All The King's Men has everything that makes for a compelling movie. It's got a great cast (Sean Penn, Jude Law, Kate Winslet, and Anthony Hopkins, among others). It's based on a great novel (by Robert Penn Warren). It's got great cinematography. Unfortunately, critics say, the superlatives end there. Loosely based on the life of populist Louisiana Governor Huey "The Kingfish" Long, All The King's Men tells the story of a small town rabble-rouser's ascent in politics and descent into shady morality. Critics say the film is too bombastic to work, with too many vague characters and an over-the-top performance from Penn.

Jet Li has come to personify a specific film subgenre: the historical martial arts epic. Hero and the Once Upon a Time in China movies were marked by sweeping visuals and Li's remarkable athleticism. But the star says he's no longer making that type of picture; if that's the case, critics say Fearless makes for one heck of a swan song. The film tells the tale of a great martial arts master who looks inward after succumbing to his own ego and the murder of his family. The scribes say Fearless is quite a show, with remarkable action sequences and an interesting philosophical undercurrent.