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What stands out first about Blue Valentine is the confidence with which Derek Cianfrance establishes its romance identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Blue Valentine asks Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Blue Valentine is established with useful clarity: The relationship of a contemporary married couple, charting their evolution over a span of years by cross cutting between time periods. That direct ap

What stands out first about Jonah Hex is the confidence with which Jimmy Hayward establishes its action film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Jonah Hex asks Josh Brolin and Megan Fox to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Jonah Hex is established with useful clarity: In exchange for his freedom, bounty hunter Jonah Hex must track down a terrorist with a superweapon. That direct approach lets Jonah Hex use its 1h 21m running time for char

What stands out first about The Conspirator is the confidence with which Robert Redford establishes its crime drama identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Conspirator asks Robin Wright and James McAvoy to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Conspirator is established with useful clarity: Mary Surratt is the lone female charged as a co conspirator in the assassination trial of Abraham Lincoln. That direct approach lets The Conspirator u

What stands out first about Extraordinary Measures is the confidence with which Tom Vaughan establishes its drama identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Extraordinary Measures asks Brendan Fraser and Keri Russell to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Extraordinary Measures is established with useful clarity: A drama centered on the efforts of John and Aileen Crowley to find a researcher who might have a cure for their two children's rare gene

What stands out first about Let Me In is the confidence with which Matt Reeves establishes its horror film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Let Me In asks Kodi Smit McPhee and Chloë Grace Moretz to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Let Me In is established with useful clarity: A bullied young boy befriends a young female vampire who lives in secrecy with her guardian. That direct approach lets Let Me In use its 1h 56m running time for

What stands out first about Repo Men is the confidence with which Miguel Sapochnik establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Repo Men asks Jude Law and Forest Whitaker to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Repo Men is established with useful clarity: Set in the near future when artificial organs can be bought on credit, it revolves around a man who struggles to make the payments on a heart he has purchased. That direct app

What stands out first about My Soul to Take is the confidence with which Wes Craven establishes its horror film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, My Soul to Take asks Max Thieriot and John Magaro to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of My Soul to Take is established with useful clarity: A serial killer returns to his hometown to stalk seven children who share the same birthday as the date he was allegedly put to rest. That direct approach

What stands out first about African Cats is the confidence with which Keith Scholey establishes its documentary identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, African Cats asks Samuel L. Jackson and Patrick Stewart to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of African Cats is established with useful clarity: Meet Mara, an endearing lion cub striving to be like her mother; Sita, a cheetah and single mother of five; and Fang, a proud leader of the pride who mu

What stands out first about The Ghost Writer is the confidence with which Roman Polanski establishes its thriller identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Ghost Writer asks Ewan McGregor and Pierce Brosnan to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Ghost Writer is established with useful clarity: A ghost writer, hired to complete the memoirs of a former British Prime Minister, uncovers secrets that put his own life in jeopardy. That direct a

What stands out first about Furry Vengeance is the confidence with which Roger Kumble establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Furry Vengeance asks Brendan Fraser and Brooke Shields to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Furry Vengeance is established with useful clarity: In the Oregon wilderness, a real estate developer's new housing subdivision faces a unique group of protestors: local woodland creatures who don't want t

What stands out first about Going the Distance is the confidence with which Nanette Burstein establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Going the Distance asks Drew Barrymore and Justin Long to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Going the Distance is established with useful clarity: A romantic comedy centered on a guy and a gal who try to keep their love alive as they shuttle back and forth between New York and San Francisc

127 Hours arrives as a biographical drama directed by Danny Boyle, and its first strength is a clear sense of purpose. James Franco and Amber Tamblyn give 127 Hours a recognisable human centre before the larger mechanics take over. The central situation in 127 Hours comes into focus without a long explanation: A mountain climber becomes trapped under a boulder while canyoneering alone near Moab, Utah and resorts to desperate measures in order to survive. Across its 1h 34m run