V.A. Musetto

A documentary in which George relates their stories with great charm and understanding.

With so many worthwhile movies out there just waiting for a release, it's a shame that this tired drama is getting a run.

Priceless provides lightweight, predictable entertainment that will make you yearn for the Tatou of yesteryear.

In the end, "Wilbur"' manages to look death square in the face and walk away laughing.

I'm not sure why it took 50 years for Araya to reach New York, but let us be thankful to Milestone Films for giving life to this forgotten film.

Dysfunctional families don't come much more messed up than the one in Agnes and His Brothers, a comic drama from Germany.

If you ever wondered how robots make love, here's your chance to find out.

Very few actors would have the courage to allow von Trier to put them through what Dafoe and Gainsbourg experienced in the name of art.

More than the story of a disillusioned old man, Lustre is a loving tribute to New York.

Sweet isn't a word often used to describe movies these days, but it's one that applies to The Cave of the Yellow Dog.

Lebanon is inspired by the director's traumatic days at the front, giving his work a sense of authority.

Has some truly touching and funny moments. But it goes on for too long and bogs down in a surfeit of characters and unnecessary subplots.

The Promise employs laughable computer effects and second-rate martial-arts fighting to tell the hard-to-figure story of a princess and her three lovers.

A stunning drama from that remote former Soviet republic.

It boggles the mind to think that Elite Squad won the top prize at the prestigious Berlin Film Festival in February.

If the script serves any purpose at all, it is to allow jocks to show off their buff bodies. They're hot, but not worth 12 bucks at the box office.

The androgynous Dobroshi is in nearly every scene. She has an exceptional screen presence that brings authority to her portrayal of a woman seeking redemption. As for the Dardennes, they prove yet again that nobody does human frailty the way they do.

Mainstream audiences will be put off by the lack of a straightforward narrative, but adventurous moviegoers will find pleasure in the hypnotic originality of the images.

Director Lisandro Alonso is content to leave much to viewers' imagination. That he is able to do so and still hold our attention is a tribute to his talent as a filmmaker and an authentic performance by nonprofessional actor Argentino Vargas as the ex-con.

Burtynsky doesn't preach. He's content to let viewers make up their own minds from his eye-opening and eye-pleasing images.

Will Marcela (wonderful Ana Geislerova) opt for brains or brawn? The answer might surprise you.

The stunning adventure Mountain Patrol: Kekexili is like a John Ford western set, not in the master's beloved Monument Valley, but in remotest China.

Anybody who's ever seen a movie about exorcism knows that, in cases like this, the first thing to do is call 1-800-PRIEST, which the family does.

Well-done documentary.

Sweet but not especially original.

Bogdanich's film contends that the bombing of Yugoslavia by NATO in 1999 was the result of blunders by the West, and that the forces supported by the United States in Bosnia and Kosovo are allied with Osama bin Laden.

A taut thriller based on the tragedy, which remains the most lethal mass killing in New Zealand history.

The street action is a grabber, but the story itself isn't.

A master class on turning a talky, one-man play into a visual delight.

If you've seen either of the first two flicks in this outrageous series - "Oldboy" and "Sympathy for Mister Vengeance" - you know what's coming. Novices should prepare for mind-bending bloodshed and violence.

The longer the movie goes on, the more annoying Benigni's infantile behavior becomes.

The Neighbor No. Thirteen forgoes the manic violence of the Korean revenge stunner "Oldboy" in favor of leisurely paced suspense with sudden bloody outbursts.

A sentimental, whimsical autobiography.

Watching Wake is akin to listening to anonymous neighbors argue about matters you know nothing about -- nor care about. You only wish they'd shut up.

An achingly beautiful look at the most tragic victims of the longtime war in Chechnya: children.

Serves as a primer on a musical style that may be unfamiliar to many, while putting a human face on the problem of illegal immigrants.

Has enough material to supply an entire year of a soap opera - in Inner Mongolia, that is.

Kore-eda presents the deeply moving story in a documentary style that is both gentle and compelling.

It shows the hardship that women -- especially older women -- must endure in a male-dominated business.

A sobering, if exploitative, portrait of the real-life hitchhiking hooker portrayed so realistically by Charlize Theron in "Monster."

