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Todd Murphy is a film analyst and staff writer/reviewer for the film and DVD review web site, All About Movies.net. He has written numerous reviews for the latest cinema releases and a number of articles. He is also an administrator of the financial web site Wealth-Advice.net

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Film Review - 2012 (2009)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: Director Roland Emmerich delivers his best money shots to date in this epic disaster movie about the end of the world, but there is something very undignified about what watching billions die as a piece of entertainment (as long as our heroes survive) as well as the fact that it is all completely ridiculous. THE GOOD: The disaster flick has become Roland Emmerich's specialty genre, and in many respects, this film follows the same template as his previous films, save only the premise of what causes the destruction. In this instance, the end of the...

Film Review - The Box (2009)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: An unusual, bizarre and multi-faceted thriller from 'Donnie Darko' director Richard Kelly, who manages to steep this film with a rich and engaging story, with solid performances from its cast, although it does become somewhat ridiculous and anti-climatic by the end. THE GOOD: The film starts off quite simply: a box is delivered on the door step of the home of Norma and Arthur Lewis (Diaz, Marsden). Norma brings the box inside, unravels it, and finds a simple, but well designed box on the inside, with a red button on top.

Film Review - Michael Jackson's This is it (2009)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] A fitting tribute to the late Michael Jackson, "This Is It" provides well edited rehearsal footage of those performances he was due to give in London which fans will no doubt cherish, although this pseudo-documentary could have had more coverage of Jackson's interactions with those around him rather than the fleeting glimpses we are ultimately given.

Film Review - Sunshine Cleaning (2008)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] An odd and morbid premise is the unlikely setting for a feel-good, realistic character drama of two sisters who get in to a biohazard/forensic clean-up business. However, the resulting film is more a forgettable made-for-TV movie than a cinematic experience.

Film Review - My Best Friend's Girl (2008)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] Vulgar, disgusting, offensive and occasionally funny, "My Best Friend's Girl" does not actually fall down on these points but rather its inconsistent, stupid and implausible plotting and execution. Tank (Dane Cook) has a talent for being the ultimate bad boy, so much so that men hire him to take their ex-girlfiends out on dates that are so terrible that when Tank is finished, the ex-girlfriend goes running back in to their ex-boyfriend's arms.

Film Review - Julie & Julia (2009)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] A charming film about the true story of how one woman finds inspiration and success from the life-story of celebrity chef Julia Child, although it is let down by the fact that it is too long and nothing much happens dramatically. Read more...

Film Review - 17 Again (2009)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] Zac Efron does an incredible job carrying this high concept film of a man who gets the chance to re-do his life over again, but he is let down by some stupid sequences and by-the-numbers direction that ultimately rob his effective and likeable presence of all that it deserves. "17 Again" is hardly original but is imminently watchable thanks to the dynamic presence of Zac Efron who not only single-handedly carries the film, but demonstrates he can act as well...

Film Review - No Reservations (2007)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] "No Reservations" has a subtle European sensibility with beautiful images and pacing, which works in its favour in the first half, particularly with its likeable lead actors and plot set-up. Unfortunately, the film meanders along aimlessly to a ho-hum climax in the second half due to weak scripting and dramatic direction.

Film Review - Die Hard 4.0 Live Free Or Die Hard (2007)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] The action is well staged, the one-liners are prevalent, and the film is overall very entertaining but one cannot help shake the fact that this entry in the "Die Hard" franchise is at best a pale imitation of its predecessors, from Bruce Willis down. Read more...

Film Review - Godsend (2004)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] A highly effective horror premise is poorly handled in this mis-directed and clumsy piece of filmmaking about a family who get their dead son back through an ill-advised cloning experiment. Paul (Kinnear) and Jesse (Romijn-Stamos) are grief-stricken parents who lose their beloved son Adam (Bright) in a tragic car accident.

Film Review - Ghost Town (2008)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] Although billed as a comedy, "Ghost Town" is more a light-hearted character drama which may disappoint those looking for more from Ricky Gervais who puts in an understated performance in this talky and slower-paced film. What makes "Ghost Town" a different take on the usual for the genre is that the 'ghost' idea is merely a device to set up interactions between selfish dentist Bertram Pincus (Ricky Gervais) and his unwelcome encounters with people, dead or alive.

Film Review - Obsessed (2009)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] Aside from some moments of fun, particularly in the climax, "Obsessed" is a lame thriller which basically duplicates the pinnacle of the genre "Fatal Attraction" but without a decent script, direction or acting (with the exception of Idris Elba). "Obsessed" follows in the footsteps of other films, most notably "Fatal Attraction", in telling the story of a man stalked by a psychotic woman desiring his affection.

Film Review - Surrogates (2009)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] Sporting a visually slick look with great production values, "Surrogates" proves to be an otherwise dull, directionless and muddled affair, echoing previous films of the genre such as "Total Recall", "I, Robot" and "Blade Runner" despite a premise that could have made for a unique film. "Surrogates" starts with the fascinating premise of humans using robot automatons to carry out the functions of every day life through an interface in to the brain...

Film Review - Up (2009)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] Pixar do not seem to know how to make a bad film, cranking out another winner with "UP", a delightful new CG-animated flick that has all the charm, character, story and visual sophistication we have all come to expect from Pixar, despite its unusual concept. "UP" tells the story of 78 year old Carl Frederickson who sets out to fulfil his lifelong dream of exploring the wilds of South America.

Film Review - Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (2009)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] The sixth film in the series continues on a darker narrative path, with a very even and mysterious tone with glorious visuals. However, as with the other films in this franchise, this is very light stuff indeed story-wise, making it hard to recommend to any one looking for a story with a bit of meat on the bone or a genuine cinematic experience.

Film Review - Inglourious Basterds (2009)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] Tarantino manages to serve up one of his better films in this rather fun and unique re-imagining of end of World War II, filled with his trademark witty dialogue and violence. The film is however way too long, putting a major dent in an otherwise very clever film.

Film Review - The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] Using the intriguing premise of the original and the wasted talents of Denzel Washington and John Travolta, Tony Scott manages to turn this remake in to a stupid, noisy MTV clip that will make you laugh inappropriately rather than take you on its hostage thrill ride. "The Taking Of Pelham 1 2 3" manages to start in a good place with its basic premise of an unknown team of hijackers taking control of a subway car and demanding a ten million dollar ransom from the Mayor of New York. It helps immensely that John Travolta as "Ryder" is leading the group of hijackers in a role he looks to be relishing. Denzel Washington is more low key in this role as the everyman Walter Garber who happens to be on the other end of the line when Ryder starts making demands.

