Jonathan Curiel

Sparrows is a kind of cinematic fable. At times funny, sad, poignant and suspenseful, Sparrows is a showcase for Majidi's masterful storytelling - and Naji's superb acting.

The film is a damning look at a key Bush operative.

Timeless and tragic.

The story of an amazing life.

A special film.

Through a simple story line, dramatic acting and National Geographic-like shots of the city's rough and pristine edges -- creates cinematic magic.

Mostly meets expectations.

A wonderful French offering whose jumping-off point is a bullfight.

A minimalist film, Ten looks and feels like a documentary. At the end, there is no big denouement, but a profound realization that the people we see on camera are all aching for answers -- and struggling to come to terms with their lives.

These aren't the marching band songs of your father's or mother's generation but a musical expression that is modern and exciting to watch.

An artful look at religious hypocrisy, interfamily dynamics and the way people wrestle with personal history long after the original events are over.

A touching, sophisticated film that almost seems like a documentary in the way it captures an Italian immigrant family on the brink of major changes.

Marks Chan's full arrival as an actor. Take away the violence - - and there's plenty of it for those who crave Chan's physical pyrotechnics -- and he's still an immense pleasure to watch onscreen.

There's a certain formulaic and familiar quality about Sweet Home Alabama, but it doesn't matter.

Rough around the edges, it's still a formidable movie.

More than just a nostalgia trip.

A disjointed movie with uneven acting and too many scenes that defy belief.

Gets its punch from simple scenes and conversations.

A sometimes interesting remake that doesn't compare to the brilliant original.

Serious and absurd (mostly, it's a drama) but never finds a good rhythm. The movie flounders in a way that calls too much attention to itself -- and is hurt by jarring and unbelievable plot twists.

Dramatic, funny, fun, silly, musical, stylish, romantic and redemptive -- a film worth telling your friends and neighbors about.

A remarkable documentary.

The jokes are sophomoric, stereotypes are sprinkled everywhere and the acting ranges from bad to bodacious.

Romantic and even silly -- a combination that makes Divine Intervention an almost irresistible work of art.

An engrossing tale of class differences that reveals tiny details of one man’s descent into hell.

An intense, powerful film.

Director Hiner Saleem has created a magical movie that veers, even within scenes, from love story to tragedy to comic relief.

An unforgettable film.

With this film, we see the Zinn who has changed thousands of lives with his work.

The most compelling reason to see this movie is the profile we get of the horrors of war.

The best movie of 2008? The most revealing war film ever made? The greatest animated feature to come out of Israel? All these descriptions could apply to Waltz With Bashir.

Bluntly speaking, Ju-On is anything but frightening. Ridiculous. Unbelievable. Unintentionally funny. It might as well be a parody of a horror film.

A pedestrian film that provides little more than a superficial treat.

Works more often than it doesn't.

Sweet, funny, sad and profound -- the sort of film that becomes more remarkable when you realize it's based on someone's real life.

Damning.

A silly, snarling romp -- a fun (if you're in the mood for it), sometimes scary look at the life of a socially awkward man whose best friend is a white rodent he names Socrates.

For filmgoers who like dramas that are spare yet evocative, that focus on the subtleties of relationships, and that feature foreign settings completely off the beaten path, Deserted Station will be a masterpiece.

Too self-indulgent.

An important new documentary that cites countless examples of self-censorship, under-reporting of serious issues, and -- worse than this -- deliberate neglect and outright conflicts of interest.

Thought-provoking, insightful and entertaining.

A breathtaking story of defiance and triumph that has to be considered one of the year's most sublime films.

Ghobadi infuses his movie with a humor that can almost be called Seinfeldian, and it's this mix of laughter with tears that gives Marooned in Iraq its big impact.

Potent.

Too predictable and too self-conscious to reach a level of high drama.

There is no rage here or Michael Moore-like bluster. Instead, Deadline is a straightforward, compassionate look at a volatile subject.

From the standpoint of humanizing Sudan's continuing refugee problem, Lost Boys is a gem. It doesn't preach. It doesn't prettify.

A riveting works of humanism.

Straddles the line between dark comedy and deep drama.

A larger-than-life resonance.

One of 2005's must-see documentaries.

Not always pleasant to watch.

Disturbing film.

Funny, riveting look at the music scene that ruled Manchester, England, from 1976 to 1992.

Full of drama, poignancy and some heartbreaking moments.

A silly, cross-cultural shoot-'em-up -- the sort of movie that will work for those with some time to kill (no pun intended).

Somehow, it all works -- even if Miller relies on a plot that meanders a bit and loses some of its luster.

It's all so cute -- except that Weber wants this to be a thoughtful film.

An unabashed paean to Kerry's character at a time in the presidential election when Kerry's character is being questioned. It's also a riveting film.

The plot twists in Little Secrets sustain the movie when it gets a bit too schmaltzy. This excess of cuteness and sentimentality won't be a flaw to moviegoers in the mood for it.

Has two main flaws: the emphasis it puts on German bassist Alexander Hacke, the film's ostensible narrator, who shows up in too many scenes, and the fact that it doesn't identify many of the film's performers until the very end. Even so, Crossing the Bridge is satisfying to watch.

A minimalist drama that takes its mood from Turkey's wintry terrain and the uneasy relationship between two bullheaded cousins.

So original, so funny, so alive with drama, intrigue, mystery and colors that you want to see it again and again.

A "Rocky"-like tale of determination and long odds that will appeal even to those who are turned off by most rap music.

The experiences of this family from Fairfield will resonate with moviegoers around the country.

Thought-provoking.

More than worthwhile.

The most disingenuous film of the year. A sham. Pathetic. Embarrassing. The people behind this movie, which was made in Afghanistan, should be ashamed of themselves.

A fun bit of escapism that's even tender in spots.

A beautiful film.

Instead of a balanced film that explains the zeitgeist that is the X Games, we get a cinematic postcard that's superficial and unrealized.

Exceptional.

A documentary that is as thoughtful and inspiring as the music it celebrates.

A powerful new documentary that addresses the issue of "hypocritical" male politicians.

A small gem.

A bittersweet film that tells the story of Palestinian life as eloquently as anything ever done.

A thorough indictment of the Bush administration's focus on Iraq.

A must-see for anyone still coming to terms with the chaos in Iraq.

A sensitively wrought work.

More important is to be in a silly mood yourself. Without that - without a complete suspension of disbelief - Chandni Chowk to China is a drag to sit through.

Memorable enough.

By humanizing an immigrant/refugee crisis that is not abating, Winterbottom does a cinematic service that happens to be damn interesting, too.

Occasionally, this film is funny and cute. When the family's little girl narrates, it reaches a level of humor that is ironic and endearing.

Doueiri sprinkles Lila Says with moments of humor and violence -- a mix that keeps the film fresh and unpredictable.

An ideal movie for an ideal time in America.

So many twists and turns, it seems like fiction.

Weeping Camel essentially lets native people tell their own unforgettable story.

For those who've never before heard fado, Fados will be a revelation - a window into a music that (like blues music) can be poetic, heartbreaking, melodramatic and redemptive, all at the same time.

A gripping look at the immigrant experience, with small moments as important - and visually arresting - as any on the baseball diamond.

A film that has unusual expectations from its audience -- and that's a welcome relief.

The movie is an ideal blend of character study, deceptively simple plot twists, inspired acting, and travelogue.

Serbis has the feel of a documentary, but a documentary can't accomplish what Serbis does: Take us to a corner of the world where sex and regret are so intimately entwined.