Atanarjuat (The Fast Runner) (2001)

Drama Rated NR

An astonishing act of cinema and anthropology, Atanarjuat dramatizes an ancient legend of the Inuit people of the Canadian Arctic. The story traces the life of a hunter (Natar Ungalaaq) whose devotion to the community contrasts with the greed of the tribal leader’s son. As their lifelong feud illuminates the repercussions of breaking a society’s

Sleepy Hollow (1999)

Horror Rated R

Reteaming Johnny Depp and director Tim Burton (Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood) on an adaptation of Washington Irving’s prankish ghost story may have sounded like a dream come true, but the result is more akin to a harsh, bloody nightmare. Burton does cast his usual atmospheric spell – this Sleepy Hollow is full of twisted trees

Auto Focus (2002)

Drama Rated R

Director Paul Schrader and star Greg Kinnear turn what could have been a big-screen True Hollywood Story – in this case the life of Hogan’s Heroes star and sex addict Bob Crane – into a fascinating portrait of a tortured personality. The groping on display has the sad desperation of a junkie shooting up in

Spider-Man (2002)

Action/Adventure Rated PG-13

As someone who used to dress up in Spider-Man Underoos and literally try to climb walls when I was a kid, the highest praise I can give this high-flying adaptation from director Sam Raimi is to say it made me want to be Spider-Man again. True to the original 1962 comic book, the movie grounds

Baby Boy (2001)

Drama Rated R

Writer-director John Singleton returns to the streets of south central Los Angeles, this time to tell the story of a selfish, 20-year-old single father of two who learns to embrace his responsibilities. Though preachy at times, this is a surprisingly inspirational pro-family drama with touches of Singleton’s distinct visual style. Former MTV personality Tyrese Gibson

Spy Kids (2001)

Family Rated PG

Like a child’s imagination on overdrive, this Robert Rodriguez lark careens through its espionage tale with wild abandon, following a brother and sister as they embark on a mission to rescue their kidnapped secret-agent parents (Antonio Banderas and Carla Gugino). Among the movie’s clever touches are pintsize submarines, quirky castles and bad guys called Thumb-Thumbs

Bad Boys II (2003)

Action/Adventure Rated R

Another exercise in action incoherence from director Michael Bay, who reunites with Martin Lawrence and Will Smith as bickering Miami cops. As usual, nihilism reigns. Bad Boys II has no respect for the dead – one car chase involving a mortuary van features cadavers as road kill – and even less for the living.

Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams (2002)

Family Rated PG

Watching Spy Kids 2 is a bit like walking into a little boy’s room where countless toys are scattered about in mid-play. It may be messy, but the sheer imagination on display is undeniable. Writer-director Robert Rodriguez revisits his fun, unassuming James Bond takeoff for the Happy Meal set, this time throwing in a weird

Bon Voyage (2003)

Comedy Rated PG-13

Historical drama becomes the stuff of farce in this breezy, cheeky ensemble piece set during the Nazi occupation of France. Gregori Derangere headlines the cast as a young writer whose devotion to a conniving actress (Isabelle Adjani) gets him into trouble with the French police, then the Nazis and eventually lands him in the middle

Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (2003)

Family Rated PG

Junior James Bond Juni Cortez (Daryl Sabara) sets out to rescue his sister (Alexa Vega), who has been trapped inside a virtual-reality video game in the third installment in the endlessly inventive family action series from Robert Rodriguez. This one’s in 3-D, but it didn’t need to be: The awkward glasses and washed out colors