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What stands out first about Justin Bieber's Believe is the confidence with which Jon M. Chu establishes its documentary identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Justin Bieber's Believe asks Justin Bieber and Scooter Braun to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Justin Bieber's Believe is established with useful clarity: A backstage and on stage look at Justin Bieber during his rise to super stardom. That direct approach lets Justin Bieber's Belie

What stands out first about All Is Lost is the confidence with which J.C. Chandor establishes its action film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, All Is Lost asks Robert Redford and the principal supporting performer to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of All Is Lost is established with useful clarity: After a collision with a shipping container at sea, a resourceful sailor finds himself, despite all efforts to the contrary, staring his mor

What stands out first about The Grandmaster is the confidence with which Wong Kar Wai establishes its action film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Grandmaster asks Tony Leung Chiu wai and Ziyi Zhang to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Grandmaster is established with useful clarity: The story of martial arts master Ip Man, the man who trained Bruce Lee. That direct approach lets The Grandmaster use its 2h 10m running time for c

What stands out first about The Spectacular Now is the confidence with which James Ponsoldt establishes its romance identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Spectacular Now asks Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Spectacular Now is established with useful clarity: A hard partying high school senior's philosophy on life changes when he meets the not so typical "nice girl.". That direct approach lets T

What stands out first about Black Nativity is the confidence with which Kasi Lemmons establishes its music drama identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Black Nativity asks Forest Whitaker and Angela Bassett to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Black Nativity is established with useful clarity: A street wise teen from Baltimore who has been raised by a single mother travels to New York City to spend the Christmas holiday with his estranged re

What stands out first about The Green Inferno is the confidence with which Eli Roth establishes its horror film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Green Inferno asks Lorenza Izzo and Ariel Levy to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Green Inferno is established with useful clarity: A group of student activists travels to the Amazon to save the rain forest and soon discover that they are not alone, and that no good deed goes unpunis

What stands out first about Paranoia is the confidence with which Robert Luketic establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Paranoia asks Liam Hemsworth and Gary Oldman to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Paranoia is established with useful clarity: An entry level employee at a powerful corporation finds himself occupying a corner office, but at a dangerous price: he must spy on his boss's old mentor to secure for him a m

What stands out first about Bad Words is the confidence with which Jason Bateman establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Bad Words asks Jason Bateman and Kathryn Hahn to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Bad Words is established with useful clarity: A spelling bee loser sets out to exact revenge by finding a loophole and attempting to win as an adult. That direct approach lets Bad Words use its 1h 29m running time for c

What stands out first about Machete Kills is the confidence with which Robert Rodriguez establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Machete Kills asks Danny Trejo and Alexa PenaVega to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Machete Kills is established with useful clarity: The U.S. That direct approach lets Machete Kills use its 1h 47m running time for character, atmosphere and consequence. ⁠ Rather than summarise every event in

What stands out first about Dhoom 3 is the confidence with which Vijay Krishna Acharya establishes its action film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Dhoom 3 asks Aamir Khan and Katrina Kaif to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Dhoom 3 is established with useful clarity: Jai and Ali return to catch the clown thief, Sahir, who has targeted various branches of the Western Bank of Chicago. That direct approach lets Dhoom 3 use its 2h 52m ru

What stands out first about Before Midnight is the confidence with which Richard Linklater establishes its romance identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Before Midnight asks Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Before Midnight is established with useful clarity: We meet Jesse and Celine nine years on in Greece. That direct approach lets Before Midnight use its 1h 49m running time for character, atmosphere and con

What stands out first about Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom is the confidence with which Justin Chadwick establishes its biographical drama identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom asks Idris Elba and Naomie Harris to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom is established with useful clarity: A chronicle of Nelson Mandela's life journey from his childhood in a rural village through to his ina