Elizabeth Weitzman

Credit goes to director Sam Taylor-Johnson and her screenwriter, Kelly Marcel, who've stripped the first book of its biggest flaws, while still honoring its essence. And lead Dakota Johnson makes for an ideal heroine, though — as doubters feared — her chemistry with costar Jamie Dornan doesn't always sizzle.

Overly familiar but endearing nonetheless, this coming-of-age indie from Alexis Dos Santos is most likely to appeal to those who recognize themselves in the story's lost heroes.

The script, co-written by Bouchareb, is regrettably simplistic. But Blethyn and Kouyaté inhabit and expand the film's earnestly instructive intentions, leaving us with a deeply-felt experience rather than a naively-sketched lesson.

Whether accurate or not, it's certainly entertaining to watch regal intrigues through the eyes of lady-in-waiting Sidonie (Léa Seydoux). That Jacquot handles the action so lightly is a credit, considering that it takes place during some of the tensest moments of the French Revolution.

Though the film ultimately falls short of its considerable promise, there's more than enough here to keep thoughtful moviegoers - of any age - intrigued.

The claymation visuals are charming, and an enthusiastic, if somewhat underused, cast works hard to sell the better jokes (though the funniest gag is a silent monkey butler).

As vanity projects go, this one’s unusually well-made — as any portrait of an iconic stylist ought to be.

It’s a pleasure to see Russo back on screen (she’s married to Gilroy). But Nina’s eager complicity is far too easy and every social critique flashes as bright as the neon guiding Lou around back-alley L.A.

Crystal and Midler are such confident pros that their crack timing elevates even substandard material.

Levine offers a mostly sharp takedown of middle-class hipsterdom, and he's terrific as a guy whose easygoing demeanor hides continuing growing pains.

Every aspiring performer will appreciate Gregori Viens' unassuming comedy, which cheerfully skewers industry pretensions and media-fueled trends.

Oddly, Craig Brewer has softened the tone for his remake. But nearly everything else remains intact, and -- surprisingly -- that's just enough to win us over.

There's not much to it, but Austin Chick's hyper-focused indie does serve as a nicely assured showcase for lead Josh Hartnett.

McMullin’s feel for the setting greatly enhances the story, as does evocative camerawork from Andrew Ellmaker, making his own impressive feature debut. But McMullin’s inexperience as both a writer and director does sometimes hold him back.

A solidly entertaining summer movie is always welcome, even if it can't quite claim to be out of this world.

The truth is, the mystery pales next to the best "X-Files" plots. But fans will appreciate sly references to past episodes, an unexpected appearance from an old friend and the still-poignant bond our heroes share.

Fans of the book may resist the efforts of director Tran Anh Hung ("The Scent of Green Papaya"), simply because it would be impossible to capture the essence of Murakami's prose. But this exquisitely filmed, often haunting tragedy is worth taking on its own terms.

The actual Taqwacore movement is distilled in blatantly simplistic fashion, but Zahra does capture the novel's adolescent excitement, in which a new generation rediscovers rebellion all over again.

Korean director Im Sang-soo can't improve on Kim Ki-young's 1960 original, a jarring and operatic cult favorite. Still, he does tweak the themes in intriguing fashion.

It's all compelling, in the way reading trashy gossip usually is. But without any new perspectives, what's the point?

The introduction isn't as smooth as it could be, but eventually everyone settles into the right groove.

We see brief, graphic shots of naked actors performing sexual acts. But it’s the conversations about what those depictions represent that truly provoke.

Writer/director Patric Chiha brings a knowledgeable weariness to his feature debut, as his story heads toward an end that feels familiar in all the right ways.

There is indeed much beauty on display, from the icy Taiga landscape to the age-old trapping techniques passed on through generations. But this does feel like a lesser Herzog project (he joined on after it was shot). For viewers who don't share his awe, a short film probably would have sufficed.

Chow’s movies are always as sweet as they are silly, a combination he once again balances — alongside cool effects — with typically deft irreverence.

It's a slow time at the cineplex, and the sinister scares served up by Brad Anderson are just spooky enough to freak out undemanding horror fans.

You'll want to see Eytan Fox's acclaimed 2002 drama "Yossi & Jagger" before watching this intimate, often-moving sequel.

Burrell doesn’t quite capture the wry deadpan of the original, but then, neither does the movie. That’s okay.

Bertino does an excellent job building dread, especially during the first half of the movie. Every silence, pause and sudden noise startles - and the results, frankly, are more frightening than the graphic torture scenes in movies like "Hostel" and "Saw."

His outlandish story feels only half-told - though still twice as fascinating as most.

The script relies on too many unlikely twists, but Bleibtreu manages to sell them all.

