Rod Lurie, given the Washington insider knowledge he displayed with IThe ContenderI, would seem a natural fit for the story, his claustrophobic close-ups emphasizing the fishbowl world of D.Cs power elite. But even helped by strong performances from Kate Beckinsale and Vera Farmiga, INothing But the TruthI is flat and unexceptional, the bureaucratic, talky parts of a political thriller without the action sequences as payoff

IAustraliaI, as a movie experience, demands ushers in red vests, plush velvet seats, bunched curtains and a balcony. It is as much a tribute to movies as it is a movie itself; like all Baz Luhrmann films, its intoxicated with the very notion that it will flicker to life on a screen. Set loose in the limitless wilds of his homeland, Baz Luhrmann stuffs the screen with dust storms, sunsets, stampedes, explosions, kangaroos...

As a romance, ITwilightI is just subpar-- a more celibate, moodier take on IDawsons CreekI or I90210I. As a vampire story, its a disaster; all the fun stuff is taken out in favor of vampires who drink animal blood, go out during the daytime, and sparkle in direct sunlight. As a movie overall, its mostly a wash.

A year from now when its finally on DVD, someone I know will ask me if Ive seen IFour ChristmasesI. Four what? Ill ask. IFour ChristmasesI, theyll say. The holiday movie with Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn. And Ill respond, no never heard of it. As far as Ill know that will be the truth, because by then Ill have forgotten this movie exists. Its clich collection of bland, formula gags will have long since been replaced in my brain by more worthy memories.

IThe ClassI, based on the memoir by Francois Begaudeau, who also stars, isnt exactly interested in turning that traditional narrative on its head. Instead it starts from the only world Begaudeau knows-- reality-- and creates a loose narrative as fascinating in its specific details as it is enlightening on a grand scale. Though it tackles very specifically French ideas of race and identity and education, IThe ClassI is a universal story of the joys and horrors of the classroom

ITwilightI would be the same movie with or without vampires. Edward is attracted to Bella because she smells delicious, but he could just as easily have been attracted to her because shes really super-hot. Bella on the other hand, is attracted to Edward for the same reason all teenage girls seem to be attracted to bad boys. The female lust for jerks is something of a universal constant, and its on full display here.

Every generation has its dog movie. ITheI dog movie. The dog movie which empties the streets of strays and sends stores scrambling to load up on chew toys. The dog movie which causes millions of Americas kids to beg for their very own pet. For you, maybe it was IFox and the HoundI played over and over again on your familys creaking VHS player. For our kids, its going to be IBoltI.

Darren Aronofsky is best known as a director of visually experimental, emotionally complex films like IRequiem for a DreamI and IThe FountainI. With IThe WrestlerI, he drops the experimentation and shoots what for him is a quick and dirty film. This is everything which an Aronosfky movie usually is not. IThe WrestlerI, stripped down and raw, hinges almost entirely on the performance of its lead.

In 1977 Richard M. Nixon granted British playboy presenter turned journalist David Frost a series of twelve television interviews. This was the first time Nixon had spoken since his resignation in the midst of the Watergate scandal and Americans waited with baited breath, longing for the trial theyd been denied by newly president Gerald Fords blanket pardon.

Its a rare occasion that any movie has such impact that when the film ends, the entire audience exits the theater in total silence. It was a good several seconds after the credits finished rolling and the lights came up before I even realized what I was experiencing. It happens so rarely that it took that a moment for me to recognize it: I was speechless.

Directed ably and passionately by Gini Reticker, IPray the DevilI uses interviews with the women involved as well as limited archival footage to make a powerful argument for everyday strength and resistance. Clocking in at just 73 minutes, IPray the DevilI is an economically told, extremely powerful story, a bolt of inspiration in what remain dark times for the entire world.

The actors enthusiasm, couple with Boyles energy behind the screen, make magic out of ISlumdog MillionaireIs songs and sorrow, its bursts of energy and carefully selected moments of reflection. A story of coincidences and luck and eventually fate, its a classic, perhaps cliched tale-- but one that has rarely felt or looked so alive.

Without a well-told story at the center-- the hostage crisis ends about how you would expect it to-- the meta tricks and Van Dammes raw emotion never coalesce. Sure, its interesting to watch when a guy known for speaking with his fists turns in a credible performance as a real human being. But thats a sideshow, not a movie.

The plot goes where it will, without much regard to structure or audience satisfaction, and the occasional good song and ever-surprising set design distract from the boredom that sets in about halfway through. Bousman has squandered a lot of potential from his unique premise, and rather than an epic horror comedy, hes turned in something surprisingly mundane.

Theres not much here for even the youngest kids to sink their teeth into; its typical homecoming, save the herd stuff and it breezes by so fast that itll feel like the movie belongs squeezed into a Saturday morning, half-hour block of cereal-selling kiddie entertainment. Missing is the originals carefully constructed, almost lyrical waves of cartoony gags and wacky asides set to pulse pounding, hip-hop beats.