Usually, the plot of a romantic comedy revolved around two people wanting to marry each other. With Powell and Loy, with their charm, warmth and sex appeal, the story became about two people who were married -- and liked it. [02 Aug 2005, p.E1]

Benton and novelist Russo are particularly good at bringing out the grit and grace of small towns, where concern for one's neighbors and sheer nosiness are two sides of the same coin. But above all, Nobody's Fool is another triumph for one of our greatest and most enduring movie actors. [13 Jan 1995, p.3E]

For the many mavens who aren't familiar with Varda, this autobiographical documentary will be puzzling, in the best and most literal sense.

The Big Sick has a lot of charm. Just don’t expect the revolution in romantic comedy that its aggressive hype would suggest.

Before it turns into a great escape flick, Argo is an amusing spoof of the movie biz.

The Master is not a schematic attack on a particular religion. It is a brilliantly conceived and powerfully realized work of art, with complex characters, exquisite images and ambiguously big ideas.

I found Davies' rehashed experiences to range from boring to depressing, and felt that the two devices mentioned above were not sufficient to raise it to the level where art transcends experience. [29 Sep 1989, p.3F]

Director Matthew Heineman (“Cartel Land”) sticks with the group as it moves from strategy meetings to safe houses, documenting not only its political commitment but also intimate moments of reflection.

Traditional in the best sense.

This hand-drawn French import is fresh evidence that you don’t need computers and singing princesses to make a charming animated movie.

In one of his best roles, Hawke is galvanizing as a man who has lost his way and is desperately searching for meaning in his life. And as Mary, Seyfried turns in a poignant and beautifully nuanced performance. Provocative and mesmerizing, First Reformed is a film that demands to be seen.

Baby Driver zooms onto the screen with an exhilarating combination of smarts and style.

A cinematic miracle, a film that carves out a vivid space that has nothing to do with wizards or extraterrestrials, but quite a lot to say about the fantastical creatures that roam through the humanity in us all.

Like the previous seven movies, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 obliviates the line between art and craft, but the witchcraft conjured for this satisfying finale is uniquely generous.

Shannon's powerfully imploded performance ignites one of the best films of the year.

The film offers insights into Iranian society while also subtly making a case that human foibles are universal.

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.

This Robert Altman film offers a good look at the life of a professional gambler. [15 Mar 2005, p.E1]

The combination of a literate script, an adroit cast and an economical style is simple addition that achieves an alchemical feat: the best film of the year.

Although Lebanon is to be congratulated for its bold visual strategy and strong antiwar stance, the film becomes claustrophobic after a while.

The kind of film that’s capable of eliciting wildly different reactions. Art-film aficionados would be impressed with its atmospheric storytelling and emphasis on character. Devotees of mainstream cinema would likely complain that “nothing happened.”

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.

Yes, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is often hard to follow, perhaps overestimating the audience's ability to keep track of what's going on and why. But it's a well-crafted film that wears its old-fashionedness with pride.

Vincere, which translates as the battle cry "Win!" is like invisible ink on the ledger of war, a secret record of love and loss.

There are a few beguiling moments in Holy Motors, particularly a martial-arts sequence and an erotic dance while Mr. Oscar is dressed in a motion-capture body suit, but the road between those moments is so strewn with stalled ideas that audiences who care about character and plot are liable to take the exit to a movie that makes sense.

The tale of Jake and his pals is something of a time capsule — and the kind of film from which sociologists decades from now might glean extremely useful information about American culture.

The Tree of Life is a religious experience. Overtly. Audaciously. Unashamedly. No film has ever reached as high toward the face of God and, in our commodified future, few are likely to try.

If you're looking for a political message, either for or against U.S. involvement in Afghanistan, this is not your movie. The directors were satisfied with telling us about a group of courageous, honorable young soldiers - a salute these men richly deserve.