There are certain films - let's call them Road Map Movies - that drive you directly from point A to point B to point C, with barely a stop for gas. Cadillac Records is such a film: You see all the major landmarks, but how enlightening can a road trip be if you never even get off the highway?

The filmmakers' motivation couldn't be clearer: They needed to capture a way of life that may soon exist only on film and in memory.

Avila has a tough task, visualizing violent and complicated events through a child's eyes. The calmer scenes are staged in staid and somewhat clunky fashion, but the graphic animation depicting the worst moments is starkly effective.

Fanning's Currie grabs the spotlight immediately, and never lets go.

Quale has brought this anemic franchise back to life, with an unexpected infusion of humor and energy.

It's hard to complain about a pop culture phenomenon built on unabashed innocence. And anyway, we might as well get used to it: Neither the movie nor the passionate tween squeals at a recent preview leave any doubt that "HSM 4" is on its way - or that the inevitable "College Musical" will be far behind.

Sure, a lot of the dialogue is dopey, and the eternally stiff leads once again compete for blankest delivery. But Lin distracts us well, packing deftly-shot races, explosions, and getaways into every corner.

Built on dry one-liners, off-kilter timing and self-conscious nostalgia, The Kings of Summer seems expressly designed to delight quirk-loving Sundance audiences.

Burns has assembled such a fine cast that we leave feeling satisfied, as if we didn't get the iPad mini we wanted, but a pretty good novel instead.

Though the leads do fine work, their efforts often feel slightly futile. Despite a few flashes of the darker tone percolating under the surface, the movie remains too well-mannered to truly pull us in.

The persistent whimsy gets a bit wearisome, but it's hard to dismiss any film so determined to make us happy.

Every foul-mouthed joke [McCarthy] cracks, every unexpected physical gag she underplays, is so funny you forget how often we’ve seen this setup. Or, when it comes to women, how rarely.

Philip Roth turns 80 next week, and what better way to celebrate than to serve as the hero of his own story? It’s too bad, though, that this dully conventional biography doesn’t do justice to its subject.

Despite the hard lessons learned, King seems to have a pretty deep appreciation for Lyle and Nina’s drug of choice — and you’ll probably enjoy the movie a little more if you feel the same. Just think twice if you’re planning to sneak some homemade brownies into the theater when you see it.

Davenport herself seems stunned by how complicated the story turns out to be, which just makes her movie all the more worthwhile.

David Kaplan's sweet, if superficial, fairy tale won't change the world, but it makes nice use of its setting (Chinatown) and visual style (rotoscope animation).

Wang Xiaoshuai’s gently engrossing coming-of-age tale isn’t strikingly unique, but it does possess the heartfelt confidence that comes from autobiographical influence — and natural talent.

There is enough here — including the gifted Arena’s barely believable backstory — to keep your head spinning.

It doesn’t all work: the religious iconography is too obvious, and the more lurid horror elements – like the obsessive fans who literally haunt Cam during his training – can be so heavy-handed they’re more silly than scary. What never falters, though, is Tipping’s avid commitment to his concept.

His first-person perspective is unexpectedly frank as he shares some extremely dark moments -- spurred by increasing anger and doubt -- that civilians rarely get to see.

If you watched "Project Runway's" first season and wondered what happened to winner Jay McCarroll, here's your chance to find out.

This isn’t the sort of movie that defines anyone’s career, as “Sling Blade” once did. But in an industry averse to risk, passion projects — even uneven ones — are always welcome.

Boasts an unusually strong cast of actors, who boost the slick screenplay into a satisfying popcorn picture.

Hans Petter Moland's dry Scandinavian wit is just amusing enough to keep us interested in this dramedy.

The truth is, almost everyone planning to see Eclipse will know how things end before the opening credits even appear. So Slade and his cast can be proud that they consistently keep us involved anyway.

The fine cast pushes beyond the script’s limits, even if some, like Hope Davis as Ben’s mom, are mostly wasted.

There’s something oddly appealing about the fact that Rebecca Zlotowski’s understated thriller, A Private Life, stubbornly refuses easy definition – other than as a modest romp that allows Jodie Foster to perform in another language. And if you’ll watch Foster acting in anything, you’re gonna love watching her do it in French.

No, there’s nothing new here. But sometimes it’s enough to be merely entertained, rather than amazed.

Boote's ambitious goals include finding out how plastics are made and how they're messing with our bodies and our planet.

Alison Klayman's chronicle of Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei is so straightforward that one can't help wishing the subject would make his own, more complex cinematic self-portrait. But for now, Klayman has provided a valuable introduction to a man everyone should know.

This lovely, low-key debut from Aurora Guerrero doesn't aim to make any grand statements. It doesn't need to. The sweetness and sincerity Guerrero and her leads infuse into their intimate coming-of-age story is more than enough.

It's cute and funny and sweet, which - as any woman can attest - puts it way ahead of most Friday night options.

