

A gifted cast was bogged down by a treacly tale.

The documentary's scathing attack on the war in Iraq and George W. Bush's presidency is informative, provocative, frightening, compelling, funny, manipulative and, most of all, entertaining.

Blue Car is like an unpolished sapphire, at once harshly realistic and resplendent.

It's certainly not Mamet's signature rapid-fire dialogue, but it's an intriguing and engrossing departure.

Despite questionable casting, wooden acting, laughable dialogue and truly awful makeup, nothing is likely to stop young girls from swarming to this kitschy adaptation of Stephenie Meyer's popular novel.

Can be taken on many levels, and that's why it works so completely.

Far-fetched, flimsy and uninvolving.

The Grand is in the grand tradition of Christopher Guest "mockumentary" comedy satires: Its greatest asset is its eclectic, quirky-funny cast.

Well-acted and involving.

It's a chick flick with a likable premise.

Side-splitting laughter, along with some powerful cringing, are likely to be audiences' dominant reactions.

A misguided attempt at comedy that needs to go last on anyone's list of movie options.

If Mel Brooks were to team up with Tim Burton, the result might be something like the loony and colorfully tantalizing animated film Igor.

Vardalos' comedic style is old-fashioned in the worst way; her humor is stodgier than the most retro Catskills laughmeister.

When it aims for humor, it feels overwrought and clichéd.

Amazingly, amidst the smutty silliness, there are some laughs.

If your idea of a good time is watching a disjointed period piece featuring a scrawny dog defecating, dozens of dissipated people fornicating and a syphilitic Johnny Depp with oozing pustules on his face, The Libertine may be just the movie for you.

Walker is adorable, but gives a one-note performance. Greenwood, a charismatic and unsung character actor, has the most noteworthy human performance as a somewhat arrogant academic whose decency keeps him from becoming a stock villain in a formulaic story.

The characters and plot lack even a shred of credibility.

Don't expect the seventh Star Wars film here. Star Wars: The Clone Wars is more like a long Saturday morning cartoon.

If you'd like to know about the famously eccentric psyche of surrealist artist Salvador Dali, whom Pattinson plays, you're better off consulting written biographies. Little Ashes does nothing to illuminate the iconic Spanish artist.

Johansson is not Allen's new Diane Keaton. She's closer to Mariel Hemingway -- though even Allen couldn't attempt to pull off a romance between his septuagenarian self and a girl in college.

Highly entertaining and informative.

It's a story that feels familiar at best, hackneyed at worst, which is surprising and disappointing, as director Tom Vaughan also made last year's "Starter for 10," a charming British coming-of-age comedy.

Though the movie rambles in the middle, it gets back on track when Nick and Norah have a sweet encounter in an unexpected place. The soundtrack is an excellent counterpoint to the film's quirky scenarios.

Alien Trespass is good-natured, but it's a wan send-up. When it comes to paying homage to classic "B" horror movies, "Monsters vs. Aliens" is the more clever alternative.

Broderick has the film's most clever lines, but Snow is quite funny and is convincing as an innocent lured by the promise of easy money.

Predicating an escapist romantic comedy on a realistic tragedy requires a nimble touch at the helm. Perhaps if Life had been made by, say, James Brooks, it would have worked.

For a comedian (Allen) who often seems to be calling it in, he's more lackluster than usual. Curtis is a bigger disappointment, especially after "Freaky Friday," in which she was funny, smart and cheeky.

The movie feels like a long-form version of the popular Nickelodeon cartoon series on which it's based, which probably won't bother Arnold fans.

Casts a potent spell.

It's not quite up to the caliber of Richard Yates' novel, which is deeply nuanced and rich in subtext. But the performances are superb, and the film is beautifully shot.

A didactic and humorless Western, Eli is too laborious for an action film and too brutal to be an inspirational tale.

It would appear that director Scott Kalvert never met a cliché he didn't like. No telegraphing is too obvious or simplistic for this movie.

The script is consistently humorous, even if a few punch lines are predictable and the wit is neither highbrow nor split-a-gut funny.

While the ingredients are there to make a tense and compelling post-9/11 thriller, Rendition falls flat.

Notable for the easy chemistry of its ensemble cast.

At its best in scenes featuring Hathaway's mercurial character. It's a triumphant and darkly nuanced role for her and a departure from the more lighthearted comedic performances she has given.

While it's billed as a "re-imagining" of the horror franchise, this Friday is more like a rehash, delivering just what you expect and nothing more.