The news footage, so powerful on its own, needs no enhancement. The dramatized scenes only slow the film's momentum.

Pegg and director/co-writer Edgar Wright mix numerous references to other zombie flicks with hilarious bits of their own. The best has Ed and Shaun deciding which LPs can be used as ammo.

There are no women or straight men left in Taipei. At least that's the impression left by Formula 17, in which every single person (except for one child) is a gay cutie.

There's a lot happening here, perhaps too much. At times, the movie threatens to implode under its own weight. At others, it's wickedly funny.

Dickie is intense in her screen debut, which requires her to be in nearly every scene. The supporting cast is strong, and Robbie Ryan's handheld camera provides gritty ambiance for this taut thriller.

A sensitive and subtle meditation on aging, loss and bereavement.

The dimly lit, exquisitely composed cinematography, by Guillermo Nieto, adds to the draw of this highly recommended movie.

Kelemer doesn't offer anything that hasn't been done before in documentaries of this type. Still, Won't Anybody Listen makes for interesting viewing as a study of true-life underdogs.

The result is a charming mix of Walter Mitty and "About Schmidt."

It loses direction, turning contrived and sentimental. There's even a touch of Frank Capra.

Gordon and Abel (who delivers one of the longest yawns in screen history) are howls as husband and wife. Their long, lean buddies seem custom-made for slapstick humor. Keaton would approve.

Gitai's characters are meant to represent the Israeli people as a whole. Just as they question their lives, the filmmaker questions 21st-century Israel.

Approach is too heavy-handed to have much effect. Rod Serling probably could have turned the premise into an enjoyable episode of "The Twilight Zone."

The oft-told story of lust and deception isn't the reason to see Untold Scandal -- Rather, it's the look -- stunning costumes and art direction, lush landscapes, and beautifully framed and lighted sequences -- that make this worth seeking out.

Will go down in history as the movie that showed a turtle getting an enema. It also features a hot performance by Marguerite Moreau.

Unfolds as meditatively as a game of go. Cinematographer Wang Yu shifts easily from tranquility to violence, and he is able to turn something as simple as a man walking outdoors into a visual feast. Chang Chen, a star of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," provides a strong yet understated portrayal of Wu.

A parable about greed. But don't let that serious-sounding description keep you away. It also is funny, knowing and immensely enjoyable.

Manages to entertain while saying something about loneliness and culture shock.

This poorly done, digitally animated work, directed by Hiroyuki Kitakubo, might be of interest to die-hard fans of anime. Others should pass it by.

The cast is solid, with standout performances by first-timer Habib Boufares as Slimane.

Vladimir Garin and Ivan Dobronravov are amazingly natural as the boys, and Konstantin Lavronenko impresses as the taciturn father.

An overwrought Taiwanese soaper.

A deliciously elusive mystery.

Despite a contrived ending that brings together all the film's characters, Alias Betty is inventive filmmaking.

Think you're depressed now? Wait till you see Aurora Borealis, which spends almost two hours watching Ronald Shorter, a suicidal old man, die.

According to Irene Salina's eye-opening documentary Flow, 500,000 to 7 million US residents are sickened by tap water each year.

Hilarious.

It would have been nice to learn as much about Sar the man as about Sar the dancer.

An uninspired gay coming-of-age import from Germany.

Bate is to be congratulated for reminding the world of Leopold's wickedness, even if he does OD on re-enactments.

Colpaert makes nice use of blue and green hues, and he makes some valid points about the Iraqi war. But the script lacks coherence and ends with a 180-degree flip that lessens the impact of what has gone before.

Movies about addicts are a dime a dozen, but Cocaine Angel does its own thing, mixing humor with bleakness and resisting the too-common urge to romanticize addiction.

So beautifully filmed (as if through a gauze curtain), it is especially sad that the script doesn't measure up.

Good-natured, lightweight fun, although clichéd and more suited to DVD and cable than the big screen.

Carion gets excellent performances from Emir Kusturica as the Russian and Guillaume Canet as the Frenchman. Each is a filmmaker in his own right -- Canet's directorial résumé includes the thriller "Tell No One" and Kusturica's lists the Serbian black comedies "Underground" and "Black Cat, White Cat."

