I love watching movies. It's for the escapism mainly. To forget about life for a couple of hours and be absorbed by someone else's story - albeit usually fictional - i feel, is good for stress management. I'm fairly critical, but can watch almost anything and find something worthwhile in it. I appreciate good acting, but more importantly a good script. While the story and direction can be important to some people, i don't really analyse the movie that much, as i feel you can get bogged down with all that. I enjoy action, comedy, sci-fi, thriller, adventure, and some romance and drama. So with that background, i hope these movie reviews may be of use to you.
Click here to skip to the latest review - July 2010
Year: 2007. Stars: Gael Garcia, Charlotte Gainsbourg. Style: quirky romance. Recommendation: very much worth it
It was totally unexpected...but this movie was very enjoyable. It's a 'nothing' movie, meaning, there's no complex plots, script or special effects. It's just simply a clever, imaginative and creative movie. There's some sub-titles (french), but a lot of it was in english. The characters are very endearing and it's easy to relate to them. It's light entertainment, and i think that's what i enjoyed most. You can just sit back, relax and enjoy it. It's what movies should be like.
Year: 2007. Stars: Johnny Depp, Keira Knightley, Orlando Bloom, Geoffrey Rush, Keith Richards (The Rolling Stones). Style: Adventure. Recommendation: worth it
This is the third part (assumed final) in the Pirates of Caribbean adventure. The acting is good, the action is good, the effects are good. It's all good. But...i found it hard to enjoy. This is probably my fault though...as i should have watched the first and second parts just before going to watch this. I had forgotten too much of what had happened previously (including character names) and it made it hard to 'catch up' again. It's so full on, with so much happening, visually and script-wise, i could easily watch it a second time and feel i'm watching it for the first time, catching things i couldn't absorb originally. It also seemed harder to follow the script this time. It's in english, but had a lot flourishes that are uncommon in today's english. Again, this is no fault of the movie, and it would've sounded silly if it wasn't done that way. Overall, it's great entertainment and definately worth watching at the cinema. But i strongly recommend watching the first 2 parts beforehand.
Year: 2007. Voice Talents of: Mike Meyers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Antonio Bandarez, John Cleese, Justin Timberlake. Style: Animation. Recommendation: yeh it's okay. But it's probably better as a continuation from the previous 2 movies. Not as a stand-alone story.
The thing is...what made these characters funny in the first movie is now getting a little plain in this third instalment. Don't get me wrong. It's not a bad movie. It's very watchable. But it's simply more of the same...which is fine if that's what you want. It's very light entertainment...which is also good, if you simply want to relax and enjoy watching something you don't need to think too much about. One thing that should be appreciated is the amount of work that must go into making an animated movie. And the quality of animation in Shrek is impressive to the common eye. The script is good...but i would've liked to had more to laugh at. Overall, it was enjoyable because i needed to have a time-out from reality and the cinema was warm.
Year: 2007. Starring: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon. Style: Humour, Thriller. Recommendation: great entertainment
This is definately worth going to see. It's so damn suave and cool. Even though it can stand on it's own...it probably wouldn't hurt watching the first 2 movies before hand. Some of the obscure 'chit-chat' conversations between Brad Pitt and George Clooney are so funny, simply because they are so out of place. It's almost as if they were simply chatting between takes. The story has been well thought out and there are no gaping holes in the plot that would spoil it. Not that i noticed anyway. Overall, everything happens as it should in this movie - meaning, the good guys get away, the bad guys get what they deserve and it's all done as a matter-of-factly. It's great entertainment.
Year: 2007. Starring:
Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Rachael Taylor, Tyrese Gibson, Jon Voight. Style: Action, Sci-fi. Recommendation: Fairly good
Definitely worth seeing at the cinemas. For one, the sound effects - they are amazing.They are perhaps what makes this movie so good. For another - the detail...or to be more precise, the sheer complexity of the detail. It's actually difficult to take in all at once - even on a large screen. For example, when two of the machines (transformers) have a metal to metal battle, it's near impossible to differentiate one from the other. It doesn't help that so many of the scenes are shot with the camera 2 feet away from the subject - which is typical of American film makers. I know it's a ploy to make the action seem more extreme and exciting...but the action scenes were so much more enjoyable when they pulled back and you could see some of the surrounding location/background, which helped give a perspective. Except for a couple of scenes played by minor parts (essentially, extras) the acting was good. The script was also good most of the time. Overall, it's great entertainment. However, i have heard quite a few reviews from people who thought this movie was rubbish. I'm not sure however, what exactly, they found so terrible about this movie. Maybe they had higher expectations.
Year: 2007. Starring:
Ioann Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, Michael Chiklis, Doug Jones, Julian McMahon, Kerry Washington. Style: Action, Sci fi. Recommendation: Worth seeing.
Another movie worth seeing at the cinemas. For me, what makes it more enjoyable is that the locations are not only America. They take in scenes from Japan, Egypt, England and Asia, which help the believability of the story that it effects the whole world. The acting by all the main characters is also good, along with the script. Even though it can be watched as a stand alone movie, it probably wouldn't hurt watching the first Fantastic 4 movie, because there are some things which would be better understood in this issue if you did. There was only one scene which, to me, seemed a little too dark, that made it hard to see what was happening. But it's only a minor complaint. Overall, it's worth seeing
Release: 2007. Style: Comedy, Romance. Starring: Seth Rogen, Katherine Heigl, Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann. Recommendation: see it if you have nothing else to do.
To be honest, i was expecting more. The reviews i'd seen claimed this one of the funniest movies in a long time. Granted, there was some funny scenes, but they were only chuckle-funny, amongst almost all other scenes which were very plain. This movie is classified as Comedy/Romance. But it would be better classified as Drama with Romance and Comedy thrown in. There were simply too many 'serious' scenes to enjoy it as a Comedy. The main characters' Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl - acting was good. But Leslie Mann's performance seemed forced. The script was alright, but as mentioned, was too dramatic most of the time. Overall, you won't be missing anything if you don't see this at the cinemas, and wait for it on DVD. Even then, you still wouldn't be missing anything if you waited longer for it to be shown on TV.
Release: 2007. Style: Drama. Starring: Sandra Bullock, Julian McMahon. Recommendation: It's okay. A little predictable though.
I say this was a little predictable, because i'm pretty sure i've seen other movies which have a similar plot, or sequence of events, where because of one event, another happens, but in a backwards way. Sandra Bullock is good, as always. She's incredibly easy to watch and she makes her character believable. I love movies that twist time, but there was a little too much 'darkness' in this movie to make that theme enjoyable. There's nothing wrong with 'darkness' but it's just not my preference. The one good thing is the ending, which is how it should've been. Some people may not like it though. Overall you're not missing anything if you wait until the DVD.
Release: 2007. Style: Thriller, horror. Starring: Scott Mechiowicz, Victoria Thaine, Amelia Warner, Shaun Evans. Recommendation: Very average.
This is basically Wolf Creek revisited, but a little tamer. The main problem is that it has a typical hothead male character, who makes it very hard to feel anything but annoyance for him. What you should feel is compassion...but his actions make it very difficult. I don't normally go for Australian movies, but this one is better than others...probably because it doesn't reflect reality. It's more an extreme case...or at least i hope it is. If it isn't, it's not giving the Australian outback a very good name. Overall, it's probably better to see at the cinemas, but i doubt it will be showing for long, which will give no other choice other than to wait for it to be released on DVD.
Release: 2007. Style: Romantic comedy. Starring: Robin Williams, Mandy Moore, John Krasinski. Recommendation: If you're over 60, go see it.
I wasn't expecting much with this one...and i wasn't disappointed. This felt like a TV movie from start to finish. It was all very PG...even though the rating was M. But don't misunderstand me...it's not a bad movie...but it's not worth paying for it. Most of it was very bland, but it all came together at the end which had a nice feel about it. And the bloopers during the end credits were appreciated. Overall, i can't recommend paying cinema prices to go see it.
Release: 2007. Style: Animation. Starring: Homer. Recommendation: It's how entertainment should be.
The hype is hard to ignore...and it's mainly justified. Excellent movie. Not as laugh-out-loud funny as i thought it might be. But excellent never-the-less. At first, it feels like any episode that you'd watch on TV...but then the plot gets going and you sit back and enjoy. There's not a dull moment and the quality of animation is noticebly better than the TV episodes. Little things like how the Simpsons car turns into a parking lot is done like how a real car would. Homer stuffs up in the movie...which is nothing new...but this time he stuffs up bad. Real bad. And you wonder how on earth is he going to get out of it. But the plot works it all in very nicely and you feel totally satisfied with how it all pans out. Overall, yes go see it at the cinemas. But don't sit too close to the screen...there's a lot - visually - to take it.
Release: 2007. Style: Thriller, Drama. Starring:Justin Chatwin, Marcia Gay Harden, Margarita Levieva. Recommendation: Not bad at all.
I wasn't expecting much before going to see this (only because someone i spoke to said it was very average), but i was pleasantly surprised. When a movie ends, and i'm left wanting more, is a good sign - for me at least - that i enjoyed the movie. However, it's not a long movie...so that probably had something to do with it. The story is excellent, the acting is good and everything flows along very nicely. I did find it a little annoying that the camera had to cut away to make a scene workable, but i got over it fairly quickly as the movie progressed. What makes this movie good is that it manages to successfully turn your feelings around from disliking to liking one the characters. Overall, it's worth watching. However, it won't lose any of it's appeal if wait for it to come out on DVD. Seeing it at the cinema simply gives you the ability to watch it uninterrupted without any distractions.
Release: 2007. Style: Thriller, Action. Starring:Bruce Willis, Timothy Olyphant, Maggie Q, Justin Long. Recommendation: Worth seeing at the cinemas.
Full-on action. Will Bruce Willis ever age? He looks exactly the same. And on the subject of looks...Maggie Q is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful women in the world. And it's no surprise there are plenty of frames with her in them. Now...onto the movie itself. Great story. And from an entertainment's point of view, it was very believable. I'm sure in real life, it wouldn't be so easy...at least you would hope so. The action is good to watch at the cinemas. In fact, you will be missing out, if you only ever see this on DVD. The script is mostly okay. Justin Long (the guy who does the Apple ads) is perfectly suited to his part. And unless i missed it, there is no indication of which operating system (windows/apple) was being used throughout this movie, which considering it had a lot to do with them, must have been an effort not to plug one or the other. Of course, if the systems were all Apple, they would probably not have been able to hack them. Computers aside, overall, this is a must-see at the cinemas. Oh, did i mention Maggie Q is stunning? Perhaps more than enough reason to watch this movie.
Release: 2007. Style: Comedy. Starring: Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Jessica Biel, Dan Aykroyd. Recommendation: Might be funny if you're not too bright.
What a waste of money. I would've enjoyed watching - for a second time - the Simpsons Movie more. However i must say, other people in the cinema were cracking up laughing. So maybe it was just me who thought this was rubbish. The acting was okay...although it was probably more compariable to TV quality, rather than cinema quality. Adam Sandler's character seemed to be chewing gum pretty much the whole way through, which suggested they had a sponsorship with someone, not that it was obvious who. There was one funny scene...but it was only chuckle-funny.The only good thing about this movie was the moral of the story...which to be honest, is a real shame if people are only finding out about it through this movie. Overall, there are better things to watch at the cinemas.
Year: 2007, Style: Action, Thriller. Starring Nicolas Cage, Gillian Moore, Jessica Biel. Recommendation: Totally worth seeing at the cinemas.
The moment that confirmed i liked this movie, was when it ended. I wanted it to keep going. The plot was a bit thin in a couple of places...but overall it was excellent. The acting is good, even though Nicolas Cage can seem a little emotionless at times...but i think that's just his style. Gillian Moore is great as always. And Jessica Biel is a pleasure to watch for her acting and unusual beauty. Because the story is about Nicolas Cage's character being able to see 2 minutes into the future, you find yourself concentrating to see if there are any holes in the sequence of events...but i couldn't find any. Overall, this was definately worth paying to see at the cinemas.
Year: 2007. Style: Action, Thriller. Starring Matt Damon, Julia Stiles, Joan Allen, David Strathairn, Paddy Considine, Edgar Ramirez. Recommendation: You will be missing out if you don't see this at the cinemas.
In a word: excellent. It has everything you except it to have, all wrapped up in a slick, well-timed package. It's easy to follow, the characters are believable and the action is full-on. If there's one gripe i have about the action scenes, is - as is typical of most american movies - the camera is way too close. I realize this is a ploy to make it seem more exciting...but it'd be nice if they pulled back a bit on some scenes, so you could get a better perspective of things. Perhaps the best thing about this movie, for me anyway, is the varied locations. It's typical of a Bond movie and really ads to the excitement. Overall, this movie successfully delivers everything you want in a movie.
Year: 2007. Style: Thriller, Drama. Starring:
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jeff Daniels, Matthew Goode, Isla Fisher. Recommendation: Yeh, not bad. Not bad at all.
This movie kind of snuck up out of nowhere. I don't remember seeing any previews and it didn't appear on the cinema website until it was released. But to be honest, i tend to like movies which have had no build-up to their release. And this one tended to be worthwhile. To be honest, it's a 'nothing' movie. Meaning, i had forgotten about i tsoon after watching it. But while it was playing, it was engaging and easy to sit back and enjoy. The acting is good, the script is good and everything falls into place. Overall, there's nothing in this movie that you would miss if you waited to see it on DVD. But i still enjoyed watching it at the cinemas, mainly because you don't get any interruptions and you can absorb yourself in the story.
Year: 2007. Style: 3D Animation. Starring Voices of Patton Oswalt, Brad Garrett, Lou Romano, Brian Dennehy, Peter O’Toole. Recommendation: Very good. Just like all other Pixar animations.
