Madame Bovary (2014)
Adapted with detached observation, restless Mia Wasikowska's need for more than country doctor husband and constraining village inevitably leads to tragedy. Textured, worn visuals and Evgueni and Sacha Galperine's expressive score hint at emotions left frustrated.
Madame Hyde (2017)
An electrical accident empowers victimized teacher Isabelle Huppert with confidence by day and killer instinct by night. Like the lead performance, a quirky balance between comedy and drama without a crystallizing view. Minor pleasures from individual scenes.
Madeline (1949)
Sublimely made, intelligently revealed drama, with an impressively ambiguous Ann Todd. Visually and aurally intoxicating, culminating with a gripping, claustrophobic courtroom sequence and an everlasting stare.
Madeo (Mother) (2009)
Convinced of her son's innocence, determined Kim Hye-ja's powerful central performance knits together tonal conflicts, while precisely composed visuals conjure eerie atmosphere tempered with dark, broad humour. Constantly surprising, resolution is bleakly apposite.
Madness Of The Heart (1949)
Unpersuasive fusion of Rebecca / Jane Eyre intrigues that misses the atmosphere and character ambivalence and flounders for a grip as blind and newly married Margaret Lockwood finds herself threatened by Kathleen Bryon's crazed new neighbor. Needed true commitment to its ludicrous narrative.
Madonna Of The Seven Moons (1945)
Suffused with religious imagery, a swirling, heady brew of costume melodrama, aided by a marvelous Hans May score. Phyllis Calvert, Stewart Granger and Patricia Roc float amid the lush silver and black visuals.
The Madonna's Secret (1946)
Low key noirish thriller that tends to shift character perspective too many times before settling on an intense Anne Rutherford searching for her sister's killer. Some visual pleasures and atmospheric oddities pepper an otherwise bland narrative.
Maestro (2023)
Told with singular visuals, fierce celebration of creativity accents disarming leads as relationship between open Bradley Cooper and vulnerable Carey Mulligan plays out over the years. Frustrating, oblique staging takes time to find rhythm; final act provides emotional and musical rush.
Maggie (2015)
A wearied, broken Arnold Schwarzenegger faces the anguish of watching daughter Abigail Breslin's physical and mental disintegration as she transforms into a zombie. Mix of horror and searing family drama is potent, storytelling uneven, despite the strong performances.
Maggie's Plan (2015)
Uneven, endearing, affectionately spun tale of emotional confusion, carried by its cast despite tonal shifts and bumpy narrative. Greta Gerwig plans a baby, Ethan Hawke and Julianne Moore fall out and in love. A dysfunctional, extended family comes together.
Magic (1978)
Smart William Goldman script, strong performances and eerie, mournful Jerry Goldsmith score are powerful elements for this Dead Of Night riff, which also includes a macabre, scary dummy. Yet the visual style is flat and lacks the atmosphere to deliver on the horror possibilities.
The Magic Bow (1946)
Despite lengthy and captivating musical interludes, this Gainsborough biography of Paganini fails to realize its potential and feels curiously flat and fragmented. Without the flights of melodramatic fantasy, script and cast flounder amid the period artifice.
Magic Mountains (2020)
Unfussy visuals conjure alternately enticing and threatening atmosphere as gradually unnerved Hannah Hoekstra accepts ex-husband Thomas Ryckewaert's invitation to go for last adventure before suspecting deadly motive. Oblique emotions surrender thrills to chilly doom.
The Magic Of Ordinary Days (2005)
Though narrative schematics are entirely predictable, finesse of production and aching emotion of cast is a potent combination. During World War II, shamed, expectant mother Keri Russell is ostracized to marry principled farmer Skeet Ulrich. Observant and textured.
The Magnificent Seven (1960)
Robustly conceived and produced, swaggering Yul Brynner and Steve McQueen lead all-star warriors to protect Mexican village from brutal Eli Wallach. Smart script develops sympathetic characters, uncomplicated visuals accentuate action, Elmer Bernstein delivers defining score.
La maîtresse du président (The President's Mistress) (2009)
Swept into romance with manipulative French President, ambitious Cristiana Reali escapes conceited artist husband and is caught in political crosshairs. Engagingly spun, attractive design, appealing central performance.
