1. Right amongst the bottom end of the genre.
2. Barrymore is actually becoming quite the deft physical comedienne, unafraid to make herself look unsightly for effect. But her performance isn't enough to overcome even one of the other problems.
3. Not even Drew Barrymore's million-dollar smile can save this humiliating comedy!
4. A bogus, bottom-of-the-barrel Cinderella story!
5. Lazy. Clumsy. Miscast.
6. I was too delighted with the last two hours to complain.
7. It's a captivating, totally cool teenage chick's flick.
8. Embarrassing, witless!
9. It's silly teenage "Revenge of the Nerds" fun. And it's spirited.
10. Seriously flawed!
What is the critic consensus?
A: Unoriginal and unremarkable high school satire adds little to the genre.

1. THE BLACK CAULDRON hitches up its pants, says good-bye to Mom at the door, but then decides to go no further than the front yard
2. A mite disappointing, but certainly watchable enough.
3. Easily digestible (and forgettable).
4. A flawed, but ambitious film that was obviously aiming to draw as many adults into the theater as children.
5. John Hurt's gravelly voice of the Horned King steals the show.
6. Middle road Disney animation, unmemorable.
7. [The Black Cauldron is] too dark and scary for younger children, and it's too silly and childish for older viewers to embrace.
8. This is the 25th full-length animated feature from Walt Disney studios, and professionally put together as it is, many of the ingredients may seem programmed to those who have seen some of the others.
9. By the end of The Black Cauldron I was remembering, with something of a shock of nostalgia, the strength and utter storytelling conviction of the early Disney animators. The Black Cauldron is a return to the tradition.
10. The backgrounds are as richly textured and detailed as in any other Disney film.
What is the critic consensus?
A: Ambitious but flawed, The Black Cauldron is technically brilliant as usual, but lacks the compelling characters of other Disney animated classics.

1. The film maintains an optimistic tone without succumbing to nostalgia, and as always with Studio Ghibli, the company Miyazaki cofounded in the 80s, the hand-drawn animation is gorgeous.
2. The film has charm but overall is a little slight.
3. Inspiring, romantic coming-of-age tale about '60s teens.
4. it's a gem of classical 2D imagery that stands out in a world turned upside down by the digital revolution.
5. The jury's still out on whether Goro Miyazaki can sustain his father's legacy as storyteller, though with its beautiful visuals and songs, Poppy Hill finds a deserving, if modest, place among its Studio Ghibli peers.
6. Those gorgeous, hand-drawn images bring lightness and grace to a story that might seem drab and pedestrian in the real world.
7. Soft, warm animation and resonant reflections on death, moving on and growing up can't fully overcome slighter plot points and erratic music choices.
8. The artistry is peaceful and comforting to the eyes but not especially stirring. Given the pictorial extremes that Studio Ghibli has gone to in the past, "Up on Poppy Hill" is weak tea.
9. "From Up on Poppy Hill" is frankly stunning, as beautiful a hand-drawn animated feature as you are likely to see.
10. The charming and nostalgic "From Up on Poppy Hill" is as lushly illustrated and vividly realized as memory itself.
What is the critic consensus?
A: Gentle and nostalgic, From Up on Poppy Hill is one of Studio Ghibli's sweeter efforts -- and if it doesn't push the boundaries of the genre, it remains as engagingly lovely as Ghibli fans have come to expect.

1. As the eponymous terrorist, Cheadle makes a big impact without too much noise.
2. Traitor is undeniably an intelligent, watchable thriller that wisely steers clear of racial stereotyping, yet manages to fall short of delivering a wholly satisfying cerebral or visceral experience.
3. Other than Samir, most of the characters are oversimplified placeholders with little depth, but Cheadle gives you someone to latch onto and care for. You also sort of despise him, because he may well be doing more harm than good.
4. Simmers down into a reasonably smart little thriller with a moral conscience, yet.
5. If it doesn't succeed in challenging you perception of the war on terror, it might challenge your view on Steve Martin.
6. Surprisingly, Steve Martin created this story. In a decade of wild and crazy fictional terrorism, his was the most horrifyingly plausible - one that spun terrorism as drama into uncomfortable community theater, striking the country's friendliest corners.
7. We watch for the sake of the chase, and while it's a chase that certainly proves better than most, it's also one that is good enough to have been even better than that.
8. As a thriller, Traitor excels and feels especially relevant, considering the subject matter.
9. The action scenes will grab you, but there's an actual story here, too.
10. Much harder to see coming is the film's denouement, but that's only because of its extreme silliness.
What is the critic consensus?
A:
Despite another reliable performance from Don Cheadle, Traitor suffers from too many cliches and an unfocused narrative.