Jia's message is that globalization has failed to help the Chinese masses. We hear you, dude, but did you really need 143 minutes to get your point across?

It is a vivid, at times heartbreaking, portrait of a life and a nation in crisis.

Working from an unfinished script by the late, great Krzysztof Kieslowski, Stuhr directs in a laid-back, deadpan style that, at times, recalls Fellini.

Most of the dialogue is in English, almost all of the story takes place in the U.S., and there is none of the kitschy fun that gives Bollywood flicks their charm.

Filled with nostalgia for old Chinese movies, respectable performances and lively kung-fu slapstick.

Peled was harassed at every turn by Chinese officials, but he managed to get this shocking film made. That's just one reason China Blue is worthy of praise.

The release of Crossing the Line couldn't be more timely. Earlier this week, it was announced that the two Koreas would hold a summit this month in Pyongyang. Perhaps Kim will bring Dresnok with him.

The NYU film grad steals liberally from Woody (especially "Annie Hall") - from camera placement to body language to plot twists to the whole Ingmar Bergman thing. That's not necessarily bad, if the project works. This one doesn't - it just annoys.

In the words of Al Gore, "Garbage Dreams makes a compelling case that modernization does not always equal progress."

Is nothing sacred? In the schizophrenic war epic The War lords, Jet Li, the hunky action hero, cries -- no, make that sobs -- several times. What will his legion of young male fans think?

The film is generic and uninspired, better suited to public TV than the big screen.

Morton deserves an Oscar nomination, but she is unlikely to get one. The movie is too dark and out of the mainstream to impress the conservative fogies who vote for the prizes.

A high school coming-of-age film that dares to push the envelope. It doesn't always succeed, but that's not for lack of trying.

A highly original black comedy from Greece -- and one of the weirdest movies I've seen in a long time.

The tedious film might have been worth watching if Burman had given reasons to care about Ariel or anyone else. He doesn't and we don't.

Boasts a lovable ensemble cast, with a standout performance by Zaira Valenzuela as 14-year-old Paola.

A thought-provoking documentary that would go well on a double bill with Richard Linklater's fictional "Fast Food Nation."

The titular abode in the Brazilian drama Alice's House is crowded, and its inhabitants dysfunctional.

There is also a fair amount of boy-on-boy sex, which would be the main reason for seeing No Regret, no matter what your sexual orientation might be.

Compelling.

Burzynski is dull, dull, dull, even for an infomercial.

Park's direction is flawless and Jung Jung-hoon's cinematography is stunning.

After sitting a while in front of my computer trying to come with the right word to describe the Argentine soaper Family Law, I've settled on "diverting." You will be entertained, but you won't tax your brain.

At age 76, Chabrol seems to be just going through the motions, but anyone who has helmed 70 films ("Les Bonnes Femmes" and "La Ceremonie," for example) is entitled to an off day. Look for him to dazzle us next time out.

What do you get when you mix a Douglas Sirk melodrama with a Sergio Leone Western? Tears of the Black Tiger, a high-camp Western from, of all places, Thailand.

Mirikitani is a colorful character and talented artist, and his story tugs at the heart. Problem is, Hattendorf insists on inserting herself in what seems like every other scene, a device that dilutes Jimmy's story.

Wavers uncomfortably between satire and dime-store existentialism on the big screen. It's sort of as if Charlie Kaufman rewrote "The Fountain."

The fine cast, the elegant settings and the swoony title song somehow draw you in.

In this season of Hollywood blockbusters, small movies can get lost in the hype. Don't let that happen to Home.

Moves along briskly, with several laugh-out-loud moments.

While the slow buildup won't bowl 'em over at suburban multiplexes, the film should please Fessenden's loyal followers and win him new ones.

The decade under discussion in this enjoyable documentary is the 1970s, a period that changed Hollywood forever.

Writer-director Erik Van Looy keeps the action moving briskly. Danny Elsen's cinematography is stylish and the acting top-notch.

The story, based on a best-selling novel, has familiar overtones; but Kormakur overcomes them with stylish direction - Iceland's natural beauty looks great - and a gripping performance by Ingvar Eggert Sigurdsson.