First up...make sure you catch the beginning. There is a short called 'Lifted' which is perhaps funnier than the actual movie. There's not a single word spoken in it, but the facial expressions of the characters speak volumes...which makes it so funny. The main movie is very enjoyable. It's typical high quality Pixar animation. I will have no hesitation buying the DVD when it's released...but it will perhaps only be for the short, Lifted. The main movie is good, but it's good for one viewing. I don't feel a need to see it again..certainly no time soon. This is because it's just a little hard to accept the storyline that a rat is cooking meals...even though they've taken the extra effort to show the main character washing his hands. For me, i would've preferred a mouse or a chipmunk or something similar. But then a few of the gags would not have worked such as with the health inspector. But overall, it's good and worth seeing at the cinemas, if only to see the short at the beginning. It really is that good.
Release: 2007. Style: Drama, romance. Starring: Catherine Zeta-Jones, Aaron Eckhart, Abigail Breslin. Recommendation: see it if you like tear-jerkers.
I'm a guy...and yes, i saw this movie. I know, i know...this is not a guy's movie. But i thought it might be good quality, which it was...and from the previews, i thought it'd have some funny scenes, which it did. But there were quite a lot of sad (very sad) scenes...mainly to do with the loss of the girl's mother...which is why Catherine Zeta-Jones' character (the aunty) becomes her guardian. Apart from those, it was easy to watch and flowed well from scene to scene. The acting was very good and the script was what i expected...meaning, the characters said what i was hoping they would say. For me, there's nothing more annoying, when in a scene, a character doesn't say what 'should' be said at the time. Overall, it a good movie...but you won't be missing anything if you wait for it to be released on DVD. And be prepared for the sad scenes. It shouldn't really be classified as part comedy.
Year: 2007. Stars: Jet Li, Jason Statham, Devon Aoki. Style: Action, thriller. Recommendation: If you like Chinese style action, go watch it.
Any movie with Jet Li in it is going to have a lot of fighting. And this one is no different. I saw it because it has Jason Statham in it. I'll watch anything with him in it, ever since seeing The Transporter. The story is a little hard to follow...but if you concentrate, it'll be fine. Everything flows along nicely, the acting is good and the action is full on. The violence is pretty graphic, but not to the point of off-putting blood and gore. The ending wraps everything up...and you leave the cinema satisfied. Overall, it's pretty good. But i'm biased because i really like Jason Statham movies.
Year: 2007. Stars: Matthew Macfadyen, Rupert Graves, Alan Tudyk, Daisy Donovan. Style: Comedy Recommendation: Hmmm...funny but frustrating
There are scenes in this movie which smack of typical british humour. However, that's what makes this frustrating at times. It reminds me a little of the TV series, The Worst Week of my Life with Ben Miller. But in this case, Matthew MacFadyen plays the part of the unlucky one. I say frustrating, because even though the scenes have been written to be funny, which most are, you start to really feel for the main character (MacFadyen) because the whole word is against him and not one bit of it is his fault. He's just in the wrong place at the wrong time. You start wishing something good will happen to him. The movie had alot of funny scenes...some of which had other people in the cinema falling in the aisles. However what made me really like this movie is one of the last scenes, which was quite serious, considering this is a comedy, but fitted perfectly. The speech MacFadyen's character makes, was so well written, my eyes had this strange dripping sensation. It really made it worth sitting through all the ordeals and misfortune he'd had. I left the cinema feeling really satisfied and put some other things into perspective in my personal life. Overall, if you like British humour, it's well worth seeing.
Year: 2007. Stars: Kurt Russell, Rosario Dawson, Rose McGowan, Vanessa Ferlito, Jordan Ladd, Sydney Tamiia Poitier. Style: Action, thriller. Recommendation: the ending is good. Director: Quentin Tarantino
Well, well, well...what can i say? I didn't know prior to watching this, it was a Quentin Tarantino movie. Had i known, i probably wouldn't have gone. And to be honest, i even contemplated walking out as soon as i realised. But that would have been a real waste of money. I was only interested in it because it had Kurt Russell in it and i thought it had a storyline along the lines of 'Final Destination'. But it doesn't. There is quite a lot of 'arty' style effects happening throughout the movie, some of which make you wonder if something was wrong with the cinema's projector. Apart from that, it's typical Quentin Tarantino. Not that i've seen all his movies. Only Kill Bill. Tarantino seems to be stuck in the 70's with his style, cast and themes...which is fine if you like that style. It has a lot of dialogue, which can bog the movie down a bit. You find yourself thinking to 'just get on with it'. Overall, the ending is satisfying, but i left the cinema feeling i could've spent the time doing something better.
Year: 2007. Stars: Milla Jovovich, Oded Fehr, Mike Epps, Ali Larter, Iain Glen, Ashanti. Style: Horror, action. Recommendation: Definately see it if you've seen 1 and 2.
I love Mila Jovovich. And killing zombies is something i find entertaining. It'd probably be good to see 1 and 2 before going to see this...but it's not absolutely vital. The ending also leaves the suggestion that there will be a 4th installment. The one thing i noticed is that Milla Jovovich seems to have an awful lot of make-up on. If she doesn't, her complexion is quite amazing. Some scenes in the movie look as though you're playing the game (of the same name)...which isn't a bad thing. But they kinda stand out against the rest of the movie. The effects are great, the script is a little awkward at times and the acting is good enough. Overall, everything is well done...and it's entertaining as movies should be.
Year: 2007. Stars:Josh Hartnett, Melissa George, Danny Huston, Ben Foster, Andrew Stehlin. Style: Horror. Recommendation: If you like scary horror movies, rather than blood and gore horror movies, go see it.
This is how horror movies should be. More scary, less blood and gore. The story is good, the acting is good and the vampires are really scary. I mean, just looking at them is enough to wet your pants. But then if you add to that the difficulty of killing them, it makes so much more frightening. Of course makeup helps, but i think they cast those parts really well. There are a couple of average scenes, but most are easy to watch and fit well with the story. The remoteness of the Alaskan village also helps to add to the hopelessness of the victims.As the name suggests, there is 30 days of night...which you may think makes the whole movie dark and hard to see any detail. But this is not the case. There is ample light from street lamps and the whiteness of the snow which let you see everything fine. It's good to see this at the cinemas because it adds to the experience. The ending is also un-typical. Overall, i'd recommend it. It's worth seeing once.
Year: 2007. Stars:Radha Mitchell, Michael Vartan. Style: Horror. Recommendation: Short, but worth it.
At 1 and a half hours, this movie is short. That's not a bad thing. But it is unusual for movies these days. It didn't feel incomplete...everything was there and it ended well. I read a couple of other reviews the crocodile looked fake. It didn't look bad to me, but then i did realize while watching, that the crocodile wouldn't be the real thing. I'm normally not into Australian movies...but i think they're getting better. This one felt polished all the way through...be it for the acting, direction or editing. The one thing that annoys me in all movies are the inevitable scenes where 2 guys get all macho in a time of crisis and start making the situation worse. It would be so refreshing to see a movie where everyone simply worked together. But i guess they would say that would be boring. Anyway... Rogue is entertaining, which is really all i ask from any movie. Overall, i would recommend it.
Year: 2007. Stars:Tyler Mane, Malcolm McDowell. Style: Horror. Recommendation: Very disturbing.
I was expecting something totally different. Something more scary...something like I know what you did Last Summer or Scream. But it's not like that at all. It's much more disturbing than scary. I mean there are some scary scenes, where you're nearly yelling at the screen telling the character, 'don't run that way!' ...but mostly it was disturbing. It almost felt too real...like it was based on a true story. But i don't think it was. I nearly walked out when it became obvious what the style was...but that shouldn't be an indication that it was bad. It's simply my disinterest in watching movies like this. Everything; acting, direction, script, are all quite good and if you're into movies like this, you'd probably enjoy it.
Year: 2007. Stars: Emile Hirsch. Style: Drama, Adventure. Recommendation: Feels slow, but mainly worth it.
Apparently this is a true story. And it's quite amazing what people are capable of doing. I'm sure a lot of people dream of breaking loose and doing this...but few would have the balls.However, even though the main character wants to forego all modern attachments, like money (which he gives away or burns), he still hitches a ride with passing motorists. Which to me, seems a little hypocritical. If you want to live off the land and be self dependent...then relying on the kindness of others is not really doing that. Which is not a bad thing...but it shows that you can't live in this world amongst civilisation without living by some of it's rules...like working for money, or hitching a ride, etc. Overall, it's not a bad movie. It feels like it was going for hours...but in fact it was average duration. It's simply a slow moving movie, but worth it.
Year: 2007. Stars Ray Winstone, Angelina Jolie, Anthony Hopkins. Style: Adventure, Fantasy, animation. Recommendation: worth seeing at a cinema
It takes a little while to get used to watching this movie. Some scenes look like it's the actual actors playing the part, but then others look a little mechanical and you can tell it's animated. It's a great movie as a fantasy. The dragon toward the end is well done and worth seeing the movie just for that. The story line is good and the script doesn't have any awkward moments. And being an animation, the attention to detail in the scenery is well worth seeing. Overall, it's worth seeing...and seeing at a cinema. It will loose some of it's appeal on a TV screen.
Year: 2007. Starring: the voices of Jerry Seinfeld, Renee Zellweger, Matthew Broderick, John Goodman, Chris Rock, Alan Arkin. Style: humour animation. Recommendation: Surprisingly good
I'm usually wary of G rated movies. They're just a little too tame and aimed very much at the younger audience. But this one was surprisingly good, even for an older audience. There are several laugh out loud scenes. It's starts a bit slow and you start thinking that might be the pace throughout. But it kicks in after a short while and you can sit back and really enjoy it. I must say though that Jerry Seinfeld's voice does get a bit annoying after a while - it's just a bit whiney. However Renee Zellwegger's voice makes up for it in the lead female role. The plot is a bit thin in places, but overall, the script and animation are all good. I would recommend it for kids and bigger kids alike.
Year: 2007. Starring: John Cusack, Samuel Jackson. Style: horror, supernatural. Recommendation: Excellent.
I don't recall ever seeing a movie with John Cusack that i didn't enjoy. This one is no exception. It's based on a short story by Stephen King...so that should set the scene. It's not so much scary as it is mind-twisting. It's well written and flows nicely. It has an element of realism (like Cusack's character doing a less than glitzy book signing) which makes it all very believable. It did feel a bit slow at first, but i think that was a good thing which added to the dynamics of the storyline. As i was watching it, i kept thinking i knew what was going to happen next, but was pleasantly proved wrong each time. The effects and acting were all good. And the last scene was a great way of ending it. Overall, i'd recommend seeing 1408 at a cinema.
Year: 2007. Starring: Timothy Olyphant, Dougray Scott, Olga Kurylenko. Style: Action, Drama. Recommendation: Excellent, go see it.
I enjoyed this movie immensely. Partly because Olyphant's character (the hitman) is so damn cool. And such a purist. He didn't let anything distract him from his mission...and believe me, there was one distraction (Olga Kurylenko's character) that practically any other man would find hard to ignore. The movie is set mainly in Russia, which is refreshing - instead of the typical american locations. The acting, storyline and script are all good. And the action is mostly unexpected, meaning it's not predictable. The plot can be a little confusing to follow at times, but maybe that was just me not paying attention. However, i don't mind that, because it lets you see it again and find things to enjoy you didn't find the first time. For a subject like this (professional assassin), is was also good to see the voilence was not extremely graphic. Overall, i have no hesitation recommending this movie. For the added experience, it's better at the cinema. But it will be fine on DVD as well.
Year: 2007. Starring: Ben Stiller, Michelle Monaghan, Malin Akerman. Style: Comedy, Romance. Recommendation: just okay.
Ben Stiller is not my favourite actor. And to be honest, i only saw this movie because nothing else i wanted to see was playing at the same session time. However, it wasn't bad. It wasn't great either. I just found too many scenes too awkward, too painfully honest, for a comedy. There are some scenes which are truly funny (which aren't in the trailer). The storyline had me torn between wanting to find someone to love, and feeling it's so unlikely to happen that it's not even worth looking. It kinda reinforced a theory i have, which is, most people don't find the perfect partner. They basically go with the next best thing...be it for fear of being alone, or simply that they are sufficiently (but not perfectly) compatible. And this is what the movie is essentially about - what happens if you find your perfect partner, but you've just married someone else? Most people aren't that lucky to find their perfect partner, so it's not a concern to them. They're happy to make do with the partner they have. And that's why i didn't really enjoy this movie. It really is a bit too painfully honest. Overall, you won't miss anything if you wait for the DVD.
Year: 2007. Starring: Wil Smith. Style: Drama, horrror? Recommendation: yeh, worth seeing.
Right...well the trailer is a little misleading. So, it's not really what i was expecting. To be honest, i was expecting something like 'Day after Tomorrow'. But it wasn't. But it was still a good movie. Not great, but good. It's actually quite sad. And 'cliche sad' in one scene. The script was mostly good and Wil Smith's acting was of usual quality. One thing i don't particularly like are flashbacks -which this movie employs. It's just a personal preference. I'd rather see the sequence of events in order. But i understand sometimes, that method of story-telling is better or easier to follow. Overall, it's better to ignore the trailers and go in not expecting anything in particular, but instead just watch it as it progresses. Is it better to see it at the cinemas? Well...yes i guess so. But only because of the panoramic scenes of a city in ruins. Those scenes will lose their impact on a small screen.
Year: 2008. Starring: Hilary Swank, Gerard Butler, Kathy Bates, Harry Connick Jr, Lisa Kudrow. Style: Drama, Romance, Humour. Recommendation: Excellent. Go watch it.
