Stranger than Fiction is a movie about a guy named Harold Crick (Will Ferrell) who discovers that his life is being narrated and controlled by a bitter, brilliant novelist (Emma Thompson) who intends to do him in. As a result, Crick tries to turn the tables and reclaim his own life story. Sounds totally meta, huh? Well, critics generally say this is one head trip that won't trip you up, thanks to warm performances and an agreeably kooky (and not over-heady) script.

Babel is a story of a shot heard 'round the world. A boy in Morocco unintentionally shoots an American tourist, and the ramifications of his mistake are felt in the U.S., Mexico, and Japan. Critics are praising Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's latest as an elaborate, stylistically deft emotional juggling act, with fine performances from Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, and particularly Rinko Kikuchi as a deaf teenager trying to make her way in the world. If there is a complaint from the scribes, it's that Babel may be overly ambitious, but most concede that it's ambition of a high order.

Harsh Times is not a movie with a misleading title. However, critics are split on whether this dark, intense story of an Iraq war vet returning home is ultimately rewarding. Harsh Times stars Christian Bale as a man consumed by his memories of war; as he tries to integrate back into society, he finds it impossible to suppress his violent impulses. Some critics have praised Harsh Times for its performances and intensity, but others say it's too relentlessly grim and brutal to really be worthwhile.