Film Review - The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] A touching and heart-warming story, inspired by a true account, of a man who hits rock bottom but manages to pull through and become the embodiment of the American Dream with his positivity and determination, all in service of protecting the welfare of his son and provide as a father. Although this is a story about living the American Dream, it is in essence a dream that almost any one can relate to having, if not the specifics of what happens to the lead character of Chris Gardner (Will Smith). He is a struggling father who is trying to keep his family together by selling bone density scanners that hospitals do not really need.

Film Review - Confessions of a Shopaholic (2009)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] Despite being well shot and starring a very strong supporting cast, "Confessions of a Shopaholic" is inconsistent in tone and let down by its lead Isla Fisher who cannot hope to carry a film on the basis of the semi-crazy performances she has become known for. Anyone who has an interest in fashion or knows the adulation and pitfalls of going on shopping sprees with credit cards are likely to enjoy this movie simply on these terms...

Film Review - District 9 (2009)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] "District 9" wins big points for originality, execution and its decidedly risky story and execution, given its pitch as a mainstream film. The film however overstays its welcome and descends into typical Hollywood convention, action and noise by the end.

Film Review - The Unborn (2009)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] Despite a highly effective premise for a horror film, "The Unborn" is silly, badly acted, poorly executed and just not that scary. The best horror films tend to have a premise that really gets under your skin and be truly terrifying and "The Unborn" manages to have such a premise.

Film Review - Public Enemies (2009)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] Aside from Johnny Depp's valiant attempt to create a memorable and interesting lead character, "Public Enemies" is a rather sloppy piece of filmmaking from 'veteran' director Michael Mann; no character, some poorly shot sequences, incoherent editing and no story. "Public Enemies" seeks to cover that period in American history of the Depression era when bank robbers became a regular occurrence and some times gathered notoriety and fame for their exploits against those institutions that brought on the Depression.

Film Review - Bolt (2008)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] A wonderfully entertaining animated film with a strong story and characters, and with an unusual premise that borrows from "The Truman Show". "Bolt" is an unusual film in that all the hallmarks of the typical journey you would find in a movie like this are here but the underlying premise is quite strange. Bolt (voiced by John Travolta) is a dog who is the star of a fictional television show; the twist is that he thinks it's all real.

Film Review - Drag Me to Hell (2009)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] Director Sam Raimi leaves the relative safe world of Spiderman to return to his roots in this cleverly crafted, old-fashioned style horror film that manages to really scare, surprise and make you laugh all at the same time. Horror films have degenerated in to torture and blood-lust of late (see the Saw films as an example).

Film Review - Rachel Getting Married (2008)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] The quasi-home movie/documentary style employed by director Jonathan Demme makes the experience of watching this film, at best, a dull bore; which ultimately dwarfs an otherwise stellar performance by Anne Hathaway playing against type and an unknown supporting cast who are likewise strong.

Film Review - Milk (2008)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] A moving, realistic, and fitting tribute to the late Harvey Milk, an American gay activist who fought for gay rights and became California's first openly gay official, with a very humanistic and pitch perfect performance by Sean Penn in the lead role. The story of Harvey Milk's rise to prominence in the 1970s as a champion for gay rights is a very moving one indeed, as told here with the utmost care by director Gus Van Sant.

Film Review - Bruno (2009)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] Despite its very funny sequences, "Bruno" is not as funny as say the first half of "Borat", largely because the title character is not as funny in concept. Borat was an ignorant, dumb and innocent immigrant, whereas Bruno can be classed in the more arrogant, stuck-up and not-classy category. When Borat insulted people, he looked like he did not mean it. When Bruno insults people, you get the sense that he is in on it...

Film Review - The Hangover (2009)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] Despite a slow start, "The Hangover" is surprisingly funny, delivered with clever wit and a strong chemistry between the lead characters. Director Todd Phillips manages to elevate an otherwise unbelievable 'stupid-comedy' story to something more hilariously believable and down to earth.

Film Review - Transformers - Revenge of the Fallen (2009)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] All of the fun, cool components of the first Transformers film are completely absent in this bloated, stupid, offensive, over-the-top, and messy atrocity of a sequel. "Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen" does have a few workable elements.

Film Review - He's Just Not That Into You (2009)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] In the end, "He's Just Not That Into You" plays like a relationship handbook containing a series of great statements, but nothing cohesive. Despite an all-star cast and a strong premise, "He's Just Not That Into You" has too many characters and stories to fit in to its 2-hour running time, allowing only for good thematic punctuation rather than well-rounded characterisation and story-telling.

Film Review - Bride Wars (2009)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] Lacking any wit, charm, fun or comedy, the only saving grave of "Bride Wars" is that Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway have good chemistry in this boring tale of two brides-to-be who find their respective weddings booked in to the same day, time and place. On paper, the concept of "Bride Wars" is actually quite good for a comedy.

Film Review - State of Play (2009)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: "State Of Play" is a fairly pedestrian espionage thriller with a great cast that sets up a potentially fascinating government conspiracy plot but descends in to one too many predictable twists before an unsatisfying and untidy conclusion. THE GOOD: Director Kevin Macdonald has used "State Of Play" to go back to a more old-fashioned style of thriller that is rarely seen these days.

Film Review - Terminator Salvation (2009)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: "Terminator Salvation" manages to come close to re-creating the iconic action, style and mood of the first two Terminator films, but the logic gaps in the story knee-cap the film to the extreme, and Christian Bale's take on John Connor is highly off-key. THE GOOD: Having a Terminator film directed by McG sounded like sacrilege when it was first announced. To give him a credit, he has managed to create a film that infuses some thrilling action sequences that re-establish the non-stop threat that machines as a force will never stop hunting humans, a threat which was ...

Film Review - Marley & Me (2008)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: "Marley & Me" has some expected cute comedy with its star dog and the family he lives with, but there is no story, no journey and no point to this movie other than providing a view of family life sugar-coated by Hollywood contrivances. THE GOOD: A story about a man and his dog, and in particular a cute Labrador, is usually safe ground for a cute framework for the beloved canine to get up to mischief set against the backdrop of a regular family as they go through life. Essentially, that's all "Marley & Me" is, and...

Film Review - Funny Games (2007)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] "Funny Games" has some interesting potential with its two antagonists and self-referential treatment, but the confrontational anti-violence themes get lost in a very ugly and mean-spirited execution of a story that will do nothing but leave a bad taste in your mouth. Director Michael Haneke has a dislike for violence and its role in the media, particularly in the media's ability to sensationalise violence for its own ends. In directing "Funny Games", a shot-by-shot remake of his own 1997 Austrian horror film, he attempts to confront you with how vicious and nasty real violence actually is.

