A surprisingly playful film. John McTiernan revisits some of the territory from his earlier films like "Nomads" and "Predator," only this time in the context of a suspense picture. I wish I found the screenplay more compelling but there's no denying that McTiernan directs the hell out of the material.

The filmmaker is at the peak of his visual prowess here, deftly navigating multiple genres and having the foresight to make an extreme close-up out of Travolta's signature smirk. "Basic"…

With "Gangster Squad," director Ruben Fleischer clearly wants to join the ranks of Hollywood's A-list filmmakers: the movie features big name stars, slick production values, and a score that tries to summon plenty of Nolan-style gravitas.

Unfortunately, it becomes clear that making a sloppy edited rehash of Brian De Palma's "The Untouchables," with bursts of cartoony violence in lieu of any genuine setpieces and mushy digital photography to boot, was not the way to go about it.

"Gangster Squad" feels…

With a beautifully bleak depiction of Eighties-era Sweden that's so white and snow-capped you can practically feel the flakes falling in your living room, much of "Let the Right One In's" strength lies in its immaculate horror movie atmosphere. Yet its tale of schoolyard bullying and pre-pubescent love is close to perfection as well; the only real drawback being the subplot with the 'Cat Guy' and his drunken friends, which rever really goes anywhere or adds much to the film…

Is there a point to watching hundreds of old-school kung fu movies if you don't come away with a working knowledge of the genre? I don't doubt RZA's love for these films but his 'tribute' to martial arts cinema is executed more like a parody. That said, I'm willing to lay most of the blame on co-writer Eli Roth since the screenplay's lazy, cliche-ridden dialogue and sophomoric attitudes towards sex have his fingerprints all over them.

Otherwise, "The Man With…