Major Barbara (1941)
Convinced Wendy Hiller is the titular Salvation Army leader who bemuses professor Rex Harrison and confronts wealthy ammunitions father Robert Morley. Formidable cast includes bullish Robert Newton, while gentle satire rails against hypocrisy with immaculate visuals and design.
Malta Story (1953)
Alec Guinness is the reluctant hero, Muriel Pavlow the local love interest and Jack Hawkins the iron commander who needs sacrifice to repel the Axis threat during the Siege Of Malta. Solid production with good mix of location shoot and documentary footage.
The Maltese Falcon (1941)
Gorgeously structured and paced noir murder mystery pierced by sharp, mischievous humor and devious characters twisting through tangled narrative. Archetypal, hardened detective Humphrey Bogart squares off with Peter Lorre, Sydney Greenstreet, and elusive Mary Astor's motives.
The Man From Laramie (1955)
Set against Anthony Mann's customary mastery of rugged locations and open space, vengeful James Stewart finds himself caught in a cattle family's dynastic dispute. Finely tuned characters, bouts of violence, rousing narrative and assured widescreen visuals.
The Man From Toronto (2022)
Mistaken identity forces famed assassin Woody Harrelson to team up with incompetent fitness instructor Kevin Hart. Unfortunately, storytelling and technique undermine potential comedy and thrills, a few flashes of interest amid flashy production values.
Man Hunt (1941)
After having Hitler in his gun sight, adventurer Cornel Wilde is on the run, helped through dark London streets by brash Joan Bennett, even as pre-war government is willing to give him up. Highlighting bleak Nazi brutality, Stark atmosphere propels taut thrills.
The Man In Grey (1943)
The film that started the glorious cycle of Gainsborough melodramas and secured stardom for Lockwood, Mason, Calvert and Granger. Though sometimes muddily plotted, the seductive atmosphere more than compensates and the approach is uncompromising.
The Man In The Iron Mask (1939)
Despite some creaky staging and arch performances, Dumas adaptation is generally pacey and broken up with enough Musketeers sword fights amid the opulent sets. Louis Hayward plays dual roles of French King and imprisoned brother, Joan Bennett the mystified princess.
Man Of The House (2005)
Indulged cheerleaders witness murder, and gruff, traditional Texas Ranger Tommy Lee Jones moves into sorority house to protect. Clash of personalities results in lightly anonymous comic confusion and character growth, sapped of energy, and anything remotely original or believable.
En man som heter Ove (A Man Called Ove) (2015)
Outwardly cantankerous and intolerant, misanthropic Rolf Lassgård finds plans to commit suicide upended by new neighbour Bahar Pars and family. Tart humour balances broken emotions that reverberate from past. Observant and full of humanity.
The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)
Playful and swiftly paced, constructed round a series of gripping, darkly humorous set pieces, as Leslie Banks and Edna Best search for kidnapped daughter Nova Pilbeam. Peter Lorre deliciously sinister as anarchist at centre of murderous conspiracy.
The Man Who Would Be King (1976)
John Huston's spirited, gritty adventure is framed by Christopher Plummer's Rudyard Kipling hearing the legend of Sean Connery and Michael Caine as kings of Kafiristan. Action, humour and star quality well balanced with expansive locations.
The Man With The Iron Heart (2017)
Curious structure follows Jason Clarke's rise to power as Holocaust architect, humanity poisoned in front of wife Rosamund Pike, then switches view in second half to assassins carrying out execution. Solid technique without true emotional focus.
Manbiki Kazoku (Shoplifters) (2018)
Intimate, wrenching portrait of coping with poverty as disparate outsiders forge a family to survive. Emphasizing humanity and punctuated with sparks of relief amid the pain, natural formalism of story and technique creates emotion that resonates.
Mank (2020)
Sumptuously shot and precisely framed, glistening monochrome images and swirling music provide an immersive ride in 30s Hollywood. Yet nothing feels authentic, the widescreen views as uncomfortable as a miscast Gary Oldman. Amanda Seyfried is a piercing presence.
