Donna's Reviews

If this is the movie you've selected as in introduction to Bollywood, then give it a miss because it's a stinker! I've seen quite a lot of Bollywood movies over the years, mostly on SBS and some here more recently at QF, and My Bollywood Bride is the worst ever - in fact everything else I've seen in the genre is good compared to it. The actor who plays Alex does a fairly good job at being convincing in his role, but most of the rest of what constitutes this film is so bad, including the dancing that's the highlight of these films. The dancing was lacklustre and a kind of hip hop Indian style. And a film like this makes one appreciate movie set designers - the set design of this one was more like 'lollywood'. For some great Bolly, I can recommend films with the actor Sanjay Dutt, especially the movies "Lage Raho" and "Munna Bhai M.B.S.S".

Like a souffle that never did rise, is this lack-lustre comedy with SJP and the ever stuttering Hugh Grant. I think the ingredients might have been all there, but the acting - particularly with the secondary roles (the FBI agents for example) and even SJP herself, like a twittering nervous canary, was woeful. The characters that carry the movie as much as it could be carried were Sam Elliot and Mary Steenburgen. The same material in the hands of more adept filmmaking might have produced something good. It does have some good moments, but otherwise a poor attempt at romantic comedy.

The whole seven seasons have been marvelous entertainment, and there's nothing much out there on tv that can really compare to this character-driven show with all its many qualities. Usually, the main star takes centre stage and all the other co-actors merely support her/him to some degree. But in The Closer, all characters are more than convincing in their individual portrayals, with sentiments that can be both moving and funny. The last season has proved just as amazing as the previous six with the finale a emotional experience, as a fan of this series might expect. There are some shocks and some high drama that make this last season, with Kyra Sedgwick, a really memorable one. I am looking forward to the new series "Major Crimes", with most of The Closer's cast starring with Mary McDonnell heading the squad. I would have missed those guys!

Like the other films in the series, the filmmakers did an excellent job with this finale and the ending was especially good, tying everything up very neatly (and am glad the whole Twilight thing is finally over...). A few cheezy parts, like CGI baby, a morph-ette that seemed unnecessary, and that vamp soldier guy having a brag. Quote of the movie (not a spoiler if you've read the novels) "Nessie: you called my daughter after the Loch Ness Monster?" Well, if you call your offspring Epponee Rae, oops I mean "Renesmee" then what might you expect? Four stars for the filmmakers for the editing of the story making the most of it.

I was very interested in this film for the psychological realism of a girl who gets enmeshed in a cult led by a charismatic leader with total control. Martha's story is told by flashbacks and at times the pacing is slow, but I think the filmmakers have done an admirable job at illustrating how people who are aimless with little or no sense of belonging anywhere and are starving for connection, can get drawn in to cults. The audience is made to see how all this could happen in potential, when Martha leaves the commune to live with her sister and the emptiness of her early years is revealed. I highly recommend the short film on the disk "Mary last seen", for it shows how some, young women particulary, could become drawn into what some might view as an' 'alternate lifestyle' and a method of entrapment is depicted. This film drama can show how potential real-life situations can be more terrible, because they are real, than anything that mere fiction could invent.

This film had the elements of a really good thriller; a great cast and cinematography, lots of twists and slatherings of glamour, but somehow it never came together. Disjointed with tacked on court room montage towards the finale, and lacking the poignancy it needed, in the hands of a more adept filmmaking it just might have worked. One of those films that you might find surfing channels on late night tv, it's forgettable, unfortunately.

I couldn't help feel a little disappointed by this latest Bond. No complaints on the action, the acting, incredible stunts and the cinematography, but I felt that this was a let down after Casino Royale and Quantam of Solace. While Craig is mesmerising to watch, he's like 'tragic robot' standing in the PC lobby after the likes of Connnery's sauve romance, Moore's comedic frolicing and Brosnan's debonair charm. Also I felt that the filmmakers are finding the 'bondisms' a bit on the embarrassing side now - and what happened to "The Bond Girl"? Glad to see Ralph Fiennes, he'll be great in the next Bond epic, but I'll be ambivilent about seeing it. I might get some Connery Bond's to console with. Ha.

