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Tom Long, Detroit News

1. John Dies at the End 2013 Director Don Coscarelli isn't especially smooth or coherent, and he leans on weird for weird's sake. full review
2. LUV 2013 Director-co-writer Sheldon Candis stretches a lot of the time, a romantic story seems to have been cut drastically, and the film's climax is far too typical. full review
3. 2 Days in New York 2012 The laughs come fast and breezy, just as Delpy intends. full review
4. Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry 2012 A fascinating portrait of a modern artist and activist trying to make a difference within China's repressive political system. full review
5. Beauty Is Embarrassing 2012 "Beauty Is Embarrassing" is an undeniably likable film, mainly because White is a likable guy who believes comedy is at least as important as tragedy. full review
6. Bernie 2012 "Bernie' isn't a monumental film, but it is a finely tuned character study with some nice innovations. full review
7. Brooklyn Castle 2012 There's a general spirit of triumph and perseverance to "Brooklyn Castle" that's inevitably uplifting. full review
8. Bully 2012 It would have been nice if the film had reflected its title a bit more and looked at the bullies themselves - what drives one kid to torture another? Is it a reaction to home life, is it fear, is it innate awfulness? full review
9. Butter 2012 Director Jim Field Smith keeps the quirky characters coming with smooth efficiency and throws in some nice touches along the way. full review
10. The Cabin in the Woods 2012 If you like nutty energy, wacky ideas, crisp dialogue and scary, bloody, gory, grotesque and twisted movies - man, are you going to have a blast this weekend. full review
11. The Deep Blue Sea 2012 It's a time machine of a movie; but who will want to take the trip? full review
12. Detropia 2012 "Detropia" offers up a mirror to the country: This is what the future may look like. Now, what do you want to do about it? full review
13. The Dictator 2012 It reasserts Baron Cohen as a comic force who can't be ignored, dedicated to pushing the envelope and working with real ideas. full review
14. End of Watch 2012 Gyllenhaal and the perpetually under-rated Pena have a wonderful way of bouncing off one another and Ayers is wise to make this the energy that drives the movie instead of mere violence. full review
15. The Flat 2012 Are things better left alone or is revealing all always the best path? "The Flat," to its credit, offers nothing like a definitive answer. full review
16. For Greater Glory 2012 The result is pretty much as forgettable as the Cristeros War. full review
17. The Forgiveness of Blood 2012 Tradition can be dangerous as well as dumb. "The Forgiveness of Blood" is about a modern kid in an old-world society. It's a terrible fit. full review
18. Friends With Kids 2012 "Friends with Kids" goes on a beat or two too long, and lands in the obvious place, but it's filled with smarts and laughs and passion. full review
19. The Giant Mechanical Man 2012 "The Giant Mechanical Man" won't change your life but it might lighten your heart. full review
20. The Grey 2012 "The Grey" may appeal to those who like entrails, tough talk and bad endings. All others beware. full review
21. Headhunters 2012 "Headhunters" will indeed hand you your head. full review
22. Holy Motors 2012 By the time this film's over, you're shaken, intrigued and reminded that art doesn't need to add up to be entrancing. full review
23. Home Run Showdown 2012 An 8-year-old brain will probably think it's fine. All other brains, pass. full review
24. The Hunger Games 2012 Efficient if not electric, "The Hunger Games" is still epic in intent. full review
25. The Island President 2012 Nasheed is indeed inspirational, a cool-headed but passionate and courageous guy. You end up wishing a lot more leaders were like this guy. full review
26. The Loneliest Planet 2012 You hope for these characters, and that hope carries the film. full review
27. Mansome 2012 As documentaries go, this is lip gloss. full review
28. Marley 2012 This is a life story worth telling, and "Marley" does it much justice. Marley may or may not have been perfect, but he was certainly fascinating. full review
29. Monsieur Lazhar 2012 How do we get past tragedy? Together. full review
30. October Baby 2012 "October Baby" doesn't even meet the standards of decent propaganda. It is, in fact, indecent propaganda. full review
31. ParaNorman 2012 Chances are most kids, and most adults, will find "Paranorman" perfectly horrible in the best possible way. full review
32. The Queen of Versailles 2012 Seriously, if this was the American Dream, couldn't we have come up with something better? full review
33. A Royal Affair 2012 A fascinating, stately thriller. full review
