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'3:10 to Yuma' Gets Derailed By Ambition

The remake of "3:10 To Yuma" is an extended, self-serious and ludicrously distended spectacle; the NASA footage from "In the Shadow Of the Moon," a magnificent documentary, evokes the grandeur of the whole Apollo adventure.

Mortensen Thrills in 'Eastern Promises'

Viggo Mortensen is flat-out brilliant in "Eastern Promises," a relentlessly dramatic thriller about a Russian gangster; "The Brave One" is a shockingly brutal and repetitive studio production; and more.

Penn's 'Into the Wild' Is Stirring, Complex

Sean Penn's adaptation of "Into the Wild" is as stirring, entertaining and steadfastly thrilling as it is beautiful; The exceptionally long "Assassination of Jesse James" dodges the bullet of hapless self-importance.

'Kingdom' Has Action, But Little Depth

"The Kingdom" is a coldly efficient action thriller that comes down to a police procedural whose procedures prove none too interesting; "The Darjeeling Limited" is full of amusing, offbeat notions but is somewhat lost; and more.

'Lust, Caution' Is Sumptuous but Frosty

Although beautifully visualized, "Lust, Caution" is an almost thrill-free thriller that seems seductive, yet stays resolutely remote; "Michael Clayton" is a stirring portrait of a man reclaiming his soul; and more.

'Lars' Is a Smart, Tender Comedy

Ryan Gosling is extraordinary in "Lars and the Real Girl," an endearing, intelligent and tender comedy; "Elizabeth: The Golden Age" is a popcorn-worthy sequel that often lapses into opacity or grandiosity.

Del Toro Rescues 'Things We Lost'

Benicio Del Toro's turn as a heroin addict lurching toward redemption is the heart and soul of "Things We Lost in the Fire"; Ben Affleck's dark "Gone Baby Gone" amounts to a tour of Greater Boston's criminal minds; and more.

'Dan in Real Life' Puts Set Pieces Before Substance

Steve Carell's "Dan in Real Life" searches for uplift in a succession of set pieces that play like segments of a sitcom; The documentary "Jimmy Carter: Man From Plains" is an uncomfortably admiring advertisement for its subject.

Epic 'American Gangster' Stands Up To Mob Genre

The success of "American Gangster" flows from its craftsmanship and confident professionalism -- it's a great big gangster film, and a good one. "Bee Movie" isn't a B movie, it's a Z movie, as in dizmal.

'Lions for Lambs' Leaves Audience Counting Sheep

"Lions for Lambs" addresses the great issues of our time, but lacks a coherent point and leaves the audience counting sheep; "No Country for Old Men" is the Coen brothers best film since their glory days; and more.