The Boy in the Striped Pajamas should be heartbreaking, but it isn't. The muted quality of its impact is the result of narrative shortcuts and a desire to keep the images from being too startling.

An intriguing and satisfying romance that may hold some appeal even for those who normally do not like films about affairs of the heart.

For the most part, this is a memorable portrayal of a woman who doggedly pursued, and died for, an ideal.

The movie is loud, fun, quick moving, and features some nice acting turns.

Legend seems like a movie Scorsese might have made if he wasn’t paying attention - the elements are present but they are clumsily assembled and the outcome underwhelms.

With more attention to detail, this could have worked, but the time travel aspects are so badly executed that the movie as a whole falters and eventually rips apart at the seams.

The problem with Mr. and Mrs. Smith is that it's really two movies in one. The first is a sly comedy/thriller worthy of Hitchcock, and the other is a big, noisy summer action flick.

The violence has the straightforward, unflinching characteristic evident in "Reservoir Dogs" and "Pulp Fiction," although Yakin's dialogue falls considerably short of Tarantino's, both in terms of substance and offbeat humor.

Despite a promising premise and effective "Shyamalan twist", this low-budget horror film still underwhelms. "The Sixth Sense" writer/director is his own worst enemy in the choices he makes bringing The Visit to the screen.

There's nothing especially wrong with Nim's Island, but there's not a lot right about it either.

Even those approaching Megalopolis with an open mind and fully expecting to see an expensive and expansive art film may be disappointed by the result. The more I reflect on the movie, the more convinced I become that the things Coppola does well are dwarfed by missed opportunities and outright missteps.

The Hundred-Foot Journey represents a pleasant diversion for those who have grown weary of traditional summer movie fare. The picture is about people and how they interact. There are no explosions or car chases.

Aquaman refuses to do anything original or unpredictable and turns into a by-the-numbers tale of how the trident-carrying King of Atlantis becomes a protector of both land and sea. It accomplishes this by hoping that special effects saturation will compensate for screenplay weaknesses.

In the end, you have to possess a sweet spot for Black and his antics to find Tenacious D more than barely watchable.

Violent Night isn’t going to go down as a classic (although it may have cult classic potential) but, despite all the gore and violence and other R-rated material, it’s arguably less offensive than the kind of bilge proliferated by Netflix and Lifetime/Hallmark/etc. in the name of Holiday Cheer. There are certainly worse ways to spend a chilly December evening.

Appealing and genial with plenty of solid laughs, and worthy of a recommendation for those who appreciate this kind of thing. Just don't expect material that's edgy, dark, or challenging. Consider Love Actually the antidote to "Mystic River."

The 2014 iteration isn't as good as its 1974 predecessor but it offers its share of small pleasures, not the least of which is the crisp, sharp dialogue that never loses its punch even when it veers close to the edge of pretentiousness.

There’s a tiny problem, though: Clementine is neither erotic nor a thriller.

Despite a too-long running time of 144 minutes (the entirety of which much be endured to get to the post-credits scene), the story feels slight. There’s a strong emotional hook but it doesn’t fully compensate for all the half-baked story elements that litter the film.

Admittedly, mediocre Sayles is still watchable, but, relative to expectations, Casa de los Babys is a disappointment of significant proportions.

The key to the film's success is that it uses the burned out premise as the springboard for a comedy, not an action flick.

May not be an absolute triumph, but it's significantly better than just a good effort.

If you liked "Zombieland," you’ll probably like Zombieland: Double Tap, just not as much. It has some good laughs, although they don’t come as frequently. It has some clever moments, but not as many. And the character interaction is fun, at least most of the time.

Unfortunately, much of what's good about Promised Land is easily forgotten as a result of the preachy, impossible-to-swallow final 15 minutes in which the protagonist is subjected to character assassination, the screenplay turns into a sermon, and narrative intelligence is discarded in favor of a message.

A lot of people are going to describe it as a waste of time, yet there's a likeability to the quirky characters that held my interest while tickling my funny bone.

The resulting hodgepodge of unfunny, sophomoric humor and PG-13 T&A, frosted by a sheen of appallingly nauseous "drama," makes for such a noxious brew that it's amazing viewers stay in their seats for the entire production.

The film's disappointingly black-and-white approach robs characters and situations of badly needed ambiguity.

There are those who will see this as a silly fantasy, but they have either missed or chosen not to feel the magic woven by The Sandlot. Predictable as the movie is, the Field of Dreams quality is not the only thing to like about The Sandlot.