34. Sleepwalk With Me 2012 This is a movie for anyone who's ever been unsure, and surely that's everyone. full review
35. The Viral Factor 2012 Dante Lam is John Woo via Michael Bay; he doesn't want to win you over, he wants to beat you up and make you crazy. And for all its silliness, "The Viral Factor" does just that. full review
36. What to Expect When You're Expecting 2012 "What to Expect" rolls out this shocking revelation: Having kids is a messy and complicated process. full review
37. The Woman in the Fifth 2012 "The Woman in the Fifth" leaves so many holes unfilled that instead of ending up intriguing, it's just plain frustrating. full review
38. The Adventures of Tintin 2011 A clamorous headache of a movie, it's hard to say who the intended audience for The Adventures of Tintin might be. full review
39. Albert Nobbs 2011 "Albert Nobbs" is a film of great texture and tenderness, and the actors are a joy to behold. full review
40. The Artist 2011 The Artist is the most surprising and delightful film of 2011. full review
41. Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey 2011 Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey" is the story of a young man who knew what he wanted to do and did it, who made his dreams real. This may be the most truly American movie in memory. full review
42. The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 2011 The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 is not your standard documentary dealing with racism in America. full review
43. Conan O'Brien Can't Stop 2011 Forget talk shows; Coco should keep touring and making films like this. full review
44. Coriolanus 2011 It's all very unnerving, modern and yet veins-in-the-teeth visceral. full review
45. First Position 2011 A number of the performances are plain stunning - Aran and Joan, in particular, seem born to move - and in many ways watching the movie is like watching a sporting event; there are winners and losers and favorites to cheer on. full review
46. Footloose 2011 In terms of empty-headed exuberance, it's hard to top Footloose. full review
47. Gerhard Richter Painting 2011 "Gerhard Richter - Painting" is a stirring portrait of an artist in search of his art - the mystery of the process, the beauty of the hunt and the wonder of discovery. full review
48. Hugo 2011 Hugo is pure movie magic. full review
49. Into The Abyss 2011 The abyss here isn't capital punishment, the ostensible subject of the film; it's the seemingly unending capacity for causing and enduring pointless misery that humans seem to have. full review
50. Ironclad 2011 Ironclad is as weighed-down as it sounds. full review
51. The Kid with a Bike 2011 "The Kid With a Bike" vibrates with desperation, frustration and the simple unfairness of life, leavened with glimpses of hope. full review
52. Like Crazy 2011 It's imperative for director and co-writer Drake Doremus to color the film with a great deal of blossoming-love sparkle right off the bat, and he does just that. full review
53. Machine Gun Preacher 2011 What looks on the surface to be yet another inspiring story of one man's salvation turns out to be instead both an examination of modern atrocity and a rethinking of the burden/beauty of belief. full review
54. Margin Call 2011 That Chandor manages to find the blood in each character is accomplishment enough; that he manages to make his drama both relevant and timeless portends a bright future indeed. full review
55. The Names of Love 2011 A bit jarring while still totally disarming, The Names of Love stirs the pot in more ways than one. full review
56. No Strings Attached 2011 No matter how sweet and good-looking and likeable they may be, the bottom line remains: You know what's going to happen from the very beginning. full review
57. Page One: Inside the New York Times 2011 Page One is entertaining enough, but for a film concerned with the value of news, it offers little that's actually new. full review
58. Scream 4 2011 Scream 4 is a total hoot. Assuming you can find the humor in knife stabbings. full review
59. Snow Flower And The Secret Fan 2011 It's a coordinated, stylish dance, but the steps are awfully familiar. full review
60. Super 8 2011 Remember the good old days? This is the movie you went to see on a Saturday afternoon in the good old days. full review
61. Transformers: Dark of the Moon 2011 OK, I'll admit it -- this is hard -- the big silly thing is sort of great. full review
62. Trishna 2011 Winterbottom has complete control of the film's look and feel, but the story seems to run away from him. full review
63. Undefeated 2011 It's a bit too long and a bit too vague at times, but this is a film about dedication, progress and the bond of human effort. It just also happens to include football. full review
