V.A. Musetto

The well-acted, pleasantly lensed drama doesn't recall Hollywood's generic approach to fragile couples, and that's just fine with me.

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 final twist is completely unexpected.

I cannot tell a lie. I derive great satisfaction watching John Malkovich act.

Mozart's Sister had a much smaller budget than "Amadeus," but Féret makes good use of his resources, even getting to film in the splendid halls of Versailles. The cast is excellent, be they relatives of the director or not. And the music, though not by a Mozart, is beautiful.

Delightful performances are delivered by all in this ingenious work of cinema that is worth seeing if only for its glorious views of the Himalayas.

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.

Lush and poetic, Dolls proves once again that Kitano is one of the world's most original filmmakers.

Makes for fascinating viewing.

Director and co-writer Matteo Garrone infuses The Embalmer with a spooky eroticism. The film is dark, both in theme and visual composition.

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.

A beautiful but empty-headed documentary.

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

Dutch-born Lotte Verbeek is solid as You, a role that won her the best-actress prize at the Locarno Film Festival.

Call it the rape of Carnegie Hall.

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

Strictly for art-house types, particularly those familiar with the director, who makes no concessions to mainstream audiences. You have to abandon any preconceived notions about movies and allow your mind to be seduced by the mystifying, occasionally humorous world of a one-of-a-kind filmmaker. You might even find yourself becoming a fan.

Boring.

So potent, it could change the mind of even the most staunch defender of capital punishment.

The labor of love of South African brothers Craig and Damon Foster, who directed and photographed this intriguing documentary.

An amazing portrait of the great filmmaker Ingmar Bergman in his later years.

The subject may be serious, but Ghobadi's approach is mostly light and humorous, at least until the final scenes. Hamed Behdad is especially funny as a streetwise promoter who fast-talks his way out of jail and 80 lashes.

What made Ludwig such a great musician? The documentary In Search of Beethoven, directed by Phil Grabsky, answers that question reasonably well.

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.

Mirjana Karanovic (Esma) and Luna Mijovic (Sara) give powerful performances as Zbanic imbues a simple story with a powerful commentary on the Bosnian war's devastating impact on the innocent.

One of the most original and stylish films to come along this year.

Beautifully composed documentary.

It isn't recommended for impressionable children, who might well experience nightmares. But for grown-ups looking for an alternative to the annual onslaught of ho-ho-ho Christmas tales, the visually pleasing oddity is just the thing, even if it does slow down in its middle portion before picking up again.