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What stands out first about I Heart Huckabees is the confidence with which David O. Russell establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, I Heart Huckabees asks Jason Schwartzman and Jude Law to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of I Heart Huckabees is established with useful clarity: A husband and wife team play detective, but not in the traditional sense. That direct approach lets I Heart Huckabees use its 1h 47m running time

What stands out first about Wicker Park is the confidence with which Paul McGuigan establishes its thriller identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Wicker Park asks Josh Hartnett and Diane Kruger to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Wicker Park is established with useful clarity: A young Chicago advertising executive believes a woman he sees in a café is his long lost love. That direct approach lets Wicker Park use its 1h 54m running time for

What stands out first about Alfie is the confidence with which Charles Shyer establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Alfie asks Jude Law and Sienna Miller to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Alfie is established with useful clarity: A cockney womanizer learns the hard way about the dangers of his actions. That direct approach lets Alfie use its 1h 43m running time for character, atmosphere and consequence. ⁠ The themat

What stands out first about De Lovely is the confidence with which Irwin Winkler establishes its biographical drama identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, De Lovely asks Kevin Kline and Ashley Judd to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of De Lovely is established with useful clarity: Inspecting a magical biographical stage musical, composer Cole Porter reviews his life and career with his wife, Linda. That direct approach lets De Lovely use its

What stands out first about Envy is the confidence with which Barry Levinson establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Envy asks Ben Stiller and Jack Black to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Envy is established with useful clarity: A man becomes increasingly jealous of his friend's newfound success. That direct approach lets Envy use its 1h 39m running time for character, atmosphere and consequence. ⁠ The directorial pe

What stands out first about New York Minute is the confidence with which Dennie Gordon establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, New York Minute asks Mary Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of New York Minute is established with useful clarity: Two sisters who just can't get along have to travel to New York City together and find themselves on numerous misadventures in order to accomplish their

What stands out first about Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights is the confidence with which Guy Ferland establishes its romance identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights asks Diego Luna and Romola Garai to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights is established with useful clarity: High school senior Katey moves to Havana in November 1958, when her dad gets a promotion at Ford. That direct approach l

What stands out first about Soul Plane is the confidence with which Jessy Terrero establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Soul Plane asks Dwayne Adway and Snoop Dogg to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Soul Plane is established with useful clarity: Things get raucously funny aboard the maiden flight of a black owned airline, thanks to some last minute passenger additions. That direct approach lets Soul Plane use its 1h

What stands out first about Godsend is the confidence with which Frank M. Calo establishes its horror film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Godsend asks Robert De Niro and Greg Kinnear to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Godsend is established with useful clarity: A couple agree to have their deceased son cloned, under the supervision of an enigmatic doctor, but bizarre things start to happen several years after his rebirth. That dire

What stands out first about Shaun of the Dead is the confidence with which Edgar Wright establishes its horror film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Shaun of the Dead asks Simon Pegg and Nick Frost to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Shaun of the Dead is established with useful clarity: The uneventful, aimless lives of a London electronics salesman and his layabout roommate are disrupted by the zombie apocalypse. That direct approach

What stands out first about Welcome to Mooseport is the confidence with which Donald Petrie establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Welcome to Mooseport asks Gene Hackman and Ray Romano to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Welcome to Mooseport is established with useful clarity: A US president who has retired after two terms in office returns to his hometown of Mooseport, Maine and decides to run for Mayor against anoth

What stands out first about The Girl Next Door is the confidence with which Luke Greenfield establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Girl Next Door asks Emile Hirsch and Elisha Cuthbert to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Girl Next Door is established with useful clarity: A teenager's dreams come true when a former porn star moves in next door and they fall in love. That direct approach lets The Girl Next Door u