– almost a return to form for Tony Scott
Dog Pound
– raw drama set in a youth detention centre, beautiful soundtrack. Butcher is one to watch
Rabbit Hole
– depressing and dull drama exploring parents post trauma
Keane
– Damien Lewis displays his remarkable talent again in this gritty tearjerker
The Girl Who Played With Fire
– less gripping than the first
Pandorum
– another unexpected treat. I’m still hoping for a sequel. Great sci-fi
Submarine
– Lala indie brit flick. Pretty pretentious to be honest
The Guard
– intelligent black comedy with terrific acting from Brendan Gleeson
Man Bites Dog
– pioneering a spinoff genre and redefining black comedy. Gold.
Funny Games US
– twisted, depraved, slow burning horror that will make your skin crawl
Cell 211
– jumped straight in to my top films, the story of an inmate with a difference
Drive Angry
– sexy and action filled but unsatisfying on every other level
Winter’s Bone
– great cinematography, but not exactly riveting
Green Lantern
– overly green and shiny superhero action flick, pretty lame
Sexy Beast
– original and very blackly comic heist movie
Joshua
– another freaky kid horror, more entertaining than usual
The Veteran
– An unusual drama. Kebbell should do more like this (not shooting up estates)
Despicable Me
– lighthearted animated flick. Nothing special but ticks the boxes
The Expendables
– Stallone’s all out adrenaline pumping action jizzle
Conviction
– worth it for Rockwell if nothing else
Bad Teacher
– almost as bad as Your Highness except Diaz can still pull off sexy
Bottle Rocket
– Anderson at his most offbeat and droll. Genius screenwriting
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
– the original, great film making if a bit overrated…
Contagion
– boring, almost documentary style approach to the damage of a global epidemic virus, no Outbreak
Monsters
– brilliantly effective alien sci fi, unlikely and unnecessary romance plot
Ghost Dog: Way of the Warrior
– slow but well concocted samurai hitman movie
The Siege
– terrorism thriller in the heart of the US complete with bells and whistles
Peter Kay – The Tour That Didn’t Tour
– the comic strikes again. Hilarious and pretty much 100% original material.
The Secret in their Eyes
– groundbreaking spanish thriller with superb direction and acting
What’s Eating Gilbert Grape
– touching but dated drama with solid performances all round
High Fidelity
– fun with Cusack and Jack Black, not exactly comedy gold though
Poltergeist
– Probably pretty convincing once upon a time but agonisingly dated
Animal Kingdom
– hard hitting drama, pretty gritty
The Killer Inside Me
– a shockingly brutal film, extreme violence against women
Jeremiah Johnson
– Redford’s tale of adventures in the wilderness
Case 39
– uninspiring unoriginal horror of the freaky kid variety
Knight and Day
– watch the trailer and you’ve seen it all, soul destroyingly tedious
The Winning Season
– Charming and endearing comedy with Sam Rockwell demonstrating skills
Chico & Rita
– psychedelic animations brought to life by excellent latin jazz
The Hangover: Part 2
– even less funny than the first, why did I bother?
Splice
– bizarre sci-fi horror in the vein of HG Wells
Johnny English Reborn
– more giggles and slapstick from Rowan Atkinson
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
– Wasted effort…
The Other Guys
– hilarious, a series of ludicrous sketches strung together with a plot, almost as good as Superbad
Saw 3D
– another pointless gorefest with an implausible twist and over-egged climax
Shutter
– very jumpy horror packed with everything you’d expect from the genre
Limitless
– Bradley Cooper is already painfully smug and here he has an IQ off the charts. Nauseating.
The American
– beautifully shot, very engaging story, a favourite
Bridesmaids
– puerile rubbish, compared to the Hangover because they’re both witless crap
The Change Up
– base and explicit humour at it’s best, still grotty though
Your Highness
– worthless trash, quite frankly a terrible, witless film
Super 8
– inspirational for amateur film makers but kind of average as an action adventure
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part One
– the beginning of the end, nothing special but a light-hearted romp
Get Him To The Greek
– one of the worst films I’ve ever seen. Avoid.
