Stephen Farber

Director David Weissman brings a rewardingly fresh and personal perspective to the subject.

Hawke’s film is very well crafted, tightly edited and elegantly photographed. The acute musical selections only add to our appreciation of Seymour’s selfless devotion to his art.

McCarthy’s performance, which is paired with an equally rewarding turn by British actor Richard E. Grant, anchors this bizarre, compelling true story.

The two central performances could hardly be better.

The filmmakers never underline the emotions they want to evoke, and yet by the end, audiences may be moved to tears by this tale of fractured lives that find just the right measure of repair.

All of the key creative personnel contribute to the movie's nail-biting tension and unexpectedly moving finale. Jon Harris's editing is matchless, and Rahman's score effectively heightens the emotion. Ultimately, however, it is the talents of Boyle and Franco that sock this movie home.

Pray does not browbeat viewers into applauding the artist’s achievement. The filmmaker thoughtfully documents a phenomenon and allows the arguments to continue to rage after the lights come on.

It is an engaging and often touching comic drama that builds power as it moves toward its immensely satisfying conclusion.

Beyond the film’s technical expertise and the political issues that it raises, it works best simply as a tribute to a group of talented and courageous women who missed out on opportunities that might have benefited us all.

Sacks’ personal life was as startling as his professional achievements.

The fascinating human portrait that emerges should draw appreciative if limited audiences.

This doc is always thoughtful and tightly edited, and it has an emotional impact that not many docs can equal.

Bolstered by a career-best performance from Mickey Rourke and outstanding work by Marisa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood.

The actors do what they can to supply the texture missing from the script. Vaughn and Wilson riff together with pleasing professionalism.

Although the film runs more than two hours, the story is so compelling and the production so beautifully controlled that we are gripped by the characters' quest right up to the shocking end of the story.

Nichol has created a loving valentine to all the iconoclasts who resist what the rest of the world defines as progress.

Although the film might have benefited from a deeper investigation of the background to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the vivid scenes of protest in the capital city of Kiev supply undeniable power.

There is no question that it is an extremely well-crafted piece of work.

The picture is far from great, but it's a serviceable B-movie with some A-list talent on a slumming expedition.

Intelligently written, vividly shot, tightly edited, sharply acted, the film represents a rare example of craftsmanship working to produce a deeply moving piece of history.

Berger does a fine job controlling all of these performances, and he also creates a rich atmosphere for the production.

South Mountain transcends the limitations of some nakedly personal films to offer an affecting vision of frayed family ties.

Perhaps inevitably, the film moves toward a deeply poignant conclusion, but there are enough rambunctious and slightly zonked-out moments to provide a vivid, full-blooded portrait.

A rich reminiscence of a gifted actor who died far too young.

Throughout the film Moss traverses an astonishing range of emotions, from bliss to complete mental disintegration. She is fascinating to watch even when the film turns into a frustrating head-scratcher.

Given the craziness of the concept, it is surprising that several of the scenes work as well as they do.

Dorfman declares that she was never a media or critics’ darling. “I was at the bottom of the list,” she says when talking about her position in the ranks of modern photography. This film will convince you that she definitely deserves a higher position in the pantheon.

A rare look into the mind of an assassin, Incitement provokes and disturbs.