Ondine is dipped in whimsy and might have drifted out to sea, but it's bounded on four sides by love stories -- between a father and a daughter, a man and a mermaid, an actor and his co-star, and a director and his country.

Although it has some memorably disquieting scenes, this story of long-delayed justice is sustained by its melancholy more than its thrills.

Denham impressively captures Peter's flintiness, rendering him sympathetic yet not quite likable, and Vicius is just right as the wary Lorna.

Like a train, I Wish is slow to build momentum, then it carries us away in a wondrous rush.

Afghanistan-born Atiq Rahimi has powerfully adapted his own acclaimed novel, but the film is unlikely to play in the Middle Eastern countries to which this plea for sexual equality seems directed.

The multiple cameras that shadow Anker and his novice partner provide unprecedented images. But they also raise unintended questions about the vanishing frontier.

Unexpectedly poignant.

While the movie is funnier than the book, the drawback of this modernized version is that it loses the timeless quality of the story on the page.

Such a disarming homage to the cinema of the Reagan era that even grouchy gremlins might feel like it's morning in America. But be forewarned that if this movie is exposed to sunlight, you'll notice the puppet strings.

It's guilty of some sleight-of-hand hokum, but in pulling the rug from under the norm, Magic Mike turns a trick.

In the early scenes, Cambridge brilliantly conveys Gerber's obnoxiousness while making him sympathetic. Later, Cambridge imbues the character with a blend of outrage and pride that's breathtaking. [31 Jul 2008, p.8]

Although it doesn’t make a lick of sense as a stand-alone story, Mockingjay — Part 1 is the first “Hunger Games” movie with meat on its bones.

The surprisingly rich documentary Best Worst Movie views the phenomenon from a unique perspective.

Too short and undisciplined to be a world-class comedy, but its chutzpah deserves respect.

Timed for the Halloween season, Ouija: Origin of Evil should have horror fans clutching their seats.

It may not be original, but Adam could leave a lump in your throat.

This animated feature is not a perfect movie, but it's an enjoyable one. Like the animated TV series it is based on, it strikes a balance between the adult darkness of the recent Tim Burton movies and the childish silliness of the old TV show. More than anything, this version of Batman recalls the original Bob Kane comic books of the 1940s: dark with light touches, cartoony yet realistic. [31 Dec 1993, p.3F]

The latest in pseudo-scientific horror films, Them!... displays some ingenuity and imagination and is guaranteed to raise a fright wig on every head for the first half, anyway. [18 Jun 1954, p.2D]

The Freshman is not the kind of movie where one wonders about plot twists or logic. One enjoys Brando and Broderick, and chuckles at a considerable amount of comedy. [27 July 1990, p.8F]

As a documentary, “Eat That Question” is kind of raggedy. But a more polished film might not have been in keeping with Zappa’s anarchic spirit.

As a man committed to reinventing himself, Damon is terrific. And Johansson brings to Kelly just the right blend of spunkiness and hard-won maturity.

Directed by and starring Mathieu Amalric, it’s a deceptively low-key riff on a Hitchcock whodunit. It’s both sexy and inscrutable, a cold-blooded puzzler to the very end.

Its main pluses are that it's imaginative and, at times, very funny. Its main drawbacks are too many humans and an overall tone that is much too dark and edgy for very young audiences. [27 Nov 1998, p.B3]

The kind of working-class, character-driven drama that few American directors would dare to make. It's tough and unsentimental, with a documentary aesthetic that belies the craft of the calibrated tension.

Pine brings a measured but engaging heroism to Kirk. Quinto is perfect as the logical but charismatic Spock. Urban lends the proceedings a much appreciated dose of humor. And even with his famously expressive face obscured by makeup, Elba elevates Krall to something more than a cardboard villain.

What makes Love Is Strange so special is that the challenges the couple face are more mundane than menacing.

If you're looking for down and dirty, Kiss of Death delivers the goods. [21 Apr 1995, p.3E]

Most biographical docs contain a montage of old footage, but this one is especially haunting. As Campbell watches home movies, he has to ask Kim to identify the people on screen, including his ex-wives, his children and his younger self.