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What stands out first about The Collection is the confidence with which Marcus Dunstan establishes its horror film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Collection asks Josh Stewart and Emma Fitzpatrick to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Collection is established with useful clarity: A man who escapes from the vicious grips of the serial killer known as "The Collector" is then forced to help rescue an innocent girl from the killer

What stands out first about Seeking a Friend for the End of the World is the confidence with which Lorene Scafaria establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Seeking a Friend for the End of the World asks Steve Carell and Keira Knightley to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Seeking a Friend for the End of the World is established with useful clarity: As an asteroid nears Earth, a man finds himself alone after his wife leav

What stands out first about Promised Land is the confidence with which Gus Van Sant establishes its drama identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Promised Land asks Matt Damon and Frances McDormand to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Promised Land is established with useful clarity: A salesman for a natural gas company experiences life changing events after arriving in a small town, where his corporation wants to tap into the available resou

What stands out first about Arbitrage is the confidence with which Nicholas Jarecki establishes its thriller identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Arbitrage asks Richard Gere and Susan Sarandon to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Arbitrage is established with useful clarity: A critical error forces a hedge fund magnate to seek help from an unlikely source. That direct approach lets Arbitrage use its 1h 47m running time for character, atmos

What stands out first about Fun Size is the confidence with which Josh Schwartz establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Fun Size asks Victoria Justice and Johnny Knoxville to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Fun Size is established with useful clarity: Wren's Halloween plans go awry when she's made to babysit her brother, who disappears into a sea of trick or treaters. That direct approach lets Fun Size use its 1h 26m

What stands out first about Bullet to the Head is the confidence with which Walter Hill establishes its action film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Bullet to the Head asks Sylvester Stallone and Jason Momoa to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Bullet to the Head is established with useful clarity: After watching their respective partners die, a New Orleans hitman and a Washington, D.C. detective form an alliance in order to bring down

What stands out first about The Words is the confidence with which Brian Klugman establishes its thriller identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Words asks Bradley Cooper and Dennis Quaid to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Words is established with useful clarity: A writer at the peak of his literary success discovers the steep price he must pay for stealing another man's work. That direct approach lets The Words use its 1h 42m run

What stands out first about Gone is the confidence with which Heitor Dhalia establishes its action film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Gone asks Amanda Seyfried and Jennifer Carpenter to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Gone is established with useful clarity: A woman is convinced her kidnapper has returned when her sister goes missing. That direct approach lets Gone use its 1h 34m running time for character, atmosphere and conseque

What stands out first about People Like Us is the confidence with which Alex Kurtzman establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, People Like Us asks Chris Pine and Elizabeth Banks to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of People Like Us is established with useful clarity: While settling his recently deceased father's estate, a salesman discovers he has a sister whom he never knew about, leading both siblings to re examine their

What stands out first about Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Away is the confidence with which Andrew Adamson establishes its fantasy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Away asks Erica Linz and Igor Zaripov to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Away is established with useful clarity: A young woman is entranced by an aerialist. That direct approach lets Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Away use its 1h 31m

What stands out first about Beasts of the Southern Wild is the confidence with which Benh Zeitlin establishes its fantasy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Beasts of the Southern Wild asks Quvenzhané Wallis and Dwight Henry to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Beasts of the Southern Wild is established with useful clarity: Faced with both her hot tempered father's fading health and melting ice caps that flood her ramshackle bayou commun

What stands out first about Anna Karenina is the confidence with which Joe Wright establishes its romance identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Anna Karenina asks Keira Knightley and Jude Law to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Anna Karenina is established with useful clarity: In late 19th century Russian high society, St. Petersburg aristocrat Anna Karenina enters into a life changing affair with the dashing Count Alexei Vronsky. That dir