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What stands out first about Escanaba in da Moonlight is the confidence with which Jeff Daniels establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Escanaba in da Moonlight asks Jeff Daniels and Harve Presnell to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Escanaba in da Moonlight is established with useful clarity: A macho man in a family on the eve of deer hunting season must deal with the eldest son's curse of never having bagged a buck. T

What stands out first about Last Orders is the confidence with which Fred Schepisi establishes its drama identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Last Orders asks Michael Caine and Bob Hoskins to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Last Orders is established with useful clarity: A group of old friends reminisce about their lives over the years after the death of one of their crew. That direct approach lets Last Orders use its 1h 49m running time

What stands out first about Gabriela is the confidence with which Vincent Jay Miller establishes its romance identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Gabriela asks Jaime Gomez and Seidy Lopez to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Gabriela is established with useful clarity: Mike is romantic and persistent, a social worker at a psychiatric clinic who falls for a new intern. That direct approach lets Gabriela use its 1h 33m running time for chara

What stands out first about Sidewalks of New York is the confidence with which Edward Burns establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Sidewalks of New York asks Edward Burns and Heather Graham to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Sidewalks of New York is established with useful clarity: The interlocking lives and loves of six New Yorkers. That direct approach lets Sidewalks of New York use its 1h 48m running time for char

What stands out first about Waking Life is the confidence with which Richard Linklater establishes its animated adventure identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Waking Life asks Ethan Hawke and Trevor Jack Brooks to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Waking Life is established with useful clarity: A man shuffles through a dream meeting various people and discussing the meanings and purposes of the universe. That direct approach lets Waking Li

What stands out first about Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... is the confidence with which Karan Johar establishes its romance identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... asks Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... is established with useful clarity: After marrying a poor woman, rich Rahul is disowned by his father and moves to London to build a new life. That direct approac

What stands out first about Hedwig and the Angry Inch is the confidence with which John Cameron Mitchell establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Hedwig and the Angry Inch asks John Cameron Mitchell and Miriam Shor to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Hedwig and the Angry Inch is established with useful clarity: A gender queer punk rock singer from East Berlin tours the U.S. with her band as she tells her life story and

What stands out first about Soul Survivors is the confidence with which Stephen Carpenter establishes its horror film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Soul Survivors asks Melissa Sagemiller and Wes Bentley to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Soul Survivors is established with useful clarity: A college student is caught between the world of the living and the dead. That direct approach lets Soul Survivors use its 1h 24m running time fo

What stands out first about The Cat's Meow is the confidence with which Peter Bogdanovich establishes its crime drama identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Cat's Meow asks Kirsten Dunst and Cary Elwes to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Cat's Meow is established with useful clarity: Semi true story of the Hollywood murder that occurred at a star studded gathering aboard William Randolph Hearst's yacht in 1924. That direct approach

What stands out first about 13 Conversations About One Thing is the confidence with which Jill Sprecher establishes its drama identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, 13 Conversations About One Thing asks Alan Arkin and John Turturro to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of 13 Conversations About One Thing is established with useful clarity: In New York City, the lives of a lawyer, an actuary, a house cleaner, a professor and the people around the

What stands out first about Pootie Tang is the confidence with which Louis C.K. establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Pootie Tang asks Chris Rock and Lance Crouther to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Pootie Tang is established with useful clarity: "The Man" is baffled by a chill hero's invincible weapon: gibberish. That direct approach lets Pootie Tang use its 1h 21m running time for character, atmosphere and conseq

What stands out first about Les Boys III is the confidence with which Louis Saia establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Les Boys III asks Marc Messier and Rémy Girard to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Les Boys III is established with useful clarity: Three years have passed since the tournament in France and the team formed the Boys always seem great team. That direct approach lets Les Boys III use its 2h 4m running