Problem: 1. What is a surprise here is the intensity of the young actors - Roberts has a particularly perfect scowl - and the freshness of the Welsh seaside scenery.
2. A quintessential coming of age drama worth revisiting to catch the subtext.
3. It's impossible to watch this and not have long-forgotten echoes of your own teenage years come flooding back.
4. We've all seen coming-of-age stories-plenty of them-so when a new one comes along that seems fresh and novel, that's reason to cheer. The new British import Submarine is just such a film,based on a prize-winning...
5. Given the worn-out nature of the "coming-of-age" genre, the director's little tricks do help bring some life back into an otherwise familiar story.
6. A delicate and potent new British comedy.
7. Submarine isn't a perfect film, but it's a terrific first one. Leaving the theater, you feel you've been taken in hand by a director of tremendous promise, and you can't wait to see what he does next.
8. Ayoade is at his most inventive, and least derivative, in a goofy mode, but Submarine, for the most part, is not in his best range.
9. Retains a strong literary flavour but is also told with much cinematic verve and an engaging eagerness to please.
10. I'm all for a young British film-maker trying to subvert the stock traditions of boy-meets-girl, and Ayoade is clearly unafraid of experiment. But I would have traded all of its new wave dottiness and knowing whimsicality for a few spontaneous laughs.
What is the consensus?
****
Answer: Funny, stylish, and ringing with adolescent truth, Submarine marks Richard Ayoade as a talent to watch.


Problem: 1. Sean Penn gives a meticulously detailed performance as the cagey and charismatic pol, but credit should also go to Dustin Lance Black, whose script squarely locates Milk at the center of his community, his city, and his cause.
2. An involving portrait of the courage of one man standing up against hatred and bigotry.
3. With a commercially agreeable directorial style, Gus Van Sant continues his foray into provocative cinema with what is quite possibly his best film yet.
4. A solid film with clear intentions -- to thoughtfully entertain. If you walk out of Milk and not be moved then you are missing a little soul.
5. Ultimatelt resembles less the man than the titular white liquid -- warm, nourishing, somewhat sleep-inducing
6. The film is not only the story of Harvey Milk but the galvanization of the gay community in San Francisco and while Milk would have been quick to point out that there are very few lesbians in this film - something that Van Sant seems to miss - he would ha
7. A lively biopic of slain gay politician Harvey Milk, one that mostly avoids the "this happened, then that happened" routineness of many of its ilk.
8. Milk tackles serious issues about equal treatment under the law and the power of a minority community to determine its standing in the larger world through political activism.
9. The best film of 2008; engrossing no matter what one's sexual orientation.
10. Penn's comments at the 2008 Oscars might have been needed if it weren't for a previous statement by Dustin Lance Black who sensitively and appealingly, made an acceptance speech in which he spoke very personally about the pain of being gay as a youth.
What is the consensus?
****
Answer: Anchored by Sean Penn's powerhouse performance, Milk is a triumphant account of America's first openly gay man elected to public office.


Problem: 1. Can a viewer die of excessive cuteness? That's the most concerning question plaguing the otherwise adorable, slight "Shaun the Sheep Movie," which does risk being cloying but mostly moves along with a wry smile on its face.
2. Rarely do things get as inspired as in the 'Wallace & Gromit's. The vibe is one of modesty and relaxation, as though it will settle for a smile permanently plastered on your face rather than sporadic guffaws.
3. Add "Shaun the Sheep Movie" to your list of summer screenings. Ewe'll be glad you did.
4. It has generous lashings of Aardman Animations' trademark warmth, visual inventiveness, and satisfying Claymation tactility.
5. For a film without words, the story speaks volumes.
6. A wordless delight...unfailingly charming and comically inventive.
7. It's a long series of cleverly orchestrated and very successful jokes supported by a very sweet story, and ewe are going to love it.
8. "Shaun the Sheep Movie" may be less elaborate than Aardman masterpieces like "Curse of the Were-Rabbit", but there's still much to enjoy. It's not often you see a cartoon that references both "Night of the Hunter" and "Silence of the Lambs."
9. Even with its stream of visual puns, there's no denying its humongous bleating heart.
10. Clocking in at a slim 85 minutes, the whole thing flies by quite pleasingly, a warm and funny feature that reasserts the value of high quality visuals and attention to detail.
What is the consensus?
****
Answer:
Warm, funny, and brilliantly animated, Shaun the Sheep is yet another stop-motion jewel in Aardman's family-friendly crown.