Voices overcome some used story conventions to give it a very specific charm of its own.

Does a great service in offering new information at a time when open discussion is more important than ever.

Told with a tender vigor, the film explores relationships on a number of levels. It will ring true with mature teenagers of all classes.

An ultimately moving effort that well illustrates the often hopeless situation faced by the people whose lives it depicts.

Captures a complex and contradictory world figure. Imelda is by turns humorous, insightful and infuriating.

The two main characters are both so funny, human and touching that Sunset Story ultimately possesses an emotional quality missing from many similarly themed efforts.

Although Cinevardaphoto is hardly a major work, it does represent the latest (and earlier) chapters in the career of a fascinating filmmaker.

A full-flavored, absorbing tragedy.

Odessa ... Odessa! could use a little more narrative substance to augment its haunting imagery but is ultimately a memorable portrait of cultural dislocation.

Tells a fascinatingly lurid tale.

The film is narrated by Kathleen Turner in her inimitable husky style, with the actress receiving a final credit as one of the volunteers at ground zero.

Highly informative and likely to increase enrollment at film schools.

A tender and moving drama that deserves wider exposure.

An unsentimental portrait.

A surprisingly frank effort that demonstrates that the country's censors may be loosening their reins. This well-acted portrait of a young single mother displays a universality that should translate well to the art house circuit.

Well acted and smartly written, the film is an eye-opening sociological portrait that also manages to be a compelling human drama.

Provides a treasure trove of outrageous characters, rampant speculation, personal obsessions and a glimpse into the rarefied world of art collecting. Instead of spinning off in so many directions, the film actually pulls together into an engrossing meditation on the value of art in our lives.

A daring and emotional documentary.

Strong performances by Scott Mechlowicz as Millman and Nick Nolte as the mysterious mechanic who changes his life ground the film in effective drama.

Edward Burns' best riff yet on guys trying to sort out their feelings about women.

In its hard-hitting depiction of a legacy of unspeakable brutality, this film shows that the ghosts of Leopold are alive and well.

Rather than being self-indulgent or pretentious, however, the film comes up with many believable details and changes in direction that enrich the bittersweet central relationship of the two leads.

The dramatic story is related here in a somewhat diffuse and scattershot fashion that reduces some of its impact. But there is no denying its emotional resonance.

This is a minor film from a master, which is disappointing, but nevertheless it has its charms, most notably in the acting by a cast of stage and screen veterans.

An artful experiment that's imposingly cryptic but comes from a respected filmmaker, it should appeal to its art house niche.

A winning combination of laughs and genuine shocks.

Winnepeg filmmaker Guy Maddin isn't known for run-of-the-mill movies, but the feature he debuted at the Toronto Fest was outrageous even for him. A silent film taking the form of a twelve-chapter Feuillade-flavored serial and designed to have live accompaniment, the movie itself is a match for any of his features to date, and could outstrip earlier efforts in the arthouse arena.

Ultimately, Dresnok comes across as honest and credible, and his story is absolutely fascinating.