64. Where Soldiers Come From 2011 Courtney avoids all political posturing here, something rare in modern war documentaries. These are the guys, American kids. This is the war, it's awful. And this is what happens. In your own backyard. full review
65. Young Adult 2011 Young Adult may be the year's most engaging feel-bad movie. full review
66. Biutiful 2010 An overloaded agony parade of a film that's such a grim march to devastation that it should be hard to watch. And, OK, it is. But with Bardem at its center, it's like watching a lush train wreck. full review
67. Blood Done Sign My Name 2010 The story is well-told and well worth telling. full review
68. Blue Valentine 2010 It's not an easy movie, but it is a powerful, unforgettable experience. full review
69. Casino Jack 2010 It's hard to work up a whole lot of love or sympathy for convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff. full review
70. City of Life and Death 2010 It is not an easy film, and perhaps a touch too relentless, but it is a great reminder of how bloody, mad and awful this world can be. full review
71. The Company Men 2010 This is a film without spark. The frustrations are real, but they are neither terribly entertaining nor enlightening. full review
72. The Conspirator 2010 The Conspirator fairly drips with nobility, timeliness and class. If only it were a bit more fiery. full review
73. Countdown to Zero 2010 Easily the scariest movie of the year. full review
74. Exit Through The Gift Shop 2010 Hoax or not, Exit Through the Gift Shop ends up energizing, aggravating, enjoyable and revealing. Is it art or isn't it? Who knows? Apparently no one. full review
75. The Extra Man 2010 An entertaining kinky kick of a movie, a lightweight delight about dreamers and dilettantes. full review
76. Four Lions 2010 The first feature, written and directed by satirist Chris Morris, may seem profane to some, but if you're doomed by watching it, at least you'll go down laughing. full review
77. Howl 2010 It's sweet stuff, a portrait of an artist in turmoil, under fire and laying himself bare. Howl captures Howl beautifully. full review
78. I Am Love 2010 Overblown, European, operatic, indulgent, patently absurd and somewhat wondrous, I Am Love works for one reason and one reason alone: Tilda Swinton. full review
79. I Saw the Devil 2010 This is the stuff of nightmares, where even the good guy is bad, and as shock cinema goes, it packs a punch. full review
80. I'm Still Here 2010 Chances are the joke is on us. The problem is the joke isn't very funny. In fact, it's kind of vile. full review
81. Joan Rivers: A Piece Of Work 2010 The undeniably fascinating and entertaining documentary that looks at the audacious entertainer in the seventy-fifth year of her life. full review
82. The Killing Jar 2010 There's little fun involved, for either the audience or the diner patrons. full review
83. A Little Help 2010 A Little Help doesn't dazzle, and you can pick at its parts, but Fischer's performance gives the movie a sense of romantic weariness that lingers. Life is a series of disasters to be weathered, no matter how cute you are. full review
84. Morning Glory 2010 Morning Glory is ultimately something of a morning news show version of a morning news show -- perky, jerky, chit-chatty and polished. And eminently, pointedly, forgettable. full review
85. Nowhere Boy 2010 More love triangle than musical, the effective and often sweet Nowhere Boy offers a sense of the time and tension that produced John Lennon. full review
86. Rabbit Hole 2010 As heavy, stressful, relentlessly sad dramas go, this one goes quite well. full review
87. Restrepo 2010 A look at both the tragic folly of war and the camaraderie of men under pressure, the documentary Restrepo holds both hope and horror. full review
88. Rubber 2010 Rubber will undoubtedly be the best film about a round, hollow serial killer released this year. full review
89. Senna 2010 Even if you can't tell Formula One from Grecian Formula, Senna is pretty exciting stuff. full review
90. South of the Border 2010 What's frustrating about the film is that even though it's clear Stone is making a number of valid and important points about both media manipulation and America's untoward political influence, he's also so obviously biased in his reporting. full review
91. The Switch 2010 It's not a bad film, really, just sort of average. But Bateman is so good in it -- natural, funny, yet full of real emotion -- that you immediately want to see him again in a better film. full review
92. Tiny Furniture 2010 Artful, smart, funny, sad and in its own small way dazzling. full review
93. True Grit 2010 True Grit isn't so much a major film as a good time, and there's nothing wrong with that. Maybe this movie can get westerns back in the saddle again. full review