A bit of a throwback, a nostalgic, easygoing Capra-esque comedy that should appeal to both youthful and older audiences.

A sluggish, tedious film about lost souls living dead-end lives in a dead-end town. Their actions often defy rationality.

My One and Only has an old-fashioned sensibility -- and some lovely Mad Men-style costumes -- making for a pleasantly diverting road movie.

If you've been lobotomized or have the mental age of a kindergartener, Mr. Bean's Holiday is viable comic entertainment.

Though it could work as effectively as a television vehicle, American Teen is revealing, funny and involving.

It paints a complex picture of strained familial relations and a poignant look at the wounds inflicted on a sensitive soul by an unreliable parent.

If you're of a mind to believe a dreary and far-fetched thriller about numerology-crazed alien life forms, then you may find the movie mildly diverting.

A touching and illuminating documentary.

Worse, the story is so thin and clichéd, it seems as if a computer wrote the screenplay and a robot directed it.

The film takes a long time to unfold, and some scenes feel inert. But ultimately, the conclusion is moving and satisfying.

Amid the razzle-dazzle, Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over is sweetly inspiring.

Mostly, Harold is a guilty pleasure that retains the anarchic charms of the original.

The uneven humor, half-baked plot and generic action scenes keep RED from being much fun.

The Brothers Bloom has it all: charming romance, jaunty adventure story, witty dialogue, gorgeous cinematography and superb performances.

It's hampered by a listless quality and a one-note performance by porn-star-turned-actress Sasha Grey.

So sadistic and disturbing, Games is easily the toughest movie to sit through since 1994's "Natural Born Killers."

The film is easier to admire than to fully grasp or be moved by it. Still, it's worth surrendering to the dream.

The true story of the recordbreaking Secretariat is pretty stupendous as is. It didn't need schmaltzing up.

Taken does have a few things going for it. At the top of that short list is Liam Neeson in the starring role.

A monumentally moving experience, from the powerful acting by Javier Bardem to the evocative music, composed by the director, Alejandro Amenábar.

The film's most climactic moments involve the chilling audiotapes of avaricious Enron traders as they toy with California's energy crisis, wringing millions in profits from the misfortune of an entire state.

While there is a vague hint of a vanity project in a few extraneous scenes, directors Barbara Kopple and Cecilia Peck have fashioned a compelling and rousing film that will not only appeal to Chicks fans, but make fans of those who weren't before.

Maybe Affleck was drawn to this movie because it involves the loss of memory. Who wouldn't want to forget "Gigli," and now this?

A broad comedy and sometimes charming character study that takes a strange turn in tone and becomes a disappointing drama.

Based on the captivating novel by Myla Goldberg, Bee Season is evocative and superbly acted.

Despite its flaws, its intriguing premise leaves us haunted by thoughts of "What if?"

The TV Set skewers the television industry in a manner that occasionally feels familiar and at other times is humorously incisive.

It's an uneven experience, with some evocative moments and others that don't resonate as much as they should.

Savage Grace is a thoroughly disturbing story, told in a detached style rendering the overall experience an unsettling blend of lurid and vacuous.

Thackeray said that he wanted "to leave everybody dissatisfied and unhappy at the end of the story." Nair may have had other intentions, but by film's end, audiences are bound to be left dissatisfied with the choppy and confusing storytelling style and unhappy about the missed opportunity.

The razor-sharp satire Thank You for Smoking is the wittiest dark comedy of the year thus far. It has appeal to all sides of the political spectrum.

The story doesn't clarify why the dragons hibernated for hundreds of years, nor why they awakened. Clearly, however, the filmmakers might have benefited from more sleep before penning the script.

The soundtrack (which includes James Brown, Michael Jackson and The Commodores) is better than a K-Tel "Best of the '70s" compilation, and the broad physical comedy is as reliable as a brick house.

Game Plan plays like an average sitcom that drags on. This sort of film shouldn't clock in at more than 90 minutes. There are worse ways to spend a few hours, but expect more predictability than laughs in this good-hearted, mindless entertainment.

Chris Rock was busy directing, producing, co-writing and starring in this light comedy. Given his hilarious stand-up routines, one wishes he had spent a little more time on the script.

An irreverent and witty comedy in which the events aren't predictable but are well paced.

Writer/director Philippe Claudel knows just how to structure a character study of this sort, so that key elements and important secrets are revealed over time, piquing our interest. The film is almost like a novel or short story, so one's curiosity is satisfied slowly.

