It's certainly not Mamet's signature rapid-fire dialogue, but it's an intriguing and engrossing departure.

Hollywood excelled at this kind of toughie from the mid-'40s through the mid-1950s, and you can see this film's equal every night on a cable movie channel. This summer, however, it's a jewel. [22 July 1992, p.4D]

More admirable than riveting, Fair Game works best as a portrait of power games at the highest levels.

Side-splitting laughter, along with some powerful cringing, are likely to be audiences' dominant reactions.

Glossy or not, the movie is unflinchingly tough-minded, down to its Hollywood-weepy ending, which, if you think about it, may be the year's gloomiest.

A riveting cinematic quest for journalistic truth – especially one like She Said, which tackles an issue that means so much to so many – should always be embraced, no matter the era.

In his directorial debut “Monkey Man,” Dev Patel gifts action-movie fans with a multilayered, hyperviolent narrative. Sure, he pulls off a deep dive into Indian mythology, yet he's pretty darn good at attacking goons with fireworks, platform shoes and all manner of sharp objects too.

Seemingly fueled by Mountain Dew and Hostess pies, the delightfully berzerk Logan Lucky is a love letter to backwoods ingenuity and, at a time with a deep divide between red and blue states, a universal dose of hillbilly hilarity.

Walker is adorable, but gives a one-note performance. Greenwood, a charismatic and unsung character actor, has the most noteworthy human performance as a somewhat arrogant academic whose decency keeps him from becoming a stock villain in a formulaic story.

Unlike most rom-coms, Celeste and Jesse Forever delves into the complicated heart of relationships, exposes some painful truths and allows melancholy to co-exist alongside breezy humor.

There isn't any kind of dance you can compare to Robert Duvall's latest as an actor/director, though a slo-mo minuet might come close.

Frisky fun made all the more entertaining because of the potent chemistry between its quartet of lead actors.

As shallow as a shot glass.

It's as disturbing a movie as you are likely to witness this year. [21Feb1997 Pg.04.D]

The better-than-expected revamp strips away some of the forgettable matter – no charming princes here! Most importantly, "White" gives an inspired Rachel Zegler a different character arc and a smattering of original songs to let Snow strut as the fairest of them all.

Boaz Yakin's slick direction, marked by quick cuts, unstinting energy and a lack of sentimentality, makes the action scenes satisfying. But he's a better director than writer.

It's not quite up to the caliber of Richard Yates' novel, which is deeply nuanced and rich in subtext. But the performances are superb, and the film is beautifully shot.

The script is consistently humorous, even if a few punch lines are predictable and the wit is neither highbrow nor split-a-gut funny.

Notable for the easy chemistry of its ensemble cast.

At its best in scenes featuring Hathaway's mercurial character. It's a triumphant and darkly nuanced role for her and a departure from the more lighthearted comedic performances she has given.

If E.T. was human, wore swim goggles and read Superman comics by flashlight, he’d be the 8-year-old boy at the center of the heartfelt, lo-fi sci-fi spectacular Midnight Special.

Someone in Hollywood ought to speak for the trees, and The Lorax does it with verve and vibrancy.

The familiar dialogue here makes one long for something closer to the edginess of "Manhattan" or the offbeat humor of "Vicky Cristina Barcelona."

All one needs to grasp is the hope and inherent magic of a kid and a dragon being BFFs, then let the feels flow from there.

All about macho my-weapon-is-bigger-than-your-weapon posturing and far-fetched coincidences that slam together in an entertaining rush.

Like many frugally financed movies, director Ang Lee's charmer depends on characterizations, not flamboyant technique. [19 Aug 1993, p.4D]

Though it could work as effectively as a television vehicle, American Teen is revealing, funny and involving.

A touching and illuminating documentary.