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What stands out first about 3 Idiots is the confidence with which Rajkumar Hirani establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, 3 Idiots asks Aamir Khan and Madhavan to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of 3 Idiots is established with useful clarity: Two friends are searching for their long lost companion. That direct approach lets 3 Idiots use its 2h 50m running time for character, atmosphere and consequence. ⁠ At story level,

What stands out first about The Last Station is the confidence with which Michael Hoffman establishes its romance identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Last Station asks Helen Mirren and James McAvoy to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Last Station is established with useful clarity: A historical drama that illustrates Russian author Leo Tolstoy's (Christopher Plummer's) struggle to balance fame and wealth with his commitment to a

What stands out first about City Island is the confidence with which Raymond De Felitta establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, City Island asks Andy Garcia and Julianna Margulies to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of City Island is established with useful clarity: Prison guard Vince tells Molly from acting class, that one inmate is his 24 y.o. That direct approach lets City Island use its 1h 44m running time for charact

What stands out first about Taking Woodstock is the confidence with which Ang Lee establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Taking Woodstock asks Demetri Martin and Henry Goodman to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Taking Woodstock is established with useful clarity: A man working at his parents' motel in the Catskills inadvertently sets in motion the generation defining concert in the summer of 1969. That direct approac

What stands out first about The Girl Who Played with Fire is the confidence with which Daniel Alfredson establishes its action film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Girl Who Played with Fire asks Noomi Rapace and Michael Nyqvist to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Girl Who Played with Fire is established with useful clarity: As computer hacker Lisbeth and journalist Mikael investigate a sex trafficking ring, Lisbeth is accused

What stands out first about The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is the confidence with which Terry Gilliam establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus asks Christopher Plummer and Lily Cole to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is established with useful clarity: Having made a deal with the Devil himself for immortality many millennia ago, the now decrep

What stands out first about The Collector is the confidence with which Marcus Dunstan establishes its horror film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Collector asks Josh Stewart and Andrea Roth to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Collector is established with useful clarity: Desperate to repay his debt to his ex wife, an ex con plots a heist at his new employer's country home, unaware that a second criminal has also targeted the

What stands out first about The Boat That Rocked is the confidence with which Richard Curtis establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Boat That Rocked asks Philip Seymour Hoffman and Bill Nighy to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Boat That Rocked is established with useful clarity: A band of rogue DJs that captivated Britain, playing the music that defined a generation and standing up to a government that wanted

What stands out first about The Road is the confidence with which John Hillcoat establishes its thriller identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Road asks Viggo Mortensen and Charlize Theron to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Road is established with useful clarity: In a dangerous post apocalyptic world, an ailing father defends his son as they slowly travel to the sea. That direct approach lets The Road use its 1h 51m running time

What stands out first about My Life in Ruins is the confidence with which Donald Petrie establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, My Life in Ruins asks Nia Vardalos and Richard Dreyfuss to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of My Life in Ruins is established with useful clarity: A disgruntled tour guide in Greece gains an unexpected new outlook on life thanks to one of the people on what she intends to be her last tour. That

What stands out first about Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li is the confidence with which Andrzej Bartkowiak establishes its action film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li asks Kristin Kreuk and Neal McDonough to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li is established with useful clarity: When a child, Chun Li sees her father being captured by wealthy gangster Biso

What stands out first about A Single Man is the confidence with which Tom Ford establishes its thriller identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, A Single Man asks Colin Firth and Julianne Moore to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of A Single Man is established with useful clarity: An English professor, one year after the sudden death of his boyfriend, is unable to cope with his typical days in 1960s Los Angeles. That direct approach lets A Singl