Connie Ogle

The result is this infectious documentary, which combines some inspired musical performances with Chappelle's perpetually hilarious commentary.

Mostly silly and always frothy, as sugary at times as wedding-cake frosting but tempered with a welcome strain of sour grapes, mostly doled out by the peerless Judy Greer as Jane's cynical, slutty best friend.

This melding of comedic minds is one of the better holiday gifts we've received, cinematically speaking.

Mottola softens his approach, and Adventureland turns out to be more like "Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist" than a Judd Apatow creation.

The film never allows any of its characters to fall into stereotype; they are complex creatures, full of anger and disappointment and passion, and even the weakest among them is not bereft of honor.

Due to its good humor and terrific story, Million Dollar Arm is always engaging; its power lies in its feel-good charm.

Favreau worked hard to replicate an authentic restaurant world, and it shows in every frame that involves chopping, dicing, slicing, sautéing or otherwise cooking (he also finds an ingenious way to visually portray Twitter, so vital in the marketing of food trucks).

The only real casualty of Lehane's novel is Angie, here reduced to a supporting player who bears no resemblance to the original character, who is every bit as smart and tough and interesting as her boyfriend. It's a regrettable loss in a film that otherwise indicates its first-time director knows what he's doing.

Funny even when it relies heavily on age-old, old-age gags.

A sentimental romantic thriller. But it’s a well-made sentimental romantic thriller, and that makes all the difference.

It's a small, heartening slice of life that feels like a crucial step toward something bigger.

This Pride & Prejudice isn't minutely faithful to the book -- and for good reason -- but it is authentic where it counts: to the confused, wounded, eager hearts of its lovers.

It is always intriguing as it follows the arrest and captivity of Salomon Sorowitsch (the terrific Karl Markovics), one of Germany's leading counterfeiters.

This crowd-pleaser is a genuinely inspirational film, gorgeously filmed and wonderfully acted, echoing an uplifting sentiment that bears repeating: ''You don't throw a whole life away just because it's banged up a little.''

Fast and funny, and grown-ups will not suffer sitting through it.

Riveting.

A one-joke movie, but it’s a pretty good joke, and the fact that it’s based on a true story only makes the gag more delicious.

Well-acted and sincere, Testament of Youth is chastely romantic in its treatment of the relationship between Vera and Roland, but the film doesn’t hold back on showing the horror of trench warfare.

When it comes to exploring our peculiar blindness as to what's important in our lives, the film is a disturbing but accurate road map.

Timing is key in a comedy like this, and Sonnenfeld keeps everyone and everything clicking. The pacing is swift and the laughs are steady.

Makes a compelling argument for women's rights without ever succumbing to preachiness.

Its overall ability to balance humor and drama, attention to emotional detail and a few winning performances outweighs its maudlin tendencies.

Dry humor keeps In Bruges fresh and lively and makes it a whole lot of fun to watch.

Sometimes the film feels as if it's trying too hard to include every possible horror a teenager could sample.

Amusingly raunchy.

Serenity shows what might have happened if Han Solo had been the focus of the original "Star Wars" instead of whiny Jedi wannabe Luke Skywalker.

This film, directed by Curb Your Enthusiasm's Robert Weide, makes an entertaining companion piece to his book.

Carney gets everything right here: Sing Street hums with authenticity.