Film Review - Angels & Demons (2009)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: "Angels & Demons" works surprisingly well as a piece of popcorn entertainment; far better than its poorly made predecessor The Da Vinci Code but still manages to descend in to the absurd in the final act, leading one to question how Oscar winners Ron Howard and Tom Hanks could still make something so average given their pedigree.

Film Review - Poseidon (2006)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: "Poseidon" is a woefully bad movie from start to finish; the only entertainment one can find here is a good laugh as the plot moves from one ridiculous moment to the cliched next. THE GOOD: Trying to find something good to say about a film like this is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. However, to be fair, director Wolfgang Petersen has assembled a solid cast, led by the always dependable Kurt Russell and Josh Lucas, the latter giving the most interesting performance in the film as the ruthless career gambler who...

Film Review - Star Trek (2009)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] J.J. Abrams has successfully brought "Star Trek" back to life in this ambitious reboot of the classic franchise that simultaneously manages to remind us how great Star Trek is while making some very bold and welcome changes the franchise desperately needed. As a franchise, "Star Trek" had been languishing in tired old material and looked dead in the water, largely thanks to regurgitated story lines and an unwillingness to take risks.

Film Review - The Da Vinci Code (2006)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] The Dan Brown page-turning novel dealing with the ultimate conspiracy of our time has been translated in to one of the most boring, stupid, and clumsy blockbusters in recent memory. One has to wonder how A-star talent like Ron Howard and Tom Hanks could have made such a bad movie.

Film Review - X-Men Origins - Wolverine (2009)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: Although much better than X-Men 3 in terms of story, this instalment in the franchise is a little flat and uninspiring, not going anywhere terribly interesting despite some great visuals, a handful of nice action scenes, and of course, Hugh Jackman's solid presence. THE GOOD: The X-Men franchise took a creative u-turn with the third installment, sacrificing story for lots of noise and action in start contrast to the first two films. "X-Men Origins: Wolverine", despite it clumsy title, has a stronger story to tell this time around in focusing on the character of Wolverine.

Film Review - The Reader (2008)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: Ultimately flat, and uncomfortably melding a touching love story with the seriousness of a Nazi war crime trial, "The Reader" may have been Oscar-worthy due to its ideas on paper but it does not resonate with the thematic gravity that it should, largely due to its dry and uninteresting execution. THE GOOD: Much of what works in "The Reader" is its attempt to cover so much thematic ground. As a whole, the film speaks to dealing with the consequences of your actions, whether they be for love, life or for your fellow human being.

Film Review - How to Lose Friends and Alienate People (2008)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] Only half of "How To Lose Friends and Alienate People" is worth watching. The first half of the film is very funny, witty and intelligently satirical with a well cast Simon Pegg imparting his impeccable comedic timing. The second half of the film is bad/clichéd Hollywood script plotting, poor production values and no laughs.

Film Review - Monsters Vs Aliens (2009)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: Clever, witty, fun and looking glorious in 3-D, "Monsters Vs Aliens" is a solid CG-animated flick which both kids and adults should enjoy, even though it lacks a knockout punch. THE GOOD: Nine times out of ten, a CG-animated movie is more often than not great and one can only speculate that the reason for this stems from the fact that so many years of time and effort are spent making them.

Film Review - KNOWING (2009)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: Over the top and way too serious, "Knowing" plays its prophetic doomsday story out with a heavy-handed sledge hammer; the acting is good, the visuals are marvellous, but the depressing and slightly arthouse climax coupled with an uneven handling of themes make this film a disappointing experience. THE GOOD: Combining a disaster movie with a mystical prophecy plot is hardly anything new but it always remains a fascinating concept. The idea of a group of kids from the fifties drawing pictures of what they think the future will be like and burying them in a ...

Film Review - The Forgotten (2004)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: What's incredible about this film is that such a talented bunch of cast and technicians could do such great individual jobs yet be so woefully directed overall; "The Forgotten" has an intriguing premise that is at the end of the day badly executed. THE GOOD: "The Forgotten" starts off under an aura of curious mystery. We learn that Telly Paretta (Julianne Moore) has lost her son in a plane crash, and her psychiatrist Dr Jack Munce (Gary Sinise) is helping her work through her loss.

Film Review - DUPLICITY (2009)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: Very clever and cerebral, "Duplicity" has enough twists and turns to engage you in its 2-hour journey of professional double and triple dealing between characters and corporations, but the film ultimately does not make you care enough about it to make that journey satisfying. THE GOOD: It is refreshing to see so much effort has gone in to the crafting of a complicated and cerebral story in "Duplicity", the latest work from writer/director Tony Gilroy who also crafted the well received "Michael Clayton". Although the plot becomes very clear by the climax, sifting through the ...

Film Review - W (2008)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] "W." is Oliver Stone without teeth. There are no left-wing jibes at one of the most controversial US Presidents in history, nor is there much fair or three-dimensional exploration in to the character of George W. Bush. Instead, we are left with a film that could have been ninety minutes long instead of two+ hours and still covered the same ground.

Film Review - Watchmen (2009)
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: Long winded and meandering while simultaneously melding dark dramatic sequences with stupid looking costumed superheroes, "Watchmen" is a mixed bag of strong themes, incredible visuals, overall mediocrity and silliness. THE GOOD: Hollywood is on the comic book/graphic novel bandwagon, turning to a vast array of published material for new films. Much like The Spirit which came out last year, "Watchmen" occupies an uncomfortable ground between maintaining the tone of the source material and creating great cinematic entertainment.

Slumdog Millionaire Film Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: This classic rags-to-riches tale accomplishes the feat of not only telling a great story of triumph over adversity but manages to open your eyes to a part of the world that is hardly ever covered in a Hollywood film besides cliches; no wonder the Academy gave it the Best Picture Oscar. THE GOOD: "Slumdog Millionaire" works on many levels, least of which being the theme of destiny. Juxtaposing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for lead character Jamal (Dev Patel) to play the game show 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire' with his tumultuous life story of where ...

The International Film Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: The first film to play on the potential evil-doings of global banks in the current climate is a mis-directed methodical bore, with no intrigue or thrills and a mis-cast Clive Owen in the lead role. THE GOOD: There's a real cool scene early on in "The International" where Agent Louis Salinger (Clive Owen) and Eleanor Whitman (Naomi Watts) question an Italian politician about his company's dealings with the The International, a powerful global bank. He explains to them that a bank is in the business of controlling debt.

