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Sorority Boys
What stands out first about Sorority Boys is the confidence with which Wallace Wolodarsky establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Sorority Boys asks Barry Watson and Harland Williams to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Sorority Boys is established with useful clarity: Strapped for cash, three fraternity playboys make one last attempt to live the high life cheaply by masquerading as girls. That direct approach lets Soro
Aug 153 min read
Narc
What stands out first about Narc is the confidence with which Joe Carnahan establishes its thriller identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Narc asks Ray Liotta and Jason Patric to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Narc is established with useful clarity: When the trail goes cold on a murder investigation of a policeman, an undercover narcotics officer is lured back to the force to help solve the case. That direct approach lets Narc use its 1
Aug 152 min read
Abandon
What stands out first about Abandon is the confidence with which Stephen Gaghan establishes its thriller identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Abandon asks Katie Holmes and Benjamin Bratt to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Abandon is established with useful clarity: An investigation of a college student's missing boyfriend becomes quite strange when she begins to see him periodically. That direct approach lets Abandon use its 1h 39m runni
Aug 152 min read
The Powerpuff Girls Movie
What stands out first about The Powerpuff Girls Movie is the confidence with which Craig McCracken establishes its animated adventure identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Powerpuff Girls Movie asks Cathy Cavadini and Tara Strong to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Powerpuff Girls Movie is established with useful clarity: After destroying the city of Townsville in a game of tag, a trio of super powered little girls must redeem them
Aug 153 min read
Undisputed
What stands out first about Undisputed is the confidence with which Walter Hill establishes its action film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Undisputed asks Wesley Snipes and Ving Rhames to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Undisputed is established with useful clarity: When heavyweight champion George "Iceman" Chambers lands in prison, the resident gangster arranges a boxing match with the reigning prison champ. That direct approach l
Aug 152 min read
They
What stands out first about They is the confidence with which Robert Harmon establishes its horror film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, They asks Laura Regan and Marc Blucas to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of They is established with useful clarity: A psychology student and her friends start to have nightmares, resulting in strange marks appearing on their bodies. That direct approach lets They use its 1h 29m running time for charac
Aug 152 min read
The Quiet American
What stands out first about The Quiet American is the confidence with which Phillip Noyce establishes its thriller identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Quiet American asks Michael Caine and Brendan Fraser to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Quiet American is established with useful clarity: An old British reporter vies with a young U.S. doctor for the affections of a beautiful Vietnamese woman. That direct approach lets The Quiet
Aug 153 min read
25th Hour
What stands out first about 25th Hour is the confidence with which Spike Lee establishes its drama identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, 25th Hour asks Edward Norton and Barry Pepper to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of 25th Hour is established with useful clarity: Cornered by the DEA, convicted New York drug dealer Montgomery Brogan reevaluates his life in the 24 remaining hours before facing a seven year jail term. That direct approach le
Aug 153 min read
Feardotcom
What stands out first about Feardotcom is the confidence with which William Malone establishes its horror film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Feardotcom asks Stephen Dorff and Natascha McElhone to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Feardotcom is established with useful clarity: A New York City detective investigates mysterious deaths occurring 48 hours after users log onto a site named feardotcom. That direct approach lets Feardotcom
Aug 152 min read
Juwanna Mann
What stands out first about Juwanna Mann is the confidence with which Jesse Vaughan establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Juwanna Mann asks Miguel A. Núñez Jr. and Christopher Simmons to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Juwanna Mann is established with useful clarity: A star basketball player decides to dress up as a woman and join the women's professional basketball league when his on court antics get him suspended.
Aug 153 min read
Hey Arnold! The Movie
What stands out first about Hey Arnold! The Movie is the confidence with which Tuck Tucker establishes its animated adventure identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Hey Arnold! The Movie asks Spencer Klein and Francesca Marie Smith to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Hey Arnold! The Movie is established with useful clarity: Arnold and company must recover a stolen document needed in order to prevent the neighborhood from being bulldozed. Th
Aug 153 min read
The Good Girl
What stands out first about The Good Girl is the confidence with which Miguel Arteta establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Good Girl asks Jennifer Aniston and Jake Gyllenhaal to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Good Girl is established with useful clarity: A discount store clerk strikes up an affair with a stock boy who considers himself the incarnation of Holden Caulfield. That direct approach lets The Good
Aug 153 min read
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