A welcome adult alternative to summer's sophomoric blockbusters. The only transforming going on here is actors skillfully taking on roles of '30s-era gangsters and lawmen.

You don't have to believe in far-fetched tales of mysterious beams of light and alien abductions to get caught up in The Fourth Kind.

Hunter is far too talented to waste her time with such mediocre material, as is co-star Kathy Bates, who plays Kippie Kann, an overbearing talk-show host.

The cringingly wacky scenarios, offbeat characters and comic dialogue serve up a crowd-pleasing, laugh-filled experience.

Resembles an enthusiastic but undisciplined child running amok through an exhibit.

This slice of American life, as seen through the eyes of Palestinian immigrants, is nuanced, engaging and authentically observed.

By adhering to the romantic-comedy formula, The Invention of Lying stops short of being truly inventive. But enough sequences are fresh and inspired to make this a comedy honestly worth catching.

The Secret of Kells is a magical adventure unlike anything we've seen on screen before.

The action sequences are fun, though not as exhilarating as in the 2008 original, and the dialogue can be zingy.

The only character we get to know fully as she evolves from child to older woman is Vivi. Too bad the movie didn't also trace the lives of her "sisters." That might have been divine.

In dashing Indiana Jones style, Eckhart gets to be a hero.

Though the effort is uneven, it's a well-acted romance that becomes a less compelling courtroom drama.

The only death at this funeral was that of a good movie.

It may sound like a Peter Pan spinoff, and Dear Wendy does involve lost boys in a stagey setting, but the film is closer to "A Clockwork Orange" than a tale of lasting youth.

You could be cynical about the first movie produced by the coffee colossus Starbucks. But there's nothing cynical about Akeelah's story of courage and determination.

A worthy, if flawed, piece of entertainment.

A little more than halfway in, Legend, based on the book by Richard Matheson (which also spawned 1971's Omega Man and 1964's TheLast Man on Earth), deteriorates into a schlocky zombie horror flick and loses its steam.

A laughably bad horror flick.

When it comes to comedies about pregnancy, "Knocked Up" and "Baby Mama" delivered more. This sitcom style exercise in planned parenthood is blandly predictable. If it were a cheese, it would be Velveeta.

A suspense thriller that intelligently explores the ideal of lasting love.

The comic appeal of The Devil Wears Prada is the cinematic equivalent of a size 2 - wafer-thin and ultimately lacking in meat and substance.

This charming but slight tale has warmth, wit and interesting characters compassionately portrayed.

In the canon of comic-book movies, it's not as campy bad as the "Batman" starring George Clooney, but nowhere near the caliber of the Spider-Man movies or "The Dark Knight." It may have more style, but it's only a jot more entertaining than "Catwoman."

Despite its appealing stars, The Ugly Truth is a charmless romantic comedy.

An old-school documentary that is both non-controversial and uplifting, America's Heart & Soul could be subtitled the Anti-Fahrenheit 9/11.

In most cases, doggedly pursuing a dream is laudable. But if it does nothing else, The Astronaut Farmer demonstrates that not every dream is worth pursuing. At least not the belabored one of a narcissistic crackpot masquerading as an admirable dreamer.

Catherine Keener is also believable and sympathetic as Lopez's editor and former wife. But the film's power comes down to the strength of the two superb lead performances.

The visual effects are lovely to behold, and the songs by Bonnie Raitt, Tim McGraw and k.d. lang are fairly catchy.

Its stylish and gritty authenticity is superbly suited to this murder mystery.

This B-list thriller portrays air crews as inept, at best, and callous and cruel at worst.

It's so unfunny it almost stings.

A little bit of charm is precisely what this movie has to offer. A small dose is better than none, but you can't help wishing there was more to go around.

A cinematic experience that is dazzlingly different from anything currently in theaters, March of the Penguins captivates with its straightforward but powerful story of dogged determination, survival against harsh odds and sacrifice.

Notes on a Scandal may be disturbing, but it is a potent and captivating account of misconduct and betrayal.

Though it's not worth doing cartwheels over, Flipped is a pleasantly nostalgic and well-intentioned family movie featuring strong performances by its young actors.

Turns out to be a tepid thriller that promises more than it delivers.

It's a pleasure to watch such top-notch actors deliver Coward's sparkling wit.

A tasty bonbon, initially appealing but not terribly satisfying.

Overall, Confetti is agreeable and appropriately daft, though occasionally tepid and contrived.

Peter O'Toole's tour-de-force performance makes Venus a movie not to be missed.