I can't really add more than what the other reviewers here have put about this charming film. The filmmakers have done their own bit of "magic" by making the audience feel like they are there in that community. It's beautifully filmed, with all character parts wonderfully portrayed. Now wouldn't it be nice if the world could be more like this - raft built, waters crossed, treasures found and kept.

There's a number of 'degrees of separation' movies and while this one has its own relaxed vibe, it doesn't seem to entirely put across the concept. It's very pleasant to watch - the acting performances very natural, Meirelles giving the actors latitude to interpret. The cinematography has a slightly sleepy feel about it - in fact everything about the movie is relaxed, so I think the audience is meant to feel through the movie rather than see it for a storyline entertainment only. However, while I appreciate what the director was trying to do (the interviews in the extras are worth seeing), the movie just didn't tie together enough to really satisfy. And just when one knows enough about each character to really warm to them, the movie ends! Nonetheless, it's a likeable film with some great character performances.

There's parts of this film that might make for squirming in one's seat - the content having a decidedly vile flavour - but nonetheless, it's mesmerising to watch. The cinematography is amazing, the acting performances are brilliant, so as far as quality cinema goes, it's faultless. But be prepared because from scene one, you get a really good idea just what you are in for. The relationship dynamic between Freddie Quell (Phoenix) and Lancaster Dodd (Hoffman) is curiously obsessive but the filmmaker explains all its strangeness. Psychologically creepy and very distasteful in parts, the film is one that stays memorable after the last scene.

Quite a good film for the film subject of possession, but why do the girls that get possessed in these films all need to have the first name of "Emily"? Hmm...very odd. Anyway, it's apparently "based on a true story" that of a Jewish dibbux box, from an article entitled "Jinx in a box" by Leslie Gornstein. While some of these movies are full of artist license in photography and special effects, this one has some effects without overwhelming an audience with them and without overdoing anything. It's better than a lot of other horror movies around, at least it has some sort of reasonable storyline to it and it was well acted with the very likeable lead of Jeffrey Dean Morgan - the beleagured dad who learns the hard way not to buy spooky junk at garage sales - and the two teenage daughters who learn more about the value of wholesome family life. Ha!

I got the first disk of the three, just to see if I was going to like this series, but after the first four episodes, I got the other two disks, the mystery within the storyline proving too irresistable. This series has its own starkness of personality built around cinematographic clean lines and contrasted lighting. The characters and the interweaving of their lives is the greatest strength of this drama, and there's many fine acting performances. The story is a fascinating one - a cult is hidden away behind a compound fence and led by one very charasmatic leader, while another group attempts to free their loved ones that are cult members - along with other intrigues. But it also offers something extra, which is a look inside human nature, the vunerability of human need and drives of human impetous. Only one criticism pertaining to too little flesh on some of its bare bones in parts of the plot, but otherwise I can recommend it, especially for those who like solid, sober adult drama.

A bit on the raw and whacky side, but nonetheless has some charm. Overall, I didn't think that much of it but it won me over in spite of its flaws. This quirky British production is not the usual style romance/bride movie so it lacks some 'Hollywood' slickness that probably could have helped it. Some pretty mindless light comedy entertainment to pass an hour and a half, as long as you're not expecting too much.

I really enjoyed this movie, though it took sitting through the first half to warm to it. Morgan Freeman did it in "Bruce Almighty" and in this one, Whoopi gives it a go, but it strangely works. Yes, something heartwarming and fun to be found through the pain and I think that's worth all four stars. Kate Hudson shines in her role as Marley.

One to keep the audience thinking - and wanting to talk about - after it's finished. It's a really good Indie with a cast of strong characters, the actors doing a brilliant job in performing their roles, particularly the girl that plays Maggie. This film is well worth the look for anyone interested in psychology: for that aspect alone the film has fascination. A really tight production with an intriguing storyline.