Even though there were shards of tissue all about my cinema seat which had been saturated beyond breaking point, i enjoyed this movie immensely. This is definately a tear-jerker, but they're not all heart-breaking tears. Some are simply for the 'sheer beauty' of the scene. It's also a roller coaster of emotions, laugh one second, tears the next. The story is nothing short of brilliant and everything happens perfectly as you want it to. Even though it takes a little while to warm to Hilary Swank - she has very hard features - you find yourself liking her character more and more as the movie progresses. It's not all sad though. There are some very funny (laugh out loud) scenes, mainly delivered by the support cast - especially Harry Connick Jr - which portray an eclectic bunch of family members and friends. If i have any complaints - it's only for Lisa Kudrow. I find her style of acting annoying and would've preferred someone else play the part. And does everyone in America have an uncle who can let them into a sporting stadium after hours? Overall, this is a great movie and definately worth watching once. Yes, you will need a tissue, or several, but you'll laugh just as much as well.
Year: 2008. Starring: David Paetkau, John Ortiz, Johnny Lewis, Reiko Aylesworth, Sam Trammell, Shareeka Epps, Steven Pasquale. Style: Horror, Sci-fi, Recommendation: It's okay
This is less Sci-fi and more horror. Mainly because it was set on earth. It felt more like 'Scream', 'I know what you did last summer' than the previous Alien/Predator movies. It was okay to watch. The acting was good. And the script was mostly okay. Maybe it was the mood i was in, but it's basically a 'nothing' movie. Which isn't a bad thing. It was still good to sink yourself into a storyline and forget about the world outside the cinema. My only real complaint is that everything is so dark. I guess they do that intentionally to add to the creepiness. But it can be frustrating trying to see any detail in the creatures. However, what you could see of the aliens and predators, is good. In other words, the special effects are well done. Overall, it's worth watching at the cinemas. But only just.
Year: 2008. Cast: Lizzy Caplan, Jessica Lucas, TJ Miller. Style: action, thriller. Recommendation: Excellent
I had reservations about the shaky hand-held camera style of filming. But it was surprising how quickly you got used to it and it didn't detract from the enjoyment of watching. There were a couple of running scenes which went on a bit too long for this type of filming, but the rest of it was fine - especially considering i was sitting quite close to the cinema screen. This style of filming was probably a good thing too, as a lot of the scenes leading up to the main event, probably would have been quite boring with conventional filming methods. The acting - by essentially unknowns - was up to standard and felt very candid. So that probably gives the acting/direction even more credit for the naturalness and believability. The special effects were excellent, even though they were all night scenes. Overall, it was really enjoyable...to the point i didn't want it to end. I wouldn't be surprised if there's a sequel.
Year: 2008. Stars: Keira Knightley, James McAvoy, Romola Garai. Style: Romance, Drama. Recommendation: surprisingly good.
I didn't intend seeing this movie, but a friend asked for a review...so i went. I do like the period it was set in though (1940's). And Keira Knightley is easy to watch. I'm not really sure what to write about this movie. It had good acting, the script was excellent and the story line was well thought out. It did jump around a bit, which lost me a few times momentarily, until i caught on again. The subject of the storyline is quite sad...in that someone can say or do something which can affect others for their entire life. But as much as you feel sad for the victims, this movie was also able to make you feel sad for the perpetrator. So all in all...it was a surprisingly good movie. But if you don't get to see it at the cinemas, it won't loose anything when it goes to DVD.
Year: 2008. Stars: Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Cuba Gooding Jr. Style: Drama. Recommendation: rather plain.
I'm not entirely sure what to write about this one. It was pretty much a 'nothing' movie. To be honest i only saw it, because there was nothing else on that i hadn't seen already. The acting is fine. The story is okay - especially since it's based on a true story. But i found it was difficult to 'feel' (to be on their side) for any of the characters. They had their good points, but they equally had their bad points. So in the end you didn't know if you should cheer or boo. I just felt nothing, and was glad it was over. There were also some scenes which had no real important relevance to the story, so in parts the movie dragged and made it longer than it needed to be. Overall, you won't be missing anything if you don't see it at the cinemas. But if you like the actors, get the DVD.
Year: 2008. Stars: Katherine Heigl, James Marsden, Malin Akerman, Judy Greer and Edward Burns, Style: romance, comedy. Recommendation: light and enjoyable
You could be mistaken for thinking this is light entertainment - which it is. But the emotions and subjects raised in it, can leave you thinking quite deeply about life, love and how you fit in to it all. Katherine Heigl plays the her part perfectly and is well suited to the roll. If you've ever loved someone (without them knowing) then you will really relate to (and enjoy) this movie. Yes, it is a bit of a chick flick...but don't let that stop you from dragging the boyfriend along. There are some laugh-out-loud scenes and some heartbreaking ones too. But it's mostly light and entertaining and moves along nicely with no boring bits. It's not necessary to see it on a big screen...it won't lose anything when it goes to DVD. It might even be better to choose as a rainy day DVD.
Year: 2008. Stars: Russel Crowe and Christian Bale, Style: western. Recommendation: really quite good.
Westerns are quite rare these days. And this is very much 'wild' western. To the point that the sheriff tends to let people take the law into their own hands. The story is centered around a gang of outlaws (Russel Crowe being the leader). There is also the obligatory rancher with wife and two sons struggling to make a living on some land, only to be tormented by another land owner trying to gain control of the rancher's property. Barn burnings in the dead of night and such. As a western, it has all the gun-fights, stage coachs, campfires you would expect. But as a story, it has good depth and never drags along trying to keep you entertained. It is a little cliche in parts...but Russel Crowe actually does a really good job of his role (i'm not a huge fan). But out of everyone in the movie, you tend to start to side with his character in the end. Overall...i would recommend it - it's good entertainment. And it's better to see it at the cinemas to appreciate the details of the townships and landscapes.
Year: 2008. Stars: Kate Hudson, Matthew McConaughey, Donald Sutherland , Style: action, adventure, comedy. Recommendation: enjoyed it...but was expecting more.
This is light entertainment at it's best. But i think i was spoiled it a bit for myself, because i was sure this would be an amazing movie. True, i was completely biased because it had Kate Hudson in it - i think i might love her. But Matthew and Kate do make a great couple.
The movie has plenty of action, but more towards the end. I guess the main thing i found disappointing, was the script. It seemed like they hadn't shot enough variations on each scene, so the editing room had no choice but to leave some scenes which were less than perfect in, otherwise the movie would've been too short. I haven't seen Donald Sutherland in anything recent, but he seemed to be really relaxed - to the point that he didn't want to be there. But maybe that's just his acting style. But overall, it is a good movie and worth watching at the cinemas...i think.
Year: 2008. Stars: Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, William Sadler, Andre Braugher. Style: horror, sci-fi. Recommendation: would probably be better if you just read the novel.
The story is good - a Stephen King story - and the quality of acting is not bad...but it just seemed to be un-polished. It wasn't boring as such...but it just felt more like a TV movie, rather than a cinema movie. And i must say it's very quiet, as movies go. The near complete absense of music is very noticeable. The special effects were mostly okay, but nothing to get excited about. I mean, special effects these days are all very real looking...which has maybe spoilt us movie goers. The message in the movie - which is essentially how humans react in a crisis - is well done. And there is one scene which almost makes you cheer (you'll know which one it is if you see the movie), despite it being rather violent. Overall, it's okay...but you may enjoy it more at home when it screens on free-to-air TV. At least you won't be worried the sound of your stomach rumbling in the frequent quiet scenes.
Year: 2008. Stars: Hayden Christensen, Samuel L. Jackson, Diane Lane, Jamie Bell, Rachel Bilson. Style: action. Recommendation: really quite good
The story, acting and script are all good. The special effects are excellent. The only problem i had with it (as with most other movies from hollywood) is that the action scenes are filmed too close up. I know it's probably just a trick to make it look more exciting...but it's just a bunch of microsecond clips editing together, which you can't make out any detail anymore...especially if you're sitting closer to the screen like i usually do (i like to immerse myself into the cinema experience). Rachel Bilson is hypnotising to watch and i really like Hayden Christensen's acting style. Even though it's a not a movie about music, the songs used, for me, make all the difference. They were perfectly suited to the scenes. Overall, i would recommend watching this movie at the cinemas.
Year: 2008. Stars: Jack Nicholson Morgan Freeman Sean Hayes. Style: humour, drama. Recommendation: mostly funny
Well written, well acted, well directed. I couldn't really pick anything that wasn't enjoyable. It all played out well...which is probably a credit to the editing department. Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman make a great pair. Their acting styles fit together really well. I really can't think of anything else to say...mainly because it was just simply an enjoyable movie. It won't lose anything when it goes to DVD.
Year: 2008. Stars: Sylvester Stallone, Julie Benz. Style: action. Recommendation: the R rating is probably under-rating it.
This movie is violent. Extremely violent. In fact, i don't think i've seen anything more violent. People were being blown up...and they didn't hide anything. In fact, it's a little disturbing how freely they showed the violence. People - the ones getting killed - didn't seem to be people anymore...they seemed to be 'things' without any value. Apart from that, it was strange to see that Sylvester Stallone hasn't seemed to have aged. He looks the same as he always did...not that i saw him in the original Rambo. Overall...if you like lots of blood and guts flying left, right and centre...this is your movie.
Year: 2008. Stars: Camilla Belle, Steven Strait, Cliff Curtis, Omar Sharif. Style: adventure, drama. Recommendation: worth seeing at a cinema
I was expecting something a little different with this movie. Perhaps a story which affected the entire planet or at the very least, a civilisation. But it turned out to be essentially a love story. However, it's a love story set on a very grand scale...which is why it's worth seeing at the cinema. Of course, most of it is special effects...but it's done well...except for the mammoths which at times look a bit mechanical. The acting and script is all good. It's also great escapism, being set 12'000 years ago which, of course most of us can't relate to. All in all...it's worth seeing. I'm almost considering seeing it again.
Year: 2008. Stars: Ryan Reynolds, Abigail Breslin, Elizabeth Banks, Isla Fisher, Rachel Weisz, Kevin Kline. Style: romance, comedy. Recommendation: much better than i expected.
To be honest, i only saw this as i was having withdrawals from not seeing something at the cinemas for more than a week. And i actually intended to see The Eye, but at the last minute, changed my mind. I'm very glad i did. It's a great story which rolls along nicely. The acting was all good. The script was a little awkward in a couple of places, but nothing that spoilt the enjoyment of watching. There are quite a few funny scenes which made me laugh out loud. Toward the end, there are a couple of real teary scenes, which are a good sign that you 'felt' something for the characters. All in all, it was good entertainment.
Year: 2008. Stars voice talents of: Jim Carrey, Steve Carel, Isla Fisher. Style: animated, comedy. Recommendation: Very light entertainment.
This movie is rated G. So that should serve as a warning that it's very tame...almost boring if you're older than 5. It's clearly intended for a younger audience and doesn't really cater for older folk. But that's totally okay. I think it's sometimes better to not try please everyone. However that aside, it's not a bad movie. The animation is excellent. I mean really excellent. It's flawless...which is why i enjoyed it. The story/plot is good and falls together nicely. The voice talents are well suited and the script is well written. There are a coupe of funny scenes...but mostly it's more a visually entertaining movie, which as mentioned, suited to a younger audience. However, it's still worth watching, and watching at the cinemas to appreciate the detail in animation. There is almost too much to take in - even on the big screen. So overall, i would recommend it...but only if you're young at heart.
Year: 2008. Stars: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Marisa Tomei. Style: Drama. Recommendation: Not really worth it.
I won't say this movie is boring. But it is slow. Very slow. It drags on from start to finish. And it all seems fairly pointless. The acting is good...but everything else is, well...not worth the bother. The story and plot doesn't seem to have a beginning or end...it just seems to start at a random point and play out the scenes, then ends. The constant jumping back and forth is also frustrating. But the the thing that made this movie the most unenjoyable was the darkness...the complete lack of respect and consideration. It showed - in one instance anyway - the worst side of some people. And it wasn't pretty. All in all...i can't recommend this movie.
Year: 2008. Stars: Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis, Russell Brand, Jonah Hill. Style: Romance comedy. Recommendation: wait for the DVD
This is a strange one. While i was watching it, i thought...B-O-R-I-N-G. And it was for the first half of the movie. But then it picked up in the second half and i found myself chuckling several times. But it wasn't laugh-out-loud funny. So, while watching it, i felt it was really plain. But strangely, afterwards i found myself thinking about it more and more. I enjoy movies that make me think about it after it's over...even if the movie itself wasn't all that great. It's really not much of a comedy, even though it's marketed as such. I would say it leans more toward romance. And it does that well. There are quite a few scenes which play out exactly as how i would have written them (not that i'm a script writer). But the characters said and did just what i was hoping they would. And for that, i would recommend this movie. However not at cinemas prices. It won't lose anything if you see it on DVD.
Year: 2008. Stars: Diane Lane. Style: Thriller. Recommendation: very dark
Untraceable has an original concept. And that makes this movie worth watching. There have been other movies which have had a similar idea...but this one adds another angle to it which is at once disturbing and sad. The acting seems a little awkward at first, but that may have been to do with the script. It gets better as it progresses. There were some scenes which also seemed out of place and i couldn't really see the relevance of them. The storyline revolves around the internet and it's users...which if the assumption were true, paints a very worrying picture. It's also quite noticeable all the computers used in the movie are PCs (not Macs as used in most movies), which further proves the point that all evil comes from PC users. :) Apart from an extremely corny scene at the end, it's not a bad movie, and is probably better seen at the cinemas.