The Manor (2021)
Caught between social relevance of care for the elderly (and personal fears of aging) while delivering moody Gothic scares and genre horror of witches covens, narrative never sets a compelling tone. Barbara Hershey keeps interest bubbling though twists feel subdued.
The Map Of Tiny Perfect Things (2021)
Spirited Kathryn Newton and Kyle Allen find they're stuck living the same day over and over, infectious appeal matched by energy and humor of filmmaking. Conclusion features satisfying shift of focus that ties character and narrative threads together.
Marriage Story (2019)
Intense, heartfelt, uncompromising detail of the breakdown of a marriage, alternating the cruelty and love still bounded in the relationship between two fragile, desperate people. Bravely vulnerable Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver provide emotion and dark humor.
Married Life (2007)
Rich design and lush score are smartly conceived for corrosive desires of Chris Cooper's affair with Rachel McAdams which inspire plan to murder wife Patricia Clarkson. Sporadic humor lacks bite and tension flounders, while cynical Pierce Brosnan is unable to provide needed energy.
Marrowbone (2017)
Stylish visuals and evocative 60s design provide potent background for personal ghosts as agitated George McKay tries to keep siblings safe from family horrors. Local librarian Anya Taylor-Joy gradually reveals truth. Character involvement and scares remain subdued.
Mary, Queen Of Scots (2018)
Pierced with historical and political revisionism, a darkly immersive retelling of Saoirse Ronan's Mary returning from France to conflict with Margot Robbie's Elizabeth. Impeccably made and confidently performed without anything truly original to say.
Maryland (Disorder) (2015)
Intensity of edgy, suffering Afghanistan vet Matthias Schoenaerts is matched by bracing, unsettling tone as violence threatens from every shadow of luxurious estate belonging to icy arms dealer's wife Diane Kruger. Simmering tension builds with thematic and character cohesion.
Masquerade (1988)
Suitably sleazy and sweaty melodrama, young heiress Meg Tilly falls for smooth yachtsman Rob Lowe and soon find herself lost in murder and lies. Twisting narrative and character shifts creak and strain, Kim Cattrall and John Glover provide vengeful spite, end pleasingly cruel.
Matinee (1993)
Affectionate tribute to 60s cinema showmanship meshed with threat of Cuban Missile Crisis, sees unrepentant showman John Goodman terrifying Key West Town with latest atomic scifi movie. Spirited comedy less sure with domestic plots and ragged conclusion, yet remains endearing.
The Mating Season (1951)
Amiable domestic comedy that veers on farce but constrains wilder possibilities and potential for social critique. After her food stand goes bust, bustling Thelma Ritter is mistaken by her son's socialite wife Gene Tierney as the new cook. Romantic and family complications ensue.
The Matrix Resurrections (2021)
Polished production results in efficiently tooled action and suitably catching vfx, as games guru Keanu Reeves grasps red pill truth and proves love for reluctant Carrie-Anne Moss is more powerful than manipulative code. Spiky Jessica Henwick provides spark, yet narrative innovation is lacking.
A Matter Of Life And Death (1946)
An elegy to love and loss, a political reflection of the bonds between allies, a sumptuous creation of pure cinema. Beautifully designed and shot, Powell & Pressburger's sublime fantasy remains vital and affecting, both technically and emotionally.
Maudie (2017)
Told with distinct, painterly images and a sure, often hostile sense of place, a spirited Sally Hawkins and damaged Ethan Hawke provide depth and edge to the bio of Canadian artist Maude Lewis. Alternately joyous and disturbing, intimate and open, the emotional heft is genuine.
The Meddler (2016)
An intrusive, isolated Susan Sarandon and bruised, contrary Rose Byrne create a sympathetic mother daughter relationship dealing with loss and new futures. The telling is unfussy, the humor gentle, the drama effectively felt. Moments in time with a strong cast.
Meet Cute (2022)
Enjoyable playfulness of leads and easy feel becomes rapidly wearying as desperate Kaley Cuoco relentlessly time travels to repeat the same night and win affection of Pete Davidson. Concept strains character rather than illuminates, coasting on amusing segments and lacking resonance to deliver dramatic punch.