I usually enjoy a psychological thriller but this film, with its predictable plot, I couldn't watch past the first forty minutes. Julianne Moore films can vary considerably in their content, but I've seen a few too many starring her in some really dark 'ick' factor films and I hope she doesn't continue to choose dramatic roles in such stereotypical style.

It was going to happen eventually - a movie in the same Aussie humour-type as "Muriel's Wedding". This time instead of Abba music, this PJ Hogan film features songs from "The Sound of Music". Offbeat, full of quirks, the film has its moments. Ripper and Trout steal the show.

Maybe the filmmakers sacrificed other facets of good, or even reasonable, movie making when they decided to invest funds and trouble to produce this Silent Hill sequel for cinema in 3D, because on DVD without the 3D it's not much of a film, especially compared to the original. The original is a favourite of mine in the horror genre: it is classy and eerie with some incredible shock-value monsters (like the nurses). Sean Bean shows up in this poor-relation sequel with second rate appearances by Malcolm Macdowell and Carrie-Anne Moss. Maybe those actors will live to regret that they had a part of it. The dialogue is woeful - so stilted - some of the sloppiest, laziest dialogue I've heard in a film for quite some time. If you haven't watched the original Silent Hill movie, get that. But give this pathetic sequel a miss.

To rate this movie any higher that a "maybe", you'd really have to be a fan of Ferris's character of Ron Burgandy and his pals. I enjoyed it, but there'd be many who would have had enough just watching the Anchorman movie and probably wouldn't be overly impressed with it. Any fan of Ferris's comedic roles would probably get a kick out of this one too.

Great movie, lives up to its title - with some of the best cinematographic action I've seen in a movie in an urban setting. It has great characters, a tight storyline, a lot of variation in how the cycling and cycling stunts are done and a smattering a humour, particularly from the villian that gives the movie some quirky freshness. A must see for cyclists (like myself but I wouldn't try any of that sort of riding at home) and everyone else who likes a good flick. Very brill, I hope there's a sequel.

A movie adaptation of one of James Herbert's novels. Herbert is a writer of horror fiction and while this film deals with reincarnation and not strictly horror, there's still a macabre element to it. I remember reading the novel years ago and the movie is a much softer adaptation of the novel. As far as entertainment goes (and if the audience does not need to really think too deeply about the events in it), it's reasonable family viewing - sort of in the same genre of the 'Milo and Otis' movie. An elaborate music score is noteworthy to this film.

This doco is told from a unique perspective of some youngsters who themselves are victims of bullying, their families and the environments in which they live. It's got a curious element whereas the filmmakers are filming actual bullying and I had pause to wonder how they achieved that so that the youngsters would behave as they normally did. What I think they wanted to do with this doco is to make the audience feel like they were walking a mile in other's shoes, and, in fact, that phrase is used by someone being interviewed. I think that this doco is well worth seeing and would make for good discussion. To quote from the documentary: "All it takes is for one person to stand up..." I recommend watching it.

I caught a little of this show on tv and was intrigued. There's been many shows about unexplained mysteries over the years but this one has a fresh take, along with unique mysteries that have not been on other shows previously. It approaches each story from all sorts of angles so it allows the audience to ponder through it all. The filming and the interviews are lively and overall it's very well done. Shatner is hilarious: he postures, grimaces and is a rather adorable. To borrow from Shatner from the intro of the show: "Yep... it's a weird show, and I like it."

One of the best movies I've ever seen. Terrific story, a great cast, beautifully filmed - a visual feast. Totally engrossing from start to finish. Danes' performance as Grandin is outstanding. A must see film.