Year: 2008. Stars: Keanu Reeves, Forest Whitaker, Hugh Laurie, Chris Evans. Style: Drama, Thriller. Recommendation: Not bad.
If there's any truth in fiction...then there seems to be a cesspool of corruption everywhere you turn in this movie. Even though Keanu Reeves is looking a little aged, he still gives a very cool performance. Forest Whittaker's character on the other hand, is annoying to watch. The script is okay...but to be honest, i'd forgotten most of it by the time i wrote this. It's simply a very forgettable movie. I mean it's fine while you're watching it, albeit quite slow...but once it's over, well...that's it really. Wait for the DVD.
Year: 2008. Stars: Hugh Jackman, Ewan McGregor, Michelle Williams. Style: Thriller. Recommendation: Predictable, but okay.
Hugh Jackman is truly an excellent actor. The movie itself has a good script, good acting and flows nicely, which keeps you thinking. However, it's not hard to figure out what's going to happen next. However, it's good escapism...which i feel is what movies should be. Despite the twists being easy to see coming, it does keep you interested the whole way through. Michelle Williams' character seemed like she was half asleep for the most part...but maybe that was meant to be like that. Overall, everything seemed played down. But this may have been intentional to make it more believable. Is it worth seeing at the cinemas? Yeh...i guess. But you won't miss anything if you wait til the DVD comes out.
Year: 2008. Stars: Robert Downey Jnr, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeff Bridges, Terrence Howard. Style: Action, Adventure. Recommendation: A bit cheesy, but good.
It's probably just me, but i could live without all the cheesy american patriotisms in a lot of movies of late. And Iron Man is no different. For example, in one scene, to call a cheeseburger an 'american cheeseburger' is a bit much. But that aside, it's a good action, adventure movie. Robert Downey Jnr does a great job of a millionaire-come-action hero. Gwyneth Paltrow is also very enjoyable to watch. She has an unassuming beauty which makes her hypnotic to watch. There are more than enough full-on action scenes with lots of things getting blown up to please any action-movie junkies. The special effects are also great quality - especially in the robotic-aided suiting-up scenes. Overall, it's a really enjoyable movie, which is never boring and a must see at the cinemas, as it'll lose some of it's impact on DVD.
Year: 2008. Stars: Joshua Jackson, Rachael Taylor, Megumi Okina, John Hensley. Style: Action, Horror. Recommendation: Not really scary, but worth it.
This is another remake of originally an asian (japanese i think, but i'm not sure) movie, much like The Ring and The Grudge. I've read other reviews which have mostly all said it's rubbish. Granted, it was quite predictable, not that scary and the acting was average. But it's only 85 minutes, which i felt was just right, bearing those things in mind. I enjoyed it for what it was - a horror, based on supernatural themes. I really appreciated it was set in Japan and you got see some of the city of Tokyo. It's a welcomed change to the usual american scenery. The story/plot was good and was easy to follow. For plain, simple escapism, i enjoyed it. And i'd recommend seeing it at a cinema for the added effect...which i'm sure will be lost seeing it on DVD at home.
Year: 2008. Stars: Harrison Ford, Shia LaBeouf, Cate Blanchett, Karen Allen. Style: action, adventure. Recommendation: fits in nicely with the previous Indiana movies.
I love adventure movies, so i may be a little biased. I've read some people have been dissapointed with this one. But i think you need to watch it not forgetting it's set in the 50's (or was the 60's?). Additionally, it's in the same style as the previous Indiana movies...which were made in the 80's (or was it the 90's?). So some of the action scenes seem quite tame compared to today's standards. It's more about story-telling than over the top action for the sake of eye candy. Except for a scene involding 3 waterfalls...a lot of it appears quite believable. Harrison Ford hasn't aged in the looks department. However, and which is quite understandable, his stunt double probably worked harder than in previous times. It was a good adventure and well worth seeing at the cinemas.
Year: 2008. Stars: Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel, John Leguizamo, Ashlyn Sanchez. Style: drama, sci-fi. Recommendation: great story, bad script.
The theme of this movie looked great...and i was looking forward to seeing it for some time. However, all the way through, i couldn't ignore how disjointed the acting seemed to be, which may simply have been caused by the script. There were things said which didn't need to be said and things unsaid, when they should've been. Apart from Mark Wahlberg's character, everyone seemed to have a speech/coherence disability or simply over-acted (or under-acted) their scenes. But again...this could've been due to the script. I realise it was an american movie...which gives them every right to stage it on their home ground...but considering the storyline is global, it would've made the movie so much better if they had of broadened their horizons and showed a bigger picture. I still enjoyed it though...but i think it won't lose anything if you wait to watch it on DVD.
Year: 2008. Stars: Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, William Hurt. Style: adventure, action., thriller. Recommendation: great entertainment.
This was better than i expected. Great action, acting, story and cinematography. The scenes in Brazil alone make it worth seeing at the cinemas. Everything was well put together and Edward Norton is truly an excellent actor. The special effects are as good as perfect and very believable. In the final scenes of the movie - without giving anything away - i was sitting on the edge of my seat watching the final battle. I haven't felt that way watching a movie in a long time. And again, without spoiling the ending, the scene with Robert Downey Jr and in particular, what was said between him and another character, suggested something very enticing. Go watch it. It's well worth seeing at the cinemas.
Year: 2008. Stars voice talents of Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Jackie Chan, Lucy Liu, Angelina Jolie. Style: animation. Recommendation: worth seeing at the cinemas.
Not as laugh out loud funny as i was hoping - although there were several scenes which made me chuckle. But that's okay...because the quality of animation is truly amazing. It's almost too much to take in all at once. The story, albeit predicatable, is good, along with the voice talents of Jack Black and Dustin Hoffman. There seemed be too much dialog to be aimed at a young audience and not enough innuendo to aimed at a older audience. But visually, it's stunning - which makes it a must for watching at the cinemas. And the 'wuxi finger hold' is reason enough alone to see it. Hilarious!
Year: 2008. Stars: Steve Carell, Anne Hathaway, Alan Arkin, Dwayne Johnson. Style: action, humour. Recommendation: great entertainment
This was exactly as i hoped it would be. A great laugh and great entertainment. I was smiling pretty much all the way through and laughed quite a few times. There were a few crack up scenes as well. Steve Carell was perfectly cast for this role. Alan Arkin was also well cast as the chief of Control. I didn't really understand why they needed Agent 23 (Dwayne Johnson)...but he played his part well. Overall it's a great movie and worth spending the money to see at the cinemas.
Year: 2008. Stars: Wil Smith, Charlize Theron, Jason Bateman. Style: action. Recommendation: pretty good
It was pretty slow to get going...and seemed all a bit emotional at first. Like they wanted to the audience to get attached to the characters. Which is fine...but the previews are a bit misleading. But about half way through everything started to pick up and the action got really going. There was one really funny scene (which was in the previews) and the rest was mildly funny when that was the intention. The action is good and effects are believable. Jason Bateman, i feel, stole the show though. His character (and acting) was excellent. Overall, it was enjoyable and worth seeing at the cinemas.
Year: 2008. Stars: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine. Style: action, super-hero. Recommendation: a must see at the cinemas.
Firstly...it's a long movie. Over 2 hours long. But it didn't lag or become painful at any point. It was enthralling all the way through. Great story, great acting and great script. There's also some great special effects which are very much worth seeing on the big screen. Heath Ledger's portrayal of The Joker was good...but i thought Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine's parts stole the show. They are both truly excellent actors. And considering he was the star, Christian Bale was a bit average in comparison, i felt. And for me personally, the movie was so much more enjoyable because it had a Lamborghini in it...no less the latest Murcielago. If there was one thing that i felt was missing was a dedication to Heath Ledger in the end credits. It should have been the first thing that appeared, instead of the usual director, producer, etc. It may have been in the credits somewhere...but i didn't wait to watch them all. All in all...it's a great movie...and definately worth seeing.
Year: 2008. Stars: David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Amanda Peet, Billy Connolly. Style: Drama, mystery. Recommendation: give it a miss if you're an X File fan.
Reluctantly, i have to say i was quite disappointed. I've been an X Files fan since it began, bought the DVD collection and was looking forward to seeing Mulder and Scully in a new adventure. Admittedly, it was great to see David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson (who looks fantastic with long hair) playing these roles again. But sadly, the story would have been more suitable as a TV episode, rather than worthy of making a feature length movie. It barely had enough to be even considered to have an X File theme. The title is very misleading in that respect - there's nothing to believe in or even 'want' to believe in. And even more sadly, it seemed to have a finality to the characters, who have become set into a dull life of domestic suburbia. I fear this is the end of the X Files, Scully and Mulder. I doubt i will even buy the DVD when it comes out - even though it will bug life out of me not having the complete collection.
Year: 2008. Stars: James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman, Angelina Jolie, Thomas Kretschmann. Style: Action. Recommendation: Very much worth it
The trailers portray this movie as full on action. Yes, it is that, but it's so much more. It has a back story which is almost comedic...and makes it so much more worth seeing. There are scenes which seem out of place at first, but it's only because you're expecting a typical action movie. However, the action scenes are original and mind-blowing. And i must stress, there are some scenes which are truly original - i've not seen anything similar in any other movie. So that's a big plus. Apart from that, the acting is good, the script is good and the story is good. It's all good. Of course, there are some ridiculous things which are unbelievable...but that's hollywood. Overall...a definate must see at the cinemas.
Year: 2008. Stars: Jason Statham, Saffron Burrows, Stephen Campbell Moore, Daniel Mays, James Faulkner, Alki David. Style: Crime, thriller. Recommendation: okay.
I'm not a big fan of movies set in the 60's and 70's, which this one was. At first, it seemed if Jason Statham - one of my favourite actors - wasn't really into the role. He seemed awkward...but maybe that was just me getting used to his character. It didn't take long though before the storyline got interesting and his character, along with others to fall into place. But to be honest, even thought the acting, script and plot were fine...i was expecting something else. Something like The Italian Job, Swordfish or similar. Some of the scenes were annoying only because a couple of the characters were just so dumb. It was frustrating that they weren't ultra professionals. But this is apparently based on a true story...so maybe that was the reason some of the characters had to be this way. In the end though, the story goes the way you hope it to and it leaves you feeling satisfied. But all in all, it's nothing to get overly excited about...and you won't miss anything if you wait to see it on DVD.
Year: 2008. Stars voice talents of: Matt Lanter, Ashley Eckstein, James Arnold Taylor, Tome Kane, Catherine Taber, Samuel L Jackson, Christopher Lee. Style: Animated Sci-fi. Recommendation: worth seeing at the cinemas
I seem to have the same reaction to most animated movies. There's just so much to take in at once, it's almost overwhelming. This one is no different. The backgrounds and the attention to detail is just amazing. The action scenes have so much happening all at once, that you don't know where to look. But maybe i should sit further back in the cinema. Apart from the visual overload, everything is good - script, storyline, plot. And for Star War fans, it has all the elements i'm sure they would appreciate. If there's anything that seems less than perfect, it's the smoothness of the animation - especially when some characters are walking. It seems a little mechanical. But i see this a lot in animated movies. I guessing that to create an animation of a human walking is the hardest thing to do. But that aside, all in all...it's very much worth seeing at the cinemas.
Year: 2008. Stars: Liv Tyler, Scott Speedman. Style: Horror. Recommendation: excellent.
This is the scariest movie i've seen in a very long time. I can't though, put my finger on exactly what it was that made it so bone chilling. Liv Tyler is such an excellent actress. She made the scenes truly believable in her vunerable and realistic style of acting. The script was good and most scenes had a decent amount of realism. There were a couple of scenes/lines which had the obligatory over-acting / over dramatic feel about them...but i guess that's just americans...as opposed to australians who have an understated approach to pretty much everything. Overall, it's very much seeing at the cinemas, if you want to see something really terrifying.
Year: 2008. Stars: Liam Neeson, Famke Janssen, Maggie Grace, Xander Berkley, Olivier Rabourdin, Holly Valance. Style: Action, Thriller. Recommendation: Excellent
Firstly i'll say i'll watch anything by Luc Besson (Fifth Element, The Big Blue). I think he is brilliant at making great entertainment. As violent as it may sound, i was glad none of the evil-doers were spared what they truly deserved, which was swiftly and fatally. It was easier though to root for Liam's character more because he was helping erradicate the problem and less for his motive of rescuing his daughter, who, with her daft character didn't really endear herself to the audience. I hasten to add though, it shouldn't make her more deserving of the mistreatment she suffers. There were the obligatory cliche scenes and characters throughout the movie, but they didn't spoil the overall action. Despite the disturbing subject, it's well worth watching at the cinemas, especially if you like The Bourne series, Ronin or The Transporter styled-action movies.
Year: 2008. Stars: Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones, James Dodd, Luke Goss, Anna Walton, Style: action, fantasy. Recommendation: a little disappointing
Maybe i wasn't in the right mood for this type of movie...but while i was watching it, i couldn't help thinking...this is a bit plain. Don't get me wrong...visually, it is stunning. The special effects and computer generated scenes - especially the troll's market - are simply amazing to watch. And that is the best part of this movie and worth seeing it at the cinemas. But the script seemed a little average to me. The storyline is good and was easy to follow. But i still couldn't help but think the whole thing had been watered down to appeal to a wider audience. Or perhaps, it was intentionally 'dumbed down' to appeal to kids. Which is fine if it was. But i felt a little left out. However, i would still recommend seeing it at the cinemas..simply for the visuals.