M3GAN (2023)
Assured satiric thriller entwines family loss and soulless commercialization as socially awkward roboticist Allison Williams creates AI doll for orphaned niece. With themes left undeveloped, inevitable murders and extended climax leave eerie potential with standard scares.
Memento (2000)
As fragmentary as its hero's memories, an always intriguing, frequently dynamic thriller keeps characters distant and emotional resonance elliptical. Conflicted Guy Pearce deals with confounding Carrie-Anne Moss and Joe Pantoliano. Structured rather than appealing.
Memoirs Of An Invisible Man (1992)
Accidentally involved in lab accident, sardonic loner Chevy Chase wakes up invisible and chased by callous FBI agent Sam Neill. Smooth VFX and polished style, yet undone by slack pace and inability to balance thrills and laughs, Romantic interest with confused Daryl Hannah is strained.
Memory (2022)
Lumbering Liam Neeson is hitman with increasing signs of dementia who draws the line over cold Monica Bellucci's order to kill child, while confused cop Guy Pearce is on the trail. Solidly produced, bloody narrative limps along standard action lines, with occasional bursts of energy.
Men In Black International (2019)
There's nothing intrinsically wrong with production or performances, just no reason for the film's existence, which limps on the fumes of the original's success. Tessa Thompson is an amiable presence. The narrative grinds to a wearisome stop.
The Merry Gentleman (2007)
Michael Keaton delivers a nuanced performance and film, full of silences and battered souls, as a hitman finds redemption in friendship with a poignant Kelly Macdonald who is escaping abuse. Precisely designed and paced, even if the ending is unresolved.
Micki And Maude (1984)
Forced premise posits family orientated bigamist Dudley Moore racing between career lawyer Anne Reinking and artful cellist Amy Irving when both are pregnant. Appealing cast and fluid set pieces build momentum to hospital farce, solid laughs without lasting affect.
The Midnight Sky (2020)
There's no denying the skill and visual precision nor the thematic resonance of a lost world, yet little transforms emotionally and the story strands its audience as much as the returning astronauts. Immaculate production values, meandering narrative rhythms.
Midsommar (2019)
Rigorously designed, in framing, lighting and sets, to conjure a gnawing, sinister feel at a sun blasted Swedish cult as a grieving Florence Pugh gets sucked into pagan rituals. Without quite delivering on the menace and horror, a potent drama of broken relationships and family ties.
The Mighty Macs (2009)
Though setup guarantees triumphant resolution and narrative beats are entirely predictable, a finely made sports underdog story that sparks resonant emotion. Spirited Carla Gugino leads a likeable cast, basketball sequences are lively, and William Ross provides a warm score.
Milada (2017)
Solidly produced, tone and style awkwardly tells true story of Milada Horáková, outspoken social champion and part of resistance to Nazi occupation, finally tortured and executed by Communist Czechoslovakia. Lack of filmic inspiration doesn't diminish inspirational character.
Mildred Pierce (1945)
Expertly polished noir melodrama with a flashback structure revealing gutsy Joan Crawford's battered past, fortune making business and family and marital dysfunction. Suffused with desire and murderous love, powerhouse star turn overcomes dry narrative stretches.
Military Wives (2020)
Appealing true source material of spouses creating choir delivers best with healing camaraderie and ensemble comedy drama, though misses opportunities when concentrating on Kristin Scott Thomas and Sharon Horgan. Conventional predictability hums rather soars.
Million Dollar Mermaid (1952)
Gorgeous Technicolor design and lush production values highlight the winning presence of a determined Esther Williams in her signature role as real life swimmer / swimwear pioneer / movie star Annette Kellerman. Wildly uneven, always watchable.
Millions Like Us (1943)
With an affecting Patricia Roc at its heart, a smart combination of absorbing melodrama and gritty documentary. The portrayal of newfound female independence and the socio-political discussion of Eric Portman's growing authority elevate beyond mere propaganda.
Milyang (Secret Sunshine) (2007)
Quietly entrancing Jeon Do-yeon becomes agonizingly dependent as tragedy of her son's kidnapping follows death of her husband. Mechanic Song Kang-ho is equally desperate, as faith, community and humanity are questioned. Darkly lyrical and compelling.
