Peter Hartlaub

Connoisseurs of straight-to-video mayhem will revel in the latest chapter of the "Universal Soldier" franchise, which manages to strike that delicate balance between over-the-top ridiculousness and well-crafted filmmaking. [28 Feb 2010, p.Q28]

Frenetically paced but mostly pointless computer-animated film that will satisfy children but may give parents a headache.

Clumsily directed yet entertainingly written by Oakland native Nnegest Likké, Phat Girlz is like "Rocky" with cellulite. Or maybe "Pretty Woman" without all the bony butts. It has a lot of heart and soul, but it's almost never mean-spirited.

Basically torture porn.

Nowhere near as bad as "Coneheads," but still isn't worth your time.

Very imaginative and can be enjoyed by audiences of all ages.

If there was ever a human being who needed a visit from the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future, this is the guy.

The makers of Into the Blue know what the audience wants. And they deliver a little bit more.

The remake is a solidly crafted movie with a lot of good scares, but it also raises the question: Why even bother with an update?

A throwback to all those guilty pleasure action movies.

Has all kinds of good intentions, but the comedy is too broad and the pacing is clumsy. And then there's the Andy Griffith sex scene.

At times hilarious and occasionally very sad, it's a cautionary tale about the lure of instant fame.

This is the animated children's film equivalent of "Another 48 Hours."

Not a spectacular movie, but the action scenes are well shot, there's no shortage of R-rated gore and the plot moves along quickly enough to mask the fact that the whole endeavor is completely ridiculous.

A film to be enjoyed only by science-fiction movie completists and middle school boys with extreme cases of attention deficit disorder.

How can this movie not be fun?

May not be a classic, but it still has a lot of class.

The writing is funny during individual moments, but the cumulative result is a bit depressing, with a surprising amount of negativity.

Kind of a bore.

It's just too bad that almost nothing in the movie seems original. The "Thriller" video may have featured hokey dancing zombies, but at least someone was making an effort.

As cluttered as the movie gets before the ending, it's funny throughout, with some 1970s and '80s music thrown in to keep adults happy.

While the songs are recycled, Across the Universe stands out just by existing.

The talented fantasy filmmaker and heir to the "Lord of the Rings" throne gets the tone right throughout Hellboy 2, and the hip retro charm alone is enough to merit recommendation.

Won't make anyone forget "The Shining," but it's a nice throwback to the days when scary movies featured pretty good actors, a plot that holds together and a couple of creepy-looking ghost kids.

Children of Men is Cuarón's run for freedom, with a riveting story, fantastic action scenes and acting so universally solid that even the dogs perform masterfully under his direction.

An enjoyable way to start the Oscar season.

Funny and honest.

The result is a comedy that's low budget in all the right ways - so hilarious, testosterone-charged and yet cringe-inducing to watch that the result is almost exhausting.