Hitch Film Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] HITCH is three quarters great romantic comedy that even men can enjoy and one quarter of absolute stupid rubbish. Enjoy the great bits and try to look the other way during those scenes that were obviously made to placate the teen market and stereotypical Hollywood conventions and cliches.

Changeling Film Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE:With a very strong story, subtly executed and detailed direction, this historical drama about a mother's strong determination to find her kidnapped son is a touching ordeal of love, sacrifice, brutality and police corruption. THE GOOD:Director Clint Eastwood has served up a rich tapestry of a film in "Changeling", which goes far beyond its initial synopsis of a woman trying to find her kidnapped son despite the police insisting that they have found him and force her to take a child who is not her son.

Transporter 3 Film Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: Filled with a lot of frenetic, fast paced action, this film is totally over-the-top and unbelievable; but it is cool, particularly with Jason Statham driving us through it all. THE GOOD: Tough guy Jason Statham returns as Frank Martin, the Transporter, who delivers unknown packages from one place to another, no questions asked. This time, he's out of the game and wants it to stay that way, particularly with his nice Mediterranean retirement setup.

Underworld - Rise of the Lycans Film Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: Decent entertainment, and a step up from the unimpressive previous entry "Underworld: Evolution", this film delivers its genre points well but its prequel nature makes the film feel more like a light background prologue rather than a solid chapter in the franchise. THE GOOD: "Underworld: Rise Of The Lycans" tells the origin story of the conflict between vampires and werewolves, eluded to in the previous entries in the series.

Valkyrie Film Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: Well crafted and surprisingly tense thriller based on a true story about the last known assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler during the final months of World War II, featuring an all-star cast led by a very capable, if not totally believable Tom Cruise. THE GOOD: "Valkyrie" is a strong thriller, that surprisingly becomes the most tense in its quieter moments.

Gran Torino Film Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: Clint Eastwood is back doing what he does best, playing it tough; "Gran Torino" has a strong story, great characters, a moral centre and is surprisingly humorous despite its slow pace. THE GOOD: If there's one thing that Clint Eastwood is famous for, it's his tough guy persona, and it's back in spades in "Gran Torino". He plays cranky Korean War veteran Walt Kowalski who wants to be left alone, even by his own family whom he has no real connection with.

The Spirit Film Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] There's something to be said for displaying a unique visual style and "The Spirit" has that quality in spades. Like the other graphic novel adapted by Frank Miller (and co-directed by Robert Rodriguez) "Sin City", this film has a look unlike normal films as the combination of sublime cinematography, visual effects and colour correction make for an incredibly vibrant and highly stylised graphic world that looks and feels like a moving comic book.

The Italian Job (2003) - Film Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] Crime caper films always have the potential to be fun, and "The Italian Job" does not disappoint on this front. Although a remake, the film makes much more use of the modern day settings and technology to let us in to the world of a group of high-tech, professional heisters whose equipment seems more expensive than the job (perhaps an exaggeration!).

Seven Pounds Film Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] "Seven Pounds" has a very moving and heart-felt story at its core, helped by some glowing visuals and subtly effective performances by Will Smith and the rest of the cast. However, the film is let down by a frustratingly unclear direction that does not draw a complete picture of exactly what is going on which, if it had been, would have gone a long way to make the movie hit its touching and dramatic moments far more effectively.

Revolutionary Road Film Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] Director Sam Mendes retreads the themes of his earlier masterpiece American Beauty in this film but without the biting satire, razor-sharp commentary or overarching themes that made that film work so well. Leo and Kate deliver some fine performances, but the film is clumsy and uneven in its execution and character motivations, with no defining statement or theme.

Yes Man Film Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] YES MAN is a decent comedy about a man who re-discovers his life after taking a self-help seminar where he has to say "yes" to everything; it's only let down by some occasional segues in to stupid and very tired Jim Carrey silliness. "Yes Man" turned out to be a lot better than expected, mainly due to its clever premise which simultaneously allows for some great comedic moments, but also to explore deeper themes of how you should live your life (or not).

The Day the Earth Stood Still Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: Decent, but unremarkable remake of the 1950's sci-fi classic which pitches a quite wooden and uninterested Keanu Reeves as the alien Klaatu coming to save the Earth from its inhabitants. THE GOOD: By and large this film makes the smart move of keeping the story from the original Robert Wise film intact, with the one change being a more environmental focus as opposed to the nuclear holocaust theme of the original (as befitting the times within which we live). As a result, the story itself is very strong.

Doubt Movie Review - Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] "Doubt" starts off with an intriguing premise and story, centred on a battle of wills between old-fashioned and strict school principal Sister Aloysius (a commanding Meryl Streep) and the more free-thinking parish priest Father Flynn (an equally strong Philip Seymour Hoffman) set against the backdrop of a Catholic School with the former becoming increasingly suspicious of the latter's close relationship with a black altar boy. The biggest strength of this film lies in its casting; scenes where Streep and Hoffman go at it are riveting to say the least.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: A rich, heart-warming film that takes the unusual premise of a man growing younger and using it to provide a number of life lessons about making the most of what you have been given. THE GOOD: Director David Fincher has made some very rich and complex films in his career, many exploring the darker sides of humanity. With "Curious Case", he still retains his unique style but manages to fuse it with a more heart-warming feel without losing touch with reality which he could easily have done given the quirky premise of a man born ...

Shortcut to Happiness Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] "Shortcut to Happiness" is absolutely appalling. How this talented group of actors could come together and work on this rubbish is bewildering. Avoid this film at all costs.

Twilight Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: A unique take on the age-old vampire story that could have been quite thrilling and dramatic if it were not for the incessant music video style sequences and an unwillingness by the filmmakers to expand the tone of the film beyond its core teenage audience. THE GOOD: Twilight deserves kudos for creating a unique take on the vampire story, which has been so well covered throughout both cinematic and literary history. It can thank its source material in the novel by Stephenie Meyer who manages to create a world and logic that works extremely well ...

Australia Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] There's a lot of noble filmmaking intention underpinning this sweeping epic but unfortunately director Baz Luhrmann does not show enough directorial control of the material, leaving a film that is corny, sometimes silly, stunningly beautiful, but mostly lacking a cohesive narrative and theme.

Quantum of Solace Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] It was always going to be unfair to expect this film to live up to the highwater mark of Casino Royale, but given this film had a $200 million budget and the same writing/producing team, this film should have been much better. What made Daniel Craig's first outing so good was its focus on story and character. You got to see Bond in a new light as he went through some pivotal moments in his early career which make him who he is. None of that is done justice in "Quantum of Solace".