Mindscape (Anna) (2013)
Initially intriguing B-movie setup sees troubled mind detective Mark Strong enter the memories of Taissa Farmiga to decide her sanity / malevolence. Told with elegance, pacing never builds momentum, as twists provide minor thrills with passing involvement.
The Miracle Season (2018)
Unapologetically predictable, with strangely anaemic sports sequences before rousing finale, as school volleyball team recovers after talismanic leader's death. Determined coach Helen Hunt and grieving father William Hurt give depth to emotion.
Misbehaviour (2020)
Original Women's Liberation Movement invade Miss World ceremony in 1970 London, while contestants aspire to new life dreams. Polished production tends to soften edges with cathartic resolutions and easy laughs, raising socio-political concerns without real depth.
Miss Stevens (2016)
A dedicated yet emotionally frayed Lily Rabe is the teacher taking three students to a weekend drama competition. The fluid narrative beats are unsurprising, the humor light, the drama perceptive. Timothée Chalamet and Lili Reinhart are among the persuasive, amiable cast.
The Missing (2003)
Robustly produced and skillfully scored, with committed performances enhanced by fluid visuals. Yet the basic narrative and characters never elevate beyond a primary impulse to rescue the kidnapped daughter. Without the mythic, tension and interest flattens.
Missing: Sarajin Yeoja (2016)
Under pressure from messy divorce and demanding job, Uhm Ji-won's life is sent into a spiral when quiet nanny Kong Hyo-jin abducts her young daughter. Oppressive, blunt drama features strong leads amid sledgehammer social concerns of inequality and abuse.
Mississippi Burning (1988)
Blistering account of FBI investigation into murder of Civil Rights workers in 1960s South, sees cynical local boy Gene Hackman dig out racist Klan poison for ethical Willem Dafoe to prosecute. With an anger that reverberates, blunt, visceral storytelling creates combustible atmosphere.
The Mist (2007)
Lovecraftian creatures unleashed from army experiment terrorize captive consumers in coastal town's market and provoke social and religious monsters. Solid cast and precise visuals, yet lingering pace and uneven vfx soften impact. Ending bracingly prolongs horror.
Misyeon Paseobeul (Mission Possible) (2021)
When concentrating on comic charm and caustic sparring of leads, uneven narrative makes engaging use of trainee Chinese agent Lee Sun-bin and opportunist Korean detective Kim Young-kwang. Character revelations and final act tonal shift less successful.
Modern Romance (1981)
Often funny tale of neurotic obsession, told with keen eye for absurd and acute detail in relationships, as plot kicks off with self-absorbed film editor Albert Brooks finishing with suffering banker Kathryn Harrold, only to torture himself without her. Wryly observant as well as skewering pretension of low-budget film.
Molly's Game (2016)
A principled Jessica Chastain is abused by the excessive wealth of private card games and faces off against the US government. Typically fluid and smart Aaron Sorkin dialog and glossy, fleet-footed filmmaking can't compensate for the lack of real emotion and involvement.
Moment To Moment (1966)
Ripe melodrama tempts bored Jean Seberg into affair with Naval officer Sean Garrison on sunny French Rivera locations. Glossily enjoyable, lush Henry Mancini entices as murder, amnesia, suspicious police and boozy Honor Blackman spin narrative wheels beyond logic.
Mongtajoo (Montage) (2013)
Intense and involving, grieving mother Uhm Jung-hwa and obsessive policeman Kim Sang-kyung hunt down abductor of her young daughter. Strong visuals and central performances, though late timeframe shift clouds narrative twist amid solid dramatic revelations.
Monkey Business (1952)
Enough laughs to overcome the lack of accumulative energy, even as the plot's narrative builds a delirious momentum. From the opening credits a knowing tone pervades as Cary Grant chases the elixir of youth and gamely regresses to childhood. A giddy Marilyn Monroe shines.
Monster Hunter (2020)
Confoundingly incoherent narrative throws army captain Milla Jovovich through storm portal to desert land of monsters, surviving with Tony Jaa before joining Ron Perlman and his ragged band of hunters. Occasionally impressive and eerie imagery amid numbing vfx.
