A fantastical romp that proves every bit as transporting as that movie about the blue people of Pandora, his "Alice" is more than just a gorgeous 3D sight to behold.

Anderson has created a world as stylized and inventive as anything he's done... "Fox" is a visual delight.

This is one helluva good movie that craves the eyeballs of as many American high schoolers as it can possibly get.

Bright Star may not be a joy forever but it will do until the next joy comes along.

Woody, Buzz and playmates make a thoroughly engaging, emotionally satisfying return.

A superb murder mystery, with twists coming thick and fast yet always at the right moments.

Topped by a fine cast, a first-rate script by Nick Hornby and tight direction by Lone Scherfig, the film is a smart, moving but not inaccessible entry in the coming-of-age canon.

The intensity of observation reminds one of Bergman's "Scenes From a Marriage," though of course played in a much more benign key. For the patient, the deliberate pacing is perfect, as each additional layer is quietly and subtly put in place.

This is strikingly talented cinema from a notable international filmmaker.

What this strange yet strangely beguiling film does is capture one of pop culture's great entertainers in the feverish grips of pure creativity.

Three superb performances by Helen Mirren, Christopher Plummer and James McAvoy should have Oscar handicappers drooling.

A gem whose intelligent, gentle, deadpan humor is entirely irresistible.

Hugely entertaining documentary challenges conventional concepts of legitimate art and the creative process.

A riveting Argentine thriller spiked with witty dialogue and poignant love stories.

What "Winged Migration" did for birds, Oceans does for all sorts of strange sea creatures in an ambitious, impressively filmed documentary.

The performances are excellent all around, with Scott mesmerizing as the emotionally volatile Laevsky and the gorgeous Glascott making vividly clear why her character drives all the surrounding men to distraction.

Very funny and a bit sentimental, it's naturalistic comedy of the highest order, with Evets and Henshaw standouts among a terrific cast.

Salt moves ever forward -- pushing, pushing, pushing its heroine to greater feats every minute. It doesn't stop for martinis, either shaken or stirred, or any other detours. The movie is lean and muscular, looking for action even in situations where a little sleight of hand might have done the trick.

In a summer of remakes, reboots and sequels comes Inception, easily the most original movie idea in ages.

What makes "Ecstasy" essential viewing for any pop-music fan and any student of celebrity pathology is the interview itself. Spector, despite his immodest comparisons of himself to Bach, da Vinci and Galileo, is surprisingly entertaining company, not simply the mad recluse with crazy hair that was his shocking image during the trials.

By keeping his (Daly) focus on the two remarkable youngsters without an ounce of sentimentality he succeeds in making something true and satisfying.

"Dream" brings together so much history, sheer adventure and terrifying moments.

Taut, superbly executed and consistently engrossing, The Disappearance of Alice Creed marks an auspicious feature debut for writer-director J Blakeson.

Noir never has been this dark.

A satisfying comic gem.

That rare sequel that took its time -- 23 years -- so it not only advances a story but also has something new to say.

Most impressively, it makes it understandable to those of us who don't know much at all about economics.

It is a tremendous achievement that shines a light on the way many countries use criminals to further their domestic and international goals. Politically informative, it also offers great drama with excitement and suspense, and no little tragedy.

All of the key creative personnel contribute to the movie's nail-biting tension and unexpectedly moving finale. Jon Harris's editing is matchless, and Rahman's score effectively heightens the emotion. Ultimately, however, it is the talents of Boyle and Franco that sock this movie home.

A fiendishly entertaining Christmas yarn rooted in Northern European legend and lore, complete with a not-so-jolly old St. Nick informed more by the Brothers Grimm than Norman Rockwell.

The best blue collar action movie in who knows how long, this tense, narrowly focused thriller about a runaway freight train has a lean and pure simplicity to it that is satisfying in and of itself.

Biutiful has a strong, linear narrative drive. Nevertheless, and most of all, it's a gorgeous, melancholy tone poem about love, fatherhood and guilt.

Chen's direction is his most staid yet, but the riveting story speaks for itself.

Most exceptional is the visual style, which makes even the best animated 3D look like a poor cousin.