Burn After Reading Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: Stupid, messy, crap; that in a nut-shell sums up this film which despite its all-star cast and a moment or two of witty satire, is downright annoying to watch. THE GOOD: From the outset it appears that "Burn After Reading", the Coen Brothers follow up to the Oscar-winning "No Country For Old Men", is going to be an off-the-wall satire of the intelligence industry in the United States, and the setup gives the indication that the film will do a decent job of it with CIA Analyst Osbourne Cox (John Malkovich) unceremoniously dumped from the Agency in the first scene and his explosive response.

Max Payne Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] The spectacular visuals and moody atmosphere give Max Payne the feel of a rich graphic novel rather than a video game adaptation, but the two-dimensional, flat characters and predictable storyline never allow you to get all that interested. "Max Payne" is based on the video game of the same name, but you wouldn't necessarily know that by watching it. The film has a very unique visual style that is obviously inspired by the likes of "Sin City" but is more realistic.

Body of Lies Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] Director Ridley Scott has delivered another strong, detailed, visual film experience, this time exploring the gritty operational nature of America's war on terrorists, with strong performances by Leonardo Dicaprio and Russell Crowe. "Body Of Lies" explores territory that hasn't really been covered in any recent big Hollywood films (at least recently); Ed Hoffman (Russell Crowe) is the man in charge at the CIA who is executing operations against terrorists remotely from America, with his contact on the ground in the Middle East, Roger Ferris (Leonardo Dicaprio) given the task of gathering ...

Eagle Eye Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] Eagle Eye is a stupid, ridiculous film. The action is well done, fast paced and frenetic, and the cast are likable enough, but these parts can't cover over the fact that the film is completely ridiculous.

The Duchess Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: Yet another film with Keira Knightley in a corset; it's very average with bland characters, even if it does offer some insight in to the nature of 18th Century English society. THE GOOD: One of the advantages of a period film such as this one is that you have the ability to immerse yourself in a whole other world and in terms of production design, costume and photography, "The Duchess" really excels.

Wall-E Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: Pixar have done it again, producing another fantastic, visually stunning computer animated film about a trash-compacting robot with a heart that kids (and adults) will love. THE GOOD: Pixar Animation Studios has built a reputation for establishing the benchmark of quality for computer animated films; in watching "Wall-E", it's not hard to see why. Much thought and care and has gone in to the character design, story and visuals to create an incredible future world where humans have left Earth because they've turned it into a garbage dump and only trash compacting robot ...

David Fincher's ZODIAC - A Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: Intriguing and realistic look at a notorious unsolved serial murder case that although not thrilling in the strictest sense, is never not interesting. THE GOOD: I am a fan of David Fincher's work (yes, even some parts of Alien 3), so it was with excitement when I walked in to an all-digital presentation of his latest film Zodiac and was not disappointed. This film gives a detailed and well executed account of the Zodiac killings, right down to the un-Hollywood ending of not actually catching the killer (even though its suggested who probably ...

Transformers Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: Probably the most fun, entertaining "dumb" film you will see in ages. THE GOOD: I hate to say it, but I think I've just watched a Michael Bay film that I've enjoyed. What makes this film work so well is the sheer fun on offer, combined with some truly jaw-dropping visuals and special effects.

The Other Boleyn Girl Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: It plays rather like an episode of The Bold of the Beautiful, despite its top-notch cast who aren't given much to do but overact and some fabulous cinematography and production design. THE GOOD: An historical movie, if done well, is an interesting journey to go on. The movie starts well with some fabulous cinematography, production and costume design.

Matt Damon in the Bourne Ultimatum - Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: Kick-arse thriller that delivers all the stops; a deeply satisfying conclusion to an outstanding trilogy. THE GOOD: This is the perfect conclusion to the Bourne series. The film is just as gripping as the previous two, throwing you right in to the thick of the action from the beginning and never letting up pace.

Shooter Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: Thrilling film about an ex-marksman framed by the very Government he has served loyally for many years. This film has a lot of things going for it. The previews of this film gave the appearance of a quality action film but we actually get a storyline with it as well!

Semi-Pro Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: For a comedy there are hardly any laughs, and despite some great production design, visuals and a strong performance by Woody Harrelson, this film is a waste of time, especially with Will Ferrel's unfunny and stupid lead character. THE GOOD: I wasn't quite sure what to expect when going in to this film. The previews seemed to suggest a stupid Will Ferrel comedy and surprisingly, there's an actual story in here about an ex-70's pop-star turned manager of the Flint Michigan Tropics Basketball team and his attempt to keep his team alive during ...

Run Fatboy Run Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] It's better than what you might think, but not even an endearing second half can make up for the fact that its based on an unbelievable premise and a stupid, lowest-common-denominator first half. There you have it, the most annoying cast member of 'Friends' actually directs a half-decent film.

The Mummy Tomb of the Dragon Emperor Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] The Mummy: Tomb Of The Dragon Emperor is a pale shadow of the previous entries in this franchise. On it's own, this film is a major disappointment. When compared to the previous Mummy films, it's even more disappointing. None of the fun, adventure or thrills are present in this botched, insipid outing which does not come anywhere close to the standard set by the previous entries in this franchise.

The Golden Compass Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] The Golden Compass is a convoluted mess of a film that seems half to set up an impending trilogy and half telling a self-contained story without the running time to flesh either side out. However, the film is visually striking with some nice sequences but at the end of the day it doesn't hold together.

The Bucket List Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: Strong, emotional and heart-felt film with superb performances from Nicholson and Freeman as the unlikely duo taking on life one more time before they kick the bucket. THE GOOD: The idea of taking stock of your life and asking yourself if you've actually lived it to its fullest is an old one that's been given a beautiful treatment by director Rob Reiner in this film. What's so good about this film is presenting the theme, "there's no time like the present!

In Bruges Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] "In Bruges" is the story of two Irish hit men, Ray (Colin Farrell) and Ken (Brendan Gleeson) who are told to lay low in Bruges in Belgium for two weeks by their boss Harry (Ralph Fiennes). Purporting to be a dark comedic thriller, "In Bruges" never quite balances these elements effectively for a worthwhile viewing experience, although the strong performances from the lead actors just about make up for it.

NEXT Movie Review - Nicolas Cage
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: An intriguing concept for a film that never really develops and ultimately implodes with a big cheat of an ending. THE GOOD: The concept of this film revolves around Nicholas Cage's ability to see up to 2-3 minutes in the future and then being able to adjust his actions and behaviour to give him the best possible outcome. Very cool.

