Burns has created an endearing gathering of people we all know, and every one of them is so much fun that leaving the theater at the end elicits a touch of regret.

A vital, sexy and touching movie that goes to the heart of what human caring is all about.

Intelligence and beauty -- and teasing romance -- shape Mansfield Park into a gorgeous, enchanting experience.

So wonderfully odd, even spiritual, that audiences won't be able to do anything but smile.

French director Claude Berri's exquisite, methodical Lucie Aubrac is a romantic thriller so tightly drawn it almost leaves one breathless.

This one's so much fun, it's worth taking the whole family.

One of the great portraits of artists fighting, even with murderous rage, to reach the sublime.

An extraordinary behind-the-scenes look at the comedy game.

An earthy, sexy mystery.

The pieces of the drama are put forth like the shapes of the five fingers of a hand, and finally they find a kind of awkward unity that was predictable from the start. And yet, the gesture of it all is utterly captivating, the way a dream would be if it ever really came true. [27 Feb 1987, Daily Datebook, p.74]

Riveting.

Beautiful in both its brevity and its vision of contemporary Indian culture, the film abounds in easygoing humor.

Robert Redford's exceptionally handsome and provocative Quiz Show manages a trick that few films even dare try -- to take a hard look at personal and public moral issues and still provide dazzling entertainment.

An inspired mix of spirited family entertainment and harrowing drama.

The all-time great talking-pig movie, a lovely, intelligent gem of G-rated entertainment that is also rib-tickling funny.

A poetry of love, longing and affirmation bleeds through the music of Cuba, and some of the best sounds the island ever created are captured with embracing humanity.

An inspiring translation of biblical grandeur, turning the story of one of history's greatest heroes into an entertaining, visually dazzling cartoon.

A joyous, hilarious send-up of rock star pretensions and an enchanting celebration of "girl power" in pop culture.

It will be the most talked-about comedy of summer.

I laughed so hard, my eyes watered. I laughed so loud, I lost track of whether anyone else was laughing. I laughed so much, I ached afterwards. [29 July 1988, Daily Notebook, p.E1]

An unforgettable, poetic romance from Italy whose disarming humor, blushing encounters and bittersweet flavors are certain to set off a groundswell of smiles, tears and regret.

A mesmerizing film that is the most stunning, tempestuous love story in a decade or two of movie making.

Friedkin has said the new, expanded version of his film has a more spiritual tone. But it's still a shocker.

There may not be a better- acted film this year.

A crime gem that is darkly funny even when it's chilling -- and certain to become a classic.

The balance between action and mysticism in The Empire Strikes Back provides fascinating energy. It's as if the kids are given one set of delights, the bravado of battles and elaborate warships zooming through exotic space, and adults are given another, a layered explanation of what it all means in the grand scheme of things. [Special Edition]

Heart and tenderness are rare in cartoon movies. But in an age of frenetic children's fare, the new animated adventure The Iron Giant dares to show a lot of both, and it comes up a winner.

The payoff is a consistently rich piece with impressive visual vitality.