The 3-D format is mostly wasted, and the production so slick we never truly feel like part of that screaming audience. For fans only.

(Rourke's) nearly unrecognizable presence is characteristic of the odd pockets of talent (and, sometimes, lint) in Steve Buscemi's film.

It's no easy trick to invite viewers into an utterly bleak setting populated by the dissatisfied and small-minded. But a droll script and generally deft direction make the Icelandic chill surprisingly inviting.

It's a virtual clip reel of grandly comic moments that remind us what a good actress can do when parts are scarce.

Mood is more important to Not Fade Away than anything, but writer-director David Chase, who turned mood into masterpiece with every season of "The Sopranos," allows nostalgic feeling to be the sole reason for this, his first feature film.

Many of the right elements -- the '40s look, the melodrama, the love that transcends reason.

Intermittently compelling biography.

Dublin-born Byrne and native New Yorker Linney...are both exceptional at depicting characters about to burst from inner turmoil, and Linney, in particular, is heartbreaking.

It's not a pretty picture, but it sure is a compelling one.

Wan's secret weapons are clearly Wilson and Farmiga, both such good actors they're able to sell the audience on everything the Warrens experience. The duo also does a great job selling the romantic bond between the Warrens, which helps you fall in love with them as much as you end up falling for the entire Hodgson family.

Can't get the kids in your life to pay enough attention to homework? Show them Tom Shepard's terrific documentary, and you might just light a fire.

Unfortunately, despite the sweaty, tense atmosphere, Viva Riva becomes derivative of the duller scenes in other gangster flicks.

While Lucky Them may not be a classic, the actors at least find a cool groove.

Sigourney Weaver is a riot in the cynical Faye Dunaway network boss role.

Darker than the shadow of death.

Keshavarz's vision is clear and heartfelt, and everyone has an urgency in their eyes.

Most of its features work fine, and it will dazzle you with its tricks and illusions. But it is not what it claims to be on the package.

Though it's ultimately rather heavy-handed, this drama about an Iranian-American family is heartfelt and topical.

When Anderson allows the experts - or simply those most deeply impacted by the changes - to speak, the film has a powerful urgency.

the director works way too hard to cover his tracks, and the resolution is a disappointment - if you get it at all.

"Parnassus," while not unwatchable, is also an elephantine mess.

Visually arresting but thematically uneven, Gerardo Naranjo's fictional snapshot of a gritty Mexican beach is simply too desperate to shock us.

Fanning's Currie grabs the spotlight immediately, and never lets go.

Maguire’s portrayal of Fischer’s volatility, disconnect and inner demons is gripping. It’s his best performance since “Wonder Boys” (2000). Schreiber hardly says anything, yet he’s gloweringly good. He acts with his jowls and brow and swept-back hair, making the sort-of rock-’n’-roll Spassky a polar opposite, but strategic equal, to Fischer. Saarsgaard is also terrific, lending a quiet air of solemnity and thoughtfulness.

Unfortunately, Bate saddles his otherwise compelling chronicle with awkward re-creations and an aggressively overbearing narration.

When Marilyn Monroe appears, things stop. She is, as portrayed by Michelle Williams, a strange and beautiful alien: Unpredictable, odd, magnetic.

As for Ginsberg himself: Should we be more impressed that Radcliffe so confidently portrays an actual icon, or that he banishes all memories of the fictional one he’s portrayed before? Both accomplishments suggest that he’s got real talent, and a future that’s already taking him well past Harry Potter.

Entertaining, inventive and old-fashioned in the best way.