94. Vanishing On 7th Street 2010 Prediction: Vanishing on 7th St. will vanish from theaters very quickly. full review
95. The Whistleblower 2010 Powerful and revolting, The Whistleblower makes you feel as if it could have been even more powerful and revolting. full review
96. The Proposal 2009 A straight-ahead romantic comedy that relies on the considerable charms of its stars, The Proposal feels so comfortable and familiar you might feel like you've seen it before. full review
97. Amreeka 2009 A portrait of our times painted from an immigrant's mirror, Amreeka should be seen by every American. full review
98. Antichrist 2009 Self-loathing, mean, ugly and perfectly made, Antichrist is probably the best film ever that you'd recommend to absolutely no one. full review
99. The Art Of The Steal 2009 The Art of the Steal lays out a good story, but perhaps not the whole story. full review
100. The Boys Are Back 2009 A classy, intelligent, low-key affair and a fine reminder of what's really essential to most lives: family. full review
101. Bruno 2009 Outrageous, unnerving, brave, topical, revealing, appalling and consistently hilarious, Bruno manages to be both cutting-edge cultural commentary and post-modern comic genius. full review
102. Creation 2009 A great moment in the history of ideas does not necessarily make for a great movie. full review
103. Extract 2009 It has all the ingredients for cult immortality and will likely live on long after this year's Oscar winners are forgotten. full review
104. Fish Tank 2009 Writer-director Andrea Arnold, working in British lower-class realism, still finds wondrous moments of connection in Mia's life. full review
105. The Fourth Kind 2009 Unintentionally, laughably bad. full review
106. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest 2009 If you haven't seen the first two films, do so and then see this one. If you have seen them, chances are you're already in the ticket line. Hornet's Nest has such a sweet sting. full review
107. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo 2009 You don't mess with Lisbeth Salander. And you'd do well not to miss her, either. full review
108. The Joneses 2009 A cheeky little commentary on modern consumption, The Joneses offers an uneasy balance between what's funny and what's not, staying just edgy enough to be uncomfortable while hitting its targets. full review
109. The Missing Person 2009 The real mystery here is how writer-director Noah Buschel talked recent supporting Oscar nominees Michael Shannon and Amy Ryan into doing this movie. full review
110. The Secret of Kells 2009 In the end, the film is about a magical book, but you never really have a sense of what makes the book magical. full review
111. Serious Moonlight 2009 It's a tribute to writer Adrienne Shelley and first-time director Cheryl Hines that, despite the film's flaws, it ultimately pulls off its unlikely tone. full review
112. Vincere 2009 A passionate, bold look at power, paranoia and betrayal in a little-known corner of history, Vincere is steamy, sad and so Italian it feels like an opera. full review
113. Vision: From the Life of Hildegard von Bingen 2009 There was obviously much to this woman, yet somehow Visions feels curiously empty feeling. full review
114. White Material 2009 It's one of those movies where questions like "Why didn't they do that?" or "Wait, what's their relationship?" keep popping up. And for the most part, those questions never get answered. full review
115. American Violet 2008 A well-played if too-familiar story of oppression and injustice. full review
116. Bottle Shock 2008 It's passable, while hinting at better things. full review
117. Defiance 2008 The story is inspirational; the movie isn't. full review
118. Elegy 2008 The best dramatic film of the year so far. full review
119. Happy-Go-Lucky 2008 Sally Hawkins, in a blinding, Oscar-worthy piece of acting so good you barely see it, plays Poppy, a perpetually upbeat elementary schoolteacher in London. full review
120. I.O.U.S.A. 2008 A movie that should be seen by everyone. full review
121. Let the Right One In 2008 An American remake seems inevitable, but it will be hard to re-create the haunting spell cast by this wonderfully strange film about being young and going steady with a monster. full review
122. Man on Wire 2008 Astonishing. Daring. Mind-boggling. Visually stunning. A true heart-stopper. And, oh yeah, the movie's pretty good, too. full review
123. Management 2008 Management has two things going for it: Steve Zahn and Jennifer Aniston. Luckily, those are two very good things. full review
124. Religulous 2008 No two ways about it, Religulous is going to offend a lot of people who have never even see it. Chances are, it's going to offend a lot of people who do see it as well. full review
