Alpha Dog (2007)

"Alpha Dog operates without outrage -- not because the behavior of the people in the movie isn't horrifying but because the movie knows it is much too late to save those bouncing, happy kids we glimpsed in the opening seconds."

Amandla: A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony (2003)

"The word 'amandla' means power, and the music undeniably has that, but it lacks the archival footage to put the music in context."

The Amateurs (2007)

"The chief virtue of Amateurs is that it gives many talented people (Valerie Perrine, Judy Greer, Lauren Graham, Tim Blake Nelson) a scene or two in which to shine."

Amelia (2009)

"Dear Hilary Swank: We've seen your spunky act. Do you have anything else? Signed, Everyone."

Amen (2003)

"A movie that suggests the Holocaust may be an endless source of absorbing, heartbreaking dramas."

America's Sweethearts (2001)

"It reminded me of a stand-up comedian who's not sure where his next joke is coming from."

American Gangster (2007)

"[Ridley Scott] wants to make a Godfather-style epic, and he doesn't have the horses -- or the story -- to pull it off."

American Hardcore (2006)

"The movie is hazy about dates and names but bracing in its depiction of young people who made music because they loved it, not because they thought it would make them rich or famous."

American Pie 2 (2001)

"The new movie is just as funny as the first one."

An American Rhapsody (2001)

"Somewhere in the blurry An American Rhapsody, there's a clear idea for a movie. Or, rather, five movies."

American Teen (2008)

"American Teen does its job: It invites us into the lives of people we wouldn't ordinarily meet or, maybe, care about."

The Amityville Horror (2005)

"You might think The Amityville Horror is just a copy of the 1979 original, but there's much more to it than that. It's also a knockoff of at least four other movies and one music video."

An Education (2009)

"Simultaneously an education and a thrill."

Analyze That (2002)

"De Niro needs to play another mobster like Martha Stewart needs to take another stock tip, but he broadens his already-big performance as a tough mook who gets all touchy-feely."

And Now Ladies and Gentlemen (2003)

"The final half of And Now negates the pleasures we've found in the first half."

Andy Goldsworthy - Rivers and Tides: Working With Time (2003)

"I often found myself catching my breath during Rivers and Tides, partly because of the Jengalike delicacy of Goldsworthy's work."

Angel-A (2007)

"Angel-A drops by most of the touristy Parisian hot spots and, shot in the glorious black-and-white of Henri Cartier-Bresson, makes them all look spectacular and gritty at the same time."

Anger Management (2003)

"It's not the first time Sandler has played this role, or the ninth time. But it's fairly entertaining."

Animal Factory (2000)

"The most disturbing thing in Animal Factory is watching sleepy Edward Furlong try to act."

The Animation Show 2005 (2005)

"Think of watching The Animation Show as similar to eating a bag of Jelly Bellies. Some of the time, you get something fantastic and some of the time, you get stuck with a jalapeno or a buttered popcorn."

Annapolis (2006)

"Despite the lack of originality in Annapolis, it is dandy entertainment."

The Anniversary Party (2001)

"An actory movie, with performers gorging on the kind of histrionics an experienced director would put a lid on."

The Ant Bully (2006)

"A computer-animated gem as ingenious as a children's book you don't mind reading aloud again and again."

Antitrust (2001)

"The sloppy plot depends on coincidences to keep things moving."

Anvil! The Story of Anvil (2009)

"There is something beautiful about people who dream big -- and something foolish. Anvil! The Story of Anvil gets at both."