1. Congenial, to be sure, but also so very subtle that it never becomes more than a confectionary dash of moody pleasantness.
2. Not for everyone. But for those who can revel in the moment, this seemingly nondescript effort offers some unexpected depths.
3. ...a film that derives its tone from the Northwest coast that seeps into the characters who live there.
4. Cold Weather is good in so many subtle ways, I despair of doing them justice.
5. Just at the point of losing its audience, a nifty little film suddenly emerges.
6. It feels like you spend 96 minutes seeing the sights of Portland. This movie becomes tedious and the sluggish pace requires the viewer to have lots of patience.
7. There are few conventional thrills on offer here, but plenty of humour and charm.
8. Katz's characters are beautifully observed, the autumnal photography of downtown Portland is lovely, and the tension is expertly maintained...
9. This is a slacker detective story, emphasis on the slack, and if you can downshift into its loping rhythms, it's pretty wonderful.
10. The obvious low, low budget is a mere obstacle for a filmmaker who uses intelligence, talent and humor to tell an entertaining yarn.
What is the critic consensus?
A: For viewers who manage to stay invested in its occasionally aimless story, Cold Weather proves a surprisingly sophisticated blend of mumblecore and indie noir.

1. When Ms. Sangare sings a heartbreaking lament of "a worried songbird" searching for her father, you don't need to know the language to be gripped by the force of her cry.
2. If Fleck weren't such a gracious soul chasing the spirit of Sankofa, this could have been an exercise in exploitation of Graceland-ian proportions. But that's hardly the case on his magical musical mystery tour.
3. Roll up, roll up, for Béla Fleck's harmonious heritage tour, satisfaction (more or less) guaranteed.
4. A musical adventure that follows an American banjo player to Africa where he discovers the power of music to bring people of very different cultures together.
5. Fans of world music will enjoy the vibrant and spontaneous performances gathered here.
6. It's an entertaining journey, and director Sascha Paladino injects humor and pathos into the musical sequences.
7. The movie is at least 20 minutes too long. By the time Fleck gets to the final stop, Mali, the film, directed by Sascha Paladino (a half-brother of Fleck), has worn out its welcome.
8. Musician Bela Fleck brings the banjo back to Africa, where it originated. Overall, the music is terrific and the film's intentions are good. But less would have been more.
9. It's a journey long on affecting songs and musical passages, and short on scholarship -- and that works just fine for Fleck's intentions.
10. This is an honest journey into discovery that reveals the connection music brings between cultures where commonality is not always easy to find.
What is the critic consensus?
A: Throw Down Your Heart is an exuberant musical journey with an edge of sadness.

1. We are constantly fearful for Betty -- less worried that the evil killers will catch up with her than that reality will. Despite this basic uneasiness, there is much to enjoy in Nurse Betty.
2. Freeman's coldblooded but warm-hearted performance has a nuanced and enigmatic quality that communicates authority and suggests greatness.
3. Its premise, I'll admit, is a lot to ask moviegoers to swallow. But if you can go along with its tall-tale spirit, you can't help but be amazed at how ingeniously the filmmakers work out the ramifications of Betty's delusion.
4. [LaBute] pulls the farce and the violence and the fantasies together with a deft touch and a sweetness rare in American films -- especially his.
5. Everyone in the cast, from veteran Freeman to novice Rock, gives excellent performances.
6. Nurse Betty boasts a quality that's ruby-rare at the movies: surprise.
7. A deliriously odd and funny movie that manages to be dark and uplifting at the same time.
8. The movie would be difficult to imagine without Zellweger, who can show exultation and heartbreak without exaggerating either.
9. Nurse Betty is never going to be confused with Mary Poppins, but as of now, it's LaBute's crowd pleaser.
10. This oddly cheerful, decreasingly dark comedy actually works and can boast some of the most enjoyable performances of the year.
What is the critic consensus?
A: Quirky in the best sense of the word, Nurse Betty finds director Neil LaBute corralling a talented cast in service of a sharp, imaginative script.

1. I'm not opposed to drawing from the well of movies past. But to remake one with such a dated and specific point of view, one that relies on the interracial relationship as hot button, is both lazy and uncomfortably nostalgic.
2. Sad though it is to say, it's not often that a romantic comedy comes along that succeeds in actually being both romantic and comedic. When those things happen, it's easy to forgive minor flaws.
3. No classic, but Mac and Kutcher prove a surprisingly winning team, and considering today's comedies, you could do a lot worse.
4. Guess Who isn't very smart and it isn't very funny. In fact, it isn't much of anything.
5. One long race joke, the most overextended and least risible of the year.
6. No one does choleric better than Bernie Mac and it is always fun to see him get steamed.
7. It's been a long time since the words 'Ashton Kutcher' and 'hilarious' have appeared in the same sentence, but they'll have to get reacquainted. Kutcher and costar Bernie Mac make a terrific comic team.
8. Mix in a pair of inspired performances by Bernie Mac and Ashton Kutcher, and you've got a certified crowd-tickler with a lot more substance than the last Focker family gathering.
9. Guess Who is a pleasant surprise. Ashton Kutcher's at his most endearing and Bernie Mac is the best he's been in a feature film.
10. Wait a sec, are those sirens? *BAD IDEA POLICE HERE, PULL OVER!
What is the critic consensus?
A:
Despite the chemistry of its stars, Guess Who, a loose remake of Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, lacks the political relevance of the original.