I really wanted to like this movie, especially through being a fan and admirer of the talent of Jessica Mauboy, however I was disappointed. I thought that it would have a similar calibre to "Red Dog", but I found the movie trying too hard, and thus self-conscious. One good thing that I appreciated was that all four of the girls were featured on equal footing, not just Mauboy in the spotlight, and I also liked the biopic content regarding the circumstances around the people of the community that the girls were a part of. This film had all the ingredients for something really, really good, but fell short in my opinion. It's still worth watching though.

I'm not sure if the makers of this documentary really pulled off what they set out to acheive - convincing an audience that scientific experiments have proved life after death. This tv doco focuses on the Scole experiments whereby a group of people, psychic mediums, scientists and other witnesses, attempted to prove the existence of people from another dimension of existence. I think the docu was fairly cheaply made: it uses the same images over and over again rather boringly, cuts and snippets of personal testimony, and skims rapidly over the actual "science" part. It's put together in a choppy way by way of 'smoke and mirrors', and really does itself a disservice in so doing. Better to watch this with a sceptic's glasses on and make up your own mind.

Highly entertaining, genuinely funny and and interesting story with heartfelt moments. The romance is a secondary subplot to the main story of Munna and his forays into the medical profession. A strong theme in these usually long Indian films are a son's need for his father's love and honour, and this theme was particularly strong in this movie. This one is better than another of Sanjay Dutt's films, Lage Raho Munnabhai (2006)- but which is also very good and will keep the Bollywood enthusiast happy from start to finish.

I liked this latest in the series much better than the plasticised one before it. Maybe the filmmakers were trying to win a new legion of fans with this one, for there was much from the past movies brought back in this one; not that I minded that, Alice still rocks and she's such a great heroine. Some never seen before stunts to thrill but don't expect anything too different though of the whole thing.

Maybe a movie that youngsters would enjoy, but I just didn't. It was too self-conscious, overly sentimental, and everytime the surname was uttered, you had to know it was "Meeeee", just for effect. The movie could have been a flatform for awareness into the plight of endangered species, and though there was a mere mention, it could have greatly expanded that. But the animals were just props for the movie and it was the people and their cartoonish behaviour that was the focus. I was annoyed that there was no sweep of the actual zoo by the camera: most of the scenes where fairly closed in on certain enclosures. And, of course, there's that advertising: you're watching a 'nice' movie and suddenly 'screech' there's that advertising message again - this happened on four occassions. And finally, a word on the over-sentimentality - quote: 14 year old boy says to 12 year old girl : "...I love your sign! I love you!" Gag...

If things look too good to be true, they probably are...but in this film, the psychopath, David, misquotes this bit of wisdom by replacing the word "are" with "aren't" to the girl he needs to possess. Smooth, seductive, romantic and good-looking, Nicole easily falls into his trap. An extremely interesting movie for anyone into psychology and it's acted in fairly uncontrived way. And it was curious to see William Petersen so young and so fit.

The filmmakers have fallen a long way through tastelessness from the time they made Hey Dude, Where's My Car. White Castle had its crude moments, but this film drops to a whole new baser level. Only 20 minutes into the movie and it was back in QF's envelope. It's a pity, really, because this film would have been super fun without all the smut - but that would have taken more intellect on behalf of the filmmakers.

A mix of so many genres in only the way the Bollywood movie industry can do; so skilled are they at combining drama, romance, comedy, action, fantasy, song and dance in one film. This one has much violence in it with a lot of face-slapping, and other violent acts to heightened sound effects, some badly timed a split second after the blows. The dance and song scenes are entertaining fun, the filmmakers so adept at capturing emotion to the music. The dialogue is fiesty and engaging with many skillful actors playing roles which are very credible. But I think that the absolute mastery of this film goes to the cinematographer for the extraordinary creativity. A movie, though long like the Bollywoods are, that will please, and the story is a good one.

Funny film with a truck load of dysfunctional personalities all looking for their personal high. Dude, where's My Car has always been one of my favourite comedies and this one's in the same sort of film as in two guys get way distracted while driving to get junk food. Very clever turn of events, some tremendous weirdos with character roles surprising well acted. Somehow this film pulls off everything it attempts, no matter how bad the toilet humour gets.

