Elizabeth Weitzman

Only the most hardhearted would fail to be swayed by Messner's surprising strength, and -- dare I say it -- irresistible charm.

A suddenly vital biography, Make It Funky, pays apt homage to the unique gifts New ­Orleans has given its country over the last century. Watching it ought to inspire anyone to return the favor.

Overly reverent but still immensely touching.

Li's performance is stronger here than it has been in previous films.

A classic Michael Bay mega-movie. Interested in plot and character development? Move along. You're blocking the view.

Likable Lohan doesn't exude the vulnerability that would give the movie true heart, and Fey, head writer for "Saturday Night Live," crafts better punch lines than plots.

Filmmakers Vardit Bilu and Dalia Hagar don't seem as interested in taking sides as they do in exploring universal themes.

Exhilarating.

When these two powerhouse performers come together, a rather predictable tale ignites with surprising force.

The plot is woven from minutely observed details that beautifully evoke a rarely seen world.

The scale in which Fukada works — as both writer and director — is so deliberately intimate that immense experiences feel microcosmic, while tiny moments make a huge impact.

A fascinating capsule of an era long past.

The resulting jolts add up to one unforgettably surreal nightmare. Just be sure your heart can handle any surprises headed your way.

It is the devastating testimony from survivors themselves that leaves the most indelible impression.

Though he's working with an unavoidably sentimental story, Kon embraces the dark underside of his characters' lives, giving this animated film a satisfyingly three-dimensional feel.

Sensitive and thoughtful coming-of-age story.

It will be a long time before you forget the deep pain etched into the weary face of Carmelo Muñiz, the mariachi singer at the center of Mark Becker's immensely moving documentary.

Both Adams and Judd have been let down by Hollywood. Here they have the freedom to express their uniquely Southern takes on music, faith, family and femininity. This intensely personal film may not bring either of them widespread acclaim, but it's a small triumph nonetheless.

While the sequel isn't as unrelentingly gory as the original, there are still rivers of blood.

The film is unabashedly supportive of Father Hartley, presenting him as a stubborn saint, and depicts the wealthy owners as soulless villains. Presumably they have a different story to tell, but we wouldn't know: When the camera's on, none can be found.

A smashing success on its own terms, though as a transcendent love story it lacks the firm foundation in human reality that characterizes Lars Von Trier's superior "Breaking the Waves."

Take us on an indelible tour through the highest and lowest points of the human experience.

As with all of Shelton’s improv-inspired movies, the plot offers plenty of interest but the personalities provide the purpose.

Israeli director Savi Gabizon has created a nuanced coming-of-age portrait that ought to strike a chord with ­audiences ­everywhere.

It's hard to believe Andy Warhol's Factory created enough characters to keep us interested 40 years later, but as it turns out, drag diva Jackie Curtis still has a few more minutes of fame left.

It doesn't get much more romantic than this.

Jasmila Zbanic's poignant drama reminds us that the aftershocks of war linger for generations.

Some stories are more compellingly told than others, but all, like Trank's film, are deserving of attention.

Will thrill those who prefer their violence graphic and their comedy surreal.

Given that so many people have dismissed Ashton Kutcher as a superficial pretty boy, it seems a little ironic that his best work this week is two-dimensional: He makes a passable action hero in "The Guardian," but he's downright adorable in Open Season, a cheerful animated comedy built on his winningly loose voice performance.

Proving there's always a new way to tell an old story, Stephen Chow pulls out all the stops for one of the silliest, sweetest and most fun family films in recent memory.

An ingratiatingly sincere attempt to deal with the complications and contradictions of modern romance.

Jensen tarnishes the lining of every cloud in one wickedly funny scene after another.

Credit Icelandic director Sturla Gunnarsson for having an ambitious vision: He took a look at the eighth-century epic poem "Beowulf" and decided he could cut it down to size. And he has, for better and worse.

Narrated by Nicole Kidman, this poignant documentary tells only half the story of three Sudanese "lost boys" who emigrate to America. Though it doesn't delve as deep as it should, this movie will still break your heart.

As they talk between classes about oppressive husbands, abusive brothers and arranged marriages, it becomes clear that the frivolities Americans take for granted can be their lifeline. In this tentatively hopeful setting, a single lipstick becomes leverage.

Unpolished and clearly made on a low budget, the results seem a little like a home video by someone who spent an especially cool summer vacation.

Providing a tart balance to such enthusiastic admiration, Gehry's own blunt musings on his motivations, revelations and desires prove especially interesting.

Kaurismaki's characteristically minimalist humor and wry empathy make brief appearances, but be warned: His Helsinki is a cold, dark place unfit for all but the hardiest visitors.

The tone is attentive and responsible.

As an alternative to the slick, instantly forgettable fare usually made for kids and preteens, Ella Enchanted brings a little bit of magic to the multiplex.

Arnaud Desplechin's sprawling drama exudes a go-for-broke determination that is frustrating and exhilarating.

The characters may suffer once the bride walks down the aisle, but Bier, Jensen and their first-rate cast work together like a match made in heaven.

Ratner is unable to maintain the emotional intensity that has made this series so deeply epic. But he sure knows how to put on a show.

The Namesake is suffused with radiant grace, and manages to be old-fashioned yet immediate, epic and intimate.

Equally compelling and depressing.

Almada steadfastly reserves judgment, which means we don't learn if there are members of the Mexican community who disapprove of corrido's hard-edged lyrics. But she makes a pretty good case for its passionate fans. Like them, we're left unable to get the music - and the musicians - out of our heads.

Amanda Micheli's candid documentary introduces us to two of these real-life daredevils, and it is a genuine pleasure.

A technical and visual tour-de-force.

A genially mellow, consistently entertaining spoof.

