instantwatcher.com

Connie Ogle, Miami Herald

1. 17 Girls 2012 17 Girls is allegedly inspired by true events, but this diffident, dreamy film is so insubstantial it's hard to believe there's a speck of reality to be found in it. full review
2. Bachelorette 2012 Bachelorette will no doubt be divisive, possibly along generational lines. If you have to ask "Do women really talk this way?" it's not for you. full review
3. Bully 2012 For a film that understandably only scratches the surface of its topic, Bully carries a devastating emotional punch. full review
4. The Deep Blue Sea 2012 That's the difficulty in warming up to The Deep Blue Sea: The first thing we see Hester do is foolish and inconceivable, which makes it hard to get invested in her future. full review
5. Friends With Kids 2012 It's funny without being ridiculous, sweet without turning sentimental, even though it involves parenthood. full review
6. A Royal Affair 2012 The film ends not on a happy note, naturally, but on a moment of hope. Love may not conquer all, but it has a power all its own. full review
7. What to Expect When You're Expecting 2012 Remember when advice books stayed on the shelves where they belonged? full review
8. Like Crazy 2011 It's not exactly Casablanca, but times have changed. full review
9. The Best and the Brightest 2010 The Best and the Brightest is amusing at times but never more than a modest diversion, lacking the cleverness and imagination required to turn it into more than a one-joke movie. full review
10. The Company Men 2010 You are always aware of where the story is heading. Still, the film remains relatively entertaining, simply because the scenario hits so close to home, no matter where you work. full review
11. The King's Speech 2010 Not merely a spot-on period piece; it's also a heartfelt study in the shadings of courage, a film about duty and friendship that's often warmly funny and sometimes painful to watch. full review
12. Bruno 2009 Even if this is the end, we must applaud his audacity, even if we can't always bear to watch it in action. Is this comedic genius? As Bruno would say: Ich think so. full review
13. The Fourth Kind 2009 The Fourth Kind may not be the most honest movie in the galaxy, but it's got one thing right: With horror, what you don't see is usually more terrifying than what you do. full review
14. Defiance 2008 Defiance may lack the sort of emotional punch that sticks, but its story of courage and responsibility is undeniably compelling. full review
15. Happy-Go-Lucky 2008 It's a powerful argument for optimism. full review
16. Black Snake Moan 2007 For Black Snake Moan to work any sort of magic, it must be viewed as a blues riff on damaged souls and their desperate need for salvation. full review
17. Eagle vs. Shark 2007 Eagle vs. Shark feels like a low-budget, foreign cousin to Napolean Dynamite, less polished and sly. But it's definitely in the same family, lulling us into friendly acceptance with its persuasively silly rhythm and deceptively big heart. full review
18. Evening 2007 Manipulative at times, but it resonates with gleaming ferocity as it unspools a story of regret, longing and resolution in two generations of women. full review
19. Freedom Writers 2007 Never quite succeeds as anything more than Dangerous Minds Redux. full review
20. Hot Rod 2007 With a little help from his friends, [Samberg] has landed his jump with ease the first time on the ramp. Rod would love it. Hells yeah.
21. Failure to Launch 2006 Director Tom Dey throws in so much energetic slapstick that the film feels lively and fresher than it probably should, especially during several scenes involving animal-induced mayhem. full review
22. An Inconvenient Truth 2006 Frightening and timely, the smartly organized documentary is an urgent plea for responsibility and action as well as an impassioned call to heed the ominous warnings of science. full review
23. Jackass: Number Two 2006 If the judges stuck hooks in the American Idol contestants and used them for bait each week, even I would have to tune in occasionally. full review
24. Last Holiday 2006 Last Holiday isn't much more than a fantasy, but it's a sweet one, and it's far more worthy of attention than such hideous garbage as Rumor Has It . . . . full review
25. Casanova 2005 The irony of [Sienna] Miller co-starring in a film about the world's most notorious lothario aside, there's not much to love about Casanova. full review
26. The Longest Yard 2005 The Longest Yard is packed with many such tiny gifts for insiders, and picking them out is a big part of the movie's charm. full review
27. Sophie Scholl: The Final Days 2005 The Scholls were obviously courageous people. It's a shame this film isn't more of a tribute to their bravery. full review
28. A Good Woman 2004 The barbs fly with zest and impeccable comic timing in A Good Woman. full review
29. Hotel Rwanda 2004 All we can do is hope that films such as Hotel Rwanda remind us all -- moviegoer and politician -- of the terrible cost of doing nothing. full review
30. Little Black Book 2004 An unfortunate confluence of herky-jerky script, pointless scenes, weak slapstick and too many forays into the Land of the Moronic ... prevents the film from transcending its genre. full review
31. White Chicks 2004 White Chicks is tedious and stupid, awkward and juvenile. That it makes not a lick of sense is the least of its problems. full review
32. Mona Lisa Smile 2003 There are a few reasons to enjoy the film, namely its likable cast, its noble aim -- of dramatizing one of the many small steps that led to the overhaul of women's higher education -- and its unexpected ability to surprise you. full review
33. The Hours 2002 The film actually improves on Cunningham's novel, thanks to gorgeous cinematography, a deft script by playwright David Hare ... a mournful, melodious but never intrusive score by Philip Glass and a superb cast. full review
34. Nicholas Nickleby 2002 A terrific adaptation with a delightful cast and a speedy pace that defies belief, considering its lengthy source. full review
35. The Safety of Objects 2001 Much of the film improves as it goes, with the help of veterans Close and Clarkson. full review
36. Happy Accidents 2000 Conveying a certain amount of charm is key, and there is little in the schlubby presence of Vincent D'Onofrio. full review
37. Our Song 2000 Anyone who understands the subtle shadings of friendship will appreciate Our Song's realistic slice of teen life. full review