Wild Target
– lighthearted and unfortunately largely humourless attempt at British action comedy
The Collector
– terrific acting by Patrick Stewart, a horror in the style of The Cube
Horrible Bosses
– funny but very puerile comedy with a great cast
Hard Candy
– even if you can stand Ellen Page this is an unnecessary effort
Stone
– disappointing from Ed Norton and DeNiro
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
– Now it’s over, the whole lot needs a remake, lets start now!
A River Runs Through It
– a wonderful film in every sense. Enchanting and emotional. It’ll leave a mark.
Meek’s Cutoff
– very well filmed but boring and uneventful western
Red
– extremely entertaining action comedy with a cast of hollywood heroes
Grosse Point Blank
– Cusack has a lot of fun as the killer with a conscience in this black comedy
The Whistleblower
– harsh and realistic portrayal of sex trafficking, a true story
Blood Work
– classic Eastwood, but not in the same league as In The Line Of Fire
The Believer
– unsettling but gripping. Gosling is a perfect anti-hero.
Carlito’s Way
– Al Pacino’s best I think. A masterclass in filmmaking.
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
– not a favourite but a sound sort-of-faux-biopic
Sucker Punch
– an erotic fantasy featuring school girls fighting dragons. Sexy but not much else.
The Lincoln Lawyer
– an enjoyable watch but totally forgettable
From Paris With Love
– enjoyable action does what it says on the tin
Dark City
– bizarre and oppressive but intriguing sci-fi
Serpico
– a decent classic. Watch it.
The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest
– my favourite of the trilogy but no less epic
Melancholia
– dull dull dull
Black Death
– an exciting gory medieval period piece with sword fighting and black magic galore
The Fountain
– An exceptional score by Clint Mansell. Pretentious and boring film.
Little Fockers
– the third in the trilogy, still breaks a few laughs
The Exam
– mystery thriller will keep you guessing
Dylan Dog: Dead of Night
– low budget but surprisingly slick vampire flick
The Social Network
– another gripping screenplay from Aaron Sorkin
Out of Sight
– one of Soderbergh’s sloppier wannabe-slick thrillers
Unthinkable
– american rightwing pro torture propaganda, practically 24 the movie with none of the charm
Cyrus
– bizarrely emotive offbeat comedy, highly recommended
Hanna
– an unconventional tale of an assassin
Wrong Turn
– infuriatingly stupid characters result in a frustrating and cliched horror
Dead Mans Shoes
– in your face and hard hitting
Der Unhold [The Ogre]
– a poignant but beautiful wartime tale from an unusual perspective. Highly recommended.
88 Minutes
– riddled with plot holes but a good yarn
In The Electric Mist
– bland wannabe thriller lacking any excitement
The Dark Knight
– the one and only: Joker vs the Bat.
Bronson
– bold and brutal, deserving of your time
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
– well cast and well acted, a top quality remake
Drive
– slow burning, but a top class thriller from the first shot
The Fish Child
– uncomfortable viewing
Midnight in Paris
– Woody Allen jumps through Parisian eras with Owen Wilson in tow, great
Dylan Moran – Yeah Yeah
– classic Moran.