The cinematography and editing are as superb as the film's feline stars are photogenic and heroic.

Although the film runs more than two hours, the story is so compelling and the production so beautifully controlled that we are gripped by the characters' quest right up to the shocking end of the story.

To call this movie fascinating is akin to calling the Grand Canyon large.

Darius Khondji's cinematography evokes to the hilt the gorgeously inviting Paris of so many people's imaginations (while conveniently ignoring the rest), and the film has the concision and snappy pace of Allen's best work.

Brandishing an ambition it's likely no film, including this one, could entirely fulfill, The Tree of Life is nonetheless a singular work, an impressionistic metaphysical inquiry into mankind's place in the grand scheme of things that releases waves of insights amid its narrative imprecisions.

It all moves along briskly, with a degree of visual grace and a solid feel for 3D.

All the movie's playfulness rubs off on the actors. Scenes crackle with life. The chemistry among all the actors is terrific.

The best science fiction tells stories about people in extraordinary environments or situations that serve to open up the vast, still largely unexplored terrain of the human heart. Mike Cahill's Another Earth is science fiction at its best.

The movie gathers momentum with a steady, assured pace, accumulating incidents, characters, secrets and lies until the rush of events is absolutely transfixing. Cinema can sometimes rival the novel in compulsive intensity and Sarah's Key is one such example.

A handsome and achingly sad period piece, a finely observed portrait of cast-aside dreams. The drama is quieter and more chaste than the similarly themed "Camille Claudel," but no less haunting.

It's a long movie that feels short: It grabs you in early scenes, intense though low-key before all hell breaks loose, then keeps you riveted to its mostly male characters.

Director David Weissman brings a rewardingly fresh and personal perspective to the subject.

An eloquently shot and closely observed documentary about a poor family in modern-day Indonesia.

A riveting genre blend of thriller, domestic drama and supernatural horror propelled by a brilliant lead performance.

Being Elmo is a rare documentary that will connect across generations and cultures to delight viewers worldwide for years to come.

Leave it to the folks who brought us "Wallace & Gromit," "Chicken Run" and "Flushed Away" to bring a delightful blast of fresh air to the conventional Christmas genre. Aardman's Arthur Christmas is that and more - an endlessly amusing 3D, CG-animated Yuletide romp with lively innovation at every turn and a dream voice cast headed by James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie and Bill Nighy.

Artist evinces unlimited love for the look and ethos of the 1920s as well for the style of the movies. The filmmakers clearly did their homework and took great pleasure in doing so, an enjoyment that is passed along in ample doses to any viewer game for their nifty little conceit.

As in all the director's work, the cast is given top consideration and their realistic acting results in unusual depth of characterization.

Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky's final film about the West Memphis Three demonstrates how the first two docs played a role in galvanizing national support to free the wrongly convicted men.

Danfung Dennis presents a powerful depiction of the horrors and daily violence of our ongoing war in Afghanistan.

The actor literally takes the metaphors of his bull-headed character to the limits and is never less than believable or mesmerizing.

Kindness is evident in even the most hurt or exasperated moments of de France's lovely performance as Samantha. But then, kindness couched in unblinking social realism is an intrinsic part of how these supremely gifted filmmakers view the world.

Marley is sure to become the definitive documentary on the much beloved king of reggae.

This deeply humanistic, profoundly touching work representing independent cinema at its finest should be seen by far wider audiences.

The raunchiest, funniest and most enjoyably nonjudgmental American movie about selling sex since "Boogie Nights."

A mesmerizing psychological thriller bulging with twists, turns, nasty insinuations and shocking revelations that might have leapt from the pages of a Patricia Highsmith novel, The Imposter is all the more astonishing because it actually happened.

Argo is a crackerjack political thriller told with intelligence, great period detail and a surprising amount of nutty humor for a serious look at the Iran hostage crisis of 1979-81.

Cheerfully yet poignantly exposing the struggles, anxieties, disorders and obsessions of ordinary people, this is a film as odd as it is charming.

The devastating effects of head injuries in sports are detailed in Steve James' wrenching documentary.

Its sharp writing and essential credibility make this small, intimate tale fresh and involving.