Brodsky's last film before his death is a moving tribute to his career.

The movie's intense focus skillfully exposes the raw pain just under the skin of a seemingly ordinary citizen.

Works on two levels: Goldfinger does a terrific job exploring the broader history of Yiddish theater, while also homing in on the compelling story of the Burstein family itself.

What most interests the directors is the way young minds are shaped by adults with clear moral and political agendas.

Directors Adi Barash and Ruth Shatz do a brilliant job of letting the South African, Israeli, Cuban and Namibian men aboard speak for themselves.

Once isn't especially complex, but the chemistry between its appealing leads (who contribute to the lovely score) feels deeply true. You'd have to look awfully hard to find such sincerity in a Hollywood romance.

it's Van Zandt's family that provides the film's most memorable moments.

An old-fashioned joy.

Aside from some resonant hints that all is not as it seems, the movie leaves it to you to decide where the truths begin and ends. You'll be untangling Dresnok's knotty reality long after you leave the theater.

Corcuera is a deft and determined storyteller, and it's a testament to his passion that we're left wanting to know a great deal more about each of his subjects.

Beautiful, witty and provocative, this is one genre film that ought to appeal to fans and non-fans alike.

What makes the film feel genuine, however, are the performances.

Charming, funny and poignant. But it's also a reminder that if we want an intelligent teen romance, we have to import it.

Nearly every actor has his or her moments of hilarity, but it's the surprises, like Herzog's terrific turn as a bunny-loving sadist, that make the biggest impact.

Director Daniel Burman examines the ways people cope with the passing of time, whether it's weary mall employees, a broken family or the diminishing Argentinean-Jewish community.

The power of this plot comes from the drudgery of daily existence, not shocking revelations or dramatic encounters. Some stories, Teixeira is wise enough to realize, are best left unadorned.

Burman tends to focus very tightly on the details of individual identity - religion, nationality, gender. It is all the more striking, then, that his restrained and unassuming films are wise enough to speak to every adult.

Director Wisit Sasanatieng uses every trick imaginable to create surreal postmodern nostalgia. Has he wound up with pure camp, or a cult classic? As he clearly understands, the best B-movies are both.

While it's a geek's paradise from scene one, newcomers are likely to feel left out until they get their bearings. Fortunately, Whedon's characteristic humanity, coupled with the slyest sense of humor in Hollywood, greatly eases the transition.

The slapstick gets a little too silly, and a rushed ending feels unsatisfying. But everyone whose family boasts an excess of opinions will relate.

Everyone involved, from Marla's defensive parents to the cynical journalists who promoted and then turned on her, seems to have some sort of agenda.

Breillat has made an important, even essential work about the exploitation of young women's sexuality, but is not she complicit as well?

Her update on “Ice Storm”-style suburban ennui feels particularly potent right now, in its vision of a rotting establishment. But in the end, Anders’ deeply-rooted entitlement proves regrettably unassailable.

Thomas does an excellent job exploring the incendiary environment that shaped the band in the late 1960s. His primary interest, however, is simply to express and explain the thrill the MC5 still inspires.

As insightful as it is entertaining.

It's hard to imagine what Akin left unexplored - but here's hoping he'll share his discoveries if he ever returns.

Long stretches go by without dialogue or discernible action. But there are significant rewards for those willing to accept the movie's deliberate pace.

There were a lot of people who came to regret investing their time and money in Park's brash dream. You won't be one of them.

As intriguing and unusual as its title, this anime debut from CGI mastermind Michael Arias bursts with enough ideas for three movies.

Characteristically lacking in narrative -- but what it misses in traditional plot devices, it more than makes up for in passion.

The actors elevate what might have been fluff into a genuinely moving tale, and the action is so much fun that it doesn't even matter if you've seen Molière's plays before.

This sensitive drama will appeal to anyone who has strained against the confines of family - or basked happily in its comforts.

Hits so hard because it feels so real.

Hickenlooper does a nice job blending Bingenheimer's flashy past with his somewhat pathetic present, creating a genuinely compelling study in diminishing returns.

Must be the smartest -- and most disturbing -- movie about parenthood in ages.

Tapping into the basest fears of war while subverting all expectations, director Susanne Bier deftly reads between the headlines.

A charming little valentine to the mysteries of attraction.

It's a must for those who like thrills laced with a sense of humor.

Naive or wicked, idealist or egomaniac: Nothing in Ralph Nader's character is agreed upon by everyone in this fascinating biography - with one exception. And the title says it all.

It's no easy trick to invite viewers into an utterly bleak setting populated by the dissatisfied and small-minded. But a droll script and generally deft direction make the Icelandic chill surprisingly inviting.

A visually lush and eerily enigmatic parable of female sexuality, Lucile Hadzihalilovic's ominous fairy tale raises questions you'll be wondering about for days.

The result is both tragic and darkly comic - in this complex environment, blame and sorrow are locked in a partnership of absurdity.

If Michele Ohayon's absorbing documentary didn't provide the proof, you'd never believe the story she tells about Holocaust survivors Jack Polak and Ina Soep.

A funny and insightful exploration into identity issues we all can recognize.

As good as Nolte is, the relatively unknown Morgan matches him scene for scene. And he's not the only impressive newcomer. Remarkably, this confident indie is the first feature from writer-director Ponsoldt, who shuns any slickness to embrace the rough edges of his low-budget, bare-bones story.

This is a vital history lesson that many of us have missed but few are likely to forget.

It’s a shame that Lessin and Pildes don’t tell us what these amazing women went on to do after the Collective ended. But they all remain, half a century later, passionate and eloquent and thoughtful and fierce.

The real highlight is watching the dancers as they progress from their first, tentative improvisations to the final, complex performance.