The result is a film that is at once sobering and thoughtful -- and, yes, uncomfortable, at times. But it's a necessary uncomfortable.

More than anything else, however, director Jacques Audiard's gritty, grab-you-by-the-shirtfront film is a mob movie -- a really, really good mob movie. Think "GoodFellas," but with Gauloises and accent aigu instead of plates of spaghetti and accent Pesci.

It is strange. It is stylish. It is at once daring, funny, beautiful and surreal.

There's something Shakespearean about it. From the case of mistaken identity (though willfully mistaken) to the formal, old-fashioned language to the tragic tone in which it is all swaddled, this is Shakespeare by way of the Deep South.

With Spotlight, we get a reminder of the vital importance of an independent, professional press to any community.

Not only is it a searing on-the-ground, in-the-fray portrait of the heart of Egypt's ongoing revolution, but it is also a stirring tribute to the indomitable spirit of those who are risking, and in many cases giving, their lives to keep it alive.

Opening a window into a wounded soul, it reminds us that beneath even the most brusque, hard-to-approach exterior often lies a human being bearing the scars of real, sometimes devastating human experiences. Also like "Moonlight," it is one of the best films of 2016, and one not to be missed.

All music docs are not created equal. Yes, some are formulaic. But some are beautiful, some are singular, some are marvels of storytelling. And some, like Searching for Sugar Man, are all three.

Inside Out isn't just a movie. It's a doctoral dissertation on human psychology, with a bit of therapy on the side. Miraculously, it's fun, to boot.

Watching Mud unfold, one suspects that the Arkansas-reared Nichols remembers exactly what it was like to be a boy of the Southern wilds.

Louis Malle's excellent new film "Damage" - the year's first "must-see" for serious movie-goers - ought to remind both critics and audiences of a number of things of which we tend to lose sight. First, while there are few if any "new" stories to tell, the old ones will do just fine if the filmmakers reconstitute them with insight and craftsmanship. Second, in the right hands pulp novels often make better movies than classics (remember "Gone With the Wind"?), if only because it's easier to add than to subtract layers of psychological texture. And third, even movies that seem to be "about" sex are interesting only if they're really about the people behind the acts - assuming, of course, that the people are worth the bother. [22 Jan 1993, p.L22]

As one who first saw Grey Gardens two decades ago, I can happily confirm that its impact is lasting. [3 July 1998, p.L34]

Disney's unrivaled ability to wed emotional depth to high-tech razzle-dazzle endows Toy Story with its authentic heart and soul. [24 Nov 1995, p.L28]

It is edifying, it is emotionally engaging, it is embraceable.

As a result, Hereafter isn't so deep that it will change the way many people think about the afterlife. But it is heartfelt and thoughtful and, in a way, comforting.

A small, wonderfully minimalist film that nonetheless packs an emotional wallop while delivering a beautifully heartbreaking portrait of the power of human connection.

A story of hope amid the ruins -- one that everybody can appreciate, no matter their politics.

The upshot is 141 minutes of visual rapture. [25 Aug 1995, p.L27]

With Knuckle, Palmer offers a thorough -- and extraordinarily compelling -- portrait of the Travellers.

The result isn't just the best new romantic comedy released so far this year, but one of the best comedies, period.

That character flaw makes for some great shock-fueled laughs in Lewis' film -- Giamatti does full-on comic rage as well as anyone.

Boasting a rich look and an engrossing storyline, it's the rare "to-be-continued" film that doesn't leave its audience feeling cheated.

This is the kind of movie that makes you want to sit through the credits, and not for some “hidden” scene featuring superheroes eating shawarma. Rather, it’s because it’s so pleasant you won’t want It Ain’t Over to be over.

Without subtitles this time, it also stands a very real chance of migrating out of America's art houses and into its multiplexes, where it can sink its teeth into a whole new audience.

The only waste would be if people didn't go see it.

This is a self-contained story that stands nicely on its own. How novel.

Bong's film starts out as a comedy, transforms into a quirky Agatha Christie whodunnit and finishes with an unpredictable Hitchcockian flourish.

The film -- lame of title but big on fun.