question: Unpredictable and rich with symbolism, this Argentinian murder mystery lives up to its Oscar with an engrossing plot, Juan Jose Campanella's assured direction, and mesmerizing performances from its cast.

numbered reviews: 1. An ultimately underwhelming Oscar winner which works more effectively as a romantic drama than a crime thriller.
2. Though slow at times, The Secret in Their Eyes recaptures the greatness of its genre, and does so without mimicking or replicating its predecessors.
3. An enticing, gorgeously rendered memory, one that lingers long after the credits roll.
4. A slow-burning Argentinian thriller that's well worth seeking out.
5. Both Darín and Argentine television actress Villamil are terrific. It's the supporting performers whose work really sticks with you, though -- especially that of Argentine comedian Guillermo Francella...
6. Its real power lies in the passage of time, the dull ache of loss and the grim satisfaction of revenge, and yearnings of love unrealized. There's an awful lot going on in this film, and all of it is good.
7. The Secret in Their Eyes uses genre to explore the politics of its country without sacrificing the delivery of an extremely engaging story.
8. This is a classy effort in the crime film genre, not quite in the same league as the excellent The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, but streets ahead of the rest of the recent crop.
9. Campanella approaches the material with a classic hand -- no quick cuts, special effects or gimmicks here. This is a flesh-and-blood movie, and both Darin and Villamil bring earthy presence to the story.
10. Although it has some memorably disquieting scenes, this story of long-delayed justice is sustained by its melancholy more than its thrills.


question: Delightful and strangely moving.

numbered reviews: 1. Gentle and amusing.
2. There are few animals on this planet more photogenic than camels, with their big expressive eyes, comically lumbering gait and ungainly humps.
3. It's astonishing, really, just how resonant and universal the young camel's struggle for its mother's affection is, not to mention how easily viewers can ascribe human emotions to the camels' behavior.
4. Mixing documentary and staged footage, [the] movie is irresistibly beguiling, in large part because of the simplicity of its story.
5. Part ethnographic study and part fable.
6. Just a little too slow moving for me.
7. An unusual, captivating and crowd-pleasing semi-documentary.
8. It has the cute quotient, but it does more than spur cries of 'Awww.' The film is a healthy dose of cultural enrichment.
9. [T]he truly hypnotic aspect of this austerely beautiful film is the exoticness of its landscape, both geographical and cultural.
10. It's a beautiful blend of documentary footage, dramatic tension and traditional storytelling, highlighted with social commentary and plenty of camel folklore.


question: A small, sensitive, and moving portrait of a teacher and his students.

numbered reviews: 1. To Be and To Have works in the grandest tradition of documentary filmmaking -- it keeps company with a small, specific place going about its business, and from it parses the whole world.
2. This heart-wrenching documentary about a French village schoolteacher at work offers the comedy and pathos of great drama and the visual magnificence of painting.
3. Contains some of the most stirring footage I have ever seen on the act and art of teaching children.
4. One of those unassuming films that sneaks up on you and stays with you long after you have left the theatre.
5. At once a testament to the divine calling of education and a demonstration of the painstaking process of imparting knowledge.
6. In a way, the film feels like a breath of fresh air, but only to those that allow it in.
7. Deep, honest and unforced.
8. Amounts to a rare gift and an opportunity to appreciate the end of an era.
9. Inspiring and beautiful.
10. Philibert and his crew remain invisible throughout most of the this film's running time letting a way of life that is surely short-lived speak for itself.


question: Bottle Shock fails to properly utilize the inspiring true tale at its core, settling instead for an ordinary, plodding account.

numbered reviews:
1. One of the year's most entertaining films.
2. In light of all its swooping and swishing helicopter shots of the sun-dappled Napa Valley, [it] might as well have been photographed from the bridge of the Starship Enterprise.
3. You can enjoy the mild bouquet of Bottle Shock as pleasantly sparkling, but it could have been plummier. Rickman sends up a full-bodied sneering British snob.
4. What this film needed was a whole lot more scenes with the good actors and lot less scenes of those Ken and Barbie Doll types.
5. Alan Rickman is one of my favorite actors, and I wanted to see Bottle Shock if only for his performance. Rickman's performance is great as usual, and Bottle Shock, despite some contrivance, is a very entertaining movie.
6. Alan Rickman plays the British wine expert who sponsors the test and is at his most comically feline. It's a great film about passion, eccentricity, families and... wine
7. . Like the chardonnay at the heart of the story, Bottle Shock is light with good body and plenty of flavour. It's also uplifting and amusing. In short, it makes you feel good.
8. It's easy to take, enjoyable and escapist, and while it celebrates Californian wine making, it doesn't disparage the French.
9. It's such a rewarding movie going experience it's tempting to trot out all the adjectives generally used to describe a good wine. Not being a connoisseur I'll just say that it left me with a very pleasant buzz.
10. Flat, musty and with a hint of flopsweat.