Jean Oppenheimer

Pulsates with music, dance, color and laughter, but also glows with quiet moments of drama.

It is that rare find: a film that is as emotionally truthful as it is satisfying.

Demy's films are often described in terms of music; this one is more like a tango in which one person leads and refuses to forfeit the position.

As an actress, she (July) is annoying as hell, with a quirkiness so labored, she seems to be begging for our affection. As a director she is much better.

It's like an amateur theater production. Reiner rushes through the setup in such a mad dash that it feels like a cartoon.

Though we know the story's final outcome, the trial scene and its aftermath are no less shocking and affecting.

Both actors are marvelous, and the film, low-key but heartfelt, is a gem.

A modest, uneventful film, buoyed by fine, albeit low-key, performances and the ring of truth.

Rich in story, character, and design, The Cider House Rules is obviously a collaborative effort, but above all it is a triumph for director Hallström.

Although frustratingly confusing -- often the viewer can't be sure who is on which side or why -- the film brims with physical grandeur, exquisite costumes, and a captivating performance by Blanchett.

A character study, the film succeeds in large measure due to the kinetically charged performance of Romain Duris.

A disarmingly funny, clear-eyed, and affectionate memory piece.

Offers both a gentle humor and a sly but unmistakable optimism about what life in Iran might one day be.

The charismatic Jamal has the spirit of a young Antoine Doinel, and Winterbottom shoots him to evoke the memory of Truffaut's young hero.

Sly and corrosively funny political black comedy.

Nelson has directed his actors--including David Arquette, Steve Buscemi and Daniel Benzali (no, this isn't a joke)--to speak in David Mamet-like cadence, all short, choppy sentences and staccato rhythms. It's a terrible mistake.

The acting is remarkable across the board, undoubtedly a combination of a strong script, gifted actors and exceptional direction.

The two lead performances are so good it contains more emotional depth than it probably has a right to.

Shot in black and white by the renowned Raoul Coutard, and with a score by Michel Legrand, the film represents an idealized view of reality that will strike some viewers (including this one) as overly sentimental.

A gentle, beautifully realized tale of love and intimacy...It moved me to tears.

Pure joy to watch -- and an invaluable documentary record of a bygone era.

That the film is good rather than great proves a disappointment, but just finding a good film these days is rare, especially a big studio picture.

Enormously appealing romantic comedy-drama.

In her first major role, Ferrera is amazing -- It is a wonderfully natural performance. To top it all off, she and Ontiveros are completely believable as mother and daughter.

While too many things about the story don't ring true for the film as a whole to work, there is enough in Next Stop Wonderland to keep the viewer wide awake and entertained.

That this mess should come from the hand of Istvan Szabo, the brilliant Hungarian director of "Mephisto" and "Colonel Redl," is the real shocker.

Like gathering storm clouds, Donnie Darko creates an atmosphere of eerie calm and mounting menace -- stands as one of the most exceptional movies of 2001.

Never rises above the level of a 1950s-era adolescent romance novel.