V.A. Musetto

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.

An affable comedy that, unfortunately, has too many characters and subplots for its own good. The film also could do without the stereotypical character of a gay wedding planner who is supposed to be funny -- but is just embarrassing and clichéd.

The meditative Swedish movie The Anchorage takes minimalism to the maximum.

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

Tabatabai delivers a strong performance and the script, although not always plausible, touches on important issues like bias against gays and Muslims.

Go for Zucker was a smash back home, where it was hailed as the first German comedy about Jews since World War II. But it will take more than that to make American audiences laugh.

Curse of the Golden Flower could also be called "Curse of 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.' " In other words, it is yet another attempt to cash in on the success of Ang Lee's 2000 martial-arts epic, which will go down in the history books as one of the most overrated films of the decade.

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

Chilling documentary.

The film tastefully handles the sensitive subject, but it lacks the bite that a Michael Moore would have provided.

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.

You would be hard-pressed to use the word "accessible" to describe Film Socialisme, and that's exactly the way the master wants it.

Now it can be told. The erotic film "Emmanuelle" helped end the Cold War. That's one tasty tidbit from Disco and Atomic War, a subversively funny documentary.

Fails to elicit any substantive information from his (Tommy Davis) subjects. And he fails to put their plight into perspective.

An overdone sex comedy.

The movie is no more than a TV sitcom stretched to feature length. All that's missing is the laugh track.

This movie belongs to its stars, who also wrote and produced. You can't say their acting is good or bad because they are not really acting. They're just being themselves, pubic hair and all.

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

Okuda's debut behind the camera, Shoujyo, is a dirty old man's delight: schoolgirls galore in short skirts or, in Yoko's case, nothing at all. That may be enough for some viewers, but not for those who insist on a story that gives substance to its characters.

That is not an original idea, for sure. But the ensemble cast -- especially Tatou as a 24-year-old store clerk named Irene -- is personable and the Parisian ambiance is catching.

Just as the story is minimalist, so too is the documentary-like film's look: long static takes and tons of close-ups. An epilogue allows viewers to come to terms with the film's tragic ending.

Finzi's lovingly filmed movie draws viewers into the lives of its two young heroes. You don't have to be a ballet buff to be moved by Isabela's and Irlan's stories.

Depardieu's days as a leading man might be over, but he has a bright future in quirky roles like Germain.

Yvan Attal and Anne Consigny give understated but powerful performances as Graff and his wife, Françoise. Although a bit too long, Rapt makes for compelling viewing.

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

Can't decide if it's a martial-arts thriller or a sappy soap opera.

The acting by Seigner, Marina Hands, Karin Viard, Patrick Bruel and other French notables is first-rate, although their characters and what they have to say are trite.

Pleasant enough, with funny moments.

A convoluted, pointless thriller that wastes the considerable talent of Max von Sydow.

A movie more interested in shocking than in entertaining.

As North Korea undergoes a highly publicized change of leadership, The Front Line proves timely. In fact, one of the movie's army commanders looks like the north's new baby dictator, Kim Jong-un.

If you go to the movies to ogle topless young women, Simon is definitely for you. If, on the other hand, you want something more cerebral with your $10 ticket and overpriced snacks, stay clear of this Dutch melodrama.

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.

It's mindless entertainment, so take it or leave it.

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

An interesting but flawed look at the birth of the French New Wave.

If you're looking for great action scenes, you've found them. But if you desire more than eye candy, such as character and plot development and historical accuracy, you'll have to look elsewhere.

Savage yet spellbinding.

A disturbing and daring thriller with an exceptional performance by 13-year-old Laurien Van den Broeck.

Mostly We Are Wizards is a loving, if flawed, tribute to creativity and artistic freedom.

Who needs mind-bending drugs when they can see this.

Juliette Binoche and Benoit Magimel have great chemistry together as the lovers, and the scenes of their lovemaking and frequent battles bring the movie to life. Outside of those moments, however, the film is too stagey, talky - and long - for its own good.

