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What stands out first about Oldboy is the confidence with which Park Chan wook establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Oldboy asks Choi Min sik and Yoo Ji tae to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Oldboy is established with useful clarity: After being kidnapped and imprisoned for fifteen years, Oh Dae Su is released, only to find that he must track down his captor in five days. That direct approach lets Oldboy use its 2h

What stands out first about Bon Voyage is the confidence with which Jean Paul Rappeneau establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Bon Voyage asks Isabelle Adjani and Gérard Depardieu to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Bon Voyage is established with useful clarity: An actress, a writer, a student, and a government worker band together in an effort to escape Paris as the Germans move into the city. That direct approach le

What stands out first about Pieces of April is the confidence with which Peter Hedges establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Pieces of April asks Katie Holmes and Oliver Platt to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Pieces of April is established with useful clarity: A wayward daughter invites her dying mother and the rest of her estranged family to her apartment for Thanksgiving dinner. That direct approach lets Pieces o

What stands out first about The Dreamers is the confidence with which Bernardo Bertolucci establishes its romance identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Dreamers asks Michael Pitt and Louis Garrel to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Dreamers is established with useful clarity: A young American studying in Paris in 1968 strikes up a friendship with a French brother and sister. That direct approach lets The Dreamers use its 1h 55m run

What stands out first about My Architect is the confidence with which Nathaniel Kahn establishes its documentary identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, My Architect asks Edmund Bacon and Edwina Pattison Daniels to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of My Architect is established with useful clarity: Director Nathaniel Kahn searches to understand his father, noted architect Louis Kahn, who died bankrupt and alone in 1974. That direct approach let

What stands out first about Monsieur Ibrahim is the confidence with which François Dupeyron establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Monsieur Ibrahim asks Omar Sharif and Pierre Boulanger to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Monsieur Ibrahim is established with useful clarity: In Paris, a Turkish shop owner befriends a Jewish boy in his mid teens. That direct approach lets Monsieur Ibrahim use its 1h 35m running time for

What stands out first about The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill is the confidence with which Judy Irving establishes its documentary identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill asks Mark Bittner and Maggie McCall to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill is established with useful clarity: A homeless musician finds meaning to his life when he starts a friendship with dozens of parrot

What stands out first about Capturing the Friedmans is the confidence with which Andrew Jarecki establishes its documentary identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Capturing the Friedmans asks Arnold Friedman and Jesse Friedman to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Capturing the Friedmans is established with useful clarity: Documentary on the Friedmans, a seemingly typical, upper middle class Jewish family whose world is instantly transformed

What stands out first about Anything Else is the confidence with which Woody Allen establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Anything Else asks Woody Allen and Jason Biggs to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Anything Else is established with useful clarity: Jerry Falk learns a lesson the hard way when he falls in love with the beautiful but flighty Amanda. That direct approach lets Anything Else use its 1h 48m running ti

What stands out first about The Corporation is the confidence with which Mark Achbar establishes its documentary identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Corporation asks Mikela Jay and Rob Beckwermert to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Corporation is established with useful clarity: Documentary that looks at the concept of the corporation throughout recent history up to its present day dominance. That direct approach lets The Corpor

What stands out first about High Tension is the confidence with which Alexandre Aja establishes its horror film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, High Tension asks Cécile de France and Maïwenn to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of High Tension is established with useful clarity: Best friends Marie and Alexia decide to spend a quiet weekend at Alexia's parents' secluded farmhouse. That direct approach lets High Tension use its 1h 31m runn

What stands out first about Step Into Liquid is the confidence with which Dana Brown establishes its documentary identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Step Into Liquid asks Laird Hamilton and Layne Beachley to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Step Into Liquid is established with useful clarity: Surfers and secret spots from around the world are profiled in this documentary. That direct approach lets Step Into Liquid use its 1h 28m running