“No Country for Old Men”

The Coen brothers return to their more provocative roots with their best work since “Fargo” in this juggernaut of a thriller that packs a scorching condemnation on the futility of violence. The ideal team to bring the quirks of Cormac McCarthy’s novel to the screen, the Coens somehow manage to find laughs amidst all the carnage.

“The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford”

Billed as a western, but in reality a rebuttal of the genre’s archetypes, “Assassination” disappeared from theaters faster than Lindsay Lohan from rehab. You owe it to yourself to see Australian director Andrew Dominik’s lurid vision of the old west, which serves as an appraisal of our celebrity crazed culture.

“Control”

Rather than playing like an extended concert, Anton Corbijn’s film focuses on the artist and not the music, in this case Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis. Armed with minimalist but awe-inducing cinematography, “Control” is a bleak, emotionally shattering tribute to yet another artist whose musical inspiration led to their demise.

“Grindhouse”

A tounge-in-cheek homage to a period of our most deliciously bad cinema, buddies Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez craft the most enjoyable movie-going experience of the year. For those looking for substance, the double billing of fluff may leave them empty, but it’s certainly a fitting contrast to movies of today that are just as gratuitous and expect a serious audience response.

“Sicko”

Michael Moore mostly shuns his less than objective tactics for his most piercing documentary (I use that term loosely) to date. Sure, he makes the health systems of France and Great Britain look like utopian palaces, but he overwhelmingly documents the mess that is our health care system.

“Zodiac”

David Fincher’s take on the Zodiac killer is equally impressive as a thriller and a procedural. However, the Zodiac killings themselves are a mere McGuffin for Fincher, who is more concerned with obsession and its potential to seep into all arenas of our lives.

“Into the Wild”

Sean Penn dons his directorial skills once again to bring us the story of Christopher McCandless, the Emory graduate who spurned civilization to trudge through the Alaskan wilderness to his premature death. Emile Hirsch delivers a career-defining portrayal of the maverick on the cusp of manhood in this strangely optimistic film.

“Margot at the Wedding”

A fitting companion piece to his cult favorite, “The Squid and the Whale”, director Noah Baumbach proves once again that venom is thicker than blood. He reigns in the laugh-out-loud humor and excess quirkiness for a poignant portrait of family dysfunction.

“Fred Claus”

The newest of holiday tales, “Fred Claus” examines a different side to the classic tale of St. Nick, answering the burning question, “what if Santa had a big brother?” The film has funny moments and decent performances, along with the typically touching ending. Not as funny as Will Ferrell’s “Elf” but a much better try at a Christmas flick than recent attempts (think “Deck the Halls”).

“Rendition”

The story explores the controversial idea of “extraordinary rendition,” enacted during the Clinton era, which allows those believed to have involvement with terrorists to be taken with no record for questioning. The top-notch acting holds the film together and keeps the audience invested in all of these stories. Director Gavin Hood enlightens and tugs at emotions.

“We Own the Night”

“We Own the Night” stars Joaquin Phoenix, Eva Mendes, Mark Wahlberg and Robert Duvall. With an all-star cast like this, the film should impress critics and audiences alike. Unfortunately, the star wattage isn’t enough. Does the film continue to hold your attention? Maybe. Is the movie an inventive and well-written piece of cinema? No.

“The Kingdom”

A terrorist group attacks and bombs a softball game on an American compound in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. As emergency crews begin a clean-up, another bomb is detonated, killing an FBI agent. “The Kingdom” doesn’t disappoint with action and entertains without taking sides in an angled political arena.

“Eastern Promises”

“Eastern Promises” revolves around Tatiana, a young pregnant girl who hemorrhages in a local pharmacy. The only identification of Tatiana is a small diary filled with her Russian writings and a card linking her to the head of the London sect of the crime group Vory V Zakone. Come Oscar season, this consuming character study will be showered with nominations.

“Shoot ‘em Up”

It’s hard to enjoy watching a baby be shot at, left on bathroom floors and thrown around during shootouts for 90 minutes. Full of clichés and insipid dialogue, “Shoot ‘em Up” tries hard for humor. Nothing is supposed to be serious, but shouldn’t something be enjoyable?

- Mandy Rodgers and Brian Hughes