As nutty as you'd expect when two of our most eccentric auteurs join forces.

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.

Viewers are left wondering just why they should care about them and the rest of the film's one-dimensional characters.

Names of the other artists - such as Barry McGee, Ed Templeton, Margaret Kilgallen and Jo Jackson - won't necessarily ring a bell, but they all have interesting stories to tell in this pleasant film, which sings the praises of nonconformity.

Delivers an important message, and its underwater photography is breathtaking. But Stewart lessens the impact by focusing much too much on himself. Did he really have to go into detail about his own health problems? This should be a movie about sharks, not Stewart.

Says Rampling: "If you're going to do a story like this, it's not going to be all flowers and roses and smell nice."

Sexist, racist humor abounds, with Jews and gays especially taking a beating. I don't always object to non-PC humor -- but I like it to be funny, and here it isn't.

Beware of blood-sucking Mormons! At least that's the tongue-in-cheek message in Trapped by the Mormons, a campy sendup shot as a 1920s silent movie.

Directed and co-written by Thierry Binisti, a TV veteran, the film boasts solid acting (especially from red-haired Bonitzer) and handsome cinematography.

What they say is superficial. They never really explain why they risk their lives. In the end, Steep plays like a TV infomercial - and who wants to hand over $11 to watch one?

It's a clever concept that should play well on TV and the Internet. But as a big-screen movie, Life in a Day -- which lists brothers Tony and Ridley Scott as producers -- elicits a shrug and a question: Who cares?

Occasionally becomes melodramatic.

Gogol Bordello plays a mix of punk rock and Gypsy music that recalls the work of the Serbian No Smoking Band. Onstage, Gogol Bordello puts on a visually outrageous show that one member describes as "kick-ass."

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

Set on the seamy side of Barcelona, Biutiful may not be a feel-good movie for this time of year, but it's well worth your time.

While an iconic figure in France, Gainsbourg isn't a household name here in the States. But that shouldn't stop audiences from enjoying Sfar's good-looking, fanciful film.

You need a scorecard to keep track of who's bedding whom in Happily Ever After, a tres French take on sex and love, in that order.

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

Contains all the clichés of the post-prison genre -- but it has some redeeming qualities.

There's not much new in this Filipino film by longtime director Gil M. Portes. But it's so endearing that only a grouch wouldn't be charmed.

The Woman is disturbing, lurid and perverse, but that isn't necessarily bad: Horror buffs, especially fans of Ketchum, will be overcome with joy and excitement.

The film is less violent and bloody than much of the director's work, but the absurdity level is sky high. Takashi Miike is at the top of his game, loving every minute of his surreal visit to the twilight zone.

The folks on "Survivor" have nothing on Julia Butterfly Hill.

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.

The story is contrived. Would you believe a high-rise window-washer just happening to be cleaning the window of the room where, at that very moment, his wife is being raped by her boss? Didn't think so.

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

Scenes of the probe are less successful. They feel contrived, and actress Lee Yeong-ae is not especially effective as Major Jang.

Be warned: The Tree is slow-moving, but if given a chance, it will (pardon the pun) grow on you.

Despite some fancy editing, Forget Baghdad is forgettable.

The dreamy drama Emile shows how a talented cast can turn a tentative plot into pleasant viewing.

The film's violent finale comes out of nowhere and will leave bewildered viewers wondering if they might have dozed off for a reel or two.

Brims with energy, carefully drawn characters and fine acting.

Movies by Rob Zombie, the goth rocker turned cult filmmaker, aren’t for everybody. But he couldn’t care less. He makes movies exactly the way he wants to, with no thought of pleasing mainstream audiences. They can like it or lump it. His latest effort, The Lords of Salem, is true to form.

The movie's title might sound like a splatter-fest by Rob Zombie. But despite the theme, “Eddie” goes easy on gratuitous gore. What we get is a cerebral horror movie and a satire of the art world.

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

A twisty, spectacular farce.

The low-budget "Master" lacks the polish and romance that made "Crouching Tiger" so popular. But for old-fashioned raw energy, it's tough to beat.

