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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kokuhaku (2010) aka "Confessions"

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

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

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.

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

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2009)

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

4 stars

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

Jaws (1975)

Over 30 years on and this original blockbuster retains all its bite.

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

Hannibal Rising (2007)

Hannibal Rising, Janck snoozing.