- Akira directed by Katsuhiro Otomo (1988)
[7/10]
"Most viewers who like science fiction should find Akira an accessible story, but I highly recommend reading the six volume graphic novel for a richer, more detailed version of the story."
- Argent de Poche, L' [Small Change] directed by François Truffaut (1976)
[7/10]
"François Truffaut returns to filming a classroom full of children with the theme that children exist in a state of grace -- they pass untouched through dangers that would destroy an adult."
- Choristes, Les [The Chorus] directed by Christophe Barratier (2004)
[7/10]
"I generally don't like warm-fuzzy feel-good movies, but this one handles the plot well, develops the characters in a believable way, and has some pleasant music along the way."
- Jetée, La directed by Chris Marker (1967)
[6/10]
"La Jetée shows the power of the briefest of memories to instill a life with hope. Marker's presentation as a series of stills emphasizes the periodic and fleeting nature of memory."
- Kung Fu Hustle directed by Stephen Chow (2004)
[8/10]
"Kung Fu Hustle takes all the stereotypes of the martial arts genre, exaggerates them to an extreme, and provides a hilarious tribute to the genre."
- Ma Vie en Rose [My Life in Pink] directed by Alain Berliner (1997)
[5/10]
"Seven-year-old Ludovic (Georges Du Fresne) believes he's a girl. Somehow when the stork delivered him, Ludovic's second X chromosome fell in the garbage, leaving him with a male body."
- Metoroporisu [Metropolis] directed by Taro Rin (2006)
[7/10]
"Metropolis keeps your interest and keeps revealing multiple layers of character motivation and intrigue."
- Pokémon the First Movie: Mewtwo Strikes Back directed by Michael Haigney, Kunohiko Yuyama (1999)
[4/10]
"I find the Pokémon TV series (at least the first couple of seasons) fun and interesting, but the movie lacks most of the endearing qualities of the series. My two-year-old, who sat through all of The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland begged me to take her home."
- Quatre Cents Coups, Les [The 400 Blows] directed by François Truffaut (1959)
[10/10]
"Every time I watch François Truffaut's Les Quatre Cents Coups (The 400 Blows), I have scenes of the main character Antoine Doinel (Jean-Pierre Léaud) running through my head for days."
- Shi mian mai fu [House of Flying Daggers] directed by Yimou Zhang (2004)
[6/10]
"Even if I weren't tired of watching martial artists dancing in the treetops, Yimou Zhang's House of Flying Daggers lacks the depth of story found in many of the recent Hong Kong martial arts epics such as Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and even his own Hero."
- Siu Lam Juk Kau [Shaolin Soccer] directed by Stephen Chow (2001)
[7/10]
"Although not as riotously and continuously funny as Kung Fu Hustle, Shaolin Soccer does have quite a few good laughs, and you can see how this successful venture led to the even funnier Kung Fu Hustle."
- Vita è Bella, La [Life is Beautiful] directed by Roberto Benigni (1997)
[10/10]
"Benigni and Cerami have finely woven all the plot elements together as you would expect in a superb short story. The story never denies life's harsh realities, yet still encourages us to live with more joy, regardless of our situation."
- Wo Hu Cang Long [Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon] directed by Ang Lee (2000)
[9/10]
"I have tried to watch Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon with a critical eye, but the engaging story and the absolutely gorgeous cinematography always distract me from my critical view and by the end, I just sigh like you would after taking a bite of the most succulent cheesecake."
Average score: 7.15
