Like gathering storm clouds, Donnie Darko creates an atmosphere of eerie calm and mounting menace -- stands as one of the most exceptional movies of 2001.

This terrific movie manages to invest kitchen-sink realism with the soul of a fairy tale.

Does a masterful job of combining digital imagery and voice performance to create totally believable animal characters.

A film of tremendous complexity and depth, a galvanic force that sends the mind reeling.

A genuinely affecting movie that approaches its adult themes with intelligence, maturity, and rare authenticity.

But in a calculated move that pays off handsomely, the picture's remarkable power is reserved for the end, when the intertwining themes coalesce in an extraordinarily satisfying and stirring way.

Despite its two-and-a-half hour running time, the movie flies by, so absorbing are its story, songs and stars.

The film is worth seeing for Sorvino alone. The actress hasn't been this good since Woody Allen's "Mighty Aphrodite," a role that couldn't be more dissimilar.

A charming little film, filled with eccentric characters and ingratiating performances.

Farmanara, the actor, brings a real poignancy to the role and, thus, to the story that seems, more than anything, the tale of a man coming to terms with his life.

An extraordinary film from a born filmmaker.

Combines strong feminist sensibilities with surprisingly old-fashioned melodrama.

Huppert has never looked more beautiful. Despite her severe expression and lack of makeup, her face communicates enormous character. She proves absolutely spellbinding.

Enormously appealing romantic comedy-drama.

Pulsates with music, dance, color and laughter, but also glows with quiet moments of drama.

The film proves unrelentingly grim -- and equally engrossing.

A modest, uneventful film, buoyed by fine, albeit low-key, performances and the ring of truth.

Yes, the movie is obvious at time, banging you over the head with its message, and the use of shadows on a wall can seem overly broad. But these are small complaints when compared to the film's many strengths.

Worth the price of admission if only to see the slinky Thurman decked out in a form-fitting, sequined pre-flapper era outfit. The word stunning hardly does her justice.

Demy's films are often described in terms of music; this one is more like a tango in which one person leads and refuses to forfeit the position.

A spare film, with little dialogue but a lot to say.

The two lead performances are so good it contains more emotional depth than it probably has a right to.

Although frustratingly confusing -- often the viewer can't be sure who is on which side or why -- the film brims with physical grandeur, exquisite costumes, and a captivating performance by Blanchett.

Shot in black and white by the renowned Raoul Coutard, and with a score by Michel Legrand, the film represents an idealized view of reality that will strike some viewers (including this one) as overly sentimental.

Offers both a gentle humor and a sly but unmistakable optimism about what life in Iran might one day be.

Proves a lovely, sweet alternative for audiences fed up with the latest hell-on-wheels action thriller or the newest horror film comedy spoof.

Certainly a terrific sense of urgency underlies the story and Tom's desperation over Claire is palpable, but that may not be enough for viewers who actually like to understand how the riddle is unraveling.

A small story, with fewer lofty ambitions than its lead character, the film runs out of steam at a certain point. Overall, its leisurely pace and lack of overt action will bore some filmgoers, while the movie's final section, during which Ganesh pursues his political aspirations, feels strangely hurried and less satisfying than the rest of the story.