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What stands out first about The Real Cancun is the confidence with which Rick de Oliveira establishes its documentary identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Real Cancun asks Benjamin Fletcher and Nicole Frilot to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Real Cancun is established with useful clarity: Sixteen American college students drink, flirt, fight and canoodle during their Spring Break vacation in Cancun, Mexico. That direct approach

What stands out first about Good Bye Lenin! is the confidence with which Wolfgang Becker establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Good Bye Lenin! asks Daniel Brühl and Katrin Sass to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Good Bye Lenin! is established with useful clarity: In 1990, to protect his fragile mother from a fatal shock after a long coma, a young man must keep her from learning that her beloved nation of East German

What stands out first about The Gospel of John is the confidence with which Philip Saville establishes its biographical drama identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Gospel of John asks Henry Ian Cusick and Daniel Kash to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Gospel of John is established with useful clarity: The story of Jesus' life as told by the apostle John, narrated by Christopher Plummer. That direct approach lets The Gospel of John

What stands out first about The Fog of War is the confidence with which Errol Morris establishes its documentary identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Fog of War asks Robert McNamara and John F. Kennedy to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Fog of War is established with useful clarity: The story of America as seen through the eyes of the former Secretary of Defense under President John F. Kennedy and President Lyndon B. Johnson, Rob

What stands out first about Beyond Borders is the confidence with which Martin Campbell establishes its romance identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Beyond Borders asks Clive Owen and Angelina Jolie to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Beyond Borders is established with useful clarity: The world's cruelty is confronted with the love of two different people who try to save humanity from poverty and war. That direct approach lets Beyond Bord

What stands out first about Ong Bak: The Thai Warrior is the confidence with which Prachya Pinkaew establishes its action film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Ong Bak: The Thai Warrior asks Tony Jaa and Phetthai Vongkumlao to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Ong Bak: The Thai Warrior is established with useful clarity: When the head of a statue sacred to a village is stolen, a young martial artist goes to the big city and finds himse

What stands out first about Touching the Void is the confidence with which Kevin Macdonald establishes its documentary identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Touching the Void asks Simon Yates and Joe Simpson to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Touching the Void is established with useful clarity: The true story of two climbers and their perilous journey up the west face of Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes in 1985. That direct approach le

What stands out first about Thirteen is the confidence with which Catherine Hardwicke establishes its drama identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Thirteen asks Evan Rachel Wood and Holly Hunter to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Thirteen is established with useful clarity: A thirteen year old girl's relationship with her mother is put to the test as she discovers drugs, sex, and petty crime in the company of her cool but troubled best fri

What stands out first about In the Cut is the confidence with which Jane Campion establishes its thriller identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, In the Cut asks Meg Ryan and Mark Ruffalo to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of In the Cut is established with useful clarity: A New York City writing professor, Frannie Avery, has an affair with a police detective who is investigating the murder of a beautiful young woman in her neighborhood. That d

What stands out first about From Justin to Kelly is the confidence with which Robert Iscove establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, From Justin to Kelly asks Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of From Justin to Kelly is established with useful clarity: A waitress from Texas and a college student from Pennsylvania meet during spring break in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and come together thro

What stands out first about Grind is the confidence with which Casey La Scala establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Grind asks Adam Brody and Joey Kern to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Grind is established with useful clarity: Four skaters follow their idol on his summer tour in an attempt to get noticed, get sponsored, and become stars themselves. That direct approach lets Grind use its 1h 45m running time for ch

What stands out first about The Human Stain is the confidence with which Robert Benton establishes its thriller identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Human Stain asks Anthony Hopkins and Nicole Kidman to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Human Stain is established with useful clarity: When a disgraced former college dean has a romance with a mysterious younger woman haunted by her dark, twisted past, he is forced to confront a shock