The spontaneous performances of the duo are half the battle for the success, but definitely, Ms. Israel is also influential and decisive as she merges both the comedy and drama genres with gracious artistry.

While I did enjoy the ride I took with the film, after the lights came up I was just thrilled Lynch was allowed to create such a journey for us to go on. Imagine what the cinema world would be like if more great directors threw caution to the wind and followed their artistic vision. It's a world I'd like to see and I hope Lynch continues to pave the way.

While this is skillfully made in all of its technical aspects, it stands as a missed opportunity for someone of Eom Tae-haw’s talent.

The film has a whimsical surreality to it, just like the actor himself.

The Fight is a fantastic documentary highlighting the real heroes out there: the overworked attornies of the ACLU.

Like any great Robin Williams film, Robin’s Wish has moments of joy, nostalgia, heartbreak, and, most of all, hope.

Wordplay is...well...just about as exciting as a feature length movie about people solving crossword puzzles can be. Not very.

What sets Robert Fisk apart from the rest is he’s on the ground and in the middle of the action. He is amazingly able to travel (sometimes) to both sides of a conflict and personally eyewitness the event from both perspectives. This is the heart of This is Not a Movie.

Every square inch of this picture is fascinating, whether for the fresh faces or those who have been fans of Cheech and Chong for years.

Resembling a gradual immersion into a fever dream, the film slyly pays tribute to surrealist greats like Alejandro Jodorowsky and Dario Argento (“presented by” the latter director, it wears the tag proudly), yet also introduces a unique new talent with a fresh, distinct vision.

What Haynes has essentially done is create a film that is a Bob Dylan song, one of his best.

I love the fact that they told a straightforward, insightful story that doesn’t feel the need to push the “message.” At the same time, Inside Out 2 misses that quest for excellence and instead goes for good enough.

Even if you have no idea what French philosopher Jacques Derrida's theories are about, allow your mind the chance to be teased and twisted by the unique new documentary.

Moretti's actual direction is always simple, perhaps plain, but this no-frills approach allows him to gently craft a story full of poignant episodes, building toward a melancholy but genuinely uplifting conclusion.

tThe resulting hodgepodge is a medley of the brothers’ favorite verbal and visual tics, making much noise and signifying nothing.

Over all, though, the picture fires on all pistons. The globetrotting's a good time-I can't think of another spy film that's featured as delightful an assortment of seamy international undersides.

A good film, but it should’ve been a great one.

The Fall Guy is a fun action flick with something for everyone.

The story is about being held accountable for your actions and making things right. But it’s also about the love and honesty of family and, ultimately, forgiveness.

Wicked: Part 1 is an incredible adaptation that captures the core of what fans adore about the stage musical while offering its own cinematic flourishes. Despite a few pacing hiccups, Jon M. Chu’s direction and the cast’s passionate performances create a magical journey worth experiencing.

The Lavender Scare is essential to watch and an excellently produced documentary about a time the communist threat overshadowed the so-called “gay threat” from our history books.

The Biggest Little Farm not only has by-the-minute drama and an ever-present tension between success and failure, but as an accomplished cinematographer, the film’s images of the farm is breathtaking.

After a slowly developed first section, the low-key indie drama gets some grittiness coming from the hostile relationships, leading us to an offbeat finale that, understandably, may be classified as pointless or unsatisfying by many viewers.

If you want to hear the story of dreamers fulfilling their outlandish dreams, this is the film.

A Disturbance in the Force covers everything about the Star Wars Holiday Special in such a hilarious and entertaining way that it would make even Darth Vader chuckle. The Force is strong with this one.

Borrowing more than its title from the Frank Capra social comedy, this underdog tale is a rough gem.

There’s nothing new and nothing we haven’t seen, which means every single moment and plot twist is familiar and predictable.

An ambitious, smartly edited documentary epic by a pair of journalists who tenaciously followed their subjects over the course of seven years, the film is both intimate and sweeping.

Believe it or not, most of the empathy here is with Wand Jean's legal team. Yes, the lawyers.

Some viewers may not be receptive to the nihilistic tone in the film. Many of life’s important moments don’t result in a happy ending, and there isn’t necessarily one here either. This Closeness will, however, leave you thinking about relationships in your own life and where there might be room for improvement.

