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What stands out first about Disaster Movie is the confidence with which Jason Friedberg establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Disaster Movie asks Carmen Electra and Vanessa Lachey to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Disaster Movie is established with useful clarity: Over the course of one evening, an unsuspecting group of twenty somethings find themselves bombarded by a series of natural disasters and catastrophic ev

What stands out first about Last Chance Harvey is the confidence with which Joel Hopkins establishes its romance identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Last Chance Harvey asks Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Last Chance Harvey is established with useful clarity: In London for his daughter's wedding, a rumpled man finds his romantic spirits lifted by a new woman in his life. That direct approach lets Last

What stands out first about Bangkok Dangerous is the confidence with which Danny Pang establishes its action film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Bangkok Dangerous asks Nicolas Cage and Charlie Yeung to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Bangkok Dangerous is established with useful clarity: A hitman who's in Bangkok to pull off a series of jobs violates his personal code when he falls for a local woman and bonds with his errand boy. Th

What stands out first about Pride and Glory is the confidence with which Gavin O'Connor establishes its thriller identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Pride and Glory asks Edward Norton and Colin Farrell to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Pride and Glory is established with useful clarity: A family's moral codes are tested when Ray Tierney investigates a case that reveals an incendiary police corruption scandal involving his own brother i

What stands out first about Swing Vote is the confidence with which Joshua Michael Stern establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Swing Vote asks Kevin Costner and Paula Patton to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Swing Vote is established with useful clarity: In a remarkable turn of events, the result of the presidential election comes down to one man's vote. That direct approach lets Swing Vote use its 2h running time

What stands out first about Ponyo is the confidence with which Hayao Miyazaki establishes its animated adventure identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Ponyo asks Cate Blanchett and Matt Damon to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Ponyo is established with useful clarity: A five year old boy develops a relationship with Ponyo, a young goldfish princess who longs to become a human after falling in love with him. That direct approach lets Ponyo

What stands out first about The Hurt Locker is the confidence with which Kathryn Bigelow establishes its thriller identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Hurt Locker asks Jeremy Renner and Anthony Mackie to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Hurt Locker is established with useful clarity: During the Iraq War, a Sergeant recently assigned to an army bomb squad is put at odds with his squad mates due to his maverick way of handling his w

What stands out first about Inkheart is the confidence with which Iain Softley establishes its fantasy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Inkheart asks Brendan Fraser and Andy Serkis to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Inkheart is established with useful clarity: A teenage girl discovers her father has an amazing talent to bring characters out of their books and must try to stop a freed villain from destroying them all, with the help of

What stands out first about The Ruins is the confidence with which Carter Smith establishes its horror film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Ruins asks Shawn Ashmore and Jena Malone to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Ruins is established with useful clarity: A leisurely Mexican holiday takes a turn for the worse when a group of friends and a fellow tourist embark on a remote archaeological dig in the jungle, where something e

What stands out first about Kit Kittredge: An American Girl is the confidence with which Patricia Rozema establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Kit Kittredge: An American Girl asks Abigail Breslin and Stanley Tucci to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Kit Kittredge: An American Girl is established with useful clarity: Set in Cincinnati at the height of the Great Depression, Kit Kittredge, a resourceful young girl, help

What stands out first about Frost/Nixon is the confidence with which Ron Howard establishes its biographical drama identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Frost/Nixon asks Frank Langella and Michael Sheen to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Frost/Nixon is established with useful clarity: A dramatic retelling of the post Watergate television interviews between British talk show host David Frost and former president Richard Nixon. That direct

What stands out first about My Best Friend's Girl is the confidence with which Howard Deutch establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, My Best Friend's Girl asks Kate Hudson and Dane Cook to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of My Best Friend's Girl is established with useful clarity: Tank faces the ultimate test of friendship when his best friend hires him to take his ex girlfriend out on a lousy date in order to make her r