The result is a hodgepodge of plots and styles, a fault compounded by stiff acting and, except for a few scenes, wooden direction.

Fonteyne doesn't have much use for words. He prefers to tell his story via facial expressions and body language, much as filmmakers did in the silent era.

The film looks nifty, but the flat and unemotional English-language dialogue lessens its impact.

Horvath has a sensitive eye and ear, mixing good-looking shots of the barren landscape with portraits of the land's eccentric inhabitants. It's a world (scary at times) that most New Yorkers have no idea exists. [25 Aug 2004, p.40]

The Holy Girl ends without resolution, but one isn't needed in this mature, thoughtful drama.

A self-indulgent work.

Lacks visual flair. But Kouyate elicits strong performances from his cast, and he delivers a powerful commentary on how governments lie, no matter who runs them.

The charming cast...brightens up the screen, but the TV-sitcom script does them in.

How can it be that a movie as beautiful to look at as Saawariya is so . . . boring?

Here the characters aren't compelling enough to ask viewers to give their brains a workout to determine exactly what's going on.

Comes off as nothing more than a TV soap opera, with overwrought acting, simplistic dialogue and a generic plot.

Take the real-life 1979 assassination of Park Chung-hee, the despotic, hedonistic, seal-testicle-loving president of South Korea, and stage it as if the Marx Brothers were running the country, and you might get The President's Last Bang.

Dog Days has much in common with "Code Unknown" -- both dart among several characters who may occasionally cross paths.

One of Miike's most violent and sadistic movies, filled with squirting blood, throat-slashing, limb-hacking and other forms of mutilation too gruesome to describe here.

Throughout, Mrs. Marcos comes across as an elitist, insulated against real life by wealth and power -- yet one who truly believes she is misunderstood and has done nothing wrong.

If only its characters weren't such stereotypes.

The plot of Attitude isn't exactly original and won't have you sitting on the edge of your seat. But Nilsson knows how to create a noirish mood, and some of the camera work is interesting, if pretentious.

Unless you are offended by a little female nudity, The Silence Before Bach will shock you not. But it will provide gorgeous lensing and art direction and some of the world's most beautiful music.

There aren't many surprises as the story unfolds in soap-opera fashion, with a happy ending for all concerned.

Should please die-hard fans as well as viewers who have never heard the band and its anthem, "Kick Out the Jams."

Bardem gives such a brilliant performance in The Sea Inside, it's a crime that the film itself drowns in tears.

More than just a musical primer. It's also a valentine to the city on the Bosporus, the strait that separates Istanbul's Asian and European sides.

Offensive and unwatchable.

If "Starsky & Hutch" is your idea of art, keep your distance from Distant, the droll new movie from maverick Turkish director Nuri Bilge Ceylan. If, on the other hand, you're searching for something that will remain with you long after leaving the theater, run, don't walk, to Distant.

The result is a finely plotted, stylishly photographed and brilliantly acted whodunit that clocks in at 2 1/2 hours but never seems long.

It doesn't measure up to Schlondorff's 1979 Oscar winner, "The Tin Drum," but it's compelling nevertheless.

You just know something terrible is going to happen. But when it does, you're entirely unprepared

Offers interesting views of ordinary life in Baghdad that Americans won't find on TV news. But the impact is lessened by the director's failure to let those who think the war is justified have their say.

Lino Ventura is grand as a solemn resistance leader. He's backed by a knockout cast that includes Simone Signoret.

Light on dialogue and heavy on creepy atmosphere. See this movie and a visit to the tailor's will never be the same.

An original head trip definitely not recommended for kiddies.

Matthews is supposed to be the star here, but it's Englund's hilarious, over-the-top performance that keeps Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer, by director Jon Knautz, from becoming another forgettable exercise in horror.

Sensitive and sincere and has a talented ensemble cast.

A remarkable 179-minute meditation on the nature of revolution.

Ten percent of Ghana's 20 million people are disabled, yet the film makes little attempt to explain why.

The result is a magnificent feast for the eyes and brain.

As we learn in director Jonathan Berman's fun documentary Commune, the ranch was financed by people such as musician Frank Zappa and actor James Coburn.