National Treasure Book of Secrets Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] Much like the first film, "National Treasure 2" is just plain fun. Inspired by the style of the Indiana Jones series, these films follow treasure hunters who search for clues to exotic treasures hidden in our world. In this film, it's a 'City of Gold' which people have been searching for centuries.

Hellboy II the Golden Army Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] This is a fairly solid comic book movie; it has a decent story, great action, colourful visuals, and some admirable quirks and laughs that highlight director Guillermo Del Toro's off centre directorial style. Not having had any desire to see the first film (and I still haven't seen it), I went in to this film on a cheap ticket without much expectations and was pleasantly surprised.

Dr Seuss' Horton Hears a Who Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] A cute CG cartoon filled with some very lovable characters and a wacky, fascinating story, but also has many strong life-lesson themes underneath its kiddy-friendly surface, making for a kids' movie that adults can enjoy at their level as well. Going in to a movie based on a Dr Seuss book, you have to know you're going in to something quite off centre and this very successful adaptation of "Horton Hears A Who" definitely lives up to that credo.

Hannibal Rising Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] Despite some great cinematography, an effective atmosphere, and a decent attempt by the lead actor to mimic Anthony Hopkins' original performance as Hannibal, this is a completely pointless sequel with no shocks or surprises, that unnecessarily demystifies the character of Hannibal Lecter and in the process makes him less scary.

Ghost Rider Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] A wasted opportunity of film; and yet another pitiful adaption of a cool comic book character. I didn't know much about the character prior to coming to this film but after watching it even I could tell it wasn't translated well to the screen. That said however, his visual design is first rate - he looks damn cool with the flaming skull.

LIONS FOR LAMBS Movie Review - Tom Cruise, Meryl Streep, Robert Redford
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: Thrilling analyses on the US War on Terror and some great acting, but as a piece of film, barely lives up to its tag of "political thriller". THE GOOD: Probing in to the debacles and travesties of the US-led War on Terror is gripping, delivered through some top notch acting by the principal actors.

SUNSHINE Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: Gripping, and visually stunning science-fiction thriller, only let down by a weak second-half psycho/alien-kills-crew subplot. THE GOOD: Sunshine is inspired by such classics as "2001: A Space Odyssey", "Alien" and "Blade Runner" in the visual department and it shows; the pictures are absolutely stunning. The film also shares some tonal qualities, which add to the sense of realism running through this fabulous looking film.

TROPIC THUNDER Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] Tropic Thunder is a very strange parody of the film industry that would have worked if it was actually funny, but unfortunately for the most part, it's not. There are a few highlights though, namely a hilarious Robert Downey Jr. and an equally brilliant, if unrecogniseable Tom Cruise.

Vantage Point Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] A highly effective action-thriller which tells its story in a refreshing, non-traditional plot line. There's a lot to like about 'Vantage Point', with perhaps the most obvious being that it lives up to its title. Rather than telling a straight forward political thriller, we get instead the re-telling of the same event from the point of view of eight different strangers, each who end up connected to the main plot point which is the shooting of the President of the United States at a speech in Salamanca, Spain.

Kevin Costner is MR BROOKS - Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: Intriguingly dark film which gives you the chance to see Kevin Costner being very bad for a change, but the film gets distracted too much by Demi Moore's police/divorce B-story which takes too much screen time away from the main event of watching Costner do his thing. THE GOOD: The idea of watching Kevin Costner in anything may be a turn-off for some people but I looked forward to seeing him take on a character such as Mr Brooks that was so different to anything he's done before.

The Invasion Film Review - Nicole Kidman And Daniel Craig
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: An intelligent premise and themes are evident in this film, but "The Invasion" doesn't thrill or scare, and is so flat dramatically to be not worth caring about. THE GOOD: As a remake of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers", this film starts with great source material and the premise this time around is intelligent alien microbes which have the capacity to integrate with human DNA and take over their minds and bodies. The premise alone is creepy, but also a very intelligent sci-fi motif that we haven't seen in a long...

Definitely, Maybe - Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: A romantic, light-hearted drama that takes a while to get going but isn't silly, corny, or predictable like most others of its type making for an entertaining and different film. THE GOOD: "Definitely, Maybe" can loosely be thrown in to the romantic comedy genre for marketing purposes but it isn't really one of those films. The trailers definitely seemed to give that indication; a guy has to juggle three women and in the process figure out which one he really wants through comedic antics.

We Own the Night Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] "We Own The Night" is a solid, character-driven film with an intricate story concerning a police chief father and his two sons, one a policeman, the other a nightclub owner associating with the criminal underworld. There's a lot going on and it's well acted, but the tone of the film is very depressing which detracts from the enjoyment of watching the great complicated story unfold.

Fight Club Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: This is cinematic perfection; strong themes, exciting characters, witty dialogue and some spectacular visuals combine to give a unique, rich experience which explores the male psyche and its role within society. THE GOOD: 'Fight Club' without a doubt has to be one of the best films ever made. What's so surprising about what you will see is that you won't see it all in one sitting.

Elizabeth - The Golden Age Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: Good film about Elizabeth's adult life, but focusing too much on the Queen's melodramas. THE GOOD: The film delivers a fair account of the internal psychology of being a Monarch. The film delves in to the personal life of the Queen and offers a very human side to her; at times, she denies herself the simple pleasures of life to ensure she can carry out her duty as Queen (suggesting at one point that her close matron of the Court, Beth, be allowed to sample these pleasures for her).

Anthony Hopkins in FRACTURE - Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: Anthony Hopkins turns in a brilliantly tricky, yet understated performance in a film that tells a good story but lacks any real tension to get you emotionally invested in this supposed thriller. THE GOOD: The previews of this film seemed to suggest a clever-Hannibal type performance from Anthony Hopkins.

1408 Movie Review, John Cusack and Samuel L Jackson
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: Not even John Cusack's best efforts and a solid opening can rescue this absolute mess of a film from the depths of silliness and stupidity. THE GOOD: Stephen King is renowned for coming up with some very chilling and scary stories and the idea for "1408" is right up there amongst his best. Sceptic Mike Eslin (John Cusack) hears about a spooky, deadly hotel room and decides to investigate it for himself.

10,000 BC Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: This film is a visual splendour, but there's a dumb, arbitrary, and 2-dimensional aspect to proceedings which make this film at times entertaining but at others completely laughable. THE GOOD: Roland Emmerich, if nothing else, is very talented at giving us the money shots and 10,000 BC continues this tradition of creating marvellous visuals that are a sight to behold.