125. The Square 2008 Things go from bad to worse to downright disastrous in the enthralling Australian import The Square. full review
126. What Just Happened? 2008 What Just Happened? is just a plain clumsy movie. full review
127. The Yellow Handkerchief 2008 This is basically brooding people doing awkward things in a humid environment. full review
128. Black Snake Moan 2007 Having established his characters and built their bond, having cooked up a sense of place so strong you can taste it, Brewer can't find anywhere in particular to go. Suddenly he brings a gun into the mix, then takes an awkward Dr. Phil turn. full review
129. Broken English 2007 ...there's a resolutely indie spirit at work here that keeps things interesting even when they shouldn't be. full review
130. Charlie Bartlett 2007 Charlie Bartlett may not be a great movie, but it does serve as a splendid introduction to a supremely promising talent. full review
131. Eagle vs. Shark 2007 Yes, the nerdy loser thing has been done to death, but writer-director Taika Cohen brings surprising depth to this film...Napoleon Dynamite dreams of being this movie. full review
132. Flawless 2007 A nicely made if slightly stodgy jewel heist flick that offers Michael Caine one more juicy, low-key role and Demi Moore another step back up the ladder to career revival. full review
133. Freedom Writers 2007 There's a straight-ahead spirit to Freedom Writers that lifts it above its too-many peers in the 'troubled youth' category of films. full review
134. Hot Rod 2007 Consistently laugh-aloud funny, a guilty chucklefest of ridiculous stunts, gleeful pummelings and questionable jokes that looks as if it were made by high school buddies who had a few weeks to kill. full review
135. Lars and the Real Girl 2007 It's the script by Nancy Oliver, the very idea of the thing, that steals your heart. Kink has never felt so sweet and decent. full review
136. Mr. Bean's Holiday 2007 A refreshingly blunt reminder of the simple roots of comedy in these grim, overly manufactured times. full review
137. Munyurangabo 2007 Munyurangabo may be a simple film with a straightforward message, but the details and conflicts Chung captures give it a reality that cannot be denied. full review
138. Paranoid Park 2007 Paranoid Park becomes a portrait of the skate punk as repressed personality. The movie doesn't really go anywhere as a story, it simply unfolds. full review
139. Puccini for Beginners 2007 Reaser really doesn't stand a chance. She's plucky as heck, and you like her despite the script, but she can't save the movie. full review
140. The Signal 2007 The Signal is electrifying, deliciously mad and twisted filmmaking. It's certainly not for everyone, but chances are it will inspire many. full review
141. The Ten 2007 The Ten is nowhere near a 10. Let's call it a six. full review
142. You Kill Me 2007 A film that manages to find sunbeams between the corpses and drunks. full review
143. Failure to Launch 2006 If you're in search of a film with any real emotion or believable story, forget it. If you're OK with a flick that has some funny bits and a kooky couple playing second banana -- hey, launch on. full review
144. Fay Grim 2006 Part satire, part action flick and complete ball of confusion, it's hard to tell what director-writer Hal Hartley intends with this often-amateurish, often dull, always frustrating film. full review
145. An Inconvenient Truth 2006 Matter of fact, it's surprisingly entertaining, if ultimately shocking. full review
146. Keeping Up With The Steins 2006 The specificity of the indulged lives in this film is delivered so ineptly that it seems as if rich kids have been shooting home movies in their own back yards. Which may be the case. full review
147. Nacho Libre 2006 Nacho Libre is a funny idea for a skit that's been put on the rack and tortured into a screenplay. full review
148. Severance 2006 For the odd at heart, it will be worth the wait. full review
149. Slither 2006 A great bloody joy of B-movie madness, Slither is a hilarious concoction of gore and wisecracks that offers plenty of nods to horror history while maintaining enough slimy integrity to stand, or rather, slither, on its own. full review
150. This Is England 2006 A movie about the allure of groupthink and how the warm comfort of being surrounded by peers wilts all sense of balance. full review
151. United 93 2006 This is art engaging grim reality in the hope of perspective, understanding and perhaps even closure. full review
152. Bad News Bears 2005 Bad News Bears isn't Linklater's or Thornton's greatest work, but it's funny from beginning to end and properly improper at every turn. This is religiously irreverent stuff. Pray for more.