Subversively funny, it's a welcome alternative to the big-budget movies flooding into theaters at this time of year.

Konchalovsky, best known here for "Runaway Train" (1985), takes on a difficult subject with a light mix of dark humor and pathos.

May be momentarily entertaining, but don't expect anything profound from the lightweight saga.

Vincent Lindon, one of France's leading actors, is super as Marc, a man on a downward spiral into insanity. And Emmanuelle Devos is comforting as Marc's loving wife.

The initial suspense of Cautiva gives way to sentimental clichés, but Lombardo's performance (including a daring nude scene) keeps us watching.

Viewers willing to accept the contrived plot at face value will find much to like.

If you're thinking of taking the kids to Bear Cub because the title sounds like something they'd enjoy -- don't!

You will be so put off by the bland couple (what do you expect from people named Joe and Jane?) and their dumb arguing - not to mention the grating score - that you won't really care.

You have to hand it to Huppert. She doesn't let the hokey plot and syrupy cinematography (what's with those repeated shots of flowers blowing in the wind?) keep her from giving a profound performance.

Having Damon Wayans in the cast might attract viewers to Harlem Aria, but they're bound to be disappointed by the amateurish drama.

The script is morose and unfocused - not to mention hard to believe and insulting to women.

Director Susanne Bier is helped by a well-chosen cast, especially the glowing Nielsen, a Danish-born actress best known for American films like "Gladiator."

A satirical blast at America's gun culture. But it's so entertaining that even a die-hard NRA member might be impressed.

Director-writer Seth Grossman provides a lazy narrative, with stereotypical characters and plot.

There are many funny lines and situations, accompanied by strong performances all around. Sadly, Good Bye Lenin! falters at the end, when it loses its edge and lapses into sentimentality.

Tackling serious issues with humor and understanding, the film portrays Mona's woes as a microcosm of the entire mess in the Middle East.

Perfectly captures the cultural and emotional wasteland that is suburban Jersey.

Be warned: Some of the afflictions are so disturbing, you might have to turn your eyes from the children. Susan Tom doesn't have that option. And 11 children are all the better for it.

In this season of self-important filmmaking, it's nice to watch a movie that entertains while refusing to take itself too seriously.

One of the oddest, most perplexing -- and delightful -- films to come along this year. And last year, too.

As a history lesson, Oswald's Ghost is valuable, but don't go expecting any new revelations.

Needless to say, In My Skin isn't for everybody. It's recommended to viewers who, like Esther, want to feel something, no matter how distasteful.

There’s little dialogue in this gem of a movie, but little is needed. Aman’s anguished face – which recalls Maria Falconetti in “The Passion of Joan of Arc” -- conveys all the information we need.

Too many cooks spoil the broth, and too many directors spoil the anthology film Paris Je T'aime.

By terms moving and funny, the story reaches its apex when Half Moon, a beautiful young woman played by Golshifteh Farahani, makes her appearance from out of nowhere. Is she real, or perhaps an angel? You'll have fun trying to come up with an answer.

Caramel, by the way, gets its name from a blend of sugar, lemon juice and water that is boiled until it turns into a paste used to remove unwanted hair in the Middle East.

Seagulls is easy to take, insightful and darkly funny. The story sometimes seems forced and the characters stereotypical, but the engaging cast and surreal shots of the rugged landscape compensate.

The three-part anthology opens with its best shot, Hong Kong fruitcake Fruit Chan's "Dumplings," photographed by the great Christopher Doyle.

Not even Sandra Oh, as Phoebe's boss, and Elodie Bouchez ("The Dreamlife of Angels"), as Ashade's sister-in-law, can keep Sorry, Haters from becoming a sorry mess.

You care for these warriors, no matter which uniform they're wearing. I don't know Taub's intentions, but The Fallen makes a potent antiwar statement.

Guy Maddin's films are always delightful, but his latest, My Winnipeg, has an added treat for film buffs: It features Ann Savage!

A plot? Tony Jaa don't need no stinking plot.

Another Harlan work, "Kolberg" (1945), inspired the film within the film in "Inglourious Basterds."