Dramatically gripping while still brandishing a droll undercurrent of humor, this beautifully made film will certainly be embraced as one of the best Bonds by loyal fans worldwide and leaves you wanting the next one to turn up sooner than four years from now.

This absorbing drama provides Denzel Washington with one of his meatiest, most complex roles, and he flies with it.

With a mix of retro eye-candy for grown-ups and a thrilling, approachable storyline for the tykes, the film casts a wide and beguiling net.

A mismatched-friends drama whose overall sensitivity is belied by a couple of clumsily contrived plot points, Sean Baker's Starlet pairs story and setting perfectly.

Few will be unmoved by this film's subjects, including the great niece of Herman Goering and the daughter of concentration camp commandant Amon Goeth, as they relate the heavy burdens stemming from their fateful lineage.

Depictions of custody battles have become a cinematic staple, but few register with the heartfelt emotion of Any Day Now.

Nutty, arcane and jaw-dropping in equal measure, this is a head-first plunge down the rabbit hole of Kubrickiana from which, for some, there is evidently no return.

The director mixes moods with a playfulness that is both brazen and carefree and yet precisely modulated, yielding results that amplify the specific content of the screenplay. This makes for a film that, however cheap it was to make, is incredibly rich to watch.

Once the stardust settles and the generations of "Star Trek" fans pass in judgment, this splendid production may emerge as the best movie to date inspired by the multiple-series TV phenomenon created by the late Gene Roddenberry. [15 Nov. 1994]

Gorgeously photographed by co-director Burke in the beautiful environs of East Sussex, England, this modest but subtly powerful piece of minimalist cinema exerts a haunting spell.

A genuinely moving look at life in a group foster home that avoids most of the usual routes into viewers' hearts.

The story in itself is first-rate. However, it’s the very measured handling that makes it distinctive.

Propelled by Mads Mikkelsen’s shattering performance as the blameless man whose life threatens to be destroyed, the film is superbly acted by a cast that never strikes a false note or softens the impact with consolatory sentiment.

Because Cutie and Boxer resists easy sentimentality, its view of life and love is all the more powerful.

Not only set the high standards for surfing documentaries but brought the sport much greater respect and interest from around the globe.

In his feature debut, writer-director Eric Byler demonstrates a refreshing trust in his material and his audience, crafting a compact, intriguing drama from understated performances and a subtle visual sensibility.

With its compelling central character and colorful milieu, the film comes across as a combination of Greek tragedy and "Behind the Music."

This 3-D Imax film puts you at eye level with awesome creatures that look like alien beasts from deep space.

Hits on all cylinders -- a smart blend of acting, direction, editing, design, costumes and effects.

Ultimately, Swimming Pool belongs to Ozon, and while incorporating a carefully measured, quietly menacing style that summons up vintage Hitchcock and Chabrol, he has made it unmistakably -- and entertainingly -- his very own.

The new "Freaky" plays the obvious gags in ways both surprising and imaginative.

Actors dominate with finely nuanced performances where every scene feels dramatically right.

The film boasts a terrific newcomer in the lead role, exquisite widescreen photography and a powerful sense of place.

Affectionately conceived, imaginatively staged and highly entertaining.

A zinger-filled crowd-pleaser that open-minded Elvis fans (but by no means all) will have fun with.

All elements click in "Sun," a shimmering, deeply felt film.

The film hits another comic mother lode in the byplay between Black and Cusack.

It provides both deep musical pleasures and a touching farewell to the former Beatle.

This gripping Brazilian documentary shows a bus hijacking that spirals out of control because of police incompetence.

Like a juicy steak served to a man suffering on a diet of micro-greens and tofu, Runaway Jury will be devoured by fans of movie melodramas.

This warm and scruffy film may strike some as a mere period piece, but it's juiced with recognizable family trauma and garnished with a quirky sensibility -- it's the portrait of a group of people we come to care about.

While the words "instant holiday classic" might be pushing it, Elf is at the very least a breezily entertaining, perfectly cast family treat.

Tinged with sorrow, compassion, forgiveness and, ultimately, love. More than 25 years after his father's death, Nathaniel visits his father's architectural works and speaks to the people who knew him.