Aliens Vs Predator Requiem - Film Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: A superior attempt to recreate what was so good about the original "Alien" and "Predator" films, but it's so mean and nasty to the point of ruin, making the film completely distasteful and unenjoyable. THE GOOD: One of the main problems with the first AVP film was that it didn't fit well with the the standalone 'Alien' and 'Predator' films. Many of the rules established in the respective universes of each franchise were broken when inconvenient to the plot, the characters were just crap, the sub-plot pertaining to the Predators creating ancient civilisations on Earth...

Will Smith in I Am Legend - Film Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] "I Am Legend" tries really hard to be different to the standard zombie flick, but it just meanders along, lacking tension thanks to unconvincing CGI. Not even Will Smith's most impressive performance to date can raise this film above its poorer qualities.

Atonement Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] Long-winded and mis-directed period drama which despite its best intentions, great acting and solid ideas, never really comes together to drive its point home. Atonement starts off with the titles being literally typed on screen by a typewriter. This plays in to the main theme of the supposedly central character of Briony Tallis who is writing her first play.

Hayden Christensen is No JUMPER - Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: An intriguing concept and a cool bad guy turn from Samuel L. Jackson can't save this woeful excuse of a sci-fi film. THE GOOD: 'Jumper' has a very cool concept: there are people on the Earth who are born with the ability to teleport themselves to anywhere they please.

The Simpsons Movie - DOH! A Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: Fans of "The Simpsons" may be disappointed that this film doesn't hit the highwater mark of the early shows of the TV series, but as a stand alone film, it's still very funny and entertaining which gives people who have never watched the show an easy entry in to the Simpsons world. THE GOOD: Being a long time Simpsons fan, seeing all the favourite characters on the big screen was very exciting, especially once the theme tune kicked in after the main title.

Kung Fu Panda Kicks Butt! A Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] A wise-cracking loveable Panda becomes a kung fu master and saving the world from disaster! Dreamworks Kung Fu Panda is good fun, with loveable character and a unique story. It only needed to be developed more with a longer running time.

Stallone Returns to Rambo - Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] RAMBO is wall-to-wall action, but absolutely nothing else. And the obvious question is, why bother after all these years?

Hugh Jackman & Ewan McGregor in DECEPTION - Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] There's nothing new in this 'thriller' that you haven't seen before, and the visuals are quite ordinary; only the likability of the cast make this worth spending any time on. 'Deception' follows an age-old premise that a director like Alfred Hitchcock would have milked for all it was worth.

Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe in Ridley Scott's American Gangster - Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] Well constructed, well-filmed, realistic portrayal of the rise and fall of New York gangster Frank Lucas. Being a Ridley Scott film, you are assured of a high quality experience and he delivers yet again. The visuals are top notch with music, sound and editing all first rate and put you in the picture very quickly.

Russell Crowe, Christian Bale in 3:10 TO YUMA - Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: Strong, atmospheric western with great performances, but stretches credibility in a few places and especially towards the end of the film. THE GOOD: Following in the footsteps of westerns such as "Unforgiven", 3:10 To Yuma throws us in to the lives of some morally questionable and/or down-on-their-luck characters who end up finding something decent within themselves so they can stand up and be proud. Russell Crowe plays successful, ruthless, but charming robber Ben Wade, who has robbed 22 individual coaches belonging to the Pacific Railroad.

Liam Neeson is TAKEN - Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] Liam Neeson does his best Arnie impersonation, taking on a group of Albanian thugs who have kidnapped his daughter to sell her to sexual slavery in Europe. Not original, but it's fantastic viewing nonetheless.

Cloverfield Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] It's the Blair-Witch version of Godzilla - ridiculous in many parts but very cool and unlike 'Blair Witch', this film actually pays off on its premise. Hollywood finally gets to do their own 'Blair Witch' and surprisingly, 'Cloverfield' is superior to the film it draws so heavily from, at least in style. 'Blair Witch' didn't really have a pay-off (ie the threat was always suggested, never revealed).

Wanted - Angelina Jolie - A Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] Angelina's smoking hot gun and kick-ass action moves work some for this adolescent fantasy about a fraternity of assassins who have been around for a millennium. Unfortunately, this film is ridiculous, and not in a good way.

The X-Files - From Franchise Phenomenon to Self Parody
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] The X-Files has now run its course, but it didn't need to be this way. Instead of going out on top, the once formidable franchise has been run in to the ground. The release of "I Want To Believe" in cinemas is proof of that, and is an unfortunate foot note in the history of the franchise which was a powerhouse of science fiction but has sputtered out in a whimper.

The X-Files - I Want to Believe Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] It's been six years since the sci-fi phenomenon "The X-Files" left television and all Chris Carter could come up with in this second feature film based on his show is another television episode. It's not bad, but if you're an X-Files fan you'll be hugely disappointed that Mulder and Scully were not given the rousing cinematic adventure they deserved in this flatly-directed, small-scale, un-scary film.

The Forbidden Kingdom Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] This is a very well executed and visually impressive kung-fu fantasy, delivering the great martial arts team-up of Jackie Chan and Jet Li on screen for the first time. It's only let down by a weak opening and conclusion that are unfortunately necessary to get its "Never Ending Story" style premise off the ground.

The Dark Knight's Joker - Heath Ledger's Formidable Final Performance
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] Heath Ledger has given us an unforgettable final performance as the Joker in Christopher Nolan's spectacular superhero film, "The Dark Knight". At all times he commands the screen without overwhelming the other cast, and somehow manages to outdo even the great Jack Nicholson.

The Dark Knight Film Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] Batman is back in "The Dark Knight", a superior sequel to the already brilliant "Batman Begins". Make no mistake, this is the franchise's "The Empire Strikes Back".

Hancock - Great Idea, Wasted Film - A Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] We've been inundated with superhero flicks in the past decade, and it won't be long before every single comic book ever written is transformed in to a movie because some producer will think they can make five bucks out of it (and they probably will). Along comes "Hancock", a film that takes a different slant on this genre by making the hero character a complete jerk. He's careless, inconsiderate, rude and obnoxious. Will Smith does his best to elevate this film beyond its extremely mediocre script and direction but unfortunately he is only able to do so much, leaving us with a D-grade, un-dynamic superhero film that could have had the potential to deliver so much more than it does.

Steve Carell Gets Smart Better Than You Might Think - A Review of "Get Smart"
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] Steve Carell is Agent 86 in this good, but not totally faithful remake of the 1960s television series, "Get Smart". Surprisingly, much of this big budget remake captures the spirit and nuances of the original TV show, particularly with the charismatic performances of the cast; but the out of place action scenes and certain adjustments to the characters themselves make this film silly, which is a shame because without them this would have been a great remake instead of a mediocre one.