The story does feel a little threadbare, and much of the pacing is far too slow for a suspense thriller. But Perez and Leguizamo make an entirely believable couple.

Perry also spices things up with two of his most reliable fallbacks: music, and Madea. Having packed his cast with singers, he allows them all a moment to shine, with songs that deliver his patented lessons (trust in yourself, trust in others, trust in God).

The highlights, of course, are the competitions and duels, choreographed by Sammo Hung.

Schoenaerts capably handles a difficult role that's equal parts pathetic, repulsive and heartbreaking. But you'll need a strong will to spend your time with such a tragically hopeless character.

What the movie lacks in depth it makes up for in surreal humor, and - just as he should - Gainsbourg look-alike Elmosnino seduces us effortlessly.

Scott, Winstead and Howard are charming, while Poehler, O’Hara and Jenkins have a grand time bickering. Since Zicherman doesn’t ask much of us in the first place, they make it easy enough to commit.

There are too many overwritten moments designed solely to make the movie more interesting -- when, in fact, they undercut the low-key relatability that serves as its strongest asset.

So be forewarned: What admirers will consider measured may read, to the unimpressed, as merely slow-moving.

It's one thing to sit on your couch watching football in HD. It's another to view one of literature's most enduring fantasies in the same manner. The experience that felt so breathtakingly cinematic in Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" series now seems frustratingly fake.

Is it possible to enjoy the company of the world's most irritating woman? Mike Leigh's surprisingly sunny dramedy makes a pretty good case that, in fact, it is.

The movie’s biggest strength is its balance between mordant humor and psychological fear.

Plimpton recorded many of these adventures in books that are well worth seeking out. But if you don’t have enough time to do so, Bean and Poling have assembled a delightful cheat sheet.

To maximize your entertainment budget, look no further.

Its appeal comes almost entirely from the cast members, who appear genuinely excited to invite us to their party.

A charming coming-of-age drama.

There are plenty of outrageous characters, several surfing celebrities and a few truly compelling stories.

Don't misunderstand: the proceedings are pretty silly, and the scares were a lot fresher back in 1979, when we first saw "The Amityville Horror." But Cornwell and his cast take things just seriously enough to keep us at least intermittently on edge.

The reason this franchise has been so successful - both on film and in Ann Brashares' original novels - is that, just like the jeans, it suits the needs of vastly different girls.

When Anderson allows the experts - or simply those most deeply impacted by the changes - to speak, the film has a powerful urgency.

And now, just as Bella Swan (Stewart) embraces her own eternal power, Breaking Dawn, Part 2 expands with a full intensity of force, stronger and more epic than the films that led to this impactful finale.

This is an unashamedly old-fashioned children's movie, and a predictable message is part of the mission. But that's okay; what the movie lacks in surprises, it makes up for in whimsical fun.

This material could so easily have tipped over into false sentimentality, but everyone works with a steady hand. Rebecca Thomas makes an assured debut as both writer and director, the gifted Culkin is excellent as always, and Garner finds lovely shades of nuance in Rachel’s innocent faith.

Much is left undeveloped, from Jane's ghostly anxieties to Rochester's evolving complexity. Wasikowska and Fassbender lack chemistry, and the latter never finds his character's depth.

It's hard not to wonder if Press might have offered a similarly impactful portrait in a more concise manner.

Grohl has a longstanding reputation as one of the nicest guys in rock. So it should come as no surprise that this may be the most positive music documentary you'll ever see.

Roth prefers sentimentality to subtlety and cutesiness to complexity. Fortunately, Molina balances Port's precocity, bringing a welcome gravitas to this simply told tale.

Those who've read and loved the book should be satisfied, but it's reasonable to hope for more from the final entry.

With costumes taking precedence over character, the movie ultimately seems more concerned with atmosphere than action.

Why does the movie waste so much time on empty adoration from celebrity fans and skim past the significant tragedies that contributed to her complex life? Parental neglect, sexual assault, severe mental illness — all of these factors shaped the woman Page became. But perhaps even today, no one wants to consider the sadness behind her 1,000-watt smile.

This is really the kind of movie that was made to be watched in a haze after midnight, at which point it would all, no doubt, make perfect sense.

Eastwood's performance is the movie's centerpiece, and as you might expect, it's just tough enough to hold everything together.

Granted, it's a far cry from the Pixar classics. But Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud's nicely quirky, animated comedy has just enough edge to entertain every member of the family.

Looking for something unusual to see this weekend? Try this cool time capsule, which premiered in 1972 and then disappeared for decades.

It tends to get lost in its own delirium, which will enchant some and drive others bonkers.

He does accomplish his main task, to take us into places civilians rarely go, and give witness to the immense challenges soldiers like his brothers face every second they’re required to be at war.