Not quite what I was expecting, which was the usual as in a group of young people in an out of the way place slasher movie. And so I was pleasantly surprised at its creativity and what a solid production it was. Writer Josh Wheldon has really bought out some kooky-interesting stuff over the years and this is no exception. Loads of special effects but a good story overall along with some fun horror. And there's some deeper stuff in it too, and that's wayyy deep, haha.

Yet another one in the Blair Witch mold. This one has its moments where subtleties that allow the audience to be freaked out by their own imaginations, pay off, like Blair Witch, but also cheesy moments when there's overt silliness. Actually, the movie begins quite intriguingly with a funny spoof of Ryan Buell's tv paranormal doco series "Paranormal State", even ripping off one of Buell's regular supposed psychics by the name of Chip Coffey, played by a character called "Houston" in this movie. From there, the movie doesn't exactly know how it wants to present itself in any sort of flow and the outcome, while seemingly inevitable, is a letdown. Some scary moments insterspersed with junk from some confused direction.

Spooked by name and nature is this fairly short documentary. It's been rated M for a good reason and I don't recommend anyone under age to watch it, it packs a pretty powerful punch with some strong imagery. The filmmakers really put across the building-from-hell impression well, but the actual presentation of the doco can get annoying at times with lots of short takes and sound effects smattered amongst the more informative scenes. This is pretty hard core ghost busting. Something of the same that's more toned down is the Discovery Channel doco series "A Haunting", which isn't a bad series on the same subject matter.

For all art lovers, this beautifully filmed series is a great pleasure to watch. Wendy gives the viewers the benefit of her ability to interpret great works of art: classic and modern, religiously-themed, classical or secular - drawing the audience into a charming intimacy that is quite irresistible. It's a series to be enjoyed, not only for her intellectual approach and for its aesthetics, but also for the music that brilliantly enhances. I would have liked to see more after these disks.

Fabulous film, a visual treat, entertaining, funny and poignant at the same time and brilliantly cast. The sharp edginess that is a great part of the first half of the film relaxes as the life of Harold Crick takes on more ease. A very clever film that is slightly too long but one that cinephiles will be sure to appreciate.

While I was watching this, I couldn't help think just how much like Tobey Maguire, Daniel Radcliffe looked. A very convincing performance by this young actor and he was the most strongly featured in this movie, enhanced by the many close-ups. It was nicely filmed with the right amound of eerieness, however, the plot could have had more elaboration - I found it too simplistic.

A very buff and obviously so McConaughey in a black comedy-esque situation drama involving rednecks and guns. I thought it was quite good, after the shock of the knock on the trailer door being answered by the welcome mat - but it is R-rated afterall. This film has its merits for its kooky characters and how they interact. Worth seeing is the interview with the director also on the disk.

A top quality British production which, in the first hour of the three-part serialised movie, is very close to the Dicken's novel. In the next two hour-long parts, the writers take some liberties with diverging from the novel, which I found a little distasteful in some scenes - particularly the brothel scene - and then leaving out other parts of the Dicken's classic novel, for instance the part involving Pip's good friendship with Wemmick and Wemmick's father. Overall, a very entertaining three-part movie with strong character definition, but humourless, unfortunately.

A clever story with a twist on the super hero vs super villan. Will Ferrel is a great comedy actor whether he's in film himself or for his vocal talent. Was just a bit peeved by the images of the tops of buildings being crashed into but younger viewers won't be upset by that, I would think.

The two stand out acting performances in this movie belong to Bette Davis and Peter Falk. It's truly one of the greats from Capra: the comic timing and large character cast would have taken a great deal of directing skill. One of those film to touch the heart.

One of the best ever movie sequels and better than the first in my opinion - great buddy cop relationship, lots of feel good and clever comedy that comes across with spontaneity. All that mixed in with some really bad villians with a slight James Bond feel, some social commentary of the day to do with South Africa, some romance and packed full of elaborate stunts - what's there not to like? Riggs: "We're back, we're bad, you're black, I'm mad." Great fun.

