Has plenty of funny moments, but there's no chemistry between stars Ben Stiller and Jennifer Aniston. It's hard to accept that these two characters are, or even could be, in love. So, while the film is pleasant and sporadically entertaining, it can't be considered an unequivocal success.

The film occasionally pokes fun at itself, although not nearly as often as it should. I don't recommend it for anything more significant than a bottom-of-the-barrel rental or a desperation cable choice, but it delivers what it advertises, and I suppose that could be considered a virtue.

Chasing Liberty is not daring or adventurous, but, considering its release date (early January), it's more palatable than one might anticipate.

Looks at isolation and the fragility of human relationships. It's a poignant, unsettling motion picture that will baffle those who have become used to Hollywood's compact, tidy endings.

It's certainly a successful adaptation, features numerous memorable performances (mostly by the supporting players), and is worth a post-holiday expenditure of time and money.

With a script that waffles between being hilariously absurd and insultingly stupid, and action scenes that won't cause anyone's pulse to skip a beat, Paycheck is less appealing than a lump of coal in a Christmas stocking.

Unlike last year's disastrous "Pinocchio" with Roberto Benigni, this movie proves worth the time, effort, and money to get the whole family to a theater.

This is a dull, lifeless production that will find favor only with those with an insider's perspective or who feel compelled to praise the acclaimed director's every film, no matter how out-of-touch and pretentious it may be.

A compelling, thought-provoking, and unsettling drama.

The most likely facial expression to be elicited by Mona Lisa Smile is a grimace.

McNamara has a reputation for being intelligent and belligerent. The Fog of War validates the former characteristic, but not necessarily the latter.

This is a hard, challenging motion picture. It demands much from the audience, and repays that investment with powerful, engrossing drama that does not offer insulting, facile answers. House of Sand and Fog is gripping and unforgettable, one of the best movies of 2003.

Unfortunately, the material doesn't justify the talent. These women deserve more than Calendar Girls ultimately gives them.

Labeling this as a "movie" is almost an injustice. This is an experience of epic scope and grandeur, amazing emotional power, and relentless momentum.

One of those films that does many things right, and that places it among the year's best period pieces. It's a cut above the usual BBC costume drama.

The result is an atrociously unfunny, unromantic, and unpleasant product.

Despite the weak dialogue, there are still some laughs to be had. At the end of this long journey, we're rooting for Harry and Erica to be together. For the movie to get us to that point, regardless of its motives and methods, it can't be all bad.

It's the most disappointing thing to come from the brothers in years.

Big Fish is a clever, smart fantasy that targets the child inside every adult, without insulting the intelligence of either.

A rousing tale that combines high adventure with emotional effectiveness. This movie works because it never loses sight of the characters no matter how epic the scope becomes.

Agreeable enough motion picture, but not one that leaves any sort of lasting impression.

The acting is uniformly superb.

A highly satirical work, albeit without the "in your face" style of "South Park."

It has two modes: dark and darker, and dares to do some things with the Christmas motif that haven't been done since Norman Rene's "Reckless."

It's dull, childish, and uninspired.

Boring and repetitive.

The best part of the film, unsurprisingly, is William H. Macy's low-key portrayal of Bernie.

A stunning kaleidoscope of a motion picture - a mosaic of images that gradually resolves itself into a powerful tale of tragedy and redemption.