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What stands out first about Fade to Black is the confidence with which Patrick Paulson establishes its documentary identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Fade to Black asks Jay Z and Rick Rubin to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Fade to Black is established with useful clarity: Filmed during his "Black Album" era, Jay Z looks back on his career as one of rap music's most successful emcees and entrepreneurs. That direct approach lets Fade t

What stands out first about Lakshya is the confidence with which Farhan Akhtar establishes its action film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Lakshya asks Hrithik Roshan and Preity G Zinta to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Lakshya is established with useful clarity: An aimless, jobless, irresponsible grown man joins the army and matures into a battlefield hero. That direct approach lets Lakshya use its 3h 6m running time for character

What stands out first about Stage Beauty is the confidence with which Richard Eyre establishes its drama identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Stage Beauty asks Billy Crudup and Claire Danes to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Stage Beauty is established with useful clarity: A female theatre dresser creates a stir and sparks a revolution in seventeenth century London theatre by playing Desdemona in Othello. That direct approach lets Stage

What stands out first about Hum Tum is the confidence with which Kunal Kohli establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Hum Tum asks Saif Ali Khan and Rani Mukerji to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Hum Tum is established with useful clarity: A novel look at the eternal battle of the sexes and the trials and tribulations of Karan and Rhea and their attempts to understand each other. That direct approach lets Hum Tum use

What stands out first about Innocent Voices is the confidence with which Luis Mandoki establishes its thriller identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Innocent Voices asks Carlos Padilla and Leonor Varela to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Innocent Voices is established with useful clarity: A young boy, in an effort to have a normal childhood in 1980's El Salvador, is caught up in a dramatic fight for his life as he desperately tries to avo

What stands out first about Mujhse Shaadi Karogi is the confidence with which David Dhawan establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Mujhse Shaadi Karogi asks Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Mujhse Shaadi Karogi is established with useful clarity: Sameer, fast at losing his temper is re located to Goa where he falls in love with Rani. That direct approach lets Mujhse Shaadi Karogi use its

What stands out first about Criminal is the confidence with which Gregory Jacobs establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Criminal asks John C. Reilly and Diego Luna to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Criminal is established with useful clarity: Two con artists try to swindle a currency collector by selling him a counterfeit copy of an extremely rare currency bill. That direct approach lets Criminal use its 1h 27m runn

What stands out first about My Summer of Love is the confidence with which Pawel Pawlikowski establishes its romance identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, My Summer of Love asks Natalie Press and Emily Blunt to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of My Summer of Love is established with useful clarity: In the Yorkshire countryside, working class tomboy Mona meets the exotic, pampered Tamsin. That direct approach lets My Summer of Love use its 1h

What stands out first about Silver City is the confidence with which John Sayles establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Silver City asks Chris Cooper and Thora Birch to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Silver City is established with useful clarity: The discovery of a corpse threatens to unravel a bumbling local politician's campaign for governor of Colorado. That direct approach lets Silver City use its 2h 8m running

What stands out first about A Home at the End of the World is the confidence with which Michael Mayer establishes its romance identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, A Home at the End of the World asks Colin Farrell and Dallas Roberts to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of A Home at the End of the World is established with useful clarity: A boy who has experienced many losses in his life grows to manhood and enters into a love triangle with a w

What stands out first about The Machinist is the confidence with which Brad Anderson establishes its thriller identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Machinist asks Christian Bale and Jennifer Jason Leigh to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Machinist is established with useful clarity: An industrial worker who hasn't slept in a year begins to doubt his own sanity. That direct approach lets The Machinist use its 1h 41m running time fo

What stands out first about Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War is the confidence with which Kang Je kyu establishes its action film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War asks Jang Dong gun and Won Bin to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War is established with useful clarity: When two brothers are forced to fight in the Korean War, the elder decides to take the riskiest miss