Stina Chyn

So think of it this way: Miracle at St. Anna is a Spike Lee joint that possesses a European texture in the vein of Guillermo Del Toro and Jean Pierre-Jeunet. Imaginative, thought-provoking, and intense.

As easy as it is to pass down mantras of fear and hate from parent to child or society to community (and individual), so is the imprinting of courage and compassion through conversation, emulation, books, plays, films, and the like. The Tale of Despereaux, aims to share such a message.

Laughter erupts during scenes and certain close-ups that were designed to induce screams.

As a guilty pleasure, it’s spectacularly entertaining

Packs a full plate of gasps and giggles.

Absolutely--four out of five stars for being cuter, funnier, and, besides, the character design far exceeded my expectations.

For most of the film's 104 minutes, the characters have experiences that range from serious to zany. Although I can't formulate a better resolution to the narrative conflicts, I Love You, Man ends on a note that is too cute and conventional to accept.

The acting is unquestionably strong, the songs are integrated appropriately (functioning as both audio bridges and dramatic enhancements), and yet something is missing in how the individual pieces of the film--the story, the themes, and the violence--fit together.

One of the oddest and surely the longest cinematic experiences you may ever encounter.

Coupled with decent acting but average cinematography and editing, Not Easily Broken hums more fittingly to the tune of a LifeTime television event.

When The Namesake ends, one feels as though one has lived with the characters instead of just watching them.

A little bit of screwball comedy and a lot of film noir, add a dash of suspense-drama, and half a dozen card tricks too, then you have the recipe for making The Brothers Bloom.

An amusing and timely distraction.

Splendid.

What prevents Hostel from fully harnessing the suspense factor in its rising action, climax, and conflict resolution is the insufficient impetus to pity or to feel too badly for Paxton and Josh.

Neither hater nor admirer, I still get wrapped up in his (Owen) mannerisms and emerald stare.

Overall, I found myself not hating the film. There's just one thing that troubles me about the way Nancy Drew is depicted. She is determined, a perfectionist, uber-organized, and efficient. Those qualities can be associated to geekdom, but they’re also symptoms of someone with a propensity for disordered eating or obsessive-compulsive disorder. Hmmm.

Alyssa Milano is a delight, but her ten to thirteen minutes of screen-time mark her as more of a distraction than substantiation.

Impressively stays away from the cheese and the sap that ordinarily accompany holiday pictures.

In terms of "narrative," the film keeps excellent pace, maintains your attention, and educates you on psychological ramifications of memory.

The Bank Job secures the viewer’s attention pretty quickly and does not relinquish that hold for a second.

To be sure, The Love Guru is incredibly funny. Side-splitting laughter only stops when the movie does, so don't expect it to linger all the way to the parking lot.

Oddly engaging and has me wishing I could spend a week observing Jeannie, Lauren, and Merrill...you know, without a camera as a mediator.