Year: 2008. Stars: Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Ralph Fiennes, Clémence Berrington. Style: drama, comedy. Recommendation: definately worth seeing
This is an excellent movie...and surprisingly so. To be honest, i didn't know what to expect with this one...and maybe that helped the enjoyment i had watching it. It's perfectly cast with Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson. And Clémence Berrington is hypnotising to watch. The script is faultless and the location (Bruges, Belgium) makes this movie so pleasing to watch. If it doesn't boost their tourism, i'd be very much surprised. There is quite a lot swearing with the F word used liberally and even the C word appears more than once. But that aside...it's a great movie which lingers in you mind afterwards...which in my mind is the reason it's worth seeing.
Year: 2008. Stars: Brendan Fraser, Jet Li, Maria Bello, John Hannah, Michelle Yeoh, Luke Ford, Isabella Leong, Russel Wong. Style Action, adventure. Recommendation: great adventure movie, and worth seeing on a big screen.
I love movies about archeology (tomb raider, indiana jones, etc)...and this one is of the same formula. So i guess i'm a bit biased when i say i enjoyed it. I could easily see why some wouldn't. It was a bit cheesy in places and some of the script seemed unpolished. But it's a big adverture and very entertaining to watch. Visually, it's stunning. Taking nothing away from Brendan Fraser, but i reckon the chinese cast members held it all together. Michelle Yeoh truly has a beautiful character. The sets were good, but the animation - especially of the armies - seemed a little mechanical. But overall, it's good entertainment, which is what a movie should be. It was a shame that Rachel Weisz wasn't it in though.
Year: 2008. Style: Animation. Recommendation: Another Pixar great.
Pixar have got it down to a fine art. And this is simply another of their excellent offerings. I must say though the short cartoon before the feature started, was funnier - as in laugh out loud funny. Don't arrive late...it's well worth sitting through all the ads and previews just to make sure you don't miss it. The feature, Wall-e, was good, but wasn't laugh out loud funny. It had a good storyline, perfect animation and good emotion, considering there was little dialog from Wall-E himself. All i can say is, it's great entertainment and well worth seeing at the cinemas and worth buying the DVD when it's released.
Year: 2008. Stars: Shia LaBeouf, Michelle Monaghan, Billy Bob Thornton. Style: Action, Thriller. Recommendation: Not bad.
Someone told me this movie was rubbish. So even though i wanted to see it, i wasn't getting my hopes up. Which may have made watching it okay. The storyline and plot are all good. But i had a lot of trouble feeling anything for the main role played by Shia LaBeouf. I would have preferred someone else play the role. In my mind, Michelle Monaghan was the bigger star throughout. Her acting made her character more believable. However, i would still recommend seeing it (only just though) for the subject of the storyline. Simply for the reason we should never be blasé about technology and how susceptible our lives are to come unstuck because of it.
Year: 2008. Stars: Brendan Fraser, Josh Hutcherson, Anita Briem. Stye: Adventure. Recommendation: Great story, but...
Firstly i must say, the 3D glasses are worth paying the higher price of $19.50. The last time i saw a 3D movie, the glasses were cardboard with cellophane red and green lenses. But these are worth keeping. Anyway...this is a great story and a great adventure, but it was all a bit sadly lacking. Probably because it was a bitt too G rated. The 3D effects are good (damn that yo-yo and piranha! - made me jump). But i feel they were relying too much on the 3D element to make the movie worth seeing. There was one scene which was way too cartoon-ish for me and another scene which was nerve-wracking to watch. The special effects are great and made you wish it were true. Even though it was all a bit tame...i'd still recommend seeing it at the cinema.
Year: 2008. Stars: Vin Diesel, Michelle Yeoh, Mélanie Thierry, Gérard Depardieu, Charlotte Rampling. Style: Adventure, Sci-fi. Recommendation: okay.
Vin Diesel's acting style is pretty much the same in this one - always ever-cool and dispensing with the evil-doers all the way through. Michelle Yeoh has a beautiful character which comes through in every movie i've seen her in. The storyline is good, although seems to peter out toward the end. The script is also well written, but there may have been a couple of awkward moments. The effects and action are both first class which make this worth watching at the cinemas. Overall it's not bad...but like mentioned, the end seems to trail off.
Year: 2008. Stars voice talents: Andy Samberg, Cheryl Hines, Patrick Warburton, Jeff Daniels. Style: animation. Recommendation: not a must see at the cinemas.
This is very G rated...which makes it good for the kids...but doesn't really have anything for an older audience. Which is fine. It is mildly entertaining, with some funny visual gags and a couple of script-based funnies. The animation is excellent and the expressions are without fault. Patrick Warburton's voice is perhaps the best thing about this movie. It's so utterly dry and monotone, but so funny because of it. It's a good story, if only let down in places by poor script, or the painful attempt to have some sort of message about 'believing in yourself' included. It's meant to be light entertainment, not psychology. I'm not saying don't watch it...but unless you're bored, there's no real need to see it at the cinemas. It will translate fine to DVD and you won't miss anything.
Year: 2008. Stars: Dane Cook, Kate Hudson, Alec Baldwin, Jason Biggs. Style: Comedy, romance. Recommendation: not worth it
This was rubbish from start to finish. I was contemplating walking out on several occassions, but didn't because that would be a total waste of money...even though watching it still was. The script is boring and crude. The acting was like watching reality TV and the story was chaotic. All in all...it's not worth seeing at the cinemas and not even worth watching it on DVD. Save your money.
Year: 2008. Stars: Brad Pitt, George Clooney, John Malkovich, Tilda Swinton, Frances McDormand. Style: black comedy. Recommendation: weird
There are several stories all happening at once in this movie which all come together eventually. But to get there, it went through a whole lot of silly, over-acted and pointless drivel. John Malkovich is annoying and Brad Pitt's character was awkard to watch - a bit like a train wreck. Once the stories started joining up, it wasn't that bad...but to be honest, it really had no point. Unfortunately, i think i wasted my money yet again on this one. You won't miss anything if you wait for the DVD to be released.
Year: 2008. Stars: Russel Crowe, Leonardo Di Caprio, Mark Strong, Golshifteh Farahani. Style: Drama, thriller. Recommendation: worth seeing.
As always, Leonardo Di Caprio's acting is nothing short of brilliant. I think i've enjoyed every movie he's been in. Russel Crowe's was also excellent. The story is good and gives a balanced look of the subject. There are some quite brutal scenes, which make you cringe. The script is also good and lets the supporting cast shine. All in all everything was really good and well worth seeing at the cinemas.
Year: 2008. Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, Beau Bridges, Jack Lupino, Olga Kurylenko. Style: action, supernatural. Recommendation: Not bad
This was a bit disappointing. Even though there was a plot (albeit thin) It all didn't seem to go anywhere for most of it. It just seemed a bunch of scenes stuck together with the purpose of leading into the gun fights. But then thi is based on a game...so maybe i shouldn't have expected more. The sound effects a were a bit overdone - it's a wonder the cinema speakers didn't explode in a few scenes. Towards the end, the action made up for the lack of story. Overall...it's not bad...and basically worth seeing at the cinema...for the effects and action.
Year: 2008. Stars: Jason Statham, Joan Allen, Ian McShane, Tyrese Gibson, Natalie Martinez. Style: Action, thriller. Recommendation: A bit cliche in parts, but worth it.
I'm a huge fan of Jason Statham (ever since Transporter) ...so i'll see anything with him in it. As always, he's excellent in his part in his usual coolness and make the film worth watching. The other cast - in all manner of usual hardened criminals - do their parts well also. In typical hollywood fashion, most scenes are shot way too close up to give the impression of more action. But even when sitting back from the screen, it makes it difficult to actually see what's happening - which i fear is not as much as they are trying to make out there is. But at least in one scene there was thankfully a wider angle (and slow motion) to show what was perhaps the ultimate scene in the movie. You almost wanted to cheer. That said, it's worth seeing at the cinema, as i think it will lose something when watched on DVD.
Year: 2008. Cast: Mirrah Foulkes, Peter Docker, Leigh Whannell, Nathan Phillips, Melanie Vallejo. Style: thriller, horror. Recommendation: worth seeing.
I didn't realise this was an Australian flick. And once i realised, from the opening credits...i must admit i was more critical. I don't normally like Australian movies...but this one wasn't bad. Some of the acting was a bit average...but that could've been because of the script, which was in parts very cliche and pointless. But i did like the way they included some background to the storyline, going back to the colony times of Australia and Van Dieman's Land (Tasmania)...where the movie is set. I think i recall the trailor saying this was one of the most scary movies you will ever see. I disagree. It was not scary as horrors go. It was in parts kind of thrilling though. My only concern though is, it won't do anything to alleviate the perception of Tasmania by the rest of Australia. Which is a shame. It looks to be a beautiful place, which is still mostly unspoilt. I would recommend seeing it...but more because it's an Australian film and i think we need to support local projects, so they keep making more.
Year: 2008. Stars: Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Saïd Taghmaoui, Neal McDonough, Alyy Khan, Archie Panjabi, Jeff Daniels. Style: thriller.Recommendation: excellent
This is one of the best movies i've seen in a few weeks. The acting style was brilliant in it's understated style. No over-dramatics, no excessive agro. Everyone just calmly went about their business in a very succinct manner. I say kudos to Jeffrey Nachmanoff, the director, if this was his decision. The script i'm guessing would have also played a part in the way this movie played, which was intelligent and faultless. For me, the stand cast were Don Cheadle and Guy Pearce, who admittedly were the main characters, but were brilliantly chosen for these parts, again for their acting style. The plot also excellent, travelled along nicely, never boring and had a good sequence of events. All in all...i'd recommend seeing it - and at the cinemas...although it will traslate to DVD fine, and you won't feel like you're missing anything.
Year: 2008. Cast: Daniel Craig, Olga Kurylenko, Mathieu Amalric, Judi Dench, Giancario Giannini, Gemma Arterton. Style: James Bond Thriller. Recommendation: worth seeing as a good thriller, action movie.
I'm a James Bond fan. However i was kinda left a bit let down by this one. Don't get me wrong...it was good as a thriller, action movie...but not great as a James Bond movie. Maybe it was the lack of gadgets that i missed. No Q. And the catch line, 'Bond James Bond' was also left out - as far as i remember - not that that is the deal breaker. The cast were excellent - especially Olga Kurylenko - the script and story were both good and the action was as it should be. But perhaps i wasn't in the right mood, but i walked out of the cinema without the desire to see it again, as i have with previous James Bond movies. But still, it's a good action movie and worth seeing at the cinema.
Year: 2008. Stars: Vince Vaughn, Reese Witherspoon, Robert Duvall, Sissy Spacek, Jon Voight. Style: christmas comedy, romance. Recommendation: surprisingly good.
To be honest i wasn't expecting much when i decided to watch this one. But i was pleasantly surprised. It starts really well...with chuckle funny scenes every couple of minutes. The script was natural and i thought, original. I read that Vince Vaughn adlibbed some of it. Reese Witherspoon is hypnotic to watch...especially her facial expressions. It slows down a bit after the first half hour...but it's still enjoyable to watch with some funny scenes scattered here and there. It's fairly predictable that their relationship would hit a stumbling block, but just as predictable (as with pretty much all hollywood movies), it all works out in the end. All in all...it's worth seeing - even if just to put you in the mood for the silly season.
Year: 2008. Stars: Jennifer Carpenter, Steve Harris, Johnathon Schaech, Columbus Short. Style: horror, suspense. Recommendation: i loved it...but it seems i may be alone on that opinon.
I've read some other reviews about this one, and it seems to be a common trend that the movie is rubbish. I have to disagree...i was on the edge of my seat nearly the whole way through. The opening was a bit awkward, but that's most likely because it was shot in a style of reality TV...much like Cloverfield was. But once the movie got into the main storyline, i was hooked. Admittedly the hand-held camera work throughout (just like Cloverfield) is a little annoying at times...but i feel that added to the suspense and feeling of being there. The one thing that spoils a lot of movies however, is the seemingly abundant hot-head and completely irrational characters in the general public. They fly off the handle at the slightest provocation. And this movie is no exception. But that aside, the script was well written to give it a feel of reality and the cast played their roles well to give it an intentional unpolished, 'real' feel. I enjoyed it...and would recommend seeing it at the cinemas for the full effect. But please note, i seem to be alone in my opinion about this one...which possibly means all these reviews are way off the mark.
Year: 2008. Cast: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattison, Billy Burke. Style: thriller.
Practically everything about this movie is awkward. The acting, the script, the special effects, everything. The script in particular is full of unfinished sentences, which to be honest, seems to be how gen Y talks anyway...as if their verbally texting each other. Admittedly, i'm not the target audience, but still, it seemed to rely too much on the impossibly good looks of the cast to carry it through. The opening scenes of this movie are what kinda spoiled it for me. The leading character was moving to Forks, which is a gloomy, overcast, miserable looking town. But i realise now that that was necessary to set the mood. There were a couple of scenes which had a good dose of tension and emotion, which kinda saved the movie - for me at least. Overall...if you're the target audience (female teen) go see it. Otherwise, wait for the DVD.
Year: 2008. Cast: voice talent of Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, Jada Pinkett Smith, Sacha Baron Cohen, Cedric the Entertainer, Andy Richter. Style: animation, comedy. Recommendation: Great entertainment.
Firstly, you must see this at the cinema. Simply because the quality of animation is better on a large screen to take in all the detail. And it's quite funny in several places. Laugh out loud funny. Especially the grumpy old grandmother - it's quite brutal, but funny, how they treat her. But she seems to be unbeatable. The penquins though are the funniest. The story and script are both good and as mentioned the animation is excellent. I would go as far as saying this sequel is better than the original. I could even enjoy watching it a second time - if there weren't any other new releases out worth watching. It's rated PG, but it's still very entertaining for adults.
Year: 2008. Cast: Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Connelly, Kathy Bates, Jaden Smith, John Cleese. Style: Thriller, Sci-Fi, Recommendation: sadly disappointing.