The dialogue is clichéd and laughable. It's a film far more concerned with style - architectural, vehicular and wardrobe-related - than substance.

If you want to escape all the deadly serious fare of this pre-awards season, run to Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.Why? Cox rocks. This rowdy spoof of music biopics is silly fun and often hilarious.

A breath of fresh air amid the superheroes, aliens and bombastic explosions of summer.

This supernatural yarn is thoroughly engrossing until it loses its way about three-quarters in. It's as if the filmmakers didn't know how to resolve the mayhem, opting for silly over diabolical.

Caramel is a sweeter and more believable version of "Steel Magnolias," Middle Eastern style.

Fashioning a hybrid of a courtroom drama and a horror film that is suspenseful and scary requires a clear vision and directorial finesse. Rose lacks both. But the performances are topnotch.

A darkly disturbing melodrama anchored by some powerful performances.

The look of the story is an undeniable treat, and the message it weaves is both funny and sweet. Horton Hears a Who! is razzle-dazzling and artful, and it builds on Seuss' words by the clever cart-full.

This heart-rending tale also is a mesmerizing one because of several superb performances, particularly those of Ben Foster and Woody Harrelson.

Wright gives the title character a complexity and emotional shading often missing in this kind of ensemble comedy/drama. Pippa has the feel of a heroine in literature, rather than on the big screen.

It's made expressly for fans of unmitigated gore.

That a group of creative people chose to direct their energies on this repulsive spectacle simply provokes disgust.

The movie is raunchier than expected, and above all clichéd, formulaic and thoroughly sexist. Worst, it's just not very funny.

That this is Fukunaga's first film is astonishing, given its sharp script, technical proficiency and suspenseful pacing. The ensemble cast is top-notch.

A potent psychological thriller bolstered by strong performances and an offbeat sense of humor. What renders it an unsettling cut above many thrillers is the casting of Johnny Depp in the lead.

The plot progression can be guessed early on, but the film is more about humor and heart than a clever story.

Clever and often enchanting.

An innovative -- if only moderately entertaining -- spin on Robert Louis Stevenson's classic Treasure Island.

The film itself is dark and chilling, if occasionally plodding, but worth seeing for the absorbing potency of its main performances.

Those with a taste for irreverent humor and clear-eyed analysis will find it funny, enlightening and disturbing.

Hisses for Catwoman. Unfortunately for Oscar winner Halle Berry, this movie belongs in the litter box.

Junebug has the feel of a good short story or novella.

It is smart, witty and blessedly unpredictable.

Within a few minutes into the ponderous prehistoric pseudo-epic that is 10,000 B.C., you find yourself longing for George of the Jungle to crash into a tree or the Geico cavemen to amble up and put an end to the droning seriousness of this tedious tale.

Penn's Oscar-caliber transformation is breathtaking, and the saga of one man's fight for human rights is engrossing.

Forget "Twilight." Fans of vampire movies are not likely to see anything more graphic, extreme or twisted than Thirst.

Veggie Tales is a faith-based franchise that uses a blend of a religious/moral message and humor to teach about honesty and forgiveness. But Pirates lacks the humor of the videos and "A Veggie Tales Movie."

Caro gives the fablesque story -- based on a 1,000-year-old Maori legend -- both a contemporary and timeless quality, anchored by newcomer Castle-Hughes' powerful and haunting performance.

Elle Fanning is wondrous in Phoebe in Wonderland. But the movie is an uneven, unfocused amalgamation of ideas and moods that is at times deeply moving nonetheless.

Next Day Air can't decide whether it's a broad stoner comedy or a gritty Tarantino-esque action flick. The humor is there, but violence brings the laughter to an abrupt halt.

An occasionally entertaining, always fluffy teen romantic comedy with some moderately funny physical comedy by gadabout star Lindsay Lohan.

There is nothing flashy about these performances, but Gyllenhaal, Dillon and Gosling fully inhabit their characters, giving haunting portrayals. Watch for these names to emerge on the short list for Academy Award consideration.

The movie opens with wit and dash, then devolves into a rather generic spy thriller.

Some moments in XX/XY ring true, and the honesty exposed is revelatory. But, like some relationships, this drama can be tough to endure.

Well-told fanciful tales aimed at children but appreciated by adults are a rarity, and The Water Horse should be savored for the exuberantly entertaining ride it offers.

An exhilarating fantasy adventure marred only by its length and protracted climactic battle scenes.

Bright enough, but stops short of being clever.

The fantasy segments, played up in trailers, get bogged down amid the ho-hum tale of a loser making good.