The Dying Gaul has the best kind of story in that it unfolds as a series of surprises, and yet every step, twist and turn seems inevitable in retrospect.

Compelling and frequently entertaining.

An old-fashioned and family-friendly comedy.

Yet, it's watchable -- not remotely enjoyable, but watchable.

A romantic saga that dares to ask realistic questions.

Basically, this is a really good movie until the last part, where director and co-writer Darren Lynn Bousman ruins so much so fast that you'll wonder if his actions are deliberate -- or if the studio interfered.

It works as an intriguingly offbeat character study while offering Nicolas Cage a chance to show why he used to be considered one of the top actors of his generation.

A compelling, tightly made political thriller.

A rare chance to see a major cinematic work on the big screen.

One is haunting and wonderful, one is very good, and one spoils the fun.

If this documentary never quite makes the case for the deeper artistic or cultural imprint of the Ballets Russes, it does convey its enduring presence in these dancers' lives.

Like most movies based on games, this film appears to have been quite literally doomed from the start.

As a sports drama -- a genre that's gotten entirely too much play lately -- "Dreamer" is singularly unexciting.

A film of wisdom, emotional subtlety and power.

Visuals can't fill a spiritual vacuum, and Stay remains a pretty package that's empty on the inside.

Has some hilarious moments and still succeeds in dramatic terms.

Gut-wrenching.

Powerful and depressing.

An inspirational and cautionary film.

You need not be a believer to appreciate its humor and humanity.

An often tender and revealing documentary.

Two hours of senselessness and overkill, decked out in lurid, bad-trip colors.

That gift doesn't desert him [Crowe] in Elizabethtown, but he clutters his movie with plot elements that confuse the focus, the central character and, ultimately, I suspect, Crowe himself.

High-gloss trash but compulsively watchable.

Richard Jenkins gives the standout supporting performance, worthy of Oscar consideration, as Josey's father, a miner unable to conceal his anger at his daughter for having a child out of wedlock and, now, creating dissension at his workplace.

Heart-wrenching.

Painfully sincere but tired.

An emotionally satisfying example of a genre whose sketchiness can be off-putting.