Alexander Hall's ingenious comedy/fantasy, was a departure for the usually suave Montgomery (father of Elizabeth from TV's "Bewitched"), but he tackles the role of working class pugilist with humanity and heart. The ...

Zhang had some art-house success with "Ju Dou" and "Red Sorghum," but his American breakout feature came with "Hero," a film that did as much to revitalize the martial-arts epic (known in China as wu xia) as it did to ...

A low-key, moving story about the conflict between tradition and modernity as it is played out in the confines of a marriage, Silver's "Hester Street" is a lovely period piece that earned newcomer Kane an Oscar ...

A taut, intelligent nail-biter that pulls in the audience fast and never lets go, thanks to a lean, plausible script and intense performances from Mc Dormand, Cox, and Dourif, all brilliant players when armed with solid ...

Both a gripping detective story and meditation on the nature of honor and Japanese class differences, "High and Low" ultimately earns high marks, thanks mainly to a snappy second half focusing on the investigative work ...

Frears's surprisingly insightful film, adapted from the Nick Hornby novel, examines the comic romantic entanglements of a lovable music-store geek. His record stacks and Top Five lists may be in perfect order, but his ...

Fred Zinnemann's stark revenge tale, told in real time, packs enough intensity into eighty minutes to carry two movies. It's suspenseful in the extreme, but also a morality tale, powerful in its simplicity, about the ...

No longer playing second banana to James Cagney, here Bogart was given a juicy breakout role in Raoul Walsh's “Sierra", as a killer with a compassionate side. Indeed Bogart's "Mad Dog" Earle was modeled more on criminal ...

Outdoor adventure, breathtaking visuals, and tense interpersonal conflict drive Valli's Oscar-nominated tale of rivalry and honor among the indigenous people of Nepal. Filmed on location in CinemaScope, "Himalaya" ...

Alain Resnais's widely acknowledged masterpiece is a work of profound beauty. Beyond its sensitive presentation of a most unusual (and then, quite daring) love story, the film is one of the most visually striking black ...

The legendary Howard Hawks directs what may be the fastest film comedy ever. A re-make of "The Front Page", this version's inspired plot twist is that Hildy is a female reporter, formerly wed to loveable scoundrel ...

Plenty of Hitler docs have covered similar ground-the lebensraum policies, the invasion of Poland, and the horrors of WWII-but Fest's two-and-a-half-hour opus digs deep into the Fuhrer's formative period, demonstrating ...

As leading man, Grant was unequalled, the epitome of charm, and Cukor's "Holiday" finds him in peak form, starring opposite the redoubtable Hepburn in this giddily amusing romantic comedy. Based on Philip Barry's ...

Conceived from an idea by composer Irving Berlin, Mark Sandrich's "Holiday Inn" is a humorous, festive Crosby/Astaire musical that finds both performers in tip-top crooning and toe-tapping form. Famous for introducing ...

Rescued from the Paramount vaults, these hard-to-find gems (shot between 1929 and 1941) finally see the light of day on this swingin’ compilation devoted to the artistry of America’s most important early jazz and R&B ...

More an abstract experience than a movie, this twisted, psychedelic Zen freak-out of a film is challenging, to be sure, but also visually enthralling and impossible to forget. Thus, it's not for all tastes, especially ...

A demanding but richly rewarding study of this magnificent artist, who lived and worked in France. A poet and mystic as well as painter, Chagall was a fascinating personality. Here, haunting shots of his work are ...

The best John Wayne western not directed by John Ford or Howard Hawks, "Hondo" shows the Duke at the peak of his powers. Helmed by John Farrow (Mia's dad), the film is stunningly photographed, with a tight, trim story ...

This highly personal film, many years in the making, allows the viewer to get to know both young men profiled: their families, friends, and how each reacts to a whole new world of pressure at St. Joe's. We think we see ...

Deeply felt, tense and exciting, this fact-based movie is anchored by yet another bravura Hackman performance, as a man who must confront his demons and restore his own sense of worth. Dennis Hopper also registers in an ...