I had high expectations for this one when i first saw the previews a few weeks ago. But sadly, it didn't deliver. And i think it was solely the fault of the script. In parts, it's completely laughable. And the military characters come across so dim-witted, you wonder if you should be laughing. The action and special effects are pretty good, but nothing extraordinary. The storyline has been updated from the original, which makes it more appropriate for today's environment and despite the human demise, i felt comfortable being in favour of the idea. Keanu Reeves character and style is straight out of The Matrix, which wasn't a bad thing. Jennifer Connelly is very easy to watch and their acting were both good. But overall it was all let down by the narrative which as mentioned was laughable in parts. And unfortunately, i can't really recommend seeing it at the cinemas.
Year: 2008. Stars: Jim Carey, Zooey Deschanel, Bradley Cooper, Rhys Darby, Terence Stamp, Molly Sims. Style: Humour, Romance. Recommendation: not as funny as hoped.
After seeing the preview, i thought this one would be hilarious. It was in parts, but overall, very tame in the laugh out loud department. It's a good story though and leans toward a romantic comedy, rather than just comedy. Zooey Deschanel is perfectly cast for the love interest and is a delight to watch. Jim Carey is his typical zany self, and only overdoes it in a couple of places. The scene where he's dreaming he died is a crack up. The storyline was a little uncomfortable in parts, due to it hitting too close to home - for me at least. But the teasing between Carey's and Deschanel's characters was very endearing and made this worth watching. I'd recommend it, if you're not against Jim Carey's style...but not necessarily at the cinemas. It won't loose anything when watched on DVD when it's released.
Year: 2009. Stars voice talent: John Travolta, Miley Cyrus, Susie Essman, Mark Walton. Style: 3D Animation. Recommendation: average.
From memory, this one is rated PG (possibly even G) ...but it's still entertaining for older viewers. The animation is excellent - especially the little nuances the animals make (eg. the twitchy movement of the pidgeon's heads while they're talking). The script and story is all good and the voice talent of John Travolta is excellent. The only thing i have against it, is that there's nothing worth making it a 3D movie. The 3D effect is excellent, but there's nothing that warranted making it 3D. Quite possibly, without it though, it would've been an even more average movie. The last 3D movie i saw was Journey to the Centre of the Earth, which took full advantage of the effect and was worth paying the extra price. But it was hard to justify paying extra for this one. However, that being said, i'd still recommend watching this at the cinemas...only because i feel it will loose too much watching it at home on DVD.
Year: 2009. Stars: Michael Sheen, Bill Nighy, Rhona Mitra. Style: Fantasy, action. Recommendation: Worth seeing if you've seen the previous features.
This is a prequel to Underworld and Underworld Evolution. When it comes out on DVD, it'll be great to watch all 3 in order to get a better appreciation for the story. At first, when i didn't realise it was a prequel, i thought they had replaced Kate Beckinsale with Rhona Mitra, as they both look very similar. Both stunning, both sexy, both great actors. Bill Nighy (Love Actually, Pirates of the Caribbean) is also excellent at what he does. Although i found his makeup a bit overdone at times. The special effects are quite good, but i still feel they have trouble making animals (in this case the lycans when they're in wolf mode) look natural, especially when they're running. But overall, it's a very good movie...and worth seeing at the cinemas, even if some of the battle scenes (my usual complaint) is shot way to close to the action.
Year: 2009. Cast: Gabriel Macht, Eva Mendes, Samuel Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Jaime King, Paz Vega, Dan Lauria. Style: comic adventure. Recommendation: Definately worth seeing, i reckon.
I've read other people's reviews about this one, and they are generally unhappy. I've not read the original The Spirit comics, so i wasn't comparing this movie to anything...which may make all the difference. To be honest, i wasn't expecting anything at all. I hadn't seen a trailer, i hadn't read anything about. I'd only seen the poster and who was in it. I figured if Mendes, Jackson and Johansson signed on to do it, it must have some merit. And i wasn't disappointed. I enjoyed it. Sure, it was all very eye-candy style, with lots of scenes which looked like a comic book in motion. The script was like what you would read in a comic book and the scene to scene transitions seemed just like in a comic book. There were some quite funny scenes and the script was okay. The acting was also fine i thought. But i guess, you have to remember, this is simply a movie for entertainment purposes. It won't win any awards and apparently, it doesn't follow exactly the original comic books. But there was nothing annoying in it and i feel it's worth seeing at the cinemas
Year: 2009. Stars: Jason Statham, Francois Berleand, Natalya Rudakova, Robert Knepper. Style: action, drama. Recommendation: a bit disappointing.
Firstly, i love Luc Besson movies - The Big Blue, The Fifth Element, Leon. Unfortunately, this one was a bit average. It still had his style, but it just lacked the polish from his other movies. That said, the acting of Statham and Berleand were as always, excellent. The leading female character was completely annoying, but that may have been because of her script. There was nothing that endeared her to the audience...which made the love scene feel out of place...and in my opinion should have been left out. The action - especially the car chases - were a little average, compared to the first Transporter. However the Audi is a delight to watch and hear. Overall, Statham and Berleand saved this movie from being not worth watching. As for recommending to watch it at the cinemas...even though i'd love to, unfortuntately, no.
Year: 2009. Stars: Clint Eastwood, Christopher Carley, Bee Vang, Ahney Her, Style: Drama. Recommendation: Rough start, but gets as it progresses.
For the first 30-45 minutes, i was contemplating walking out. I felt the acting and script were really rough. And there were quite a few scenes which wouldn't have been out of place in a comedy - which this movie isn't. At least it wasn't marketed as such. But as it progressed, it became watchable and the story kicked in. The script and acting still seemed awkward, but you payed less attention to them and more to the unfolding story. Scenes worth mention are those with the barber which are quite funny, as is some of the scenes with the neighbours. Further into the movie, you really start to feel the characters and everything flows nicely. The ending is not what you expect but perfectly written and played out. While i was watching it, it didn't seem that great...but thinking about it afterwards, it kept playing on my mind and i realised i really enjoyed it...to the point of wanting to watch it again. Overall, yes i'd recommend it...but be patient at first, coz it feels a bit clumsy.
Year: 2009. Stars: Anne Hathaway, Rosemarie DeWitt, Mather Zickel, Bill Irwin, Anisa George, Tunde Adebimpe, Debra Winger. Style: Comedy, Drama. Recommendation: Very much worth it.
Okay so it dragged a bit in places, and there some very awkward scenes, but it was very easy to feel for the characters - even though they were all competing for attention at the same time. The union of the two families (bride and groom's) couldn't have been a better match - they were all a very eclectic, weird and wonderful bunch. In fact, too good to be real. As mentioned, some scenes dragged on a bit...so much so, that it almost seemed like you were experiencing the actual event in person, having to sit through all the boring bits as well as the interesting. I thought the script was well written and had quite a lot of witty and clever dialogue between characters. I also enjoyed the ad-lib music being played in the background by some of the (i'm assuming) family members in all areas of the house. All in all...i really enjoyed it and would gladly recommending it. But it won't lose anything in it's appeal if you wait to watch it on DVD.
Year: 2009. Stars: Clive Owen, Naomi Watts, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Brian O'Byrne, Ulrich Thomsen. Style: Action thriller. Recommendation: average
It's quite slow to start and you really need to concentrate to understand what's going on. Despite saying it's average, it's not that bad as such. There were simply some scenes where the over-acting was embarrassing to watch. Even though Clive Owen and Naomi Watts' characters didn't endear themselves to the audience, the 'baddies' did really make you hate them. And i fear that this part of the story is more real than fiction...which is truly sad if that's how the world is. There were a couple of really good action scenes and the locations were good to see. Overall, the story is great, but the acting and script let it down. Wait for the DVD or someone to shout you to see it at the cinemas.
Year: 2009. Stars: Odette Yustman, Gary Oldman, Meagan Good, Cam Gigandet, Idris Elba, Jane Alexander. Style: horror. Recommendation: average, but worth it.
For a horror, it was rather tame. There were some tense scenes, but nothing that made you jump out of your seat. The star, Odette Yustman (from Cloverfield fame) is very easy on the eyes, but won't win any acting awards, yet. However, there were only a few scenes which were spoilt by overacting. The script was okay and the story mostly fine. It was good that it was an original and not a remake of an asian original. Gary Oldman, as always, played his part extremely well and was a pleasure to watch. Overall, it's not a bad movie, but it's not a great movie either. As long as you watch it with all the lights dimmed, it won't loose anything if you wait for it to come out on DVD.
Year: 2009. Cast: Malin Akerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Patrick Wilson, Carla Gugino, Matt Frewer, Stephen McHattie, Laura Mennell, Rob LaBelle. Style: Action, fantasy. Recommendation: painful.
The less said about this one, the better.
Year: 2009. Cast: Clive Owen, Julia Roberts, Tom Wilkinson, Paul Giamatti. Style: action, thriller. Recommendation: not an easy watch
Someone warned me about this one before i went to see it, that it was hard to follow. And i have to agree. Not only is it hard to figure out what's going on, they have made it even harder by jumping back and forth in time - 5 years ago, present day, 2 years ago, 18 months ago, present day and so on. I wish i had someone with me i could ask, who's that guy, how do they know her, who's side is he on? The acting and script were both very good and the plot - only after you get to the last 10 minutes, in which it all seems to make sense - is also very good. There is one very tense scene, which was perhaps the most gripping scene i've seen in a long time - even if it was completely pointless. Overall, it's a good movie...but it's a brain-strain, which if they simply played the scenes in order, would've made it just as good and more enjoyable. But maybe i'm just lazy. Wait for the DVD, so you can replay scenes when you get lost.
Year: 2009. Stars: Nicolas Cage, Rose Byrne, Chandler Canterbury, Lara Robinson, Ben Mendelsohn, Nadia Townsend, Alan Hopgo. Style: thriller. Recommendation: brilliant, 100 stars, best i've seen in ages.
You absolutely MUST see this movie. And ideally, at the cinema. It's a big screen movie, and the surround sound simply adds to the impact - literally. There was a scene, which rattled my seat and i felt like i was actually there. Brilliant. Everything about this movie is good - the story, the script, the acting, the cast, the special effects and the production. What i enjoyed so much was that they showed the whole story, instead of just hinting at what was to come, then rolling the credits. It's the best movie i've seen in ages and will most likely see it again...something i've not done since The Saint (Val Kilmer). Go see it...while it's at the cinemas. However, i've read quite a few negative reviews of this one...but i disagree. I thought it was brilliant.
Year: 2009. Stars: Kevin James, Keir O'Donnell, Jayma Mays, Raini Rodriguez, Shirley Knight, Adhir Kalyan. Style: comedy. Recommendation: very cheesy.
I should've listened to my inner-voice and not seen this one. It really wasn't worth spending the money to see it at a cinema. It's all very PG and very, very cheesy. Actually, i don't know how it managed to even get to the cinemas. It should've been released as, at most a DVD...but more appropriately as a free to air TV movie. There might be one chuckle-funny scene in the whole movie. To be honest, i forgot about the whole thing as soon as i walked out of the cinema. Overall, the acting is okay and the story is also fine...but the script lets it down. Wait for it to be shown in TV. You're not missing anything.
Year: 2009. Stars: Emily Browning, Arielle Kebbel, David Strathairn, Elizabeth Banks, Maya Massar, Jesse Moss. Style: horror, thriller. Recommendation: very much worth seeing.
I'd heard this was an extremely scary movie. But it wasn't. I didn't come close to jumping out of my skin from a scene. There weren't even any 'on-the-edge-your-seat' tense scenes. However, that didn't spoil it. I thought it was a brilliant movie. The cast were brilliant - especially the lead, Emily Browning (an aussie). The script was excellent and the story was perfect. For a remake (of an asian original), i think they've done a great job - not that i've seen the original. It's one of those movies, because of the story, you want to watch it again. Overall, i'd happily recommend seeing it at the cinemas.
Year: 2009. Stars voice talents: Reese Witherspoon, Seth Rogen, Hugh Laurie, Will Arnett, Kiefer Sutherland, Rainn Wilson, Stephen Colbert. Style: comedy animation. Recommendation: a must see at the cinemas.
As with all Dreamworks animated features, the quality is excellent. The amount of detail in the scenes is almost too much to take in all at once, which is why it's better to see it on a big screen. The characters, with the exception of 'gigantic girl', aren't overly endearing, but they play their part well. The script is good and there are a few chuckle funny scenes. It seemed to be aimed more for children, but there is enough in it to amuse adults as well. Overall, it's good quality and worth seeing at the cinemas. Tip: wait for the extra scene mid way through the end credits.
Year: 2009. Stars: Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Danny Huston, Will i Am, Lynn Collins, Tahnya Tozzi. Style: action, fantasy, thriller. Recommendation: worth seeing.
This movie is simply good entertainment. You don't have to rack your brain to follow the plot, the script is sensible and easy enough to follow and you can just sit back and enjoy it for what it is. And what it is, is a good story telling how wolverine came to be and a lot of excellent special effects and action. There was nothing cringe-worthy and i thought everything flowed along nicely...without any boring bits. Hugh Jackman is excellent as always and Tahnya Tozzi, despite being a small part at the end of the movie, is stunning to watch. All in all...it's worth seeing at the cinema.
Year: 2009. Stars: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Leonard Nimoy, Eric Bana, Bruce Greenwood, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana, Simon Pegg, John Cho, Anton Yelchin, Winona Ryder. Style: sci-fi. Recommendation: very much worth seeing at cinema.