The Hulk is Back and He's Credible - A Review of "The Incredible Hulk"
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: It's a good, solid, comic book, action film that delivers on the thrills of the famous big green angry giant, but it's too fast, noisy and shallow; more time spent on story, pacing and character would have made this as good as its Marvel counterpart, Iron Man. THE GOOD: Most of us should be familiar with the character of "Hulk" from the old television series, and this film harkens back to the spirit of that era, but most importantly to the original comics. Ang Lee's character driven version of Hulk didn't deliver the...

M Night Shyamalan Isn't HAPPENING - A Review of "The Happening"
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] M. Night Shayamalan regains his directorial feet a little bit with this cautionary tale of the environment turning on humans, but at the end of the day this film confirms he's a one-trick pony with an extremely narrow vision who can't seem to get past his ego by letting someone else write better scripts for him or to get even half-decent performances from his cast. We're living in a world that has become acutely aware of issues such as global warming and greenhouse gas emissions. With "The Happening", the latest offering from M. Night Shyamalan, who manages to right his directorial ship a little bit in this film after some truly woeful films, puts forward the concept of the environment starting to attack humans for the way we've all treated it.

Street Kings Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] BOTTOM LINE: Keanu Reeves appears to be getting better with age playing a hard-nosed cop to perfection in this gritty police drama where nothing is as it seems, and with a story that will keep you guessing right until the end. THE GOOD: Sporting an older look and a slightly bigger physique, Keanu Reeves plays Detective Ludlow from the LAPD; a straight-shooting cop who does whatever he needs to do to put the bad guys away. The opening scene show how he cleverly infiltrates a group who have kidnapped two teenage girls...

Iron Man Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] IRON MAN is a comic book movie cut above most of the rest, and despite a highly predictable last act, this is an entertaining piece of popcorn with a stellar performance from Robert Downey Jr. and a few anti-war messages thrown in for good measure. "Iron Man" doesn't quite have the reputation of other comic book superheroes like Superman, Batman or Spiderman, but he does have a fascinating origin story in that Tony Stark (played with great wit and charm by Robert Downey Jr.) is in essence a war profiteer who sees the light when he learns his weapons are falling in to the wrong hands and he decides to do something about it.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] Indiana Jones is back with style with a strong central concept, great character moments and entertaining sequences that we've come to know and love, despite not quite hitting all the marks (and in fact missing some completely) that the previous films did. The single biggest question mark hanging over this new installment in the Indiana Jones series was whether or not Harrison Ford could still play the role at his age without any mobility assistance; I'm glad to say that he's most definitely up to it and for much of the running time you can believe that no time has passed at all, save some scenes where they make his age a blatant issue.

Sex and the City Movie Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] A very faithful translation of the TV show to the silver screen, whilst still working very well on a level for people who have never watched the show. It scores points for being a decent romantic comedy with themes and unique characters (just like the show), but it loses points for overstaying its welcome at two and a half hours.

Differences of Opinion - Film Making Versus Film Criticism
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] As a critic it's easy to forget that a film can take up a good portion of a filmmakers life bringing it to the screen; upon reflection, it appears that my two cents can't really account for the journey the filmmaker has gone through to realize their vision, no matter how flawed or perfect it may be. This is the inherent inconsistency between the value of the film to its maker and the value of the film to its viewer; an opinion formed in a few hours cannot make up for the experience the filmmaker went through over the course of several years to make the film.

Top 5 Ways To Become a Pretentious Auteur Filmmaker
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] Ever wondered what it takes to become a truly pretentious, so-far-up-yourself-you-could-cry, auteur filmmaker? Today, I'm here to share with you my experience with an absolute insane auteur film director simply called 'Sputnik' and he provided me with some tips for what he thought would make a great film director like him. And rather than paraphrase, I've decided to list his top 5 tips in his own words.

Star Trek's Final Nemesis
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] Around the time that "Insurrection" came out and "Deep Space Nine" departed the air waves, something unfortunate started happening to the franchise: it became stale. It was bound to happen at some time but this was still Star Trek; the most successful science-fiction television/film franchise ever produced. Seeing it degenerate was a disappointing experience to say the least because it is more than just a franchise...

Short Films - A Whole New Market
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] The role of the short film had been somewhat restricted in the past; but with the advent of new technology and the internet, a whole new market of possibilities is now open to short films. The time of the short filmmaker has arrived.

Film Directing - Know What You Want
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] For those of you with creative sensibilities, directing a film can be an artistically joyous experience. More opportunities exist now than ever before for anyone to pick up a camera and start shooting their epic. Despite all these advances however, old-fashioned storytelling sensibilities and knowing how to craft a film is still what really counts. In this respect, no amount of cheap technology or new distribution platforms will ever help a director who doesn't know what he/she wants. This is the real skill that has to be learned in order for someone to succeed as a film director.

American Beauty - A Subjectivity Review
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] American Beauty explores the pent-up frustration that is building in modern, every-day suburban life. The film portrays a group of neurotic characters that deal with their frustrations and anxieties in different ways. By the filmmakers portraying this so well in the film, the viewer of American Beauty becomes a subject by receiving the discourse of 'suburban anxiety' via the film.

"Celia" and Australian Cinema - Identity, Gender and Nation
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] Celia, directed by Ann Turner, is a film concerned with an oppositional binary: the way people behave versus the way people are portrayed. The film goes a long way to subvert the traditional Australian myth of the Aussie bushman, later larrikin, by creating male characters that exist far from this myth, and by creating female characters that are much stronger, and much more intelligent than they have otherwise been portrayed in previous films.

Story-Telling Efficiency - The Narrative of 'The Maltese Falcon'
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] The Maltese Falcon is a small chapter in a vast story; a story that does not end when the film finishes. The film accomplishes this by making a clear distinction between the story and the plot, following the guidelines of 'Classical Hollywood Narrative', manipulating story, plot and screen duration, and running through a series of causes and effects. By doing this, the film is able to condense a very long story into the space of ninety-nine minutes but still give the feeling of a story large in scope with a strong range and depth of narration.

The Star Wars Prequel Trilogy - A Retrospective
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] The original "Star Wars" trilogy was a cinematic landmark and a fond fixture in popular culture. I was not fortunate enough to see the original trilogy in its first run at the cinema although I did get to see the updated Special Editions when they were released. The original trilogy offered strong story telling, compelling and likable characters, as well as spectacular images and a riveting soundtrack by master composer John Williams. So where does the new prequel trilogy stack up against the brilliantly done originals? I guess it depends on how you look at it.