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What stands out first about Savage Messiah is the confidence with which Mario Azzopardi establishes its thriller identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Savage Messiah asks Polly Walker and Luc Picard to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Savage Messiah is established with useful clarity: As a small town social worker investigates a commune headed by a spiritual leader calling himself Moses, she discovers a dead child, sadistic rituals, and ru

What stands out first about Kaante is the confidence with which Sanjay Gupta establishes its action film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Kaante asks Amitabh Bachchan and Sanjay Dutt to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Kaante is established with useful clarity: Six bank robbers trying to pull off the perfect heist discover one of them is an undercover cop. That direct approach lets Kaante use its 2h 30m running time for character, atm

What stands out first about Respiro is the confidence with which Emanuele Crialese establishes its drama identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Respiro asks Valeria Golino and Vincenzo Amato to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Respiro is established with useful clarity: On an impoverished Italian island, a free spirited woman is accused of madness by townspeople fed up with her antics. That direct approach lets Respiro use its 1h 30m runnin

What stands out first about Together is the confidence with which Kaige Chen establishes its music drama identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Together asks Yun Tang and Peiqi Liu to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Together is established with useful clarity: A violin prodigy and his father travel to Beijing, where the father seeks the means to his son's success while the son struggles to accept the path laid before him. That direct appro

What stands out first about 24 Hour Party People is the confidence with which Michael Winterbottom establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, 24 Hour Party People asks Steve Coogan and Lennie James to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of 24 Hour Party People is established with useful clarity: In 1976, Tony Wilson sets up Factory Records and brings Manchester's music to the world. That direct approach lets 24 Hour Party Peopl

What stands out first about Equilibrium is the confidence with which Kurt Wimmer establishes its action film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Equilibrium asks Christian Bale and Sean Bean to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Equilibrium is established with useful clarity: In an oppressive future where all forms of feeling are illegal, a man in charge of enforcing the law rises to overthrow the system and state. That direct approach let

What stands out first about Bubba Ho Tep is the confidence with which Don Coscarelli establishes its horror film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Bubba Ho Tep asks Bruce Campbell and Ossie Davis to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Bubba Ho Tep is established with useful clarity: When residents of their nursing home start dying of dubious causes, an aged Elvis and an African American senior who claims to be President John F. Kennedy di

What stands out first about The Singles Ward is the confidence with which Kurt Hale establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Singles Ward asks Will Swenson and Connie Young to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Singles Ward is established with useful clarity: After his divorce, a Mormon stand up comedian moves to loosen the ties to the Church and its singles ward. That direct approach lets The Singles Ward use its

What stands out first about Roger Dodger is the confidence with which Dylan Kidd establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Roger Dodger asks Campbell Scott and Jesse Eisenberg to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Roger Dodger is established with useful clarity: After breaking up with his lover and boss, a smooth talking man takes his teenaged nephew out on the town in search of sex. That direct approach lets Roger Dodger

What stands out first about Time Changer is the confidence with which Rich Christiano establishes its science fiction film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Time Changer asks D. David Morin and Gavin MacLeod to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Time Changer is established with useful clarity: A Bible professor from 1890 comes forward in time to the present via a time machine and cannot believe the things that he sees. That direct approa

What stands out first about The Kid Stays in the Picture is the confidence with which Nanette Burstein establishes its documentary identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Kid Stays in the Picture asks Robert Evans and Eddie Albert to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Kid Stays in the Picture is established with useful clarity: Documentary about legendary Paramount producer Robert Evans (the film shares the same name as Evans's famous

What stands out first about Joshua is the confidence with which Jon Purdy establishes its drama identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Joshua asks Tony Goldwyn and F. Murray Abraham to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Joshua is established with useful clarity: "Joshua" tells the story of a possible second coming of Christ to a small U.S. town. That direct approach lets Joshua use its 1h 31m running time for character, atmosphere and consequ