Movie Reviews

In Brief: W.C. Fields and Bing Crosby co-star for the only time in this musical comedy where Fields runs a show boat on which Bing finds a job singing. A more-or-less forgettable story gives way to some terrific Fields comedy, some great Rodgers and Hart songs for Crosby, and absolutely glistening cinematography and production values.

In Brief: Taking the concept of the film that never gets made in Preston Sturges' Sullivan's Travels, the Coen Brothers then imagined it as a 1930s take on The Odyssey. The results? Possibly their best film -- certainly their most congenial one -- and already an established classic.

In Brief: Beautifully crafted, wittily written and cleverly directed film version of the play detailing the descent of Britain's King George III (you know, the one who lost the colonies) into insanity -- the things done to treat him and the plots hatched against him. A splendid cast pulls it all off with great aplomb.

The Story: A 60-something retiree with a distant wife goes looking for some outside companionship. The Lowdown: A genial, shambling little comedy about the pitfalls of aging and the realization that comes when you're simply not young anymore.

In Brief: David Cronenberg's supremely disturbing film -- based on J.G. Ballard's novel -- is about a sub-culture that derives sexual kicks from car wrecks. Occasionally, it topples over into unintended laughs, but even those are slightly nervous. Compelling, but very much not for everyone.

The Story: A charmingly unscrupulous newspaper editor will stop at nothing to keep his star reporter -- and ex-wife -- from quitting and marrying another (and much duller) man. The Lowdown: It's the classic newspaper comedy -- a fast-paced story with dialogue delivered as if fired by a machine gun. Add two glamorous stars --…

The Story: Tim Burton's take on the old TV series, which is equal parts tribute, spoof and a rethinking. The Lowdown: A super stylish, lovingly comedic take on the TV show that also functions as a nostalgic -- though not uncritical -- look at the early 1970s.

In Brief: A couple and their adopted son move into the old orphanage where the wife spent her early childhood, planning to turn it into a school for children with special needs. However, the son disappears at a party -- in a manner that suggests his possibly not-so-imaginary friend was involved -- and things turn…

In Brief: Tim Burton's ultra-stylized and stylish -- not to mention bloody -- film version of the Stephen Sondheim musical about the infamous "Demon Barber of Fleet Street" is not likely to please theater purists or Sondheim junkies, but it is undeniably brilliant filmmaking that effectively blends theater, horror and music into a unified whole.

The Story: A documentation of a wide array of bullying -- and its consequences -- in America’s public high schools. The Lowdown: Despite offering little in the way of solutions (not to mention some factually dubious bits), this is a documentary that still packs an emotional punch.

In Brief: This classic Preston Sturges comedy is about a popular movie director (Joel McCrea) who wants to make a serious movie called O Brother, Where Art Thou? When the studio points out to him that he has no clue what poverty is like, he agrees -- and sets out on the road to discover…

The Story: An Algerian immigrant in Montreal takes over a class of third graders when their teacher commits suicide. The Lowdown: This graceful, sometimes surprising variant on the often cloying "teacher who makes a difference" film is both clear-eyed and completely uncloying, and definitely worth a look.

The Story: When the Earth is threatened by a seemingly unstoppable enemy, Nick Fury calls The Avengers together to save the day. The Lowdown: It's big splashy entertainment that delivers on its promise more than it doesn't.

In Brief: Guillermo del Toro's first feature film, Cronos, is one of the more audacious debut works you're likely to find. It's a rethinking of the vampire film -- and unlike most rethinkings, this one really brings something new to the table. The film boasts all the horror tropes -- and adds some new ones…

In Brief: The sixth (obviously) in the seemingly unstoppable (for a while anyway) Friday the 13th movies may not be exactly a good movie in the strict sense, but it's easily the best in the series. It delivers the expected slicing and dicing in something of a post-modern vein, but it also spoofs itself, the…

In Brief: The very unusual and surpringly powerful Oscar-nominated animated biographical film about the extraordinary -- and yet perfectly relatable -- life of an Iranian girl. It's a film that should be seen -- and one that benefits from a second look, as well.

The Story: A down-on-his-luck ex-cop must protect a young girl from a city of thugs out to get her. The Lowdown: Ridiculously convoluted, but occasionally impressive, and carried by the action-film gravitas of Jason Statham.

The Story: A group of girls who are the self-appointed arbiters of good taste and mental health at an upscale university set out to change the world — or at least the school. The Lowdown: A delightfully quirky, intelligent and surprisingly warm-hearted small-scale comedy that some will likely find meandering and shapeless, while those in…

The Story: An altar-bound couple's marriage keeps getting deferred by the intrusion of her career. The Lowdown: Unbearably overlong, not terribly funny, and banking way too much on the appeal of its stars.

The Story: An adaption of Terence Rattigan's play about a woman who gives up her secure married life for a younger, more dashing man -- and the price all involved pay as a result. The Lowdown: Beautifully made and acted, with a deeply felt core of emotion. Easily one of the best films this year.

The Story: A muck-up of a pirate decides to win the Pirate of the Year award, and finds himself tangled up in misadventures with the British aristocracy. The Lowdown: A clever and likable adventure from Aardman that never quite flirts with greatness, despite being quite entertaining.