To make it easier to identity amongst all the other Star Trek movies, they should have called this one Star Trek - Origins. But that aside, it's an excellent movie and a must see at the cinemas, so you have some hope of taking in all the detail. The action is first class, the plot excellent and the acting is also very good, even if it seems a little laboured at times. It's difficult to warm to the young spoke, which i believe is because Leonard Nimoy simply owns that character and no one can match him. Thankfully Leonard Nimoy is in this movie as well, which perhaps saves it from becoming alienated (no pun intended) from the original movies. Simply, everything is very good and again, i'd recommend seeing it at the cinemas. It's the perfect sci-fi movie.
Year: 2009. Stars: Tom Hanks, Ewan McGregor, Ayelet Zurer, Stellan Skarsgård, Pierfrancesco Favino, Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Armin Mueller-Stahl. Style: mystery, thriller. Recommendation: pretty good.
The best part about this movie is the anti-matter. Especially at the end of the movie. The special effects do it justice. Apart from that, the story is good, however, i always wonder why the villians always leave clues about their evil plot so the good guys can foil their plans. Tom Hanks plays his part well, as he does with practically every character he ever plays. But the star i felt was Armin Mueller-Stahl. Ewan McGregor also plays his part well. There are enough twists and turns to keep you interested which is good coz it's a long movie...and the ending is how it should be. Apart from the afore-mentioned ending with the anti-matter, there's nothing that really wouldn't transfer well to DVD. But the anti-matter scene is more than worth the cinema cost.
Year: 2009. Stars: Paul McGann, James Corden, Mathew Horne, MyAnna Buring, Silvia Colloca, Vera Filatova, Ashley Mulheron, Louise Dylan, Lucy Gaskell. Style: horror comedy. Recommendation: not really worth the cinema price
Firstly, i wasn't expecting anything when i saw this. I hadn't read any reviews, hadn't seen any trailers and i didn't know who was in it. So, that in mind, i didn't actually mind it. True, it's drowned in clichés and kitschiness...but they make no apologies for it...which i admired their courage in doing so. It all feels very B-Grade...but sometimes that's kinda refreshing. It's difficult to say if the acting and script were good or bad, simply because you don't know if it was intended to be that way, or if all concerned were all first-timers. There were a couple of chuckle funny scenes and some of the special effects were well done. But overall, it wasn't bad...but i can't recommend seeing it at the cinemas. Wait for the DVD.
Year: 2009. Stars: Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Hank Azaria, Robin Williams, Christopher Guest, Alain Chabat, Steve Coogan, Ricky Gervais, Bill Hader. Style: comedy, adventure. Recommendation: not bad.
As a sequel, this isn't bad...but to be honest, it's not great either. Ben Stiller seems to look bored through most of it...and it is slow in a lot of places. A lot of scenes dragged on a bit too long and made you feel a little uncomfortable watching them. It is smile funny in some places and one scene with Hank Azaria is convulsive laugh funny, because it did drag on too long. The effects are good, to the point, everything that would normally be static objects, which were now animated, looked natural. Amy Adams who plays Amelia Earhart is hynoptic to watch with her very, very blue eyes. Overall it's light entertainment and kinda worth seeing it at the cinema...but only just.
Year: 2009. Stars: Christian Bale, Sam Worthington, Moon Bloodgood, Helena Bonham Carter, Anton Yelchin, Jadagrace, Bryce Dallas Howard. Style: Sci-fi, action. Recommendation: must see.
This is a great action flick. It never stops. There were very few scenes, where no-one was being attacked, nothing was being blown up or no-one was being chased. Brilliant! I thought the acting and script were both fine and the story line was easy to follow. Sure it may disappoint some for whatever reason...but i enjoyed it because it was great entertainment. You could immerse yourself in the vision and forget about the world outside the cinema. It's definately worth seeing at the cinemas, because the detail in the animation is a lot to take in and the action is simply better when it's big and loud.
Year: 2009. Stars voice talent: Eunice Cho, Karen Disher, Queen Latifah, Denis Leary, John Leguizamo. Style: animation, comedy. Recommendation: worth seeing at the cinema
Nothing new here. Just great family animated fun. Good story, great animation. It's all good. There are some laugh out loud funny scenes...but mostly it's just light entertainment. Definately worth seeing at the cinemas.
Year: 2009. Stars: Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, John Turturro, Ramon Rodriguez, Kevin Dunn, Julie White, Isabel Lucas. Style: Sci-Fi, action. Recommendation: good entertainment.
Good action flick. Computer graphics are really well done and looks very real. Acting is all mostly good, no complaints. Isabel Lucas is stunning as always. In fact a lot of the movie is just eye candy. Plot is basically there. But that's okay...it's just meant to be entertainment, easy and fun to watch. Worth seeing at the cinemas, like most action flicks are.
Year: 2009. Stars: Alison Lohman, Justin Long, Lorna Raver, Dileep Rao, David Paymer, Adriana Barraza. Style: horror, thriller. Recommendation: enjoyable but not necessary to see at cinemas.
Lorna Raver does a pretty amazing job of Sylvia Ganush, the scary old woman. There's quite a lot of gross scenes and some go a little overboard, to a point where you don't know if the makers intended it to be funny it's just that gross. But the rest the movie is quite good. Alison Lohman is well cast as the lead. She looks vunerable, but has the ability to take matters into her hands. The ending is how it should be and you don't feel disappointed watching it. There's nothing in it that makes it necessary to watch at the cinemas. A DVD, with the lights dimmed at home will do fine.
Year: 2009. Stars: Johnny Depp, Marion Cotillard, Christian Bale, James Russo, David Wenham, Christian Stolte, Jason Clarke, John Judd, Stephen Dorff, Channing Tatum, Leelee Sobieski. Style: gangster, action, romance. Recommendation: hmmm...nothing special.
I wasn't really expecting anything when i saw this. So that probably saved me from being too disappointed. I would class this movie as romance with some action thrown in. To me, it seemed they focussed on the relationship between Dillinger and Billie...which was totally fine. But after i realised what the story was about, i thought there'd be more, well, gangster stuff. But maybe reality (as this movie is based on) is a little more boring compared to pure fiction. This movie will be fine on DVD.
Year: 2009. Stars: Channing Tatum, Marlon Wayans, Dennis Quaid, Jonathan Pryce, Ray Park, Rachel Nichols, Sienna Miller, Byung-hun Lee, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Grégory Fitoussi, Christopher Eccleston, Arnold Vosloo. Style: action. Recommendation: great action worth seeing at the cinema.
It's all mostly good full-on action. The acting is quite good and has some big names in it. I always enjoy watching Jonathan Pryce. The special effects are great in places and quite poor in others - especially the scenes in paris, which looked like some of the car chase was computer generated. But it's better than i can do...so i'll just say it was not up to the standard we've come to expect with special effects. Overall it's a pretty good movie...and definately worth seeing at the cinemas for the action.
Year: 2009. Stars: Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, David James, Mandla Gaduka, Vanessa Haywood. Style: Sci-Fi, action. Recommendation: worth seeing at the cinemas.
The start of the movie is reminiscent of a Cloverfield and Quarantine/Rec style of reality filming (read: hand held) mixed with fiction. And i kinda felt a little disappointed at first. But it helps explains a lot of the story in a very short space. As the movie gets going, there are more story scenes and less 'interview' scenes. The lead actor Sharlto Copley can seem annoying at first and i must admit it is probably because of his accent and attitude. But i eventually warmed to him and was on his side...just. The aliens are clearly the one mistreated and you want them to win. The acting was good, script was realistic and the special effects were excellent to the point it all looked totally believable. All in all, it's a very decent movie and worth seeing at the cinemas. The dark message underlying the movie is also sadly perhaps a little too true to home...and makes you feel uncomfortable to be human.
Year: 2009. Cast: Denzel Washington, John Travolta, Luis Guzmán, Victor Gojcaj, John Turturro, James Gandolfini. Style: thriller, action. Recommendation: worth seeing at the cinemas.
As always, John Travolta excels in his part. Denzel Washington is good, but Travolta steals the show. Much like Swordfish, he plays the part of the villan extremely well. The movie doesn't drag in any scene and it's well put together. The script is all good and the supporting cast play their parts well. I don't know if it was intentional or not, but the movie makes out the NY police department are completely inept at their job. Overall, it's a very good movie and worth seeing at the cinemas.
Year: 2009. Cast: Dakota Fanning, Chris Evans, Djimon Hounsou, Camilla Belle, Ming-Na. Style: Sci-Fi, thriller. Recommendation: worth seeing.
Firstly, Dakota Fanning steals the show in this one. Her presence simply overpowers the rest of the cast. Chris Evans is the only other one you notice. The movie is set in Hong Kong, which makes a pleasant change from the usual american scenery. The script, acting and special effects are all good and it never feels like it's dragging along. It's pretty much all good and definately worth seeing at the cinema.
Year: 2009. Cast: Bruce Willis, Radha Mitchell, Rosamund Pike, Boris Kodjoe, James Francis Ginty, James Cromwell, Ving Rhames, Jack Noseworthy. Style: Sci-Fi, thriller. Recommendation: better than i was expecting.
This was much better than i was expecting, perhaps because the theme of the movie made you think. And perhaps, the idea of having a surrogate of yourself, a better looking, more perfect version of yourself is something that sounds quite attractive. Although the consequences of your real self, while you're plugged in - much in the style of the matrix, is a little depressing. But the movie itself was all good, script, acting and action. And i would say it's also worth seeing at the cinemas, simply for the immersement.
Year: 2009. Cast voice talent: Edward Asner, Jordan Nagai, Christopher Plummer, Bob Peterson, Elie Docter. Style: Pixar animation. Recommendation: as always, a must see.
As always, Pixar deliver thoroughly enthralling entertainment in Up. However, i couldn't help thinking while watching it, that it didn't seem to be a great kids movie. Sure the the visuals were excellent as usual, but the storyline seemed a little too serious in parts. And those scenes felt a little long for kids' attention spans. The voice cast were well suited and made the characters truly believable. There are a couple of chuckle-funny scenes, but most are just amusing...which is not a bad thing. The actual animation is first class and a must see at the cinema. I saw the normal version - not 3D - which was totally fine. Personally, i dont think it needed to be 3D at all. Overall, a must see.
Year: 2009. Cast: Bobby Campo, Shantel VanSanten, Nick Zano, Haley Webb, Mykelti Williamson. Style: thriller, horror. Recommendation: it's okay.
More of the same in this, the 4th installment of Final Destination and possibly the last according to an entry on Wikipedia. If you liked the previous ones, you'll probably like this one, which is in 3D. While the 3D effect is good...i find i the glasses a little uncomfortable. But that aside, they made good use of the effect - i jumped several times, which was to be expected when a spike or other projectile is coming straight at you at a blistering pace. The script was pretty bad and the acting was about the same. But the storyline - exactly like the previous 3 movies - is just as good. The scenes of demise are quite gory, but thankfully over very quickly. All in all...i can't really recommend it. But if you've seen the previous 3 movies, then i would recommend it.
Year: 2009. Cast: John Cusack, Danny Glover, Thandie Newton. Style: apocalyptic. Recommendation: absolute must see at the cinema.
There is only one word for this movie. EPIC (yes, it deserves capitals) This blows every other movie of the same genre (day after tomorrow, deep impact, independence day) completely away. John Cusak is brilliant as always. And everyone else is perfectly cast. From beginning to end, i was totally captivated and it delivered on every level - beginning, end, special effects, storyline, script...everything. I could nit-pick, but that's a job for the critics. All in all...it's EPIC and it must be watched at the cinema.
Year: 2010. Stars: Katie Featherston, Micah Sloat, Mark Fredrichs. Style: horror. Recommedation: okay
I enjoy a good horror. Not the blood and gore kind. But the true scary kind. I had expectations this would be really scary (i blame the pre-release hype). But unfortunately it wasn't. The scary scenes were quite good, but it kept jumping back to everyday scenes which broke the tension and scariness. But it does pull you in...and only having two main characters, you really start to feel for them and what they're going through. The script was good, along with the acting. Yes, i would recommend seeing it at the cinemas, simply to have no distractions while watching it.
Year: 2010. Stars: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Joel Moore, Giovanni Ribisi, Michelle Rodriguez, Laz Alonso. Style: fantasy, action. Recommendation: a let down
First of all, visually, this movie is stunning! (yes with an exclamation mark). It's worth seeing just for that alone. And while not being a huge fan of 3D, this was an exception. It's never overdone and becomes very natural to watch. However, and sadly, that's all the good i can say about it. The rest was really disappointing. The clichés were plentiful, the most annoying being the part of Colonel Miles Quaritch, who looked like a character out of Small Soldiers. The script was mainly rubbish and everything was all a bit overdone. But if you can ignore that, it's worth seeing at the cinemas simply for the visuals.
Year: 2010. Stars: George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Jason Bateman, Amy Morton. Style: romance, comedy, drama. Recommendation: very much worth it.
I'm very glad i went to see this. It was just what i needed. I could see myself in Clooney's character...or rather what he believed in. It's very light entertainment, with no awkward moments, which was appreciated, for example the wedding scene, which was thankfully brushed over. Vera Farmiga is stunning as always and plays her part excellently. George Clooney has a really big grin which makes him look a little strange. But his acting is also excellent. The script is perfect and the movie never drags. It has a message behind it, which was quite thoughful. Overall, excellent - go see it.
Year: 2009. Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong, Eddie Marsan, Kelly Reilly. Style: crime, action. Recommendation: better than expected.
I went into this one with no expectations...but even if i did, i wouldn't have been disappointed. It was fun, interesting and entertaining to watch. RDJ was excellent as Sherlock, even if he did rattle off too quickly and mumble quite a few of his lines where they became simply unintelligible. Jude Law was also perfect as Watson and Rachel McAdams was a pleasure to watch. There's plenty of action to keep awake, plenty of storyline to keep you thinking and plenty of scenery of old london which albeit looked depressing, was truly well done. The script was pretty much good all the way through...and there were a couple of truly funny scenes which were welcomed. I'd happily recommend it.
