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

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".

The American (2010)

No real thrills or spills, but The American is a beautifully crafted piece of work.

Janck 4 stars (Jan 2011)





Crime drama offers plenty of intrigue, and the Italian village backdrop offers enough escapism to ensure this is another solid Clooney picture.

Mitch 3.5 stars

Pour Elle (2008) a.k.a. Anything For Her

In spite of some artistic license, I would doing anything for Diane Kruger.


3.5 stars

Alice in Wonderland (2010)

More Jabberwocky than Cheshire Cat smile.

Janck 3 stars (March 2010)


Delivers in the colourful and quirky way you would expect, that this is almost the 'norm' for a Tim Burton effort. Is a visual treat to behold though.

Mitch 3.5 stars

Animal Kingdom (2010)

A long way from Erinsborough.

The A-Team (2010)

The plan just about comes together.

L'armée du crime (2009) aka "The Army of Crime"

Think 'Allo 'Allo! meets The Lives of Others.

Antichrist (2009)

This generated the Director's desired affect upon me; queasy & uneasy throughout. There is nothing (and I mean nothing) uplifting here; this psychological headfuck unsettles far more than the visual extremes, which are used surprisingly sparingly. That said, this is technically well made, and Charlotte Gainsbourg digs deep for a career defining role. Not for the faint of heart (or body, or soul). Troubling, unsettling, challenging.

3 stars

Away We Go (2009)

Hard to review this one. On one hand, Sam Mendes breaks from his usual genre and tries his hand at an Indie movie. Some nicely constructed scenes are peppered with forced, cliched, 'kooky' characters, however. This is big budget trying very hard to appear charming and low-budget. This is not a bad film; I've just been a bit spoilt having seen better 'real' Indie movies. Mixed feelings.


3 stars

Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain (2001) aka "Amélie"

If you don't smile watching this then shame on you :)

Avatar (2009)

JANCK : Largely pedestrian, lets hope 3D doesn't replace a decent plot, acting and script hey?

Ôdishon (1999) aka "Audition"

There is nothing like a spot of Japanese "torture porn" for a Wednesday evening.

Janck 3.5 stars (March 2008)



This takes an age to get 'interesting' before the inevitable grisly denouement. Staple Japanese horror, though did feel dated and decidedly average.

Mitch 3 stars

Appaloosa (2008)

Slow burning Western from Ed Harris, with decent cinematography. Several lukewarm characters ensure this is by no means a classic though. Awful American accent from Jeremy Irons by the way.


3 stars

Ji jie hao (2007) aka "Assembly"

After the impressive battle sequences the first half of this film treats you to, the latter half feels slightly underwhelming, but remains a powerful war epic.

3.5 stars

A Mighty Heart (2007)

US reporter gets kidnapped in Pakistan in this drama based on actual events. Quickly edited shots throughout the film capture the mood of post 9/11 uncertainty. Unexpectedly powerful movie.


4 stars

Annie Hall (1977)

Woody Allen classic with far more smiles & laughs than most "rom-coms" of today.

3.5 stars

All the Boys Love Mandy Lane (2006)

Picking off teenagers one by one with teenage 'issues' is uninventive to the point of cliché. The movie tries to claw it back towards the end, at which point it becomes as forgettable as it is farcical. I expected a lot more from this 18 certificate teen movie.


2.5 stars

Alpha Dog (2006)

This may be inspired by true events of when a kidnap goes awry; but the partying, drugs, guns, and Justin Timberlake give this far too much of a teen movie feel.


3 stars

Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, The (2007)

Quite breathtaking cinematography (especially the opening train robbery at Blue Cut, a stunning sequence of shots), great story and top notch acting .. all the ingredients for a fantastic film, and thankfully rookie director Andrew Dominik pulls it off producing a gem of a movie.

Janck 4.5 stars


Some of the best cinematography I've seen in years. The way this is shot truly puts the viewer in the heart of the story. This movie will be overlooked by many; but word of mouth should ensure this lives on in the memory, much like Jesse James.

Mitch 4 stars