Ohayon doesn't judge Thompson or his customers, but you don't need to be a Harvard-educated psychiatrist to realize that the bunch of them are dirty old men who treat women as commodities.

Features some good acting, but most of it doesn't ring true.

If you're new to Kaurismaki, the film will make you a fan. If you've seen everything else he's ever done, the comedy will confirm your commitment.

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.

Difficult but rewarding.

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

Sylvarnes, who scripted, directed, edited and photographed this amazing first feature, makes spectacular use of digital video.

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

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.

Of historical interest, although a more experienced filmmaker would have made more of the sudden rush of events - and avoided the temptation to put himself or herself into nearly every frame, as Grappell does.

Ruscio's script is grim and darkly funny, but the big attraction is Wright's right-on performance. She's an actress waiting to be discovered.

Claiming that from Korea to Vietnam to Iraq, the US government has misled the public - and the media - on the reasons for going to war.

The documentary does a superlative job of examining the half-century dispute over Chinese rule of mountainous Tibet.

Borderline clichéd, and it makes getting a US visa seem way too easy. But I can think of much worse ways to spend an hour and a half than watching this absurdist comedy.

Beautifully filmed and well-acted, "The Gift to Stalin," directed by Rustem Abdrashev, has its schmaltzy, cliched moments, including an unnecessary finale in Jerusalem.

The story has been brought to the screen twice before (once by Tsui), but this version is the first in IMAX 3-D, which is the main reason to see it.

The fine supporting cast includes Steve Buscemi, as a cynical American doctor who at first doesn't get along with Rabe; and Anne Consigny, as the French head of a local school for Chinese girls.

A family getting evicted from its home is no laughing matter, except if you're watching Cirkus Columbia, a satiric comedy from, of all places, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Newcomer Akihiko Shiota shows talent as a director, but he allows Sasayaki to go on too long.

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.

Wonderfully quirky love story.

The preachy movie is hardly worth the hassle and money required to see it in a theater. Better to download it or wait for it to pop up on TV.

The screenplay also fails to put the unconventional relationship into context. It never lets on that Andrea helped Duras produce some of her best work, including the autobiographical "The Lovers."

Best advice: Wait for Two Men Went to War to go to the small screen.

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.

Your baby is near death. Instead of dropping everything to save his life, you make sure the video camera keeps rolling.

Too bad the script is predictable at every turn.

A heartwarming family fable that parents and kids can enjoy.

The result is anti-Army propaganda rather than a balanced piece of reporting.

The plot isn't a new one (remember Lady Chatterley?), but Corsini gives it a few twists and turns that keep matters fresh and suspenseful.

The film's strong point is its stylish, arty look, carefully chosen composition and shadowy lighting.

Who says you need a big crew and tons of money to make an enjoyable movie?

The Israeli feature For My Father is a rarity indeed: A sweet, sentimental movie about a suicide bomber.

The subject is touchy, but Gund handles it with taste and compassion.

The clichéd, heavy-handed script lets them down.

Nunez gets nice performances from his cast, but his narrative is cluttered.

Garcon Stupide features the best gay seduction scene ever filmed on a Ferris wheel. Unfortunately, you have to sit through the entire movie to get to it. Whether you want to will depend on your interest in explicit gay sex.

Everybody involved in 39 Pounds of Love probably had the best of intentions. But watching the filmmakers scurry about to record every last tear, I couldn't help but feel that this twisted little man was being exploited.

It examines other crises faced by JFK - Cuba, the Berlin Wall, civil war in Laos, the insurgency in Vietnam - and finds that in each case Kennedy chose talk over tanks. (Often, he went against advice of aides and generals.)

Albert elicits good performances from her cast, but she fails to give viewers reason to care about their characters.

Zalla constructs a suspenseful movie with no intention of sugarcoating the daily hardships of New York's underclass.

Veteran stage, screen and TV actor Moshe Ivgi gives a sturdy performance as Moshe, a supposed tough guy who sobs when confronted by bank robbers.