It might be rude and crude but I found this British comedy to be very compelling viewing. A great cast, all trying to do their best to keep a straight face so Brendan O'Carroll can deliver the laughs. Lots of fun off and on the set -and I always like to see the next hand-knitted cardigan she's wearing. Disc one has the episodes while disc two has the extras.

Really funny, manic, clever, loved this and watched it through twice. This movie has moments of pure comic genius. The minions are unforgettable. I will watch this again sometime.

Really funny, manic, clever, loved this and watched it through twice. This movie has moments of pure comic genius. The minions are unforgettable. I will watch this again sometime.

One of the best plotted movies I've seen in a while. However, the plot is most of this movie's strength, the rest of it I found lacking some finesse like with the filming and the score and there could have been more light and shade for dramatic effect. I also found the acting a little lacklustre. A lot more could have been done by the filmmakers to enhance such a great plot.

Most of the movie was filmed within a studio that was the parlour of the house and I read that the movie was adapted for screen from a stage play. It's a fabulous, timeless comedy and I was amazed at how great Grant was in his comic role. I recommend watching the trailer for the film that is on the disk in the extras, it's hilarious - Grant has a lot to say with a gag in his mouth! The comic timing is edgy and excellent in all scenes. This must have been the movie to go see at the cinemas back in the day; it won't fail to please.

The genre for this film is "horror" and a horror film is just what it is. What probably makes it really horrific is the baseness of carnality in what, to all the world, could lurk inside seemingly ordinary looking people, in this movie it's for all appearances a 'normal' family. Reading through the reviews, some comments relating to misogyny, but my opinion is that the filmmakers had not the intention of regaling the hatred of women, rather to illustrate dispicable lusts buried inside human nature that the outside of someone who is given to such lusts, would otherwise hide. The opposite of mysogny is misandry, so it's a matter of base human nature being portrayed in a horror story tale. I think there's much to appreciate in this film: the acting was excellent, with maybe the exception of the schoolteacher and the music score was fresh - actually I've never seen a film quite like this for it's artistic mixture of elements. The film actually haunted me somewhat after watching it and I think that, as a person who is interested in psychology, there's the filmmakers art that can be appreciated in the illumination of carnality in a film that has a almost comic and surreal quality.

Blair Witch meets Cloverfield in this Norwegian tongue in cheek horror/comedy. I don't mind a foreign film at all, and this was about what I expected of this film, and though it tries hard, I found myself a little bored by it. I have to wonder if it really 'translates' for an audience outside of Northern Europe, but I think youngsters might find more thrills than old grown ups in this. It would have been a great B movie at the drive ins. But...ah ha! now I know why there's so many electricity pylons and musk oxen in Norway.

One of the best ghost movies, in my opinion, ever made. It's got all the elements, a great cast with solid characters - especially with George C. Scott in the lead role - the cinematography, score, plot and enough ghostly manifests both subtle and exciting to give the right amount of chills. I remember seeing this movie when it first came out, back in 1980 and it was scary. Seeing it again after all these years, I was both moved and thrilled by some emotional scenes and by the more shocking scenes: the wheelchair should have had a space in the credits! If you've never seen this haunting movie before, you'll be in for a treat. Great story.

Speaking as a baby boomer, I don't know why I have never seen this fabulous court room drama before. What an amazing film! It's one of those movie gems, filmed in black and white, that has an audience entertained, not only by characters, dialogue, score and the events as they unfold but by its wit and wisdom. Definitely one of the all-time great movie events.

The premis of the story was a good one. Nice dad has a heart transplant, but finds his new heart has different ideas to his old one and leads him into some dark places. It's one of those director's-own-vision films that's too self-conscious to be enjoyed too much, too 'arty' without being interesting and to be appreciated much. It's very slowly paced, tries to shock - tries too hard - and has that passe blue cast photography. I kept thinking throughout watching it that a more adept filmmaker could have done something better with the story. I find I cannot even give it two stars.

