The Hustler (1961)

The Hustler (1961)

[7] Paul Newman plays Fast Eddie, an overzealous pool player who'll sacrifice everything to beat the renowned Minnesota Fats (Jackie Gleason). This cautionary tale about obsession is the perfect showcase for several fine performances. It may be Newman's finest work. He and…
The Rookie (1990)

The Rookie (1990)

[3] A detective and a rookie cop team up to find a bad guy. I know. How original. Charlie Sheen gets my nomination for least charismatic performance in a motion picture here. The word "driftwood" comes to mind. The Rookie is hokey…
28 Days Later (2002)

28 Days Later (2002)

[7] 28 Days Later is a bright feather in the multi-colored cap of director Danny Boyle, who also gave us Trainspotting, Sunshine, and Slumdog Millionnaire. Cillian Murphy wanders post-apocalyptic England after a virus has turned most of the population into zombies. Boyle's…
The Return (2006)

The Return (2006)

[4] Sarah Michelle Gellar (TV's Buffy the Vampire Slayer) stars as a woman who has visions of a murder, eventually coming to realize the murderer may be coming for her, too. This supernatural thriller is okay for the first half-hour, but then it…
The Boys are Back (2009)

The Boys are Back (2009)

[6] This story of a widower struggling to be a good father to his two boys refrains from indulging in too much sentimentality, but never fully shakes that "Lifetime Movie" feeling. Clive Owen and young George MacKay are very good, and the…
Moulin Rouge! (2001)

Moulin Rouge! (2001)

[8] A lonely writer falls in love with a singing, dancing courtesan in this bawdy musical that soars on the charms of co-stars Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor. The song numbers cannibalize lyrics from love songs over the past century, an approach…
Capitalism: A Love Story (2009)

Capitalism: A Love Story (2009)

[6] Michael Moore's latest isn't as witty or well-crafted as his previous work, but it still provokes an interesting conversation about its subject matter, the dark side of capitalism. The most interesting (and horrifying) parts are a segment about blue chip companies…
Moon (2009)

Moon (2009)

[7] Sam Rockwell plays a lone astronaut working at a lunar drilling station in Duncan Jones' solid feature film debut, Moon. Moon is a story in the classic sci-fi tradition, spurred by Rockwell's encounter with a mysterious stranger who shatters his understanding…
Funny People (2009)

Funny People (2009)

[4] This is the first miss for Judd Apatow, coming off a string of memorable comedy hits like The 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up. Funny People features the usual array of wacky Apatow characters, but the personality and relationship patterns…
The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953)

The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953)

[5] This monster romp was the first solo effort by effects wizard Ray Harryhausen. All the stop-motion animation has the usual Harryhausen charm, including a famous scene where the dinosaur rages down Wall Street and chomps on a policeman. Unfortunately, there's not…