Full of fine performances, led by Josef Bierbichler as Brecht and Monica Bleibtreu as Helene Weigel, his wife. Taken on its own terms, The Farewell makes for rewarding viewing.

Luckily for us, Grace Lee recorded everything in the fun documentary The Grace Lee Project.

Overlong but telling look at three young misfits.

Man's inhumanity to man is gruesomely detailed in S21: The Khmer Rouge Killing Machine.

Chilling documentary.

Viewers in Gotham will be perplexed, frightened, disgusted - and, mostly, entertained.

The movie's only redeeming qualities are its stars.

You can't fault the film's elegant look. But you have to wonder why Shakhnazarov, one of Russian's most experienced filmmakers, didn't take more care with the script.

The film casts Spector in a sympathetic light. You can't help feeling sorry for the tormented genius.

There's not enough good material to fill the film's overlong 105 minutes. Is there an editor in the house?

But by the time events unfold, viewers will most likely have given up on this melodramatic.

Enlightening.

Lacks excitement, although its solid story makes for decent viewing.

Tom Hardy gives an amazing performance as Peterson, who took on the nickname Charlie Bronson, after the "Death Wish" actor.

Argento keeps the suspense level high while throwing in trademark cringe-inducing moments.

Goodman doesn't preach or point fingers. She lets the three recruits have their say, and allows viewers to make up their own minds on the issues her film raises.

The film works best when we see N'Dour onstage. He has a great set of pipes and is nothing if not charismatic.

You'll have to look long and hard to find a performance as emotionally raw as that of Moon So-ri in the startling South Korean love story Oasis.

Dirk Shafer's feature doesn't offer much in terms of plot or acting. But it does have oodles of hunky male bodies. The choice is yours.

But exciting as La Scorta might be, it is at heart a conventional thriller that breaks no new genre ground.

Redmon makes a valid argument, but he belabors the point. Mardi Gras: Made in China would play better if it were more focused and less repetitive.

Wild Grass is a French movie for people afraid of French movies.

Director Lou Ye, who gave us the lilting "Suzhou River," doesn't care much for dialogue. He lets Wang Yu's pulsating camerawork do the talking.

A creative mix of horror, noir and psychological thriller. At times the story defies logic, but viewers who can accept that will find themselves caught up in the film's intensity.

Can be summed up in one word: style.

The performances by neophite actresses Olympe Borval and Lizzie Brochere make the film special.

Briski, a New York photographer, spent several years with the pre-teens. But she did more than just film them -- she tried to help them.

The documentary is much too conventional -- lots of boring talking heads, etc. -- to do the subject matter justice.

Roman de Gare translates as "station novel," a book you might pick up to read on a train journey and then discard when you arrive at your destination. Lelouch's film is the cinematic equivalent, enjoyable fluff that your mind will discard after the closing credits - but worth seeing nevertheless.

Makes about as much sense as most dreams. But that's to be expected, because the video feature is a series of successive dreams.

I've seen three or four other movies by Miike, and I can tell you that he's one of the most exciting, versatile directors working today.

Unspeakable brutality ensues, including a rape, a castration and cold-blooded murder. Dumont never mentions Iraq, but the parallels are clear.

A devilish updating of Verdi's "Rigoletto."

A vast improvement over Schenkman's previous effort, "The Pompatus of Love."

Far from earthshaking, but it's fun while it lasts.

Marred by sappy fantasy sequences and a sentimental finale that's out of step with most of the rest of the movie.

Beautiful to look at, with scrumptious period detail and a knowing performance by Choi Min-sik as the portly, goatéed painter. At the same time, Chihwaseon is slow and stilted.

A clueless Mundhra tackles the subject with a heavy hand and a contrived script. The result is a daytime soap mixed with a second-rate women-behind-bars flick.

Auteuil gives a superior performance. While Rush played him as a buffoon, Auteuil gives the character the charm of an aristocratic savant.

The director, American-born Paula Fouce, has a passion for the holy ways of the East, and it shines through in Naked in Ashes.

There's nothing especially new or interesting about the guests, the party or the movie. One bright note is Nicol Zanzarella as the elegant Susan, a freelance TV editor and co-host.

Breezy and informative. It offers a view of the talented, opinionated man that only his son could pull off.

