Elizabeth Weitzman

Assayas and his cast hit so many perfect notes, you'll swear you've seen these characters and heard these conversations before - not in Chekhov's thematically similar "Cherry Orchard," which was an obvious influence, but in your own life.

Each viewer is likely to connect with a different character initially, but don’t be surprised if you switch allegiances several times before the story ends.

Classical dance great Jacques d’Amboise calls Tanaquil LeClercq’s style a “path to heaven.” And this lovely documentary by Nancy Buirski makes clear that he’s right.

Big Hero 6 was executive produced by Pixar guru John Lasseter. You can see the influence in the high quality, from the appealing 3D animation to the unusually sharp story and script (a cooperative effort credited to seven people).

I’ll take messy, daring creativity like Gordon-Levitt’s over a formulaic fantasy any day.

You’ll get several movies for the price of a single ticket in Ryan Coogler’s (Creed) period drama-thriller-romance-musical Sinners. And while some of these disparate elements are more successful than others, the combination is audacious enough to leave you simultaneously awed and overwhelmed by his outsized ambitions.

The perfect haven from the cheap ironies and cruel indifference we all have to field both in life and, far too often, at the movies.

It's a transformation as wrenching to watch as it is vital to remember.

Assayas may have been inspired by biographical memories, but “Air” is so sensitively observed that it simultaneously evokes a universal, and eternal, state of adolescence as well.

The small moments loom large in this moving, bittersweet and often funny documentary.

The best movies are ever-shifting, intelligent and open-hearted enough to expand alongside an audience. American Sniper, Clint Eastwood’s harrowing meditation on war, is built on this foundation of uncommon compassion.

Both lovely and wrenching, So Yong Kim's intimate drama feels so honest, it's often difficult to watch.

Few films have been more unsparingly intimate.

Though slickly packaged, Robert Kenner's unsparing exposé is harder to watch than any horror film.

All the popcorn movies you're planning to see will still be at the multiplex if you wait another week. This shimmering beauty will be gone in a flash. Catch it while you can.

It is a gem likely to stay with anyone smart enough to seek it out.

Though we wander a bit, the trip is a delight, thanks to the witty company.

A fairy tale about the infinite power of film, it boasts all his swaggering trademarks: rapid-fire dialogue, gleeful violence, endless cultural references. But it's the sharp-eyed deliberation that makes the greatest impact.

Karasawa captures the flinty, ferocious nature of her subject, Elaine Stritch, with just the right amount of clear-eyed respect.

Ferreras is similarly frank, but heavy doses of humor and empathy, along with gorgeous hand-drawn animation, keep things from getting too morbid.

While Spacey, Tucci, and Bettany are the standouts, every cast member locates disturbing notes of villainy or humanity.

There is never a shortage of options if you're looking for an intimate foreign drama about family bonds. But the eloquent insights of director Claire Denis stand alone.

Sorrentino’s dazzling tribute to Roman indulgence is a bittersweet, slightly surreal epic.

Though not as impactful as Anderson's strongest works - including its adolescent cousin, "Rushmore" - "Kingdom" unfolds with an asymmetrical lyricism of its own.

Neither Francophiles nor film fans could ask for anything more than François Ozon's latest, a charming comedy.

The very best — and, alas, the very worst — of human nature is captured in this heartbreaking and inspiring documentary.

It's irrefutably art, and undeniably vital.

Exhibiting a dexterity that suggests far more extensive directorial experience, Ejiofor proves himself a master of impact. His visual approach is expansive and evocative, thanks also to the fine work of cinematographer Dick Pope.