OK, the premise may be a little hard to take, but there's plenty of good writing here, anyway.

The best fairy tales always have so much darkness in them. That's why they resonate so deeply. This is a magnificent film.

"Taxi” captures the evil that many men do under the guise of American justice. Just as Bardem's menacing Chigurh approaches his targets in "No Country," American military administrators approached Afghan detainees with shackles and convoluted policy in their pockets.

If anyone can figure out the cosmic significance of the film's omnipresent pine tree car fresheners, you're a better man than me.

Pig takes itself way too seriously, making some interesting storytelling choices.

Give Me Liberty, is one of the most sensitive, compassionate, and poignant movies of the year. Although it is officially classified as a comedy, as it is filled with hilarious and entertaining moments, it is so much more and will make you feel a whole spectrum of emotions. Give Me Liberty is a humanist film at heart with a bona fide independent spirit.

Alas, the big screen also magnifies the problems with Once Upon a Time in the West. Specifically, Leone’s insistence on style trumped the need for substance. The film is basically a B-Western stretched an agonizing 165 minutes.

Perhaps one day, gender will cease to be an object of discrimination, but that day is still far off. In the meantime, we need warriors like these brilliant composers to wage war against a stacked patriarchal system.

Suffice it to say that MacDonald has made the finest mountain climbing movie you are likely ever to come across. The cinematography is awesome, the score by Alex Heffes terrific, the reenactments remarkably credible.

The film reveals a man whose wiry build, relentless passion, fearless guile, and bravery made him a beloved human rights activist in his strife-ridden country.

There’s a reason 70s cinema is so revered for astounding character studies. In this age of superheroes, it is nice to have a throwback that lets us see some normal humans working out their differences the old-fashioned way — by being stuck together.

Here’s a film so quietly visceral it can sear through metal, “quietly” being the keyword. Don’t come in expecting a no-holds-barred assault on the senses. Nor is this a metal music extravaganza. The bulk of the film is silent, deliberate. We are thrust inside Ruben’s mind to hear what he hears, a pulsating, muted nothing, which is then jarringly contrasted with everyday sounds when we’re yanked back out of his head. The sound mixing and editing are nothing short of phenomenal in Sound of Metal.

Exhibiting Forgiveness is a must-see movie for its universal message of family…and for the great performances and art. Kaphar will immerse you in pain and guide you to hope in the end.

The film is an exquisite journey, wonderfully acted, sublimely shot, and thoughtfully conceived.

There were so many pointless monologues. I felt like I was watching reality-show confessionals.

With exceptional performances and extraordinary imagery, Zvyagintsev has fashioned a remarkable first feature.

Culled from the over 100 hours of videotape Bindler and his tiny band of masochists shot during the contest and mixed with priceless pre-contest interviews, Hands… was far and away the most hysterical and engaging documentary since Spinal Tap, only this was for real.

The thematic equilibrium within Smoke Sauna Sisterhood does not negate the male gaze. Rather, it asserts the feminine. Through confession and testimony, women become embodied. Witnesses, irrespective of gender, fortify their truth.

It's tough and cold and gives an inside look at poverty in America. Yet the film is also incredibly compelling and intense and I can't think of another film that's this small and powerful.

As tired as we are now of origins, Superman set the gold standard for such stories.

Roher is profoundly lucky to have been around when Navalny’s harrowing story needed to be told, and so are we.

Over the course of 93 minutes, Madeline’s Madeline simultaneously feels like nothing happens and everything happens. It’s a strange, sometimes frustrating dichotomy that ultimately gives the film its bizarre edge.

Soft and Quiet is the most unsettling real-life horror movie since Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer. The seemingly uninterrupted single take with a handheld camera fits the production perfectly.

Farhadi is, of course, excellent at revealing character through people thrust into morally complicated circumstances. This is achieved here through a slow build and a masterfully nuanced set of character choices.

Eggers immerses us in the world of Norse mythology, where Odin reigns supreme and Valkyries carry you to Valhalla if you die in battle. Visually and technically, the movie is a marvel.

A stirring and touching production, and it is difficult not to be moved by the women’s medical progress. However, it suffers from a somewhat leisurely pacing.

There isn’t as much art as you would expect, but it is more about what goes into the exam to be a part of the Academy of Fine Arts. The film creates a picture that is quite unique in one way or another.

An enlightening experience that explains what cystic fibrosis as well as why someone wracked with pain from it might want to hurt themselves.