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What stands out first about Crossing Over is the confidence with which Wayne Kramer establishes its crime drama identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Crossing Over asks Harrison Ford and Ashley Judd to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Crossing Over is established with useful clarity: Crossing Over is about illegal aliens of many nationalities in the Los Angeles area and the authorities and individuals dealing with them. That direct approac

What stands out first about About Elly is the confidence with which Asghar Farhadi establishes its mystery identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, About Elly asks Taraneh Alidoosti and Golshifteh Farahani to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of About Elly is established with useful clarity: The mysterious disappearance of a kindergarten teacher during a picnic in the north of Iran is followed by a series of misadventures for her fellow travelers

What stands out first about Queen to Play is the confidence with which Caroline Bottaro establishes its drama identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Queen to Play asks Sandrine Bonnaire and Kevin Kline to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Queen to Play is established with useful clarity: A chambermaid on Corsica is obsessed with chess after seeing a US expat play it lovingly with l'Américaine. That direct approach lets Queen to Play use its

What stands out first about The City of Your Final Destination is the confidence with which James Ivory establishes its romance identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The City of Your Final Destination asks Omar Metwally and Anthony Hopkins to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The City of Your Final Destination is established with useful clarity: Omar wants to write an authorized biography on a dead writer and travels to a farm in Uruguay to

What stands out first about Tetro is the confidence with which Francis Ford Coppola establishes its drama identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Tetro asks Vincent Gallo and Alden Ehrenreich to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Tetro is established with useful clarity: Bennie travels to Buenos Aires to find his long missing older brother, a once promising writer who is now a remnant of his former self. That direct approach lets Tetro use its

What stands out first about Mademoiselle Chambon is the confidence with which Stéphane Brizé establishes its romance identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Mademoiselle Chambon asks Vincent Lindon and Sandrine Kiberlain to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Mademoiselle Chambon is established with useful clarity: When family father Jean meets his son's teacher, his thoughts only revolve around her. That direct approach lets Mademoiselle Chamb

What stands out first about The Art of the Steal is the confidence with which Don Argott establishes its documentary identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Art of the Steal asks Julian Bond and David D'Arcy to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Art of the Steal is established with useful clarity: Documentary that follows the struggle for control of Dr Albert C. Barnes' 25 billion dollar collection of modern and post impressionist art.

What stands out first about From Mexico with Love is the confidence with which Jimmy Nickerson establishes its action film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, From Mexico with Love asks Kuno Becker and Steven Bauer to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of From Mexico with Love is established with useful clarity: A washed up trainer takes a self destructive young boxer under his wing. That direct approach lets From Mexico with Love use its 1h

What stands out first about Ondine is the confidence with which Neil Jordan establishes its mystery identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Ondine asks Colin Farrell and Alicja Bachleda to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Ondine is established with useful clarity: An Irish fisherman discovers a woman in his fishing net whom his precocious daughter believes to be a selkie. That direct approach lets Ondine use its 1h 51m running time for chara

What stands out first about Mother is the confidence with which Bong Joon Ho establishes its thriller identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Mother asks Kim Hye ja and Won Bin to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Mother is established with useful clarity: A mother desperately searches for the killer who framed her son for a girl's horrific murder. That direct approach lets Mother use its 2h 9m running time for character, atmosphere and conse

What stands out first about La danse is the confidence with which Frederick Wiseman establishes its documentary identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, La danse asks Emilie Cozette and Aurélie Dupont to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of La danse is established with useful clarity: The film follows the production of seven ballets by the Paris Opera Ballet. That direct approach lets La danse use its 2h 39m running time for character, atmosphere

What stands out first about The Maid is the confidence with which Sebastián Silva establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Maid asks Catalina Saavedra and Claudia Celedón to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Maid is established with useful clarity: A drama centered on a maid trying to hold on to her position after having served a family for 23 years. That direct approach lets The Maid use its 1h 35m running time