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Caramel
What stands out first about Caramel is the confidence with which Nadine Labaki establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Caramel asks Nadine Labaki and Joanna Moukarzel to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Caramel is established with useful clarity: A romantic comedy centered on the daily lives of five Lebanese women living in Beirut. That direct approach lets Caramel use its 1h 35m running time for character, atmosphere
Aug 152 min read
Partner
What stands out first about Partner is the confidence with which David Dhawan establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Partner asks Salman Khan and Govinda to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Partner is established with useful clarity: Prem, a love guru who shares tips on dating women, helps his client, Bhaskar, woo his boss. That direct approach lets Partner use its 2h 35m running time for character, atmosphere and con
Aug 152 min read
September Dawn
What stands out first about September Dawn is the confidence with which Christopher Cain establishes its romance identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, September Dawn asks Jon Voight and Trent Ford to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of September Dawn is established with useful clarity: A love story set during a tense encounter between a wagon train of settlers and a renegade Mormon group. That direct approach lets September Dawn use its 1h 51
Aug 153 min read
When Did You Last See Your Father?
What stands out first about When Did You Last See Your Father? is the confidence with which Anand Tucker establishes its biographical drama identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, When Did You Last See Your Father? asks Jim Broadbent and Colin Firth to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of When Did You Last See Your Father? is established with useful clarity: The story of a son's conflicting memories of his dying father. That direct approach lets
Aug 153 min read
Brick Lane
What stands out first about Brick Lane is the confidence with which Sarah Gavron establishes its drama identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Brick Lane asks Tannishtha Chatterjee and Satish Kaushik to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Brick Lane is established with useful clarity: In 1980s London, Nazneem, a young Bangladeshi woman, feels her soul is quietly dying in her arranged marriage, until the day hot headed Karim comes knocking at he
Aug 153 min read
Bhool Bhulaiyaa
What stands out first about Bhool Bhulaiyaa is the confidence with which Priyadarshan establishes its horror film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Bhool Bhulaiyaa asks Akshay Kumar and Vidya Balan to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Bhool Bhulaiyaa is established with useful clarity: An NRI and his wife decide to stay in his ancestral home, paying no heed to the warnings about ghosts. That direct approach lets Bhool Bhulaiyaa use its
Aug 153 min read
Silk
What stands out first about Silk is the confidence with which François Girard establishes its romance identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Silk asks Michael Pitt and Keira Knightley to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Silk is established with useful clarity: The story of a married silkworm merchant turned smuggler in 19th century France traveling to Japan for his town's supply of silkworms after a disease wipes out their African supply. T
Aug 152 min read
Chak De! India
What stands out first about Chak De! India is the confidence with which Shimit Amin establishes its sports drama identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Chak De! India asks Shah Rukh Khan and Vidya Malvade to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Chak De! India is established with useful clarity: Kabir Khan, the coach of the Indian Women's National Hockey Team, dreams of making his all girls team emerge victorious against all odds. That direct ap
Aug 153 min read
In the Shadow of the Moon
What stands out first about In the Shadow of the Moon is the confidence with which David Sington establishes its documentary identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, In the Shadow of the Moon asks Buzz Aldrin and Alan Bean to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of In the Shadow of the Moon is established with useful clarity: The crew members of NASA's Apollo missions tell their story in their own words. That direct approach lets In the Shadow of th
Aug 153 min read
The Final Season
What stands out first about The Final Season is the confidence with which David Mickey Evans establishes its sports drama identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Final Season asks Sean Astin and Powers Boothe to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Final Season is established with useful clarity: Kent Stock disrupts his life to become coach of the Norway High School baseball team and try to lead them to victory. That direct approach lets
Aug 153 min read
4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days
What stands out first about 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days is the confidence with which Cristian Mungiu establishes its drama identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days asks Anamaria Marinca and Laura Vasiliu to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days is established with useful clarity: A woman assists her friend in arranging an illegal abortion in 1980s Romania. That direct approach lets 4 Month
Aug 153 min read
Flawless
What stands out first about Flawless is the confidence with which Michael Radford establishes its thriller identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Flawless asks Demi Moore and Michael Caine to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Flawless is established with useful clarity: In 1960s London, an elderly janitor convinces a glass ceiling constrained executive to help him steal a handful of diamonds from their employer, the London Diamond Corporatio
Aug 153 min read
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