Ruthe Stein

Lemmon and MacLaine are magical together, and MacMurray more than holds his own as the third part of the triangle. He commands the office - and, not incidentally, the big screen - with a sexual energy he would scarcely have a chance to show again.

The film has aged gracefully.

It looks like a low-budget film, but in this case that just adds to the charm. Croghan's only false move was to divide her film into segments, each one introduced by a quote from a famous writer.

So disturbing it makes you uncomfortable watching it.

This is a very little film with a very large heart.

Force of Evil is a more thoughtful kind of film noir than we are used to but still employs the traditional black-and-white contrasts and shadows.

Deliriously original.

To say it is about a debilitating disease is as reductive as saying "Little Miss Sunshine" is about a beauty pageant. Both are intimate stories of family ties that bind but sometimes also choke.

For all the squalor and extremely upsetting subject matter, you can't take your eyes off the screen.

This is a movie of excesses that doesn't know when to settle down. It aims to be a slapstick comedy, a romantic comedy and a plain old romance but falls short of each goal.

Worth seeing just to admire how Argentine writer-director Marcos Carnevale avoids so much as a whiff of condescension.

The movie is a stunner, so hypnotic that the length hardly matters.

A revelatory independent film whose moments of incredible sadness are offset by the same state of grace that blesses its astonishing title character.

Accomplishes the near impossible, bringing a fresh perspective to a horrific subject.

A solid WWII movie that's been lost among myriad others about the same war. [02 Jul 2006, p.28]

The spellbinding power of this almost certain Oscar nominee for best documentary comes from its chilling subject matter.

For all the precision shooting, Autumn is a colossal misfire, a tedious film noir wannabe. It doesn't even qualify as film gris.

Though overly long and difficult to digest, it's a feast you won't want to miss.

Sad yet offering glimpses of hope.

You never catch Gosling doing anything out of character. It's the first Oscar-caliber performance I've seen so far this year.

The best way to take this film is with a box of popcorn and a grain of salt.

The result is a film that fails to completely involve you, even as you admire its artistry.

Lower your expectations going into Volver and accept it for what it is: a ridiculously entertaining melodrama with loud echoes of "Mildred Pierce" that provides Penelope Cruz with a vehicle for her multifaceted talents.

Sitting through Diggers is so tedious that you might find yourself envying the clam diggers. At least they get to be outdoors.

The key to enjoying the film is warming up to the heroine, Poppy.

Out to Sea has an emotional pull that is much stronger because it is so unexpected. You come for the laughs and find yourself wiping away tears.

Watching the film is like being at a freak show: You feel like a voyeur, yet you can't take your eyes off this Mommie Dearest or her childlike middle-aged daughter.

Engrossing documentary.