Director Michelle Esrick, who followed Wavy around for 10 years, journeys from Manhattan to Woodstock to Nepal to the hills of California to tell Wavy's story. The journey is entertaining, whether you witnessed the 1960s firsthand or heard about it from your grandparents.

Mostly The Matador romanticizes a brutal tradition that has no place in the 21st century.

What Kamikaze Girls doesn't have is a plot. As nice as the film looks, it soon grows tiresome -- though I could listen to the Johann Strauss II soundtrack forever.

See it - if you dare.

Pleasing to the eye, with lavish sets, ravishing costumes and two great-looking stars. Unfortunately, there is little else to recommend this overwrought, melodramatic bodice-ripper.

Ali Zaoua doesn't have the fireworks that made "City of God," the story of Brazilian youth gangs, a crossover hit. But in its own, low-key way, Ali Zaoua is just as stirring.

All are subjects worthy of discussion, but tackling them in one film disrupts the movie's momentum and shortchanges viewers. Baichwal could have devoted a single film to just BP's disgraceful behavior.

Reaches its climax on the main bathing day, with a throng of naked holy men leading the charge into the Ganges. You would be forgiven for thinking you're watching a hot July day at Coney Island.

Relying heavily on old network newscasts, Corben introduces a collection of colorful characters who just want to get stoned.

Neil Jordan's Ondine has a split personality. It starts promisingly as a fantasy but ends disappointingly as a thriller.

Unfortunately, Angelou's detached and often superfluous narration lessens the film's impact.

When it comes to magnetism, the Rolling Stones have nothing on Amma, the Indian mahatma ("spiritual guide") chronicled in Jan Kounen's handsomely photographed but one-sided documentary.

Tykwer exhibits a fondness for split screens and other eye candy but no interest in formalities like character and plot development. By the time we reach the kitchy final scene, we've had our fill of visual tricks.

There are a few exciting battle sequences and the sets are lavish, but mostly the film meanders aimlessly for more than two hours. No wonder new sword-and-sandal movies are in short supply.

By far the film's most interesting subject is the king's eldest daughter, 18-year-old Princess Sikhanyiso, who likes to be known as Pashu. She's a self-styled rapper who goes to a Catholic college in California and acts like the spoiled rich kid that she is.

Japan's Takashi Miike has the formula down pat, but Eisener has no idea how to give violence a touch of class.

Young Goethe looks great, and the cast is appealing. But the story is riddled with clichés and fabrications.

Clandestine Childhood is the impressive first feature by Argentine director Benjamín Avila.

Darkly funny (par for the course with Miike), visually stunning and full of references to other films.

Introduces a new Ferrara -- sophisticated and restrained. It's a look that becomes him.

It's depressing to see how far Herzog has fallen.

Gets off to a worthy start, but falls apart about halfway through.

Silly and pointless film.

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.

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.

Plot? Who needs a plot? Certainly not neophyte director Matt Porterfield, whose Hamilton gets along just fine without one.

A mix of documentary and fiction, it demystifies the profession in delightful fashion.

It accurately reflects the rage and alienation that fuels the self-destructiveness of many young people.

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

A toe-tapping, booty- shaking look at Cubans' love of music that gets bogged down in political thoughts that go unexplored.

A flawed black comedy about two buddies who open a butcher's shop in a small Danish town.

Strictly generic, it does little more than regurgitate the J-horror hits "Ringu" and "Ju-on."

Scott's feature debut is beautifully filmed and offers an unexpectedly shocking ending.

Like an early Almodovar movie transported to Moscow.

The movie could have used more of the band's music and less talk.

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

If the end of the world was just hours away, would New Yorkers still be able to get takeout? Yes, if Abel Ferrara's mind-bending 4:44 Last Day on Earth is any indication.

The premise has potential, but there's no follow- through. And there's no actual zombie mayhem; we learn everything secondhand -- from phone calls to the station.

On paper, these people may seem like boring statistics. But Andresevic, in her first feature-length film after years of producing commercials for the likes of Nike and Cadillac, turns them into humans viewers will take to heart.

