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Anyone who has ever lived in a big city will have their heart touched and their funny bone tickled by this sober comedy, directed by Nicole Holofcener, who has become known not only for her thoughtful films, but also for her television directorial credits.

In "The Polar Express," director Robert Zemeckis has beautifully and alluringly transformed Christmas into "Clausmas," beckoning us to worship the jolly old elf as the heart and soul of this all-important holiday. And that’s something that Christians should be very upset about indeed.

Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid, Ponyo also includes some distinctive, dazzling visuals—a trademark of director Hiyao Miyazaki—but its magical moments don't overcome its weaknesses in storytelling.

Even if I could get past the mass-market, commercial feel that this film left me with, my daughter is the one the film has to please. A Pooh addict, she begs to watch the Disney classic every single day and sits glued to the television whenever we allow her to. But she didn’t care for this film at all.

Poseidon

Instead of giving the storyline the gravitas it deserves, Post Grad quickly goes Little Miss Sunshine with way too much screen time dedicated to the main character's quirky family, the sort only dreamed up for movies in the first place.

Violence, crude language . . . hey, is this a kids' movie?

"A Prairie Home Companion" balances nostalgia with an inexorable sense of impending mortality. Director Altman, now in his 80s and reportedly frail during filming, seems to acknowledge that it’s coming for him as well, and for audiences preferring character-driven dramas that don’t insult their intelligence.

Not only are there Oscar-worthy performances here from newcomer Gabourey Sidibe and Mo'Nique, who is, hands down, one of the scariest villains since Heath Ledger's Joker in The Dark Knight, but director Lee Daniels gets the story just right by not shying away from the ugly truth of poverty, illiteracy and abuse.

In Premonition, the ambiguity and emotionless nature don't do actress Sandra Bullock any favors, as she seems to be walking through the film in the same perpetual daze as the audience is by watching it.

While recent film, “The Illusionist,” was rather slow-moving, maudlin and didn’t offer much payoff after all the tricks were done, “The Prestige” is a deliciously deceptive tale of revenge that keeps you mesmerized for more than two hours.

Men in blue have hearts of black in Gavin O’Connor’s Pride and Glory, a dark film about dirty cops and one man who fights the system—and his family—to break the stranglehold of corruption on the New York Police Department.

Jane Austen fans, rejoice! "Pride and Prejudice" has been brought newly to the screen with competence, visual flair and respect for the source material. And yet, the confines of a two-hour feature necessitate certain compromises that might not sit well with less forgiving Austen devotees.

It’s amazing what isn’t considered “R” nowadays. And Priest, a gruesome gorefest based on a graphic novel, is a prime example.

Okay, so it’s Cinderella – again. But we all love a good fairy tale. They echo the great myths (unlike Joseph Campbell, I do not include the Bible in that category), with their portrayals of truth, hope, love and the triumph of good over evil. No wonder they’re so successful, again and again. This film is no exception.

In every way that The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe tried but failed, Prince Caspian succeeds. What was originally slavish adherence to the source has now become inspired filmmaking—a major step forward that represents the Narnia for which we’ve waited.

Has the elements of a successful formula film, but it sells short its best assets in exchange for tedious special effects designed to please those who enjoyed the video game on which the film is based.

Disney gets nostalgic and tries capitalizing on everything that's worked so well in the past, while taking advantage of new technology. Not only are there plenty of show-stopping musical numbers, but the colorful, hand-drawn animation has never been more spectacular.