Movie top list: 226 to 250

"Sono's latest is another wild experience, full of energetic performances, manic camera work and excessive events. A fever trip that holds you prisoner and dazzles all the way through."

"Doyle and Umebayashi do a great job, and Leung and Cheung are stellar, but they cannot hide the fact that Kar Wai grew even more skilled after completing this film."

"Iwai found the right balance between Japanese live-action drama and the magic of animation. The film looks great, the story is moving, and the characters are quirky but lovable."

"A stunning road movie, a mysterious trip through the heart of China that doesn't lose itself in the usual contradictions, but sculpts a delicate portrait of its lead character."

"A crazy, creative, vibrant film that keeps a pretty strict pace and only slows down a little toward the end of the film. But even then, there's a sprawling finale that pulls out all the stops."

"There are so many priceless moments, so many memorable scenes, and plenty of amazing details that make the film that much better. The Grand Budapest Hotel is Anderson at his very best."

"Smuggler is an extremely entertaining slice of dark entertainment. Littered with weird and freaky characters, the four chapters are nicely entangled and combine into an interesting finale."

"Reeves strikes a superb balance between fear, chaos, and mystery, revealing bits and pieces of information at the right time and showing just enough to tease without coming off as cheap or low-budget."

"Porco Rosso remains one of my favorite Miyazaki films. Personally, I prefer his softer, smaller films over his big epics, as they are more aimed at atmosphere and less at getting a message across"

"The camera work, the use of color, the crazy soundtrack, and the quirky characters all indicate that this is not a film made by a director for hire, but conforming to a clear vision."

"It's a cute and interesting fantasy tale with a darker edge, sporting some lovely visuals and some solid performances, never outstaying its welcome and leaving a fresh impression."

"The film looks and sounds amazing, the characters are extremely lovably and while 140 minutes is quite a demanding length for an upbeat film like this, I can't remember checking the clock once."

"The result is a very powerful and gut-wrenching drama. Being a Tsukamoto film, it may lack subtlety but makes up for that with sheer emotional and visceral prowess."

"Quality film making, sporting a superb cast, a solid soundtrack and eye-popping cinematography. A slice of urban fantasy/retro sci-fi that mixes classic and contemporary cinema to great effect."

"Cannibal is definitely my kind of film. Incredibly atmospheric, uncompromising, and unique, a film that appears to be easy genre filler on the outside, but packs quite a few surprises."

"Late Bloomer presents a whole new way of applying cyberpunk aesthetics to a film subject, mixing it with a documentary take on one of the most interesting characters I've ever seen in a film."

"Boyle's breakthrough film is pretty crude and edgy, but it's also a cinematic wonderland about a bunch of drug-craving friends, drenched in thick accents and presented with plenty of wit."

"The actors bring a disarming charm, the humor is actually funny and Guan delivers a worthwhile audiovisual experience, in a way that sets it apart from other Chinese films."

"A couple of directors come together to give the best of themselves, enjoying the freedom to make something that doesn't necessarily need to meet customer demands."

"For a long time, you may wonder what the fuss is all about, but then the end credits start to roll and you suddenly realize what a truly wonderful film Ratanaruang delivered."

"Hiroki delivers one of the most natural, confident, and empathic dramas I've ever laid eyes on. On the outside it appears to be a simple film, but underneath lies a wealth of emotions."

"It's a great little film that survived its first 20 years remarkably well, but it will forever be a film for a niche audience, always on the verge of slipping out of sight."

"Ignore (or embrace) the wayward storytelling and let yourself be swamped by the majestic and dark imagery, and you'll have no problem uncovering the heart of The Warrior and The Wolf."

"It's overly childish, way too fluffy for its own good, and it's over-the-top maximalist while being completely unapologetic about it, but in the end, it still works like a charm."

"A powerful drama, enriched with strong horror elements, perfectly visualized, scored to perfection, and fleshed out by a selection of first-class actors."