Perhaps best of all, this is a rare instance in which the 3-D, while not an asset, is at least not a detriment.

It's solidly entertaining for what it is and, while it does little to truly rejuvenate the franchise, at least it lessens the pain caused by two gimmicky cross-over pictures that sucked too much juice out of what was one of the 1980s' most surprisingly tense sci-fi action pictures.

Cholodenko, whose previous features include the pretentious "High Art" and the sudsy "Laurel Canyon," pitches The Kids Are All Right at right level - there's enough light comedy to leaven the melodrama and keep it from becoming overbearing.

A firecracker of a story - sharply written, superbly acted, and fast-paced.

The Last Airbender is an insult to anyone with a triple-digit I.Q. and a willingness to use it inside the confines of a movie theater. This is bad filmmaking and bad storytelling. It also sounds what should be the death knell to M. Night Shyamalan's career.

The movie is still incredibly silly but in a more boisterous way, like a comic book come to life.

No one in their right mind goes to an Adam Sandler movie for any reason other than to laugh, and Grown Ups delivers.

The movie is at its best when the audience is in the dark and, because our perspective is June's and she doesn't know what the hell is going on until well into the proceedings, that's when things are the most entertaining.

Toy Story 3 enhances the legacy of its brand while providing exceptional entertainment value for viewers of all ages, especially for those who favor the brighter, livelier 2-D iteration over the 3-D gimmick.

Never boring. It is, however, frustrating.

Cyrus is affecting, but not in a clean, easily recognizable way. It is funny, but in a warped manner more likely to provoke unease than unbridled laughter.

My admiration for I Am Love is higher than my appreciation, and its appeal will be limited to an exclusive audience.

As simple and straightforward a movie as one is likely to find in theaters today.

The problem with the film is that that story, hackneyed when it first made it to the screen in 1984, has grown only more tired over the past 26 years.

As it is, it's a passable diversion.

Winter's Bone is a welcome reminder that thrillers don't have to be loud and boisterous to grab the attention and keep it captive.

Splice is as much a psychological thriller and drama about bio-ethics as it is a horror movie. Like the vastly superior "The Fly," it uses gore sparingly; delivering shocks to the audience is a secondary consideration.

Turns out to be the funniest hard-R comedy since "The Hangover."

The real standout is Alfred Molina, hamming it up as a desert entrepreneur who races ostriches and avoids paying taxes.

There's little here that's new or interesting; the movie is for hard-core Romero devotees only.

Micmacs is an inventive romp punctuated by the kind of quirkiness Jeunet has brought to all his films.

The Father of My Children is exceptional drama. Compelling and unforced, it shows sensitivity and evenhandedness in approaching a difficult subject.

It's astounding how a movie this long could accomplish so little.

Although Shrek Forever After is not as funny or as impudent is its great-grandparent, some of its comedic jabs land solid blows to the funny bone.

Watching this movie, I wished I knew how to use dental floss, a paper clip, and a crumpled movie ticket to break the projector.

Solitary Man gives Douglas a chance to act, not merely posture or show off for the camera. It's some of the finest, least forced work he has done in years.

If this truly is Ridley Scott's preferred cut, he has proven unable to justify the existence of yet another Robin Hood film.

It is sweet and sentimental and embraces the fantasy (although it would have worked better without the treacly pop songs on the soundtrack).