Moon (2009)
An engaging Sam Rockwell plays multiple leads in chamber piece sci-fi, clinically visualized and paced, as his lone astronaut finishes a 3-years of space mining but finds reality upended by strange visions. Always intriguing, tension simmers, a thoughtful genre exercise.
Moonfall (2022)
With plotting both simplistic and incomprehensible, fueled by VFX occasionally striking yet mostly messy, commanding Halle Berry and discredited Patrick Wilson head for the moon with conspiracy-minded John Bradley to find alien ancestry and AI threat to end world. Beyond parody, providing sporadic distraction amid visual overload.
The More The Merrier (1943)
Breezy comic take on wartime Washington housing squeeze sees orderly Jean Arthur's apartment invaded by regimented Joel McCrae and cunning Charles Coburm. Solidly built comic momentum and stars' easy charm make for finely tuned entertainment.
Morgan (2016)
Slick production and technical skill conjure moments of tension and violent thrills as gene-spliced Anya Taylor-Joy strikes out at scientists while company rep Kate Mara tries to take control. Good cast flounders as ethics and politics brushed away for plot mechanics and unsurprising last act action and reveal.
Mortal Passions (1990)
Depressed Zach Galligan spends his days renovating family home, forcing wife Krista Errickson to work in sleazy bar and plan murder. Oddly stilted, low budget mirrors lack of creativity, with bored psychoanalyst David Warner equally confused by tired plot twists.
Moss Rose (1947)
Class identity and blackmail infuse Gothic-tinged Victorian-set murder mystery, yet unravel with confused telling and awkward performances as chorus girl Peggy Cummins infiltrates Victor Mature's elevated world. Sly detective Vincent Price spars with matriarch Ethel Barrymore.
The Mother (2023)
Anonymously told and quickly stripped of plausible tension, exhausting series of violent action sequences sees hardened assassin Jennifer Lopez out of hiding to rescue daughter Lucy Paez after she's kidnaped by vengeful Joseph Fiennes. Efficiently slick, mother daughter dynamics fail to elevate drama.
Mother/Android (2021)
Bracing open posits future when android workers malfunction to provoke survival battle for humans, including pregnant Chloë Grace Moretz. Committed lead and solid production aims for emotion yet lacks background context and development beyond the functional.
Mother Wore Tights (1946)
Part backstage vaudeville comedy, part sentimental family drama, tuneful songs and glossy design provide dedicated hoofers Betty Grable and Dan Dailey with spirited material for uneventful storyline. Nimble production benefits from gorgeous musical arrangements that make soundtrack hum.
Mouse Hunt (1997)
Giddy comedic thrust carries minimal plot with series of outsized slapstick sequences as disdainful Nathan Lane and naive Lee Evans inherit broken-down mansion and find themselves at war with tricky mouse. Inventive design and kinetic style serve to elevate laughs.
Movie, Movie (1978)
Love letter to 30s Hollywood sees boxing melodrama and Broadway musical (and wartime aviation preview) told with affection, indulging in gentle parody and energetic wordplay. Attractive design and spirited performers though knowing tone misses on innocent conviction.
Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005)
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt as married assassins, whose rocky relationship is further strained when they discover each other's professions, is all concept. Star charm and easy humor strains against action artifice, a glossy, watchable confection devoid of suspense.
Mr. Deeds Goes To Town (1936)
Artful, winning blend of social comedy and whimsical drama, with innocent, homespun Gary Cooper bringing insight to jaundiced New York and media after inheritance. Manipulative reporter Jean Arthur sees the light, Frank Capra orchestrates rousing emotion.
Mr. District Attorney (1947)
Told with little noticeable stylistic or thematic concept, noirish flavoring adds to principled young lawyer Dennis O'Keefe's downfall in the embrace of scheming Marguerite Chapman. Spirited performers including perceptive Adolphe Menjou ensure minor involvement.
Mr. Harrigan's Phone (2022)
Coming of age drama and supernatural suspense receives polished production as unrepentant Donald Sutherland sends messages from beyond the grave to budding writer Jaeden Martell. Intriguing, yet lack of thrills and thematic connection undermines emotional investment.
