As with most political thrillers, The Ghost Writer emphasizes plot development and atmosphere over action. It's an "adult" thriller as opposed to one designed for viewers suffering from ADD.

The root problem with The Wolfman is that it's a hybrid.

The film's main problems are script-related. Most of the stories aren't merely perfunctory; they're superficial.

The appeal is there for those who crave formulaic romantic drama, but there's little of interest for a wider audience.

It's pure comic book/popcorn action. If that's your kind of movie, it's hard to go wrong with this one.

Considering the talent involved and the strength of the source material, there's no way Edge of Darkness should have been this disappointing. Part of the problem is a direct result of condensation - there's no way to cram six hours of the dense mini-series upon which the movie is based into about 110 minutes without paying a penalty.

It is neither deep nor intelligent, but it's not intended to be either. The saving grace of the otherwise generic product is that Bell's vivacity and Duhamel's rakish charm allow the viewer to root for them.

The most intriguing aspects of Extraordinary Measures relate to the behind-the-scenes politicking that goes on to keep the drug development on track, although the screenplay cheats toward the end (presumably because of time constraints and a concern that too much detail might bore audiences).

A compelling piece of cinema.

The problem with The Book of Eli is that the narrative isn't a match for its sentiments. The script feels like it's an iteration or two short of a final draft.

It's not comfortable but it is engrossing.

On balance, however, there are more things to like about Daybreakers than to dislike. The production is loaded with impressive touches, some more nuanced than others.

We believe the dislike at the onset but not the romance at the payoff. And that's a major flaw.

From the beginning, it's apparent that there's something "off" about Youth in Revolt. It's not that the film is fatally flawed, but the tone is uneven, the satire is blunt, the comedy rarely generates more than feeble laughs, and the lead character never comes fully to life.

Wonderful World feels like a modern-day half-baked riff on Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol."

As in all powerful films, the content unfolds onion-like, with each level being peeled back to show something fascinating beneath.

The reason Sherlock Holmes fails at least as often as it succeeds is because more effort and attention was lavished upon the concept than upon the script. Given a worthy story, Downey's Holmes might have been memorable. Here, he's an interesting character in search of a worthwhile story.

Ends up being one of the end-year's best sources of pure entertainment. And for those who believe laughter is the best medicine, there's more than a bellyful or two to be found here.

A movie assembled from diverse pieces that don't quite match. It's the cinematic equivalent of a patchwork quilt.

Did You Hear about the Morgans? Yes and, to be perfectly frank, I wish I had been spared the experience.

Avatar is entertainment of the highest order. It's the best movie of 2009.

Despite following its stage inspiration and bringing structure to Fellini's "8 1/2" (the ultimate source material), Nine still suffers at times from a lack of narrative drive and it doesn't have the surreal, dreamlike quality of "8 1/2" to fall back upon.

The Young Victoria feels like a wasted opportunity and is among the least impressive in a long line of motion pictures about British royalty.

Crazy Heart is the country music version of "The Wrestler": a grizzled veteran whose days in the spotlight are behind him struggles to keep going while seeing the world through a haze of regret and booze.

The story told by Jackson's The Lovely Bones is the same as the one related by Sebold, but it lacks the complexity and empathy evident in the book.

Eastwood has crafted something that works both as a sports drama and as an examination of the birth pains of the racially unified South Africa.

A Single Man tells us about love, isolation, and sorrow, but never makes us feel any of those things.

Brothers is arguably the most successful remake of a foreign film since Martin Scorsese reworked "Infernal Affairs" into "The Departed" and won the Oscar.