Year: 2010. Cast: Jamie Foxx, Gerard Butler, Colm Meaney, Bruce McGill, Leslie Bibb. Style: thriller. Recommendation: pretty good.
Script, acting was all good. Special effects were also very good. It was very easy to feel for Gerard Butler's character and for the most part hate Jamie Foxx's character. Supposedly the movie is fiction...but to be honest, it wouldn't be hard to believe parts of it reflect true life. It kep me entralled the whole way through and enjoyed it all...except the ending. I understand why they did it that way - it wrapped it all up nicely. But i would've preferred something a little different. It's not necessary to this one at the cinemas...it will translate to DVD well.
Year: 2010. Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Robert Duvall, Guy Pearce, Charlize Theron. Style: post-apocalyptic. Recommendation: dark, but worth it.
This is worth seeing at the cinemas, simply because it lets you become engrossed in the story. Admittedly, it's a very bleak and dark story. It's post-apocalyptic...but either i missed it, or they didn't actually say what the apocalyptic event was. Maybe it's not important. The script and acting was all very good...although Charlize Theron seemed uninterested in it. Maybe it was just the part she was playing. My only wish was that they had had the female lead play a bigger role - perhaps being with the father and son on the journey. I found myself thinking about this one after i came out of the cinema...which is always a good sign that i enjoyed it. So yes, i'd recommend it.
Year: 2010. Cast: John Travolta, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Kasia Smutnia, Richard Durden. Style: action. Recommendation: alright
When i saw Luc Besson's name in the opening credits, i was immediately excited, as i love his work. However, after watching for a while, it all seemed a little awkward. I guess because i knew John Travolta was in it, i had a preconceived assumption that it would be very slick - like swordfish. His acting was excellent as always, but Rhys Meyers acting was less than convincing. There's plenty of action and it's all done in a style which seemed to be more honest, down to earth - less like typical american-style action. As the movie progressed, i got used to the style and enjoyed it more. The story - written by Luc Besson - was excellent and flowed nicely, but wasn't complicated to watch. Overall, i would still recommend seeing it at the cinemas even though it's not the best i've seen.
Year: 2010. Cast: Ethan Hawke, Sam Neill, William Dafoe, and Claudia Karvan, Isabel Lucas, Style: horror, vampires, Recommendation: excellent
This was truly an excellent film, and surprisingly so because it was Australian. I've never been a huge fan of Australian cinema, but this one was amazing. All the cast were excellent, the story was brilliant, action was great (albeit a lot of blood and gore) and the direction and feel were both superb. I there was anything i felt needed work - and this is being really picky - was in some scenes the background music/score didn't fit. Claudia Karvan, Sam Neill and William Dafoe played their parts perfectly. I've always had trouble liking Ethan Hawke, but i didn't mind him in this - even if he seemed half asleep most of the time...but maybe that's just his style. I strongly recommend seeing this at the cinemas.
Year: 2010. Stars: Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Jason Flemyng, Gemma Arterton, Alexa Davalos. Style: action, fantasy. Recommendation: worth it, but 3D not necessary.
This is a typical big budget action flick...and i don't mind those. They're fun to watch, especially when it's set in a time and place which is totally unrelatable. The scenery, which i'm guessing was pretty much all special effects, was spectacular. It was a pleasure to watch and hear the aussie accent of Sam Worthington. I feel his acting style made this movie more enjoyable. Gemma Arterton was incredibly beautiful and played her part as Io too well. I couldn't fault the special effects in the action scenes, even though some of it was a tad unbelievable. The script was for the most part all good along with the storyline which moved along a fair pace and never had a dull moment. My only negative comment is that the extra cost for 3D wasn't worth it. It would've been just as enjoyable in 2D. And you wouldn't have the frames of the 3D glasses obscuring some of the screen. All in all...go watch it at the cinemas. It will lose some of it's appeal on a small screen.
Year: 2010. Stars voice talents: Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill. Style Dreamworks animation, adventure, fantasy. Recommendation: A must see - in 2D or 3D.
I initially wasn't going to see this for fear of being stuck amongst an audience of noisy kids. Thankfully, even though the cinema was busy, i was able to sit back and enjoy this one. And enjoy it i did. From start to finish, it was spectacular, engrossing and entertaining. The animation is perhaps the best i've ever seen and the characters were almost too real to be animations - from the freckles on the arms to the natural movement of walking on others. The village where they lived was so inviting, despite the dragons, i wanted to move there. The storyline is nothing short of perfect and the script was intelligent, perhaps with the risk of leaving the younger audience a little lost, if it wasn't for the action, which is nearly non-stop in some form or another. The main dragon character - Night Fury - is also worth mentioning simply for it's mischievious nature mixed with pure destructive force. The music was also perfecly suited. I can not speak more highly of this one. It's a must 'go-see' for youngins and adults.
Year: 2010. Stars: Jay Baruchel, Alice Eve, T.J. Miller, Mike Vogel, Nate Torrence, Lindsay Sloane, Kyle Bornheimer, Jessica St. Clair, Krysten Ritter, Debra Jo Rupp. Style: Romantic comedy, Recommendation: better than anticipated.
I hesitated going to see this one at the cinemas, not because of what i thought the quality would be like, but simply because i thought it would be fine to wait for the dvd. However, seeing it at the cinemas, lets you see it without any distractions like at home. And i wasn't disappointed. The main two characters played by Jay Baruchel and Alice Eve are perfctly cast, even if Jay Baruchel is almost too akward to watch in some scenes. Alice Eve plays her part exceptionally well, with a candid and sincere approach. It's a beauty and the beast (which gets mentioned) type of movie which i felt i could relate to very easily. There are some nothing scenes which leave you fidgeting, but some very funny ones which are completely over the top which made me laugh. I think the ultimate quote from the movie is when Holly (Eve) says to Kirk (Baruchel), "you're good enough for me, but you're not good enough for you". The music throughout was well chosen and the outro song 'Undiscovered' by James Morrison fitted perfectly and made you feel happy. All in all, i can see it's probably aimed at a younger audience (which some people may feel is all too silly), but i'd still recommend it. But if you wait for the DVD it won't lose any of it's appeal.
Year: 2010. Stars: Steve Carell, Tina Fey, Mark Wahlberg, Taraji P. Henson, Jimmi Simpson, Common, William Fichtner, Ray Liotta. Style: comedy. Recommendation: okay
I like Steve Carell...which is probably the main reason i went to see this one. It seemed okay in the previews...and it was. Okay. I did laugh in several scenes, and the one-liners are pretty much non-stop. Carell and Fey are great actors and played their parts with extraordinary believability (is that a word?). There are some very funny visual scenes, but mostly it hangs on the dialogue, which is well written. I wouldn't say it's a must see at the cinemas, as i think it will translate fine to DVD. Tip: hang around as the end credits come on...they have bloopers, which as always, are funnier than the movie itself.
Year: 2010. Stars: Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman, Mila Kunis, Ray Stevenson, Jennifer Beals. Style: post apocalyptic. Recommendation: better than i hoped.
The religious/christian undertone of this movie had me thinking, should i see it? I'm glad to say though, it was totally worth it. Denzel Washington plays his part perfectly and i'm a huge fan of anything Gary Oldman does. The story is brilliant, even if i didn't much care for the purpose. The atmosphere - being post apocalyptic - was the typical dark and gloomy which i gotta say, i almost find appealing in some weird way. The dialogue was well written and it had perhaps the best music score i've ever heard in the film. It's definately worth seeing at the cinemas.
Year: 2010. Sars: Robert Downey Jr., Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Sam Rockwell, Mickey Rourke, Samuel L. Jackson, Clark Gregg. Style: action. Recommendation: average
I enjoyed the first Iron Man. I didn't enjoy this one. Maybe my mind was elsewhere, but this one just seemed less exciting. I didn't really like the arrogance of Stark's character and everyone else seemed to be struggling with lines...or didn't seem to care about delivery. Scarlett Johansson's character however had real edge and i felt was the stand-out performance of the movie. The action was plenty good and the effects were well done. I guess overall it was okay...but i just couldn't get into it.
Year: 2010. Stars: Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Zoe Saldana, Chris Evans, Idris Elba, Columbus Short, Óscar Jaenada, Jason Patric, Holt McCallany. Style: Action. Recommendation: okay.
This is pretty much what i expected - good to watch, but ultimately forgettable. I'm writing this a week after i saw it, and i'm having trouble remembering anything about at all. Which isn't to say it was bad. It was primarily a 'blow-everything-up' type of movie...and that's precisely why i went to see it. You don't have to think too much and it's simply great escapism for an hour and a bit. To be honest, all the acting was very good and it was enjoyable to watch. Sure it's cliché in a lot of parts, but they don't take themselves too seriously, which i reckon, makes it worth seeing. It's definately a cinema movie with so much big action going on.
Year: 2010. Stars: Paul Bettany, Dennis Quaid, Lucas Black, Tyrese Gibson, Adrianne Palicki, Kevin Durand, Jon Tenney, Willa Holland, Kate Walsh, Charles S. Dutton. Style: Apocolyptic. Recommendation: pretty good
I tend to like movies that slip in under the radar. I dont recall seeing any trailers for this one, which is probably for the better. The plot, story and acting were all good, along with the special effects, which did their part to make the dooms day story very real. I enjoyed watching Paul Bettany play his part as Michael. There may have been a couple of scenes which seemed rushed or didn't gel completely with the rest of the movie, but that's being very critical. Everything flowed along smoothly making for very good entertainment. To appreciate it better, i'd recommend seeing it at the cinemas.
Year: 2010. Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton, Ben Kingsley, Alfred Molina, Steve Toussaint, Toby Kebbell, Richard Coyle, Ronald Pickup. Style: adventure. Recommendation: okay
This is pretty much a family movie - which is to say, it's all very tame and sanitised, which i guess, is typical for a Disney movie. It's not a bad movie, and i think i would've enjoyed it more had i been able to watch without all the interuptions of mobile phones ringing and people talking in the cinema. There was plenty of action and the special effects - in the scenery department - was spectacular. There were some scenes which didn't seem to gel very well, like when the lead characters were one minute hating each other, then in the next almost kissing. I didn't get that at all. Would i recommend it...well yeh, sort of.
Year: 2009. Stars: Hugh Dancy, Rose Byrne, Peter Gallgher. Style: romance. Recommendation: worth seeing.
This is one from last year, which i missed at the cinemas. I like Rose Byrne, which is probably the main reason for wanting to see this one. The other reason was the story. The thing is, while watching this movie i was thinking 'hmmm...average' ...but when it finished, i realised how much i enjoyed watching it. That may have something to with the ending, which i thought was perfect (both versions)...however, some people may be disappointed. There were some awkward scenes which seemed to be more due to the acting than the script...but maybe i'm being over critical. It really is a good movie, but what made it even better - for me - was the music. I'll definately be buying the soundtrack.
Year: 2010. Stars: Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Jessica Biel, Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson, Sharlto Copley, Patrick Wilson, Gerald McRaney, Henry Czerny. Style: action. Recommendation: not really worth it
Sadly, this is a totally forgetable movie. In fact, having written this review a couple of weeks after watching it, i can't remember anything about it except how they dropped an air conditioning unit onto their black van. Overall, i'd wait for the DVD.
Year: 2010. Stars voice talents: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Ned Beatty, Don Rickles, Michael Keaton, Estelle Harris, John Morris, Jodi Benson. Style: Pixar animation. Recommendation: excellent
To be honest, i don't really remember much of Toy Story 1 and 2. Maybe i should have watched them before watching this one. Not that you need to. This is pretty much a stand alone story and you don't need to know the history to enjoy it. But from as much as i can remember of the first 2, this edition is truly funny. I laughed out loud several times. The animation - as always from Pixar - is excellent. It's simply great entertainment. Go see it at the cinemas.
Year: 2010. Stars: Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz, Peter Sarsgaard, Jordi Mollà, Viola Davis, Paul Dano. Style: action, comedy, romance. Recommendation: worth seeing.
This is a good old fashioned action flick. I loved the many locations they filmed in including Austria, Spain, and possibly Azores. The story is good and kept you interested throughout, however i would have enjoyed a few more witty lines. I'm not a huge fan of Cruise...but i enjoyed his acting in this. Similarly, i don't really see what everyone else seems to see in Diaz, but she can act perfectly fine. The action was plentiful and well done. The only minor complaint i have about it, is it seemed to jump from one place to another a little less smoothly than i would've liked. But that's being really critical. The one thing i did really like is the sub-story, which was the bucket list of places they'd like to visit. I think everyone can relate to that. I'd recommend seeing at the cinemas. Great escapism.
LATEST REVIEW - JULY 2010
Year: 2010. Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, Ken Watanabe, Marion Cotillard, Michael Caine, Lukas Haas. Style: thriller, sci-fi. Recommendation: a must see...possibly twice.
This movie is absolutely brilliant. You must go see it - at the cinemas. The story is incredible and it's delivered by the cast perfectly. Leonardo DiCaprio is as always brilliant. His acting style sometimes reminds me of Pierce Brosnan, whom i also admire. At first i thought this was going to be confusing to watch with dream (and dreams within dreams) sequences mixing with real life. But after i switched my brain on, it was easy enough to follow. However, there is alot to take in, and i found myself missing some dialogue because i was watching the scenery. I could easily watch this a second time and enjoy it just as much. The special effects while excellent, weren't overdone, but instead complimenting the storyline. This is a 10/10 movie. You must go see it.
|