I could never get tired of this movie and I can't count how many times I've seen it since my first time at a cinema in Melbourne many, many years ago now. It seems there's always something new to find about it that can be appreciated. I'm always enthralled at the tornado scene and when the witch's stockinged feet curl up! It's a magical movie and always to be so greatly enjoyed.

Quite a good movie, well acted particularly by the young man who plays David the eight-year old, revisiting the "Damien" story scenario without religous trappings. Yes, creepy and the filmmakers do the insidiousness of it all rather well. No great world-beater of a movie, but still worth watching. I must have missed something but I couldn't quite work out the bit where the money was dropped off to the man in the red suit?

After seeing the last disc in this series of all four seasons, overall I would say that it was very enjoyable. If you can forgive the 'cheap shots' of when someone's in the scary room and someone they know comes up silently behind them and they jump (the tv show producers do this one often) and the oh-no-he/she-is possessed all white or black eyeballs, along with the cuts to sudden still shots and tempetuous music all for effect, then you might appreciate that they are actually true accounts, somewhat (and at the same time) beat up and watered down. That's alot to forgive, but there's still some particularly interesting experiences by the eyewitnesses and it's credible stuff.

Times when I've seen documentaries on film that feature the classics, there's often been mention of Taxi Driver: before actually seeing it now, I've only ever seen snippets. I was amazed at this movie, the sheer brilliance of film-making. Scorsese left nothing to chance, everything - to the casting, script, cinematography etc. will make this one of the all-time film events. The scene where Travis goes to Iris's apartment towards the end is nothing like anything you'll see on tv involving any similar scenario - it's raw and shocking, devastatingly powerful. The film is full of symbolism like in the use of colours - a lot of red, white and blue. The scene in the diner where Travis is talking to Iris has them both wearing red shirts, while in the background, red cars and trucks pass outside in the street. On the wall behind Iris is a picture of butterflys, all designed to put across greater depth to the interaction of characters and dialogue. To see this film again would be to find more of the dirctor's art hidden in each scene. It's a must see if you haven't already.

Was very impressed with this movie. The cinematography was creative without being too arty. The whole film is an excellent mix of real, in terms of real events occuring within the story, and the surreal with interwoven fairy tale elements. Overall, the film is very watchable: it's something different than the usual Hollywood-styled spy chase thriller.

Quite a good series for all of its flaws, considering that the episodes are constructed from eye witness accounts. The enactments are rather sanitised unlike how real life can sometimes be a 'messier' affair - and some of the acting is pretty poor, but overall, the whole series is pretty interesting. It does get a bit annoying when there's a lot of crashing cymbals, sound effects, little cuts to sudden imagery between scenes and what I call "cheap shots" where someone's in an attic (or the scary room) and they get a fright but it's only a friend or family member coming up behind them. In this disc on one particular episode, one woman kept saying "ok, ok" all the time until I wanted to scream: the ham actor playing one of the haunted house's residents was more nervous than the actual person she was portraying...ha ha!

Wow, pow, what an explosive end to season four - very frustrating! Will Jane ever be able to outwit his nemesis? I wasn't expecting such a dramatic ending to this season so it was all a bit of a shock. However, this season has been brilliant with the serialising of the lives of the main characters with all of the CBI team are evolving. I noticed that that along with the serialising of the characters that there's more subtleties in the dialogue and more attributes of the script that are making this show one of the best in television. Far from being a predictable crime drama, I am thinking that The Mentalist will probably finish up, as a series, and actually hope that they don't prolong it for too many more seasons, but end on some sort of a triumph. The whole show has evolved amazingly and this season has had a lot more finesse than previous seasons. Amazing show!

A Peter Jackson film that I enjoyed very much. It was engrossing: the casting, acting, script, cinematography all brilliant. There