Mr. Nobody (2009)
Styled with elegant visuals and paced with assured control, a dizzying reflection on life's choices sees dying Jared Leto remember / imagine his vital relationships, romantic and family. Committed performances alive to humour and loss, yet fragmentary concepts miss a beating heart.
Mr. Right (2016)
Despite the efforts of fantasist Anna Kendrick and delusional hitman Sam Rockwell, who occasionally spark some life into individual scenes, the self-aware dialog and characters tend to dampen the narrative. Tonal shifts and slapstick violence feel arbitrary.
Mulholland Drive (2001)
Air of romantic dread gradually weaves spell as curious, hopeful Naomi Watts seeks to uncover identity of bruised Laura Harring while lost director Justin Theroux deals with ominous financial pressures. Obscure, confounding dreams of creativity and passion playfully rendered.
Mulholland Falls (1996)
Lushly produced, noirish thriller stirs style and attitude on flimsy narrative which never quite comes to the boil. Unrepentant cop Nick Nolte investigates murder of lover Jennifer Connelly, a trail that leads to military cover-up. Silky Dave Grusin score.
The Mummy (1999)
Only fragments of horror origins as search for mythical Egyptian city sends daring Brendan Fraser on fast-paced adventure with librarian Rachel Weisz who becomes romantic infatuation of reanimated high priest. Solid production values feed spirited, throwaway action comedy.
The Mummy (2017)
Polished action and mystery rapidly dissipates in confusing VFX and genre jumble with swaggering Tom Cruise returning from the dead to encounter Russell Crowe's Dr. Henry Jekyll as head of secret society chasing supernatural threats. Despite technical skill, drama flounders.
The Mummy Returns (2001)
Overblown sequel lacks charm, anchoring adventurous Rachel Weisz and reluctant Brendan Fraser with family dynamics and unending VFX bombardment. Frantic story developments replay resurrected ancient threat with little actual humor and much visual excess.
Murder On The Orient Express (2017)
Handsomely conceived and infused with typically persuasive Patrick Doyle score, Kenneth Branagh (and mustache) highlights plot artifice in solving murder on stranded train. Fine cast, famously devious resolve, little tension or off-setting humour.
Murphy's Romance (1985)
Keen eye for staging and pacing allied to sensitive performances bring alive carefully written characters and lives played out in small, rural community as spirited Sally Field arrives with son to start over. From first scenes, no surprises on final relationship with flinty James Garner, yet pure pleasure in getting there.
Muse (2015)
A claustrophobic chamber piece sees a reclusive painter acquire an AI companion to inspire him. Emotional and physical control is soon at stake. Overlong, often static and thematically blunt, the narrative just about maintains interest and the twist is satisfactory.
My Cousin Rachel (1952)
From opening landscape of Gothic foreboding, eerie melodrama weaves suitably atmospheric spell as emotional Richard Burton is entranced by mysterious Olivia de Havilland even if she might be a killer. Lush production and swirling Franz Waxman score tease dark mystery.
My Darling Clementine (1946)
Expressive visuals conjure sense of place and character with an evocative, myth-making purity, as Henry Fonda's conflicted Wyatt Earp and Victor Mature's troubled Doc Holliday march to a legendary gunfight. Beguiling storytelling, drama with a poetic rush.
My Favorite Brunette (1947)
Affectionate spoof on noirish private eye intrigue as mistaken identity sees jittery baby photographer Bob Hope hired by Dorothy Lamour and chased by Peter Lorre. Swiftly paced succession of gags, in-jokes and double-takes propel nonsensical narrative. Enduringly daft.
My Octopus Teacher (1940)
Immaculately made and strikingly visualized, a damaged naturalist finds a form of redemption in the depths of a kelp forest through a relationship with an octopus. Even if the characterization tends towards projection, the slight documentary gains a surprising emotional heft and meaning.
My Super Ex-Girlfriend (2006)
Superhero spoof never transcends or properly glories in its juvenile set pieces, further sabotaged with uninspired visuals and pace. Uma Thurman is the title character causing havoc with Luke Wilson's life. Anna Faris provides welcome comic energy.