It will never be confused with the groundbreaking "Who Framed Roger Rabbit," but when it comes to a zippy live-action-meets-animation kid flick with plenty of grown-up gags, Looney Tunes: Back in Action does not disappoint.

A poet warrior of the first order emerges in this riveting chronicle of the brief life and times of rap superstar Tupac Shakur.

Layered with elements that are both amusing and touching but never threatening to collapse into a big heap of sentimental mush.

Happens to be extremely funny -- at times sidesplittingly so -- thanks to Zwigoff's way with raw irreverence and Thornton's perfectly pitched, ready-for-anything performance.

Hugely satisfying entertainment that will attract a broad spectrum of audiences around the world. Zwick fully exploits the star power at his disposal, pairing off Cruise and Japanese star Ken Watanabe as two larger-than-life warriors.

Filmmaker Devlin details this complicated series of events with clarity, a sense of drama and more than a few touches of dark humor.

Arguably the most conventional documentary made by Errol Morris and, perhaps equally surprising, it displays sympathy toward its subject.

Perfect holiday entertainment, albeit for those small fry who can read English subtitles.

Challenges audiences with an unrelieved portrait of self-destruction and horrific violence. American movies don't get much grimmer than this.

A wonderfully vivid and engaging theatrical experience.

For all the work that went into the whimsical creatures and painterly palette, the voice actors more or less steal the show.

It's a touching movie that, like the best animes, transcends the limitations of the genre.

Has the punch of a good Western with a clean and direct script plus an adventurous use of songs and folk paintings.

Blind Shaft, a well-acted and well-produced film, is a quiet though searing indictment of contemporary China.

What will make the film compelling even for audiences who never heard of the miracle on ice is Kurt Russell's taut, nuanced portrait of Herb Brooks.

Schickel's documentary, narrated by Sydney Pollack, breaks no new ground stylistically, but it is a well-organized, informative and inevitably entertaining portrait of the man who revolutionized screen comedy and who arguably became the first mass-market, commercialized media figure.

In the wonderfully droll Kitchen Stories, Norwegian filmmaker Bent Hamer takes an already inspired premise and weaves it into a spry absurdist comedy that also manages to find some considerable warmth.

The movie makes an excellent primer about the world of stock car racing for fans and nonfans alike. In 48 fast minutes, the Simon Wincer-directed film gives you a genuine sense of this particular sport, its rigorous demands and the fan base that supports it with such wildly enthusiastic devotion.

The central trio of actors deliver engaging, pitch-perfect work.

Kim Ki-duk keeps dialogue to a minimum and actions simple in what is virtually a two-character piece. Humor arrives organically, often resulting in hearty laughs.

An invaluable addition to the rock history cinema archives.

Almost unbearably moving at times, Julie Betuccelli's simple but sublime debut feature presents a portrait of maternal love and female fortitude that will reduce the stoniest of viewers to tears.

Compelling.

This creature feature is exhilarating fun, a richly designed and often quite funny re-exploration of the movie past.

In Jarmusch's capable hands, the mundane has never been so delightful.

Reunites one of the best voice casts ever for an animated film to create a shrewd entertainment that again successfully aims its jokes at various age groups.

Despite the clunky bits, "Tomorrow" still manages to deliver the blockbuster goods.

The film is an example of social activism at its best; it's not only enlightening, but it's an engrossing story that a smart television audience should embrace.

In a summer of remakes, sequels and movies swollen with effects, The Terminal stands out as a strikingly original comedy.

An engrossing, highly intelligent reimagining of the legend of Arthur.

These are rich, aging men in a young man's game, and the discrepancy between image and reality, captured by the filmmakers, makes for engrossing material.

Writer/director Zach Braff has threaded a powerful and intelligent personal story through a genre all too rare today – romantic comedy.

A terrific cinematic essay that will have a very, very long shelf life.

The updated classic is a chiller of a political thriller in its own right.

Director John Curran has masterfully managed to convey flesh and blood within the permutations of the sometimes clinical story. Enhancing the people-next-door nature of this saga were the film's smart technical contributions.

