There is so much going on here at once, yet Renoir displays the mastery and precision of a great conductor in balancing it all to perfection. A film of great empathy, yet it never loses its bite or its joyous pulse. As rich and compelling a work as you'll find in cinema.

Perhaps it was because the buzz for this film verged on apocalyptic or perhaps it was my soft-spot for many of the little touches Brooks has mastered so seamlessly, but I found this to be a film of many delightful moments not least of which were the finely tuned work of Rudd and Wilson. To be fair, the script serves them with the best characters, leaving Witherspoon with too many notes to play. Holly Hunter she aint.

A perfect gem that is currently flying to low under the radar given the Huston prestige and its status as his swan song. And what a song it is, delicately scaled just as the source material was before it. The film's many pleasures are encapsulated by an image featuring Anjelica Huston framed beautifully on a staircase. Huston was many things throughout his career, but for those few moments he is a true painter.

Overcomes a rather obvious first third to actually become an unsettling view on an easily exploited topic. Clive Owen masters the smoldering anger of his character, and Liana Liberato carefully calibrates the sympathy, frustration, and anger that the audience feels for hers. As a director, Schwimmer can improve, but his work with the cast is stellar. He is certainly a talent that can develop.

"Contagion" plays like a much more effective (and much more dour) version of the star-studded disaster movies that littered the multiplexes of the early and mid-70s. Director Steven Soderbergh maintains a consistent mood, but relies solely on the implied stature of his stars to add any sort of dimensionality to the characters. Yet the vérité style and striking images rattled my mind. Overall, a strong thriller.

Cutting to the chase, this is one of the very best movies I've seen this year. It's tense, disturbing, and most importantly riveting. The lurid and often shocking plot is held up with remarkable craft and artistry. Rooney Mara disappears into the title role, yet hers is just one in a series of triumphs in the film. Fincher has fashioned another remarkable piece of work.

A purely magical film from (of all people) Woody Allen. Even more than 2005's "Match Point" this film feels like a return to form for the American master. The premise may be far fetched, but the execution is remarkably, breathlessly romantic. From it's perfectly composed opening images of Paris in all it's glory to it's tidy ending, this film will put a smile on your face and keep it there for a long while.

"Drive" is one of the year's best and most exciting film experiences, although not in the ways you'd expect. To be sure, its chase scenes are some of the best I've seen, but this is really a surprisingly deep experience. The craft is inarguably superb and the performances (especially the one from Albert Brooks) are sharply defined and fully realized. Stylistic and substantial, "Drive" is worth the time.

One of the most under-rated films of the past decade, with a razor sharp script and note-perfect performances from the four principles. One of the finest films ever to deal with the loss of a loved one. I doubt Silberling will be able to reach these heights ever again but as it stands, this is a breathtaking achievement.

A film to engulf the senses and entice the intellect. At it's most powerful it seems to be more than a film, but rather a spiritual experience. One of the best movies I have ever seen, "Tree of Life" makes it seem as if every other film Malick has made has been a mere dress rehearsal for this astonishing work of art.

The newest Harry Potter is just about as perfect a send off as any reasonable fan can ask for. The payoff is incredibly satisfying, and the entire thing moves very quickly. I really had no problems with it, so now I'll toss it over to the fans who can bemoan every truncated scene and every scrapped detail.

In many ways a fitting companion to Coppola's masterful "Lost in Translation", although it will certainly test the paitence of most of its viewers. I thought it featured stunning performances and built to a hugely satisfying conclusion, but I can't say that everyone will agree.

My take: As good as any "X-Men" movie has ever been... which is to say pretty good. I thought the ideological conflicts were well developed, and Michael Fassbender makes a compelling Magneto. Still, there is something unsatisfying about the entirte mutant world for me. Nevertheless, I'd say this is a cut above most other movies in theaters. (Just make sure you see "Super 8" first.)

The late 1970s seems to be the perfect period to set a film like "Super 8", a film so pulse poundingly entertaining and emotionally satisfying it recalls an age where creativity and commerce could mingle. The film works both as a companion and homage to the classic films of the era, while also retaining its own creative identity. Every level of the production excells from the top on down. Abrams's previous film "Star Trek" felt like a revelation when it was released, with "Super 8" it has become clear that he was merely warming up.

Certainly not bad, but it pales in comparison to the teen classics it freely quotes and so eagerly wishes to become. Emma Stone is refreshing throughout elevating the sometimes sketchy material. Some scenes are too clever by half, while others strike a pleasing balance. The supporting cast is starry, but only Thomas Haden Church makes an impression. Tucci and Clarkson also salvage some nice moments from their woefully misjudged and over-written roles as Stone's parents. "Juno" it is not.

"Once Upon a Time in America" is one of the best movies I've ever seen. Completely unexpected, and even at nearly 4 hours, not at all boring. The most distinct, idiosyncratic gangster movie I've seen.

HANNA is a pulse-pounding flick, with the best action choreography I've seen in a while. There is something gleefully ridiculous at its core, but that makes it all the more enjoyable. The acting is top flight across the board and the Chemical Brothers score is memorable. A movie that is really worth the time.

YOUR HIGHNESS is an incredibly lazy piece of filmmaking, even for a stoner movie. It gets off a few chickles here and there, but evaporates as you're watching it. Nothing memorable about it, aside from how much it misses its "Cheech & Chong's Princess Bride" target.

Visually stimulating, consitenly funny, and completely charming. Reno transcends family entertainment to become a great film for film fans of any age.

Absolutely amazing, one of Spielberg's finest film. Incredibly misunderstood and underrated. It's really a powerful, intense, suspenseful bit of intrigue. The best film of 2005.

It seems increasingly likely that this will indeed be Burton's final masterwork.

A well mounted period piece with glorious star turns from the two leads.

I find Dickens's "Oliver Twist" to be one of his finest tales, as most everyone does. Therefore I find it curious that it inspired one of the blandest works I've seen from Polanski. Perhaps I need a second viewing but i found it to be fairly turgid.

Brimming with juicy slices of capital-A ACTING, but somewhat unsatisfying as a whole. It strives for much, but accomplishes little. However, it does manage to pleasingly subvert and/or contort some well worn underdog cliches. A good film that should have been better.

Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan is reckless, glorious fever-dream of a movie. It is striking, intoxicating, blackly humorous, melodramatic, and beautiful. In short, it is unlike anything else the movies have to offer. It is a movie to provoke discussion, a dark, seductive fairy tale to haunt your dreams. In a year of pale retreads and creative bankruptcy, it is a breath of fresh air.

Remains my pick as the finest film of 2010. A marvel.

A sentimental favorite. Rough and tumble genre piece eager to stay within those confines. Still the principles have a nice chemistry and the river shootout is very memorable. Worth the time.

Beautiful to regard, with stunning dialog and performances to match. A study of controlled tone with an ending that I found powerful and moving. For the Coens, a change of pace and a continuation of high quality.

With or without the Coen brothers rendition, this is still a solid piece. Wayne is wonderful in a grand, Vaudevillian sort of way.It contians two of the finest scenes of Wayne's career, and enough wit to please most discerning viewers.

Could have been one of those cloying "free spirited" (yak) indie darlings, but instead reveals surprising depth of feeling and insight. Features some of the best acting of the year, including a knockout from Benning.