Stake Land (2010)

Like The Road but with more bite.

Drive (2011)

Drive feels like the kind of film Quentin Tarantino could have made 15 years ago. Gritty, stylish and further cementing Gosling as one of Hollywood's most intersting actors.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)

Gary Oldman strives to get the wrong one out in Tomas Alfredson's masterful follow-up to one of my favourite films in recent years.

Rango (2011)

Chameleon protagonist shouldn't find it too hard to blend in to this love letter to Westerns.

3 stars

Unknown (2011)

Thriller by numbers is reassuringly Hollywood and entertains on its own merit. How many Takens/Unknows Liam Neeson will now typecast himself from here on is the only real known unknown.

3.5 stars

Submarine (2010)

Decent Britflick from Richard Ayoade presents a coming-of-age tale with a genuine charm that cuts through the cloying schmaltz of the mass market machine. Funny, moving and nicely shot.


4 stars

The Town (2010)

Decent, just can't help but we've seen it all before and better film was hidden in there somewhere.. still worth checking out though.

Janck 3.5 stars (Feb 2011)




Enjoyable enough crime thriller which although is solidly made, does not stick too long in the memory to make it a classic. Directed by Ben Affleck, the end result is very 'safe'.

Mitch 3.5 stars

The Adjustment Bureau (2011)

"Bourne meets Inception" says the film poster, however, there is unashamedly a large dose of romance, and, dare I say it, 'chick flick' cunningly disguised here. Emily Blunt is irresitible and annoying in equal measure though (no doubt due to some Hollywood exec telling her 'Oooh Emily, we just LOVE your Britishness'). Big themes of love/life/fate/choices make for a very mixed bag indeed.

3 stars

Battle: Los Angeles (2011)

Being a huge fan of the Alien Invasion genre, Battle: LA pulls no punches in basically just being Black Hawk Down with aliens. Battle, struggle, set-pieces, explosion, CGI, half-time and full-time results - it's all there. As is a, now obligatory, Michelle Rodriguez role as 'kick-ass female with a firearm'. Visual feast; paper thin and meaty at the same time.


2.5 stars

Black Swan (2010)

Lesbianism, madness, Black Swan. The dark side are they.

Janck 4 stars (Jan 2011)






Aronofsky's use of symbolism and metaphor are sublime in this dark, psychological mystery. Lives up to the hype; recommended, raw, and cinematic.

Mitch 4.5 stars

Paranormal Activity (2007)

Shot on a shoestring budget, Paranormal Activity is proof that you don't need to be a megabucks blockbuster to be tedious and boring.

Film Jam 2 stars
Rotten Tomatoes 82%
Metacritic 68 out of 100

El secreto de sus ojos (2009) aka "The Secret in Their Eyes"

Although my mind is still boggling at A Prophet not winning Best Foreign Language film at last years Oscars, this is still a very worthy and rewarding winner.

Janck 4 stars (Feb 2011)




Academy Award Winner. Well paced Argentinian thriller, with sub-plots, twists and turns, and a reassuring darkness at the core.

Mitch 4 stars

Monsters (2010)

Surprisingly cerebral and pedestrian 'invasion' monster movie. Action is used sparingly, which makes for an unexpected drama here. Cinematography (outstanding), writing, visual effects, and direction all from promising Brit newcomer Gareth Edwards.

3.5 stars

Akmareul boatda (2010) aka "I Saw the Devil"

(Yet) Another uber-violent, stylish revenge thriller from the South Koreans.. but, they don't half know how to make them.

Film Jam 4 stars
Rotten Tomatoes 81%
Metacritic 67 out of 100

Easy A (2010)

Easy to watch and good fun, it's a-okay.

Film Jam 3.5 stars
Rotten Tomatoes 85%
Metacritic 72 out of 100

Red (2010)

Aging stars turn up and take the paycheck here; they run around a fair bit and wise-crack even more, but the end result falls flat.


2.5 stars

Paul (2011)

Littered with Star Wars references, and pays homage to many others, this film is an enjoyable enough no-brainer.

3 stars

Blue Valentine (2010)

Review to follow....


4 stars

The House of the Devil (2009)

Tidy old school horror, genuinely suspenseful until the ending just boils over.

Film Jam 3.5 stars
Rotten Tomatoes 86%
Metacritic 73 out of 100

Mammoth (2009)

Family and globalisation are examined in this well-meaning but flawed drama.

127 Hours (2010)

Aron Ralston gives an arm, not a leg, to escape the Utah canyons.

Kokuhaku (2010) aka "Confessions"

Yuko Moriguchi teaches her pupils a hard lesson in this psychological thriller.