Fails to grab the imagination as it unfolds in familiar TV-movie fashion.

I have a feeling that this is the last time we'll see a down-and-dirty Ellen Page. Her handlers have too much wrapped up in her mainstream persona to ever again allow her to do anything as daring and out of the loop as The Tracey Fragments. And that's a shame.

The story won't win any prizes for coherence, but that doesn't much matter. As in most Hong Kong thrillers, it's the visuals - love those boldly choreographed shootouts! -- and moments of absurdity that count.

You know exactly how this thing is going to turn out before it's even half over.

The acting is super -- these guys know how to be sweet and disgusting -- and the story provides its share of laughs. But after a while, the one-note movie, directed by Felix van Groeningen, grows tiresome.

Brisseau obviously aims to shock - and he does. Now shocking is A-OK with me - but only if it's part of a something bigger. Exterminating Angels is beautifully lensed and acted, but it lacks substance.

Falters when it gets involved with supernatural gobbledygook.

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.

Suffers from a lack of focus and a sitcom script.

The film plays like one long commercial. The music's cool, but you're better off buying the CD.

Musician Bones is believable as the luckless tourist in lime-green shades, and the musical soundtrack, including songs by Bones, is infectious.

Katie Aselton has achieved the seemingly impossible. She's turned a movie about sex into a boring, talky snooze.

Corddry leads a game cast, but the film is rough around the edges...It would play better as a TV sketch.

Anne Coesens, wife of the film's director, Olivier Masset-Depasse, gives a strong performance as Tania.

The opening credits of Gangster's Paradise note that it was "inspired by real events." It would be more accurate to say that the film was inspired by Brian De Palma's "Scarface" and similar fare.

The movie is a pleasant way to spend time in the dark, especially for Francophiles, but it won't leave any lasting impression.

This new movie features stylishly filmed and choreographed battles. But in between the set pieces is a lot of sentimental blather that slows down the film. More action, less talk should be the order of the day, but it isn't.

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.

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

Gil Kofman has an interesting and funny story to tell in his documentary Unmade in China. Too bad he spends more time talking about himself than detailing his misadventures in Xiamen, China, population 3.67 million.

Brabbee, artistic director of the Nantucket Film Festival, is to be commended for her dedication to this project, but the film isn't hefty enough for a theatrical release. Public TV would be a better showcase.

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.

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

Completely lacking in imagination and purpose, this vanity project might suffice as a home movie, but it's hardly worth the expense and bother of seeing it in a theater.

Dame Maggie is simply delightful (has she ever been less than wonderful?).

Allah made me funny - not.

Can't overcome the familiar, soapy script.

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

The film is one-sided and at times unfocused, but it makes a lot of sense politically.

Earthwork is best left to TV.

The story doesn't break any new ground, but the movie has energy.

A melodramatic import from Algeria, is so relevant in this age of global terrorism, it's a shame it isn't much better.

Shamelessly press viewers' emotional buttons. But the film is so well-made and the performances so accomplished that it doesn't matter.

Disturbing but very watchable noir.

The film's leisurely pace and abstract format isn't meant for the multiplex crowd, but rather for adventurous moviegoers. It took guts to make Khadak and to give it a theatrical release. It might take even more guts to seek it out.

Proves, if anything, that sappy feel-good movies aren't restricted to Hollywood.

Every once in a while the old-fashioned costume drama comes alive, only to sink again into run-of-the-mill special effects and long periods of talkative tedium.

One reason it rings true is because the script is based on Gaglia's real experiences.

The film's unusual look lends a magical feeling.

A soggy love story doesn't help this instance of style over substance.

The director has listed Jean-Luc Godard as an influence, which explains the movie's French New Wave exuberance.

The siblings react with humor and horror to what they discover. So will many viewers of this self-indulgent but engaging work.

Director-co-writer Fabrice du Welz has taken a clichéd premise and infused it with a stylish perversity that should have horror fans squealing with delight.