Ultimately a powerful portrait of the sort of apocalyptic culture clash that is resulting in an increasingly dangerous and fragmented world.

A classy and clever French thriller. Jean-Pierre Darroussin's performance as a browbeaten husband is entertaining, and Kahn's script brings wit and imagination to a straightforward story.

Other than the actors, their costumes, and a few props, everything in Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow is digital illusion, and the effects are often exhilarating.

Driven by two great performances surrounded by solid supporting acts, Infernal Affairs is the rare testosterone movie that is also mature and thoughtful.

The filmmakers turn what could have been dry subject matter into compelling, inspirational drama.

The film lets you get caught up in the excitement of this religion and the addictive nature of those stadium lights. Berg and cinematographer Tobias Schliessler get up close to the action, catching the hits and miscues in all their violent urgency.

It's difficult to think of another recent film so seamlessly rendered or that envelops an audience so completely in its period authenticity.

Simply lets the sinfully gorgeous music and emotions sweep over an audience.

In a season of proliferating issue-oriented documentaries, Voices of Iraq stands out by the sheer nature of its provenance: Iraqis themselves filmed the footage during a six-month period this year.

It is a film that should be required viewing by all citizens, especially students, if we hope not to repeat this awful chapter.

A rewarding piece of filmmaking that has all the makings of a classic weepie.

Jeunet provides numerous pleasures, particularly visual, along the way.

An effective martial arts film destined to leave mouths agape.

That a ragtag group of intellectuals and misfits could so blindside the FBI and hold the media in its grip is an especially sobering aspect of this dynamically told story.

Scorsese has crafted a rip-roaringly gorgeous-looking, beautifully acted biographical epic. But while firing on all cylinders, there's something oddly distancing about the picture.

Wonderfully weird and wistful adventure-comedy about a fish-out-of-water oceanographer.

Brooks is solidly in charge of this feel-good fairy tale as he gets terrific performances from everyone including two super-talented child actors.

This is a work of art so deep and resonant that it puts most narrative films to shame.

A thoughtful, provocative effort that makes up for its narrative failings with its astute philosophical musings.

Kevin Spacey, both as star and director, has created a hugely entertaining, highly empathetic portrait of a man for whom music was literally the thing that kept him alive.

A sharply observed tragicomedy that draws laughter as genuinely as it coaxes tears, the nicely paced film tempers its themes of loss and sorrow with a cynically witty edge and is graced by a perfectly pitched Sigourney Weaver performance.

A fascinating examination of a mysterious life and the truly bizarre art that it spawned.

A stunning, difficult film.

Pacino gives a keenly measured performance, leading an excellent British cast through their paces in a richly colorful production that should please selective audiences and adds to the list of major film adaptations of Shakespeare's work.

Captivating drama delivers literary flair and Louisiana music and great roles for a grizzled John Travolta and lovely Scarlett Johansson.

A luminous performance from Cate Blanchett lies at the heart of Joel Schumacher's impressive drama.

Packs a quiet wallop.

Ekachai's film takes a more compassionate view of its subject and boasts a dynamic performance by real-life kickboxer Asanee Suwan.

With some excellent staging, fine cinematography and first-rate acting, the film largely overcomes the awe it demonstrates for its principal character and succeeds in creating a mystery where perhaps there is none.

The excellent film combines a wealth of archival material with the reminiscences of an unforgettable group of octogenarian women who were champion swimmers when Hitler annexed Austria in 1938.

Should be mandatory viewing for those interested in the dominant intersection between religion and politics.

It's a beautifully modulated performance in a nicely crafted, quietly unassuming character study by Vancouver-based writer-director Carl Bessai.

Genuinely sweet, beautifully constructed documentary.

An engrossing mix of atmospheric gothic horror and smart sci-fi that's cemented by intriguing mythology, terrific visual effects, a dry sense of humor and an ideally cast Keanu Reeves.

Heart-wrenching as well as spirit-raising.

Accomplished and affecting art house fare.

Lo Cascio and Boni inhabit their roles with keen intellectual and emotional vigor.

Admittedly, The Jacket is not likely to be everyone's cup of tea, but filmmaker John Maybury has forged a mesmerizing mindblower.