Crank (2006)

It's dumb.. really dumb.. but did make me smile.

Janck 3 stars (March 2011)


Review to follow...

Mitch 1 star

True Grit (2010)

Nominated for ten Oscars but didn't win any, which seems about right.

Janck 3.5 stars (Feb 2011)


Review to follow....

Mitch 3.5 stars

The Fighter (2010)

Like a powerful jab to the emotions, The Fighter is a true winner.

Janck 4 stars (Feb 2011)





Review to follow....

Mitch 4.5 stars

The King's Speech (2010)

As we enter awards season I'd imagine Colin Firth et al. are all mastering speeches of their own.

Janck 4.5 stars (Jan 2011)





Review to follow....

Mitch 4 stars

The Green Hornet (2011)

Disappointing superhero movie which doesn't really click for Seth Rogen or the creative vision of Michel Gondry. A bit silly, and not much originality.


2.5 stars

The Hangover Part II (2011)

If you loved the first one, you'll like this.. but if you disliked part one then you'll hate it.

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest (2009)

More courtroom drama than action/thriller, this is still a decent end to a decent trilogy.

3.5 stars

Legend of the Guardians: The Owls Of Ga'Hoole (2010)

Some of the best CGI in animation you'll be likely to see, this fantasy tale has a certain charm and a touch of 'Lord of the Rings' to it.

3 stars

GasLand (2010)

Gas Panic! in small communities across the United States, all adversely effected by fracking gas companies.

Thor (2011)

All the boom and bombast you'd expect from a Branagh comic book superhero.

The Social Network (2010)

Janck 4.5 stars (Oct 2010)




I am indifferent about Facebook and it's daily usage, but I do appreciate a talented young cast and an Oscar winning screenplay. Extremely well made, Fincher combines all the elements well to tell a fascinating story.

Mitch 4.5 stars

Skyline (2010)

One dimensional storyline as a bunch of model-slash-actors battle against alien invasion. How thoroughly entertained I was though ;) If you hate excessive CGI, you will hate this.


3 stars

London Boulevard (2010)

Average crime thriller with a cast of familiar faces, however this isn't as clever or killer as you're left hoping it should be.


3 stars

Buried (2010)

"Dark"

Wai dor lei ah yut ho (2010) aka "Dream Home"

Violent thriller about Hong Kong's killer house prices.

Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010)

Possibly Banksy's most elaborate piece of work to date, and great fun for it.

The Mechanic (2011)

Nuts 'n bolts actioner.

Let Me In (2010)

Not quite as subtle nor considered.. everything you'd expect from a Hollywood remake.

Janck 3.5 stars (Oct 2010)





Well made in its own right, but there's really not much need to check this out if you've already seen the original. Faithful remake.

Mitch 3.5 stars

Tropa de Elite (2007) aka "Elite Squad"

Uncompromising police voilence dished out in the favelas of Rio, but any comparisons to City of God are way off the mark.

Janck 3.5 stars (May '09)




Raw, but not groundbreaking. Puts the viewer in the frame with great effect, at the expense of a more solid storyline.

Mitch 3.5 stars

American: The Bill Hicks Story (2009)

I dare not even attempt a glib quip here, and will just say if you're interested in finding out more about one of America's most groundbreaking comedians then look no further.. otherwise "you suck".

Never Let Me Go (2010)

A haunting and downbeat affair, which is probably why Never Let Me Go was laregly shunned by audiences and awards alike.

Winter's Bone (2010)

Bleak Missouri drama with pockets of intensity, but largely downbeat.


3.5 stars

The Girl Who Played with Fire (2009)

Part II plays with fire, but doesn't quite turn up the heat from the previous installment. Good thriller in its own right though.

3.5 stars

Megamind (2010)

Enjoyable enough Dreamworks fodder, with some slick set pieces for world domination enthusiasts of all ages.


3.5 stars

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2009)

Cracking opening to a decent trilogy. No wonder the Hollywood remake is on the way.

4 stars

Jackass 3D (2010) aka "Jackass 3"

It's full of sh!t.

Source Code (2011)

Very satisfying follow up to Moon, which, and whisper it quietly, is on a par with Inception.
Janck 4 stars

There's very much a 'something borrowed' feel to this, and though this manages to create a solid cerebral mystery, it's the more light-hearted Groundhog Day moments that raise smiles, intentionally or otherwise. The heavy thematic plotlines and characters coupled with a cloying schmaltz do make this feel like a very safe studio release, however. The individual parts are nothing new, but the sum of them is still a very engaging sci-fi thriller.
Mitch 3.5 stars