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What stands out first about The Closet is the confidence with which Francis Veber establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Closet asks Daniel Auteuil and Gérard Depardieu to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Closet is established with useful clarity: A man spreads the rumor of his fake homosexuality with the aid of his neighbor, to prevent his imminent firing at his work. That direct approach lets The Closet use

What stands out first about Town & Country is the confidence with which Peter Chelsom establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Town & Country asks Warren Beatty and Diane Keaton to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Town & Country is established with useful clarity: Two loving middle aged couples get caught in a series of marital misadventures over reasons of fidelity. That direct approach lets Town & Country use its 1h 4

What stands out first about Kissing Jessica Stein is the confidence with which Charles Herman Wurmfeld establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Kissing Jessica Stein asks Jennifer Westfeldt and Heather Juergensen to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Kissing Jessica Stein is established with useful clarity: A woman searching for the perfect man instead discovers the perfect woman. That direct approach lets Kissing Jessica

What stands out first about Mulholland Drive is the confidence with which David Lynch establishes its thriller identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Mulholland Drive asks Naomi Watts and Laura Harring to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Mulholland Drive is established with useful clarity: After a car wreck on Mulholland Drive renders a woman amnesiac, she and a Hollywood hopeful search for clues and answers across Los Angeles in a twisting

What stands out first about The Forsaken is the confidence with which J.S. Cardone establishes its horror film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Forsaken asks Kerr Smith and Brendan Fehr to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Forsaken is established with useful clarity: A young man gets embroiled in a war against vampires. That direct approach lets The Forsaken use its 1h 30m running time for character, atmosphere and consequence.

What stands out first about Bones is the confidence with which Ernest R. Dickerson establishes its horror film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Bones asks Snoop Dogg and Pam Grier to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Bones is established with useful clarity: Over 20 years after his death by a gunshot, Jimmy Bones comes back as a ghost to wreak revenge on those who killed him and to clean up his neighborhood. That direct approach lets B

What stands out first about The Man Who Wasn't There is the confidence with which Joel Coen establishes its crime drama identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Man Who Wasn't There asks Billy Bob Thornton and Frances McDormand to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Man Who Wasn't There is established with useful clarity: A laconic, chain smoking barber blackmails his wife's boss and lover for money to invest in dry cleaning, but his pla

What stands out first about The Curse of the Jade Scorpion is the confidence with which Woody Allen establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Curse of the Jade Scorpion asks Greg Stebner and Woody Allen to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Curse of the Jade Scorpion is established with useful clarity: An insurance investigator and an efficiency expert who hate each other are both hypnotized by a crooked hypnotist

What stands out first about Ghosts of Mars is the confidence with which John Carpenter establishes its horror film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Ghosts of Mars asks Natasha Henstridge and Ice Cube to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Ghosts of Mars is established with useful clarity: In 2176, a Martian police unit is sent to pick up a highly dangerous criminal at a remote mining post. That direct approach lets Ghosts of Mars use its

What stands out first about The Deep End is the confidence with which Scott McGehee establishes its thriller identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Deep End asks Tilda Swinton and Goran Visnjic to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Deep End is established with useful clarity: A woman spirals out of control while trying to keep her son from being found culpable in a murder investigation. That direct approach lets The Deep End use its 1

What stands out first about The Wash is the confidence with which DJ Pooh establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Wash asks Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Wash is established with useful clarity: Life at the car wash is a place in Los Angeles, California where anything can and does happen to two friends Sean and Dee Loc and trying to earn money to pay their rent. That direct approach

What stands out first about Head Over Heels is the confidence with which Mark Waters establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Head Over Heels asks Monica Potter and Freddie Prinze Jr. to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Head Over Heels is established with useful clarity: A young woman is attracted to a man despite her thinking she's seen him kill someone. That direct approach lets Head Over Heels use its 1h 26m running