Viewers are either going to walk out after 10 minutes or, like this tolerant critic, get caught up in the sordid lives of the three misfits and stick around for the ambiguous ending.

Fails to deliver the dramatic punch.

A must for Jaglom fans. For other viewers, it will depend upon how much they can take of Jaglom's improvisational style and Frederick's over-the-top, tear-filled acting.

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

A well-written and -acted drama that's also unrelentingly grim.

The low-low budget ($50,000) coming-of-age drama, shot on high-def video, is nothing if not daring and innovative.

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

Has a few things going for it -- a winning performance by Luchini and a small role by Pedro Almodóvar favorite Carmen Maura. But these talented folks can't compensate for a plot that strains credulity and lacks badly needed social bite. Wait for the DVD.

More than just the portrait of a naive young woman. It's a frightening look at Putin's warped version of democracy.

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

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.

Less an adventure yarn than a character study of two old guys with fading memories and improbable dreams.

American Animal is a wildly experimental debut for D'Elia, who uses hand-held digital cameras and lots of jump cuts. It is well-acted and features witty repartee.

Medina has taken a series of vignettes and fashioned them into a feature film as aimless as Luciano’s life. There’s no buildup or payoff; still, Hendler’s laid-back performance makes Medina’s film worth seeking out.

Tai Chi Zero is loads of fun to watch, especially a battle in which watermelons, bananas and other fruits and veggies serve as flying weapons.

There is, of course, a maximum of blood and gore. Sometimes the director's ideas work; often they don't.

The cryptic finale raises more questions than it solves. But She's One of Us is such a fine work that answers aren't necessary.

‘A brave man and a brave poet.” That’s Bob Dylan talking about Lawrence Ferlinghetti, poet, painter, publisher, anarchist, civil libertarian — in this lively documentary by Christopher Felver.

A devilish updating of Verdi's "Rigoletto."

What's Vincent to do? Will he come out of the closet? Will he lead the swim team to victory at the big match? Will he find happiness with Noemie? Does anybody care?

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

Sillen drags out generic talking heads who say generic things about Bernstein, a generic boho. The film might suffice if you're looking for something to watch on cable TV some early morning. But it isn't worth the hassle and expense of going to a theater.

Has funny moments, but it also has a lot of drag time.

A bland look at professional surfing.

Where else can you get to hear Otto sing "Crazy"?

One of the oddest movies I've seen in a while - and that's a good thing.

Stick around till the end. You don't want to miss an unexpected cameo from a filmmaker I won't name. Hint: He's short, likes younger women and isn't Woody Allen.

If animal slaughter makes you queasy, this movie isn't for you. Along with several cockfights, there's a long scene in which a pig is butchered. The folks at PETA would be most unhappy. People don't fare much better than the animals, with blood flowing in a seemingly unending barrage of violence.

There are moments of fun (an aphrodisiac-laced dessert, for example), but generally the humor seems warmed-over.

The characters are too cliched to be funny, and Jensen's script can't stay focused long enough to make an impression. Where is Lars von Trier when we need him?

Lilien is an amateur filmmaker, and his movie -- which at times is more about Lilien than Pale Male -- shows it.

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

An overwrought Taiwanese soaper.

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

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

The plot is neither here nor there, but you have to see this for the luscious cinematography by Chi Xiaoning, who loves shades of blue and amber.

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.

The three women deliver solid performances, but the film is diluted by the use of flashbacks superimposed over present-time scenes. The result is visual chaos.

One big cliche.

There are the makings of a funny movie here, but novice director-writer Anna Reeves isn't up to the job. While her cast is talented, Reeves doesn't concentrate long enough on any plotline or character to build viewer interest.

The biggest problem is Wong's decision to cast Norah Jones as Elizabeth, a New Yorker who hits the road after a love affair goes bad. Jones, in her first movie, can't act. (There, I said it!)

PAGING Pedro Almodovar! We have a movie badly in need of your help.

As evident from The Brown Bunny and his directing debut, "Buffalo 66," Gallo is talented, although in an unconventional way. Call him an angry young man with a future.