All the well-directed decision-making made by Affleck to present a known story reveals how screenwriter Alex Convery crafted a script where actors had the freedom to embrace their characters to the core. And adding the Affleck-Damon recipe makes it even better.

Just about the truest and most satisfying screen adaptation most anyone could have ever hoped for.

It checks all the boxes you want in a fun, summer action film while not insulting your intelligence.

Kitano treated us to a similarly complex crime drama, Fireworks, but Sonatine (which was made in 1994) is a darker, deeper, more polished work.

The film is a bore.

There’s a throughline in this country’s history that goes from The Asian Exclusion Act to Chol Soo Lee’s case to publicized cases in the last few years of hate crimes against Asians. Free Chol Soo Lee reminds us that when we sit on the sideline and do not actively fight against discrimination and the stereotyping of Asians, real people, such as Chol Soo Lee, suffer.

Shepard is smart enough to helm Unsettled as more than just an observational documentary. He wants the viewer to be stirred and inspire them to act for change. He does so by employing a fantastic score that perfectly matches the highs and lows these people experience. And instead of going for big and flashy, Shepard keeps the focus rather grounded, which makes it more intimate, thus more emotionally rewarding.

I'll just say to anyone lamenting the state of American cinema since the 1970s, if you're curious where the next generation of auteurs is coming from, look in the art houses and look in The Matrix.

The overarching story is outstanding and heartbreaking. An incredible amount of material was uncovered and discovered to construct the film.

The world of Calle Málaga is small. It takes place on a simple street in a simple town where everyone knows everyone else. Everyone is cordial and competitive at the same time, as the film focuses on the place we call home and how leaving can be a bitter pill to take. In the end, this family drama hits you in the feels like a warm cup of cocoa before turning in for the night.

I’m Not Scared manages to convey a truthful approach to the beginning of the end of childhood.

Beyond any contention is Morgan Spurlock's gift for metabolizing common knowledge into uncommonly entertaining cinema.

Equally charming and addicting all the way through.

Second Skin is pretty interesting fare. The film delves into some insane outsourcing to China that gamers are involved with as well as the effect the games can have both positively and negatively.

Cantet weaves a dark, disturbing story of hedonism, casual racism and the lethal consequences of self-indulgence in his superb drama Heading South.

Solid debut effort from Lisa Cholodenko.

Superb acting by all the leads and supporting players populate the desolate landscape with human dramas large and small in a place where people scrape a living out of harsh conditions.

The film is never less than gripping, and past a certain point, you have no idea where this movie is going. With neither the budget nor the technology for flashy effects, the filmmakers had to fall back on quality acting, writing, directing, and editing. They succeeded.

In the end, the film and its storytelling is meh.

Montana Story is a solid film set on a standard story structure.

As he did with “The English Patient,” director Minghella performs a miraculous juggling act, balancing his epic, sweeping story with the subtleties of character and detail that make Cold Mountain breathe.

Emergency is a sharp, farcical comedy with a message.

This is one of those films that will either hit it big as an indie crossover like "Little Miss Sunshine,” or just make some money and become a film nerd favorite. Either way I recommend you don’t miss this awkwardly fun gem.

Mija captures the true essence of everyone involved, and nothing appears to be falsified or altered for false dramatics.

Never Gonna Snow Again says so much with so little: how thinly shielded these people are from the encroaching doom, how said doom is brought about by utter ignorance (an extended shot of a tree being devoured by metallic jaws scars the soul), and how this distance from the realities of the world manifests itself in their distance from each other.

Bobbing and weaving between the metaphysical and physical, the past and the present, the film is a challenging narrative that rewards the patient viewer with insight into the creative, improvisational process of its visionary protagonist who is regarded as one of the fathers of form.

Sheep Without A Shepherd is good fun as both an action flick and a heartfelt crime-thriller at the same time. In case you were wondering, the ending is fantastic, which is traditionally problematic for thrillers in general. It wraps everything up nicely and in a satisfying way.

Powerful, infuriating, and ultimately sobering. Make an effort to see it.

Gran Torino is not a masterpiece. It’s a fun character drama that features a knowing but winning final performance by Clint Eastwood and just enough commentary to make it worth discussing.

