Peter Hartlaub

There are flaws, but also some fun surprises. Much closer to Hitchcock than "Hostel," this is what can happen when a pile of trash falls into the hands of a talented and resourceful director (James DeMonaco).

A throwback to all those guilty pleasure action movies.

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

As entertainment, this approach might be questionable. As a service, it would be valuable.

Children in the audience may not be thrilled at the highbrow humor and lack of pointless action, but tough luck. Life is more than "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked" and "The Smurfs" sequels.

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

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.

An enjoyable way to start the Oscar season.

Funny and honest.

Occasionally thoughtful and very entertaining.

This is a filmmaker who cares less about horror cinema as a theme park ride, and more about mood.

The ending takes an unfortunate detour that stretches the running time, but this is still quality Pixar work.

The multiple-story-line family drama is too cliche-ridden to be considered a great movie. But it's still a very good one, filled with excellent performances, entertaining writing and a final few scenes that are quite moving - even if you can see most of them coming at the end of the first act.

Mainstream audiences will probably be confounded by Drive, while lovers of gritty filmmaking will defend every exaggerated shotgun wound as art. Know which camp you're in before you enter the theater.

The entertaining new film from Sony Pictures Animation is a nice surprise, and the rare mainstream American kid film.

Miles Teller as Brendan McDonough is a standout, beginning as a dead-eyed drug user, then gradually turning into a responsible adult.

It’s scattered and messy and startling and electric and fun.

Fans of this film will some day wear out their DVDs and Blu-rays playing that fantastic battle scene again and again.

Even with the conflict overkill, most of the small moments ring true. Dolphin Tale has more in common with "The Swiss Family Robinson" than most modern live-action family movies, where slapstick and cheap laughs feed short attention spans.

It's the kind of fun and quirky film that you don't see very often in art houses this time of year.

For such a torment-filled story, the ending is surprisingly satisfying, with an important message that a lesser filmmaker might have telegraphed too much.

More than just culinary recommendations, he provides a cultural guide to the Los Angeles that is almost never seen in movies — and then the film makes an argument that Gold’s L.A. is more relevant than the one we all know.

Retro escapist fun.

A funny comedy, and sometimes an even better drama.

It's clear by the end that one Ruth Gruber is worth more than 100 pundits fighting about partisan politics.