Reportedly, at least two more “Alien” prequels are planned. If they’re half as good as this one, prepare to tremble.

Notwithstanding the characters’ spiritual camaraderie, Salles’ emphasizes the hard physical labor and loneliness in Sal’s story, including the jittery rigors of the writing process. When he reaches a crossroads choice between down-and-out Dean and his own rising career, Sal senses that except for the words on a typewritten scroll, his life on the road is gone, real gone.

Most important, Taraporevala and Nair have created a seamless story that entertains, informs -- and maybe even teaches. [28 Feb 1992, p.75]

Rappeneau and Jean-Claude Carriere, who combined on the most recent adaptation and screenplay, have opened up Rostand's work far more than could be done on a stage - and it works brilliantly. [26 Dec 1990, p.3F]

If you’ve got a hankering for a Western, Hostiles is must-viewing.

They have the perfect supporting cast, made up of a group of exceptional real-life musicians: retired members of orchestras and opera companies, and a pianist bristling with the suppressed impatience of the longtime accompanist. (To see who they are, stick around for the credits.)

The Lovers is the rare film that acknowledges that romance isn’t limited to people in their 20s and 30s. It’s also a smart, quirky comedy that moviegoers of any age should find eminently appealing.

Both arduous and artful, City of Life and Death is the best imaginable movie about the genocidal siege that's now called the Rape of Nanking. Anything more explicit would be unwatchable; anything more contemplative would be a betrayal of the sustained suffering.

Macbeth takes liberties with the particulars of the Shakespeare play, but is fascinatingly true to its spirit.

For a public that's been bullied by the tastemakers, the mystery is a gift. Once we exit this fun house, the only giant left to obey is ourselves.

This reboot starring some of today’s finest comic actors — male or female — is a wonderfully hilarious and boldly imaginative creation in its own right.

Starts out so promisingly that it's a huge disappointment when it ultimately becomes way too predictable - and unbelievable. It's as if "Raging Bull" suddenly morphed into "Rocky."

If you’re looking for a film that will keep you thrillingly off-balance, this is the place.

If you’re open to embracing a film that declines to pander to expectations, you should definitely make a date with The Lobster.

The Rover is a sterling example of the new Australian noir.

Directed by Steve James, whose “Hoop Dreams” Ebert hailed as the best film of the 1990s, it’s the kind of documentary the dying man wanted — honest, humane and inclusive.

Fresh and delightfully offbeat, The Accountant proves that a thriller can be complex and nuanced while fulfilling its mission to entertain.

Next of Kin is a fast-paced, crisply directed, very entertaining genre movie. It has a lot more style and wit than most of the serious fare that's around. [25 Oct 1989, p.3E]

He’s like a globe-trotting Richard Linklater. And with Winterbottom’s first-ever sequel, his “Trip” films now rival Linklater’s “Before” series in charting how a twosome evolves over time. Plus, they’re bloody hilarious.

James Franco is fascinatingly weird as Wiseau, and brother Dave Franco complements him perfectly as a regular guy who has little choice but to go with his flow.

Love & Mercy is artfully but unobtrusively directed by Bill Pohlad.

The multiplexes are full of films that promise little more than a forgettable good time. The Man Who Knew Infinity is just as entertaining, but far more substantial.

It’s not only a fresh and funny spoof of the movie business, it represents a real-life triumph within it.

A gripping account of a pivotal moment in the early days of World War II, grounded by an Oscar-worthy performance by Oldman.

Using a screenplay by Allan Scott, Roeg directs with care, blending fantasy and whimsy with a chilling touch of evil. It works and it works well. [21 Feb 1991, p.4E]

It’s hard to imagine a better Belle than Watson, who radiates much the same intelligence and spunk that she brought to Hermione in the “Harry Potter” films. And Dan Stevens (“Downton Abbey”) is excellent as the soulful Beast.

The most exhilarating film of the year is also the most exhausting.

Star Trek Into Darkness offers much of what the fans expect and not much of what they don't. This character-driven vehicle is a supercharged example of cinematic craftsmanship.