The beautiful surprise of Honey Boy is it never feels like LaBeouf revels in the chance to put the spotlight on himself. He wrote the film while in rehab and every moment of the movie feels like an artist in search of a desperately craved and needed catharsis.

The Killer is an action film with verve and brains to spare.

This is one intensely-flavored meal that begs to be swallowed in a single bite. Compliments to the chef.

If Cars is indicative of the kind of movie we can expect from Pixar post-Disney merger, well, there's always Miyazaki.

Ultimately, Slay the Dragon emphatically proves that no matter how rigged the system is and how high the opposition is stacked against you, it is possible to make changes if you’re passionate and articulate enough to convince your neighbors that something has to be done.

Thankfully there's nothing remotely serious about Zombieland. It's just a heck of carnival attraction (Shoot the ducks/Shoot the zombies) on a roller coaster filled with laughs.

Succeeds at pushing the technology as well as and offering intelligent family fare that won't leave adults bored. Great fun.

It is worthy of your time, simply because of the brilliant acting and the first and final acts but... the middle of the film feels like an endurance challenge.

It doesn't disappoint. It gets the job done thanks in large part to the breakout performance given by Galifianakis. It's no "Old School," but it will do nicely until that film's anticipated sequel rolls around in 2011.

Although, like its main character, Hive is more on the low-key and pensive side, it is nonetheless a gut-punching and measured film. It is about the consequences of warfare and the many wounds those who survive have to tend to in order to create a new normal after years of utter tragedy, such as the genocide and massacres that happened in many villages like Krusha during the Kosovo War.

The heart of Ray, of course, is the music and, whatever other shortcomings the film may have, it does not fall short as a showcase for the artist's greatest hits.

The writing is crisp and deeply layered, and the filmmakers gave themselves a rich array of actors to work with.

I think its quirky charm and sense of humor will turn off a lot of people, but if you’re into the weird and unusual you might want to give Dead Pigs a look. It’s far from great, but it’s an entertaining and pleasant enough watch.

The July 4th release is fitting, for Thompson was a true patriot. His longstanding association with the counterculture notwithstanding, Thompson loved this country and the things it once stood for, and his voice is sorely missed today, and whether you were a fan of his work or not, you'll find Gonzo well worth your time.

The Devil’s Bath is one of the more memorable foreign horror movies in some time.

One of the coolest and most memorable films of 2005 – I just want to see it again.

Congrats to Jared Bush and the Walt Disney Animation team for an overall solid effort with Zootopia 2. I can’t wait to see what you have coming next.

It features likable characters, and though it may not offend or make you laugh, it ultimately leaves you smiling. However, you can’t help but feel a sense of loss regarding the potential the film and its story had to be truly great.

Director Anthony Giacchino realizes what an engaging tale he’s uncovered, and stays back to let the members tell their story.

Like the inferno it depicts, Laxe’s film casts an entrancing spell.

The Mother And The Bear is a very different spin on the romantic comedy and self-actualization tale. By combining the two, Johnny Ma creates a distinct and engaging story. It is led by the brilliant Kim Ho-Jung, who is aided by a wonderful supporting cast. The music also does a lot of heavy-lifting, emotionally speaking, and everything just comes together in a truly sweet and life-affirming way.

The best movie ever made about baseball, and it's not even really that close... "Major League" was funny, but Bull Durham is funny, literate, romantic, and overwhelmingly adherent to the idiosyncracies of the game.

Haynes carefully navigates the risky terrain of presenting real people (who are still among us) and facts in a scripted feature film, artfully blurring the lines between documentary and drama.

The scenes feel real and both Duplass and Aselton do a great job duking it out. The Puffy Chair combines great original comedy and solid acting to make a fun movie.

Ultimately, Lee lets the men and their show speak for themselves as showmen, plain and simple.

Whilst not an A grade psychological profile by any means, Ray has still crafted a meticulously enjoyable film. It’s as gripping as it is disturbing, and as well performed as it is mysterious.

Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou has created so many memorable films (most recently the wuxia double-play "Hero" and "House of Flying Daggers") that one can easily excuse his new clinker Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles.

I thoroughly enjoyed the street level perspective of the world being destroyed, it just would've been nice if they hadn't crapped out at the end.

Seek out In My Mother’s Skin, only if you wish to experience a grim, old-timey fairy tale. This one is guaranteed to give you nightmares.