153. Brick 2005 Brick is smart -- perhaps too smart for its own good at times. But in the end, its affectations add up to entertainment. full review
154. Brokeback Mountain 2005 If love does indeed conquer all, it should win hearts across America. If not, then its focus on a tragic stigma will remain as valid as its story suggests. full review
155. Broken Flowers 2005 Completely charming, but ultimately slight.
156. Casanova 2005 A ribald, witty costume comedy filled with delightful performances and wily plot turns, this is the sort of film that makes you wonder why more films like this aren't made. full review
157. Coach Carter 2005 While there's no denying its positive message, there's also no denying that it offers absolutely nothing fresh or innovative.
158. Color Me Kubrick 2005 Not only is there nothing there, the nothingness is a complete bore. When a film's highpoint is a soundtrack that relies heavily on other soundtracks, you've got problems. full review
159. The Constant Gardener 2005 This is not a movie that will shock you or thrill you or rock your world. Instead, it will move you, it will stick with you, it will give you pause and effect you in ways not easily described -- which is something the best films always do.
160. Elizabethtown 2005 This, folks, is not entertainment.
161. Factotum 2005 An aimless movie about an aimless man is still an aimless movie. full review
162. Four Brothers 2005 Ridiculously violent, crude, homophobic, brash and often plain absurd.
163. Grizzly Man 2005 What makes Grizzly Man remarkable are the edited tapes that at first seem to show a man at peace among nature, and then later reveal the startlingly fragile state of that man's mind and persona.
164. Jarhead 2005 Nicely acted, beautifully shot and pretty much devoid of action and context, Jarhead has to be considered one of the year's biggest failures, simply because so much talent went into a film so empty.
165. Land of the Dead 2005 Land of the Dead is living proof that films still can be inventive, that Hollywood is not the absolute center of the filmmaking universe and that a zombie film still can be scary and smart.
166. Lonesome Jim 2005 The biggest problem Buscemi has is that his central character has, by definition, very little distinct character. full review
167. The Longest Yard 2005 Good old-fashioned fun from kickoff to the last crossing of the goal line.
168. The Lost City 2005 Too scattered, too confused, too patched-together to work dramatically. full review
169. My Summer of Love 2005 It's the revealing performance from Press that breathes life into the film.
170. Neil Young: Heart of Gold 2005 Neil Young: Heart of Gold is one of the best live concert films ever made. If you like Neil Young, that is. full review
171. Serenity 2005 If you want to take a trip to the stars, this is the rocket to ride.
172. Sophie Scholl: The Final Days 2005 A disturbing film about courage, idealism, youth and the grim mechanics of mankind gone mad. full review
173. Sweet Land 2005 As opposed to the bulk of low-budget films, the look here is lush and beautifully crafted; even the make-up is excellent. full review
174. The World's Fastest Indian 2005 The World's Fastest Indian, in which Anthony Hopkins gets to play an adorably cantankerous old man, is a pretty safe bet as far as movies go. full review
175. Big Fish 2004 Funny, touching, smart, whimsical, dazzling and, at times, downright magical.
176. Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind 2004 Dizzying, dazzling, smart and, most importantly, honestly struggling with the variables of love, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a mesmerizing mind game that still manages to find perfect pitch while pulling heartstrings.
177. Hotel Rwanda 2004 The film serves as reminder and educator for those who've forgotten or never knew about the situation in Rwanda.
178. Me and You and Everyone We Know 2004 A film of indescribable and often unmentionable charm, Me and You and Everyone We Know is one of those completely unexpected artistic experiences, a work from an unknown with such a compelling, unique perspective that it boggles and inspires.
179. The Passion of the Christ 2004 A filmed bloodletting like no other on record, essentially a terribly graphic two-hour torture sequence.