It's "Saturday Night Fever," Johannesburg-style.

The result is entertaining but hardly memorable.

Chiara Mastroianni, whose mom, Catherine Deneuve, starred in Demy's "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg" (1964), appears here as Julie's sister. Vive la New Wave.

The drivel they call "reality TV" pales in comparison with the gripping big-screen documentary Bus 174.

That's all laudable - but Perry, a longtime filmmaker, should have given the doc more urgency and punch.

An impressive experimental movie, is practically a one-man show by Yasuaki Nakajima.

A Woman in Berlin, which is based on an anonymously written memoir of the same name, serves also as a testimony to women who put men in their place.

Credit the disarming cast, especially Oshri Cohen as the boy and Arie Ellias as his eccentric grandfather. They help turn what could be a standard comedy into a life-affirming, enjoyable one.

There's extreme brutality, gore and violence, scads of severed body parts and oceans of squirting blood, as the brave -- and buffed -- people of Bang Rajan fight to the death.

Songbird Bjork and artist hubby Matthew Barney team up in Drawing Restraint 9, and the spectacular result is exactly what should be expected from these one-of-a-kind creative oddballs.

Unfortunately, it doesn't work. None of the talking heads is as interesting as Yu thinks they are; and it's difficult to build sympathy for any of them.

Campy and clichéd.

Wait for the video, then fast-forward through every scene except the ones featuring Maria Mironova as a cheating wife.

Beautifully composed, The Last Mistress, Breillat's 11th film, deals with the theme she has put forth in such previous work as "Romance" and "Fat Girl": how women deal with sexual desire.

Almereyda's muddled Happy Here and Now should have stayed on the shelf - where it's been gathering dust for several years.

The film's disclosure that Camorra money is involved with the reconstruction of New York City's Ground Zero will give viewers something to think about.

At some two hours, the film is 30 minutes too long. Cutting out the melodrama and sticking with the daring-do is the answer.

The non-linear plot makes for confusion and, except for the inspired final shootout, the action sequences are mediocre.

The screen comes alive only at the end, when a frightening tornado destroys the seaside village.

Despite having no previous film experience, Kare Hedebrant and Lina Leandersson give evocative performances as Oskar and Eli, respectively.

Sappy and simplistic.

You don't have to be crazy to sing like Larry "Wild Man" Fischer -- subject of Josh Rubin's reverential documentary Derailroaded -- but it helps.

Comedy with a light-hearted flair. The cast is charming, and Garcia is especially easy on the eye.

Rampling has a relatively small role in Lemming, but the 60-year-old star proves the high point of the suspenseful black comedy from France.

Pity that the direction and narrative lack passion. If there's anything a story of interracial adultery needs, it's passion.

After winning raves at last year's New York Film Festival, Pablo Larrain's Tony Manero, from Chile, is receiving a run here.

Earnest but not terribly original.

As a narrative, Shem, directed by Caroline Roboh, is a pointless hodgepodge, with a finale that will leave viewers scratching their heads.

Kicks into high gear in its final 45 minutes, when the singer's fans descend on one of her concerts. It's worth the wait.

On the plus side, Derek McKane's moody camerawork makes Gotham look grand. Too bad it's wasted on The Last New Yorker.

Dong, who is gay, does his best to stay objective. Just how these families interact may surprise you.

While Tarr's newest epic, Werckmeister Harmonies, isn't intended for the shopping-mall crowd, it is more viewer-friendly and will please adventurous moviegoers.

While it is interesting to witness the conflict from the Palestinian side, Longley's film lacks balance (there's nothing from the Israeli perspective) and fails to put the struggle into meaningful historical context.

That rare commodity: a film with only good things to say about public schools.

The game cast tries desperately to be funny, but Day hasn't provided them with the material.

If you think you've seen Imaginary Heroes before, you're right -- only it was called "The Ice Storm," or maybe "Ordinary People."

It could turn someone who never heard of the Flaming Lips into a devoted fan.

Excellent performances are given by all, with Alidoosti, who has the face of an angel, once again a wonder.

The cast includes rappers Da Brat, Mos Def and MC Lyte. Their fans might get some pleasure from Civil Brand. Everybody else best stay away.