It's depressing as hell. While most of the seven say they want to beat the habit and become productive citizens, only one, Ron, follows through successfully.

The star of the movie is Caeli Veronica Smith, 12, an accomplished violinist who frequently performs in the park. Seeing her play in person would be worth the bus trip to Philly.

This isn't a war movie. Rather, it's a powerful, heart-tugging portrait of the innocent victims of conflict.

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.

Vincent Bal's film should appeal to kids, cat lovers and felines. I give it two stars, and my cat, Audrey, gives it three meows.

You can't quarrel with the lensing and acting, but the overabundance of coincidences keeps Vivere from reaching its full potential.

The result is entertaining but hardly memorable.

Skip it, and rent "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" instead.

This is Ebiri's first feature after directing four shorts. He shows talent, but shouldn't give up his day job just yet.

A miracle of indie filmmaking. Shot for practically nothing by first-time director David Barker, it delivers more bang for its minimal bucks than many a Hollywood blockbuster does for its multimillions.

It's a worthy idea, but the uninspired scripts, acting and direction never rise above the level of an after-school TV special.

An Amsterdam mess.

An outrageous horror flick.

It also gives another black eye to Iranian fundamentalists. It is most unfortunate, then, that the film isn't better.

There are some funny moments, plus occasional nudity and sex, but the joke quickly wears off. What might have worked as a half-hour TV show doesn't suit itself to a feature-length film.

A protegé of Gus Van Sant, Archer -- who also makes short films and music videos -- has a wild imagination he has trouble harnessing. He doesn't know the meaning of "too much." But Barkin, in short, blond hair, is superb, as usual, and Aaron Platt's cinematography is stunning. Here's hoping Archer gets his s - - t together in feature No. 3.

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

Borba keeps referring to himself as "a hero," but the directors, Burt Sun and André Costantini, never delve into his psyche. On the plus side is Costantini's luscious cinematography.

Szumowska provides lurid scenes of perverted sex, but she offers no new insight into the sordid world of prostitution and the dangers sex workers face. Nor does she flesh out Charlotte and Alicja. The result is a superficial and voyeuristic film.

Becomes more and more confused, unpleasant and preposterous.

Too bad it lacks a substantial story to go along with the kick-ass combat scenes.

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

None of its characters is especially interesting.

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

There's potential here, but the script is entirely too, shall we say, Hollywood. There's even a dog-poop joke.

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

Lightweight but enjoyable entertainment.

The script doesn't offer anything especially new, but Burman infuses the film with innovative lensing and capable acting.

Love in Space is just what movie fans have been waiting for: a romantic comedy from Communist China.

The Grudge offers a bit more exposition than did "Ju-On," but the plot is still wispy.

Campy and clichéd.

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.

Frankenstein’s Army is funny and original, with innovative costumes and set designs. It’s sure to please horror fans.

An unassuming love comedy with plot problems.

Might have worked as a travelogue, minus the story. In its present form, it is hardly worth the $10 you will be asked to fork over at the box office.

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.

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.

Say a prayer that there's no "Hatchet III" in the future.

Beautiful but boring.

The story is superficial at best. And the movie is too long.

Breathtakingly filmed (lots of slow-motion) by Wang Yu, but then it would be difficult to go wrong when your star is one of the world's most beautiful women.

The film is well-constructed, as one would expect from Gondry, but it offers little reason for anyone outside the family circle to care about dear old Tante Suzette.

It's also sugary and has a silly tear-jerker ending. But I found myself laughing at the film's gentle humor, anyway.

Eleonore Faucher, first-time director (and co-writer) of the French charmer Sequins, is well aware of Neymark's allure and sees to it that the young woman is seldom out of the frame.

Mawkish and manipulative, the film isn't worthy of its widely praised German director.

There's nary a dull moment in the semi-autobiographical Secuestro Express (secuestro means kidnap), as Jakubowicz pleases the eyes with closeups, sped-up scenes, hand-held camerawork and other stylized tricks.