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Kevin Crust, Los Angeles Times

1. Black Snake Moan 2007 [Writer-director Craig Brewer] displays a real passion for the music and a knack for using it to create mood. But it's not enough to overcome the thinness of his characters or the greeting card sentiment that pulls the rug out from what came before. full review
2. Puccini for Beginners 2007 The filmmaker's niftiest trick is in making a group of neurotic, self-involved, overly verbal people so engaging. full review
3. Steal a Pencil for Me 2007 Irrepressibly moving without being sentimental, Steal a Pencil for Me is a testimony to true love. full review
4. Brooklyn Rules 2006 Whether it's read as an exclamation of borough pride or as a set of unwritten laws governing its residents, the movie takes a well-trodden path in chronicling the lives of three Italian American friends, circa 1985. full review
5. Cashback 2006 A very romantic portrait of a young artist as he ponders love, beauty and living in the moment. full review
6. Fay Grim 2006 This film feels like Hartley has been handed a Bourne or a Bond movie to direct and maintained his own style and low-budget aesthetic while thoroughly enjoying and deconstructing his new toy. full review
7. Maxed Out 2006 Scurlock does well to counter the more dire aspects of the film with a razor-sharp sense of humor. full review
8. Slither 2006 Slither is a gross, disgusting, but undeniably amusing treat laden with homages and in-jokes. full review
9. Cavite 2005 Though the film seldom deviates from its thriller format, Gamazon and Dela Llana astutely weave in matters of political, cultural and religious importance, elevating Cavite well above mere genre. full review
10. Dirty Deeds 2005 Recycling is alive but not well in the outmoded teen comedy Dirty Deeds, with a result that is more toxic than intoxicating. full review
11. Sahara 2005 It's a little hard to have silly fun when you are constantly being reminded that Hotel Rwanda and similar stories have been playing out down the road. full review
12. Serenity 2005 Whedon knows that he's blazing down a well-worn trail, but he addresses that by deftly adding elements of humor, action, romance and horror and continually confounding audience expectations. full review
13. A State of Mind 2005 A fresh, straightforward portrayal of what the film calls 'the least visible ... least known ... least understood ... country in the world.' full review
14. Stoned 2005 The film fails to establish Jones' significance to the band or why his death should be seen as anything other than just another rock 'n' roll casualty. full review
15. A Good Woman 2004 A Good Woman won't ruin anyone's day, but it won't make anyone's either, and it won't get the great Irish playwright anything like the admiration his work deserves. full review
16. The Puffy Chair 2004 What feels like meandering in the moment builds to a genuine emotional attachment to the characters. full review
17. Word Wars 2004 Chaikin and Petrillo have crafted an empathetic and revealing portrait of four men whose obsession is both a little bit sad and more than a little bit recognizable. full review