With its forked tongue planted loosely in cheek, this haunted-house flick is enjoyably retro in both style and substance.

Much like its main character, The Meddler exudes an irresistible charm.

$9.99 may not be entirely successful from a dramatic perspective, and it certainly offers little enlightenment about the meaning of life. But the film is so intriguing in other ways that it's definitely worth a look.

Refusing to hold our hands, director Lynne Ramsay ("Morvern Callar") pushes far beyond the boundaries of topical drama into the realm of the surreal.

If you think foreign films can’t compete with Hollywood when it comes to delivering popcorn entertainment, prepare to be carried away by The Wave.

Working from a self-penned screenplay, Tarantino has come up with one of the wordiest Westerns on record, and even some of his most diehard fans may grimace at the film’s occasionally slow pace. But The Hateful Eight more than compensates through its intriguing characters, ominous atmosphere and palpable suspense.

A scene involving wolves upset by Seal’s singing is worth the price of admission all by itself.

As memorable as it is insightful, Take This Waltz is one of the best films of the year.

Land Ho! is a tepid little movie that goes almost nowhere, and if I had to sit in that rental car for one more boob joke, I’d rather jump into a volcano.

Teller turns in one of his best performances as the contemplative Adam, who’s haunted by the choices he made on the battlefield. And Koale brings a poignant vulnerability to Solo.

A comic-book flick that’s as thrilling and enthralling as it is pretentious and preposterous. The story is just an excuse for the action sequences, and the Marvel strategy remains intact: When in doubt, blow stuff up.

An entertaining tour of Tinseltown served with poisoned popcorn.

Sorry, Keanu, but you stole my time and you murdered my brain cells. By the sacred oath of WHOA, there will be blood, and this time it’s personal.

Aiming for a middle path between drama and comedy, The Way Way Back is so overloaded with jokes that it could sink in the water hazard, but on the final scorecard, sure enough, it’s in the hole.

Best of all is Favreau. Instead of mass-producing another superhero epic, he has given the overfed public a dish of right-sized comfort food.

It's faint praise to say that this is the best of the "Planet of the Apes" movies, because the evolution of special effects and makeup was predictable. But the unexpected strength of the film is its heart.

My Cousin Vinny would have been a moderately funny movie in any case. But with Joe Pesci in the leading role, the movie escalates several notches to a rough-and-tumble, exciting comedy and proves that Pesci is one of the most versatile actors in the business. [19 Mar 1992, p.6E]

The acting is first-rate. Gosling masterfully fills in Luke’s motivational blanks, and Cooper nicely handles Avery’s evolution from idealist to manipulator.

Given the turbulent water of world affairs and sea changes in the media, a follow-up a year from now might be titled "Gray Lady Down" if the Times does not chart a new course.

The Rescuers Down Under is further evidence that the Disney organization has regained its magic touch with animated features. [16 Nov 1990, p.3F]

Deftly balances subtle humor with sharp observations about class, wealth and power.

This is a kaleidoscopic valentine to a great city from a director who knows and loves his subject.

Sometimes macabre and sometimes manipulative, but the way it speaks to the spirit is miraculous.

It’s a party where we want to stay, until we’re dragged out kicking and screaming.

If we want a bigger picture, we’ll have to wait for God to green-light “Noah: The Next Generation.”

What Barrymore brings is good-natured, girl-powered subversion, a sense of when to flaunt clichés and when to flip them over the rails.

Warren Beatty's new tour de force about the ax-jawed detective is generally fun to watch. Visually, it's brilliant. Dramatically, it's OK. [15 Jun 1990, p.3F]

Im Sang-soo has crafted an erotic thriller whose cool beauty speaks for itself.