The movie is filled with small moments of tenderness, insight and considerable wisdom.

Allen turns the character into a tour de force that unleashes an unexpected comedy about compassion and self-loathing.

Woody's back on solid ground with his first memorable pic of the new millennium.

The brutality of the fights and Schizo's growing ability to outfox his enemies make for a taut and exciting little picture.

It's a roller-coaster action film that thunders along with top-notch set pieces and studiously researched period settings. The only letdown is that the focus on action drowns out any character development.

Splashed and accessorized with brainy nonsense, "D.E.B.S." is a "H.O.O.T."

It's an adrenaline rush of a film.

Hits the screen with its disarmingly droll spirit quite intact.

A work of powerful humanism.

Fulfills the requirements of grand-scale moviemaking while serving as a timely reminder that in the conflict between Christianity and Islam it was the Christians who picked the first fight.

Captures the excitement of the game as well as the intimate drama -- and comedy -- of the human conflict.

Resistance is futile. It's impossible not to be swept up into the uplifting world of Mad Hot Ballroom, a documentary that can be neatly summed up as the "Spellbound" of competitive ballroom dancing.

Smartly put together, with interesting characters and caustic wit.

A fascinating account of its subject's self-torture over his inability to stop one of the 20th century's greatest tragedies.

A juicy Chinese-American romance about preserving "face" at the sacrifice of your whole being. This Sony Pictures Classics release is a comic gem.

Rock School rips out in the gritty-underdogs-conquer-the-world story progression. In this real-life scenario, Green whips them into shape for a triumphant performance at a Zappa Festival in East Germany.

Christian Slater and Selma Blair head a solid cast that Harvey Kahn directs with cool efficiency as the tension steadily rises with every passing minute.

Expertly tossing off the type of well-sharpened banter that was the domain of Gable and Lombard and Tracy and Hepburn, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie -- no matter what their off-camera status -- make one swell combative couple.

Pure's lively and colorful cinematic style turns a "downer" story about grim lives and desperation into a powerful love story.

This poetic portrait of simple Japanese life immerses you in the elegance of the ordinary.

Some of the metaphors are a bit too literal but the director largely succeeds with his story and the surprises are convincing. Best of all the film has a terrific sense of humor and the young actresses exploit it delightfully.

Word-of-mouth should make it one of the best-performing nonfiction films of the year.

A nature documentary that captures the ferocity and heroism of nature.

An endlessly intriguing documentary.

Uses dark humor, incisive characterizations and social commentary to infuse its familiar detective tale with a distinctive flair.

Might be too realistic for its own good: The film takes perhaps a little too much glee in its abilities to manufacture mayhem. That being said, the ride is extraordinary.

It's a splendid microcosm of contemporary China's aspirations and shortcomings.

Riveting.

The film achieves its power through a careful gathering of crucial details, in wordless glances, cruelties of nature and of man and the relentless determination to gain the promised land.

A crackling good suspense thriller.

Here's a film about kids and for kids that has not lost touch with what it is like to actually be a kid.

It plays like "Bonnie & Clyde" as made by a committee comprised of George Romero, Sam Peckinpah, Tobe Hooper, Sergio Leone and John Waters -- but Zombie still manages to inject a pervasive flavor all his own.

A likable mix of laughs and wacky action sequences.

Not merely a sitcom of cultural clash. Screenwriter Angus Maclachlan has delicately etched a compelling portrait of a way of life whose decencies and simplicities are often dismissed as being "unsophisticated."

Jakubowicz's direction is assured except in the film's final moments, when he makes a clumsy attempt at sociopolitical philosophy that is delivered by an omniscient narrator. It's an indulgence that threatens to undercut the ferocity that precedes it.

An uncompromising portrait of how global capitalism can exploit an area's resources to the point of near annihilation.

A newcomer to film, Michaletos grew up on a farm with cheetahs, so he can act natural around the animals while making this Huck Finn-like character more than credible.

Has a demented sense of humor, and the cleverness of its taut narrative structure and misanthropic characterizations constantly surprises a viewer. The movie does what you wish more first-time features would do: tell a story economically with first-rate actors and no hint of self-consciousness.