Letters from Iwo Jima (2006)

Decent war epic depicting the American invasion of the island of Iwo Jima, told exclusively from the Japanese viewpoint. (Note to self: check out Eastwood's companion movie Flags of our Fathers for the American viewpoint). Clint Eastwood's direction is excellent; there are some very moving scenes, although I was somehow expecting more.


3.5 stars

Casualties of War (1989)

Powerful and superior "prequel" to Redacted, shame that MJF seemed a little out of his depth.

4.5 stars

21 (2008)

There were parts of this movie I enjoyed, but for a film that was at least 30 minutes too long the characterisation was really lacking. Relationships changed midway through the movie with no development of how we got there ..unless I fell asleep during the film.. but essentially it is harmless enough. (Not quite a) Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

3 stars

Gin gwai (2002) aka "The Eye"

Not really that scary, but enough in it's locker to keep your eyes from drifting.. NB Jessica Alba looks more Chinese than I remember.

3 stars

[Rec] (2007)

Superlative Spanish horror shocker that leaves you thinking long after the end credits, with an inoffensive runtime of approx 75 mins. There is much to appreciate here; the low budget and docu-style camera add intensity to, rather than cheapen, this picture. I'm gutted that Hollywood deems it necessary to remake this movie (barely a year?!) so soon. Bloody impressive.


4 stars

Tsotsi (2005)

South African film in which some parallels will be drawn alongside City of God. Worth checking out. Won Oscar.


3.5 stars

Candy (2006)

Bittersweet tale of love and addiction. Kind of a Trainspotting lite (via Ramsey Street).

3.5 stars

Leatherheads (2008)

A Randy Newman score and George Clooney, I legally can't give it less than..

3 stars

RoboCop (1987)

It's a shame toxic waste deaths went out of fashion after the 80s, RoboCop has a good one.. lets hope we see even more of them in 2010.

3.5 stars

The Brothers Grimm (2005)

A peculiar film that seems part Hollywood blockbuster and part Maid Marian and her Merry Men. Some funny lines between Damon and Ledger make this decent enough, and worth a peek.

3 stars

Shoot 'Em Up (2007)

Not so bad it's good; just bad. Made for action junkies, this has about as much substance as candyfloss.


2 stars

The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (2007)

Interesting and funny look inside the world of Twin Galaxies and competitive retro gaming. Donkey Kong is one thing.. but I'd Pwn these guys when it comes to Halo ;-)

4 stars

Son of Rambow (2007)

Disappointed with this movie, I'm not quite sure if it's the annoying brat in one of the leads or just that it tries too hard.. but Son of Rambow doesn't work for me.

2 stars

Joy Division (2007)

Fascinating documentary about one of the first great bands to come out of Manchester in the past 30 years.

4 stars

Rescue Dawn (2006)

Loosely based on a true story, a pilot crash lands in Vietnam and needs to keep his wits about him from the dangers of the jungle and the Vietcong. Christian Bale is predictably excellent, although strong support from Steve Zahn and Jeremy Davies ensure he doesn't steal every scene. Immersive stuff.


4 stars

An Inconvenient Truth (2006)

Big budget Geography GCSE presentation comes good in this documentary enlightening us all on global warming/climate change. Al Gore is a natural orator, especially given this issue is close to his heart. Well put together with no hard sell; after all "the science speaks for itself". Decent Sunday afternoon viewing.


3.5 stars

The Fountain (2006)

Enjoyed more than I thought I would, a shame it went through development hell.

3 stars

I Am Legend (2007)

Hollywood fluff to be honest. Pretty corny, but not an absolute waste of time. I would have liked this if I was 15.


3 stars

The Counterfeiters (Die Fälscher) (2007)

One of the lesser known tales of WWII, this absorbing story centres on a group of note forgery criminals within Nazi controlled concentration camps . Karl Markovics is outstanding in the lead role; the narrative deftly leads the viewer through moments of real tension. An impressive achievement in cinema.

4.5 stars