180. Vera Drake 2004 Staunton is brilliant as Vera.
181. 21 Grams 2003 The performances, the way Inarritu deconstructs and reconstructs the narrative, the grainy, gritty feel and look, all lead to the rare sort of experience that only a truly great film can offer.
182. Anger Management 2003 Anger Management plays the same tune too much of the time to live up to its potential. Still, it's good for a giggle.
183. Bad Boys II 2003 It is the loudest, crassest, fastest, most destructive, biggest and dumbest.
184. CSA: Confederate States of America 2003 Funny, disturbing, smart and consciously outrageous. full review
185. Daddy Day Care 2003 Family films we need. Films like this, we never need.
186. Darkness Falls 2003 The film revels so brazenly in genre cliches that it eventually earns admiration for boldly going where nearly everyone has gone before. full review
187. Gigli 2003 Its awkward Rain Man- meets-gangsters- in-love plot lurches forward with such clumsiness it's hard to believe writer/director Martin Brest avoided seeing this thing flushed direct-to-video.
188. Hollywood Homicide 2003 Glutted with car chases, hot tubs, yoga lessons, psychics, rap murders, glitzy locales and smirks, smirks, smirks, Hollywood Homicide is obviously supposed to be a rollicking good time. Instead it's sporadicly, mildly amusing formulaic mush.
189. The Hunted 2003 The Hunted isn't grand cinema, but it's a good jog around the action flick track. Sort of like The Fugitive, except ...
190. I Like Killing Flies 2003 It celebrates individuality, hidden artistry, uncelebrated brilliance and the essence of the American spirit and is a general gas to watch. full review
191. Identity 2003 It isn't a standard slasher flick, but it impersonates one for so long you want to slap it around.
192. In the Cut 2003 Ultimately the question people may ask about In The Cut could be, She took her clothes off for this?
193. The Machinist 2003 It begins dark and depressing, but ends up merely dull.
194. The Missing 2003 The Missing is an absolute knockout, a western, a chase movie, an epic and the story of a splintered family and two civilizations at odds.
195. Mona Lisa Smile 2003 An under-achieving film about how much women can achieve, featuring actors of such potential, seems more than a bit cynical even by Hollywood standards.
196. Once Upon a Time in Mexico 2003 Just another stunted-up silly blood bath with no real passion, intelligence or wit.
197. Primer 2003 A jigsaw puzzle made of pieces that may or may not fit together, it assumes the intelligence and interest of its audience, a brave move that pays off big.
198. Something's Gotta Give 2003 A well-felt celebration of romantic, emotional and physical maturity, filled with laughs and tears. It's also something of a revelation when it comes to Diane Keaton's range.
199. Tears of the Sun 2003 Washington may like the timing, but the serious considerations of war and horror here are ultimately undermined by sentiment and schlock.
200. Touching the Void 2003 If you walk away from Touching the Void amazed at the strength of the human will to survive, even without faith or solid hope for the future, the film has likely done its job.
201. The Hours 2002 As stunning an acting showcase as you'll find.
202. Nicholas Nickleby 2002 It's just sort of there, one more adaptation of a long rambling Charles Dickens soap opera well-stocked with respected British actors playing painfully stereotypical characters. full review
203. The Pianist 2002 The Pianist breaks no new ground, but serves as a strong reminder of one of mankind's truly awful moments.
204. Secret Things 2002 A lot of sexy stuff wrapped in an obvious morality tale with some philosophical hooey and clunky symbols thrown in to justify the cheap, but undeniable, thrills.
205. XX/XY 2002 Offers little to love, despise or even care about.
206. Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back 2001 Deliciously inane, transcendentally outrageous and purposely preposterous, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back is destined to be seen by some as the greatest cinematic achievement of the year.
207. Manic 2001 Manic has quite a bit to recommend it as well, not the least of which is the lack of Hollywood gloss mental patients.
208. Scary Movie 2 2001 The film never really regains the opening scene's momentum. full review
209. Shaolin Soccer 2001 A complete pleasure.
210. Gossip 2000 Gossip breaks out of the teen genre in surprising and ultimately pleasing ways . full review
211. Bringing Out the Dead 1999 Bringing Out the Dead is a screaming siren of a film! full review
212. In Too Deep 1999 Too Shallow! full review