1408
– Stephen King horror with Cusack at his most depraved
Boogie Nights
– very funny and enlightening perspective of one boys trip through the porn industry
Control
– fascinating insight in to the lives of Ian Curtis and Joy Division
Trust
– very scary but excellent portrayal of online sexual predators and their affect on families, heartbreaking
Insidious
– almost blow for blow remake of Poltergeist with many of the same problems
Mindhunters
– shambolic and smug whodunnit in the style of Identity
Butterfly on a Wheel
– an above average concept frustratingly full of plot holes and inadequacies
Beginners
– though highly acclaimed, this didn’t capture my interest at all
Inception
– Nolan proves huge blockbuster thrillers can be intelligent (even mindboggling)
The Basketball Diaries
– harrowing and tragic drama with phenomenal acting all round
Fair Game
– interesting but distinctly unthrilling
Blitz
– watch it for Aidan Gillen as the cop killer
Source Code
– From Duncan Jones of Moon success, crazy shiz on a train. Definitely worth watching
Wag the Dog
– classic Hoffman and DeNiro, hilarious
Hesher
– Joseph Gordon Levitt is a nihilist and unlikely role model for a troubled boy, worth a watch
Captain America: The First Avenger
– more Hollywood superhero action fare, not one of the best
After.Life
– surreal and weird mystery thriller, intriguing but not my thing
Fast Five
– another trashy action blockbuster but the best in the series so far
Cherry Tree Lane
– very dark, unpleasant and difficult to watch home invasion horror, too slow to be fun
Win Win
– touching and appealing film of wayward youth turned family saviour
The Karate Kid
– a tame Hollywood remake lacking the charm of the original
The Ides of March
– fast talking, smooth and sexy with great performances all round
The Dead Girl
– well constructed but forgettable drama surrounding the story of a dead girl
127 Hours
– an exercise in audience patience, stylised but dull
Hereafter
– Eastwood misses again and an odd choice for Damon
In The Line Of Fire
– in my top five thrillers. Malkovich and Eastwood at the top of their game. See it.
Broken Embraces
– loved by many but not my cup of tea, no doubt well done though
The Accidental Spy
– Jackie Chan will make you smile, everything else will make you yawn
The Disappearance of Alice Creed
– slow burning and surprisingly unpredicatable
How To Train Your Dragon
– fun animated adventure with some great visuals
The Human Stain
– pretty flat and dull to be honest
Rescue Dawn
– phenomenal and powerful story, emotionally ravaging
Tamara Drewe
– painfully long and unfunny rom-com without even a stunning lead
The
X-Men: First Class
– a brilliant prequel which falls down on a few inconsistencies and inapt references to the trilogy
La Femme Nikita
– the definition of femme fatale; a french hit girl with an attitude
What Lies Beneath
– a bit whack, some nice suspense though
The Lookout
– interesting, with good performances, but not exactly edge of seat
Assault on Precinct 13
(the original) – boring and ultimately pointless with a terrible script
[Rec]
– spanish horror, fairly standard but some pleasant au frisson
Batman Begins
– the first in Nolan’s record breaking trilogy
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
– mildly entertaining if you have the time and inclination for more of the same
Barton Fink
– more Coen brothers, the usual troubled and apocalyptic themes
Fugitive
– excellent thriller with fantastic editing and direction
Suspect Zero
– a lacklustre serial killer thriller that bleeds out when it incorporates voodoo magic
Step Brothers
– slapstick, puerile; totally unfunny.
The Sea Inside (Mar Adentro)
– tragic and heartbreaking true story about euthanasia
Swimming Pool
– haunting erotic mystery. Slow paced indie vibe.
Red State
– not a fan of Kevin Smith but this is an interesting take on religious extremism
The Town
– a nail biting, taught and suspenseful thriller from Affleck. Excellent.
The A Team
– if you can stand Bradley Cooper this is watchable
Certified Copy
– a boring piece of pseudo-intellectual foreign film
The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader
– Better than Caspian.
Girl, Interrupted
– much better than anticipated; a dramatic, tragic psychodrama
The Fighter
– the bickering family environ makes for a headache inducing watch despite spectacular acting and gripping drama
The Mechanic
– above average stylish thriller but a typical Statham venture
Due Date
– you’ll laugh, but it’s highly unoriginal and pretty lowbrow
The Tree of Life
– no doubt pretentious, but still exploring deep themes with beautiful cinematography
Mulholland Drive
– never understood the acclaim for this movie
The Last Exorcism
– original take on the highly overused exorcism genre
Black Swan
– mesmerising, horrifying, disturbing but beautiful
The Experiment
– not a scratch on the German original, don’t bother
The Spy Who Came In From The Cold
– inexplicably acclaimed classic, left me nonplussed
Triangle
– highly original, cleverly constructed and mindbending horror/ thriller which will have you trawling the forums
Avatar
– exotic and groundbreaking visuals to the plot of Pocahontas. Lovely.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
– further fantastic effects from the WETA team, now someone hire them for a solid script
Blood Simple
– the Coen’s first feature, and the quintessence of their directorial style
The Next Three Days
– Fast paced and entertaining, far from exceptional though
Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
– a British classic, hilarious and compelling.
Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World
– great, but not as good as expected
Salt
– frustratingly weak plot complemented by ludicrous action
Suicide Kings
– Walken is great in this unlikely winner
Shelter
– potential but doesn’t deliver
Pet Sematary
– sickly terrifying, a Stephen King classic
Confidence
– high brow cast for a decidedly average con flick
The Hunt for Red October
– Connery in another nail-biting thriller
Unleashed
– cheesy feel good action
Greenberg
– unusually bitter sweet for Stiller
Mesrine: Killer Instinct
Monster
– extreme, sickening, well made
The Quick and the Dead
– above average western with great performances all round
The Secret Life of Bees
– Tragic and heartwarming
Ocean’s 13
– and the same again….
The Princess Bride
– hilarious, ridiculous and nonsensical
S1m0ne
– farfetched but great concept
Invictus
– surprisingly entertaining, Freeman solid as ever
Bunny and the Bull
– disappointing effort from the Boosh crew
Training Day
– grows in to a great movie
Doubt
– Two pros at the top of their game sparring; gripping!
Paycheck
– cringeworthy but entertaining, stock Affleck
The Hudsucker Proxy
– original, if a little too eccentric
Clear and Present Danger
– somewhat drawn out but decent enough
Unbreakable
– bizarre, slow but enjoyable
Out of Time
– cheesy and tame, cliche ridden thriller
Inception
– another brilliantly exciting mind twister from Nolan
Toy Story 3
– fantastic, phenomenally well made
Ocean’s 12
– highly entertaining as always
Daybreakers
– at last a decent vamp film
Vantage Point
– entertaining if gimmicky
8mm
– worth one watch. probably.
Alice in Wonderland
– disappointingly dull
Bubba Ho-tep
– refreshingly bizarre
Fish Tank
– hard hitting and brilliant
Book of Eli
– even better the second time
Endgame
– a slow informative doc
Awakenings
– heartbreaking, beautiful
Memento
– fantastic head f*ck
Noise
– peculiar but interesting
A Single Man
– overhyped and pretentious
Shrek Forever After
– disappointing, another rehash
Frailty
– uninspiring horror
Stir of Echoes
– very effective, haunting and creepy
The Crazies
– nothing special, predictable
The Relic
– better than the same would be today
Charlie Wilson’s War
– another Aaron Sorkin, a delight
Superbad
– phenomenal, and even better in Blu
Spider Man 3
Changeling
– Jolie surprises
Four Lions
– hilarious but thought-provoking
Happy Gilmore
– classic Adam Sandler.
Mean Creek
– disturbing, brutal, moving
Green Zone
– bloody entertaining actually.
The Road
– emotionally charged
Malice
– Aaron Sorkin on top form as usual, Baldwin is great
Malice
– terrific old school Sorkin
Brooklyn’s Finest
The Maiden Heist
– family fun, but not much of it
Derailed
– predictable but very enjoyable
Hot Tube Time Machine
– Utter bollocks. Obscene and unfunny.
The Escapist
– Riveting. Very impressive.
Harry Brown
– pretty shoddy. don’t bother.
Gran Torino
– Clint growls too much, dull
I Love You Philip Morris
– both Carey and McGregor are on top form
The Bounty Hunter
– Absolute bollocks.
Days of Heaven
– Beautiful
Swimming with Sharks
– Unexpectedly Funny
The Witness
– Enjoyable but not so thrilling
Leaves of Grass
– A Bit Dull
Vampire aka Demon Under Glass
– laughable B-movie
The Book of Eli
– Surprisingly effective action
Iron Man 2
– Exciting and Funny
Shutter Island
– Overhyped but still good
Legends of the Fall
The Royal Tenenbaums
Avatar
– Visually stunning is all
The Conversation
Reign Over Me
– Moving But Slow
Robin Hood
– Fresh and Upbeat