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What stands out first about Bright Young Things is the confidence with which Stephen Fry establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Bright Young Things asks Stephen Campbell Moore and Emily Mortimer to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Bright Young Things is established with useful clarity: An adaptation of Evelyn Waugh's novel "Vile Bodies", is a look into the lives of a young novelist, his would be lover, and a host of y

What stands out first about Owning Mahowny is the confidence with which Richard Kwietniowski establishes its thriller identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Owning Mahowny asks Philip Seymour Hoffman and Minnie Driver to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Owning Mahowny is established with useful clarity: A bank manager with: (a) a gambling problem and (b) access to a multimillion dollar account gets into a messy situation. That direct approa

What stands out first about Baghban is the confidence with which Ravi Chopra establishes its romance identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Baghban asks Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Baghban is established with useful clarity: An elderly couple wish their children to care for them in their old age. That direct approach lets Baghban use its 3h 1m running time for character, atmosphere and consequence. ⁠

What stands out first about Wonderland is the confidence with which James Cox establishes its thriller identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Wonderland asks Val Kilmer and Lisa Kudrow to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Wonderland is established with useful clarity: In the police investigation of a brutal crime scene, one man was at the center of it all: legendary porn star John Holmes. That direct approach lets Wonderland use its 1h 44m r

What stands out first about The Mother is the confidence with which Roger Michell establishes its romance identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Mother asks Anne Reid and Daniel Craig to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Mother is established with useful clarity: A woman has a passionate affair with a man half her age, who is also sleeping with her daughter. That direct approach lets The Mother use its 1h 52m running time for charact

What stands out first about The R.M. is the confidence with which Kurt Hale establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The R.M. asks Kirby Heyborne and Daryn Tufts to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The R.M. is established with useful clarity: Jared Phelps (Kirby Heyborne) has completed two years of full time missionary service for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. That direct approach lets The R.M. use it

What stands out first about Nicotina is the confidence with which Hugo Rodríguez establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Nicotina asks Diego Luna and Marta Belaustegui to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Nicotina is established with useful clarity: A real time dark comedy about a science geek who tangles with a clutch of Russian gangsters after he delivers them the wrong computer disk. That direct approach lets Nicotin

What stands out first about The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi is the confidence with which Takeshi Kitano establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi asks Takeshi Kitano and Tadanobu Asano to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi is established with useful clarity: The blind masseur/swordsman comes to a town in control of warring gangs, and while bunking with a farming fam

What stands out first about Festival Express is the confidence with which Bob Smeaton establishes its documentary identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Festival Express asks Janis Joplin and Grateful Dead to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Festival Express is established with useful clarity: The filmed account of a large Canadian rock festival train tour boasting major acts like Janis Joplin, The Grateful Dead and The Band. That direct ap

What stands out first about I Capture the Castle is the confidence with which Tim Fywell establishes its romance identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, I Capture the Castle asks Romola Garai and Rose Byrne to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of I Capture the Castle is established with useful clarity: A love story set in 1930s England that follows 17 year old Cassandra Mortmain and the fortunes of her eccentric family struggling to survive in a

What stands out first about Indigo is the confidence with which Stephen Deutsch establishes its drama identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Indigo asks Charlie Bass and Rodney Blake to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Indigo is established with useful clarity: Indigo is a film about loneliness, redemption, and the healing powers and grace of the new generation of Indigo (psychic and gifted) children being born into the world. That direct a

What stands out first about Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon is the confidence with which Sooraj R. Barjatya establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon asks Hrithik Roshan and Kareena Kapoor to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon is established with useful clarity: This is the story of Sanjana, a girl of today's generation full of life and vibrant ecstasy. That direct approach lets M