Jack Mathews

Josh Hamilton gives a marvelously engaging performance in this fish-out-of-water comedy.

Plumbs the issue of sibling love and family responsibility in quietly powerful ways, and the performances of the two stars surpass convincing to reach a level of biographical realism.

Haroun is deft at handling the joys and pain of childhood. He neither condescends nor ­­over-sentimentalizes. It is a story of separation anxiety (for Amine) and coming of age (for Tahir) and it's universal.

Does an excellent job of telling Kerry's side of it.

As darkness falls over the movie landscape comes the year's darkest and best movie of them all - Alejandro González Iñárritu's 21 Grams.

Miller's film shows how quickly Americans facing perceived foreign threats are willing to ignore basic liberties. Sound familiar?

Beware of movies whose creators boast of the little effort involved. Little reward is what you're likely to get.

"Ghost World" director Terry Zwigoff, working with a depraved script by John Requa and Glenn Ficarra, has fashioned the sickest -- and funniest -- black comedy in years.

The film's appeal is for the eyes. Because Henry got to call it art, it's on display once again.

If the structure is a tad out of whack, "No Country" does not lack for action or suspense. Some of the scenes of Chigurh's stalking of Moss are nearly unbearably tense. Bring your worry beads.

Beautifully shot, and graced with another winning performance from the lovely Beart, Strayed nevertheless fails because the relationship between Odile and Yvan never makes us feel the sexual passion it implies.

Working with a doll can't be easy, but Gosling actually makes it feel emotionally real. A scene where he shares an imaginary dance with Bianca, with his eyes closed and a beatific smile on his face, is by itself worth the price of admission.

A powerful movie that should win all the year's ensemble acting awards. Pitt has never done better dramatic work, Blanchett is as convincing as always, and - in introducing themselves to American audiences - veteran Mexican actress Barraza and Japan's Kikuchi are revelations.

The action in this fast-paced, hysterically overproduced and surprisingly entertaining film is as realistic as a Road Runner cartoon.

Michael Wranovics' documentary replays this sorry chapter in all-American greed in glorious detail.

When you realize The Cooler is not a comedy but a dark and violent love story, it's hard to reconcile its premise with its mood. The saving graces are the performances of William H. Macy as Bernie and Maria Bello.

"Quantum Bull-Bleep" would be a more apt title for the conclusions that the movie draws, but one concept was a revelation to me. One of the scientists said it's a fact that a single object can be in two places at the same time. I guess that explains O.J.'s alibi.

Night at the Museum takes a can't-miss comedy premise and misses by a country mile.

Allen was out of his element in creating characters who feel like East Coast cousins of the Clampetts, and his dialogue has never been more banal or forced.

The best movie I've seen this year.

There's no question she's a smart cookie, but as she herself says, "There's a thin line between smart and crazy."

If there's anybody left who believes in free discourse, the students were clear winners.

A fascinating fly-on-the-wall documentary.

Saga too arty for own good.

One of the most inventive, funny and ultimately tragic coming-of-age movies in years.

Miller takes Chekhov's themes and checks them off, but he never gets under his egocentric characters' thin skins.

Ultimately, Eyes Wide Shut doesn't rank among Kubrick's best work.

Among cautionary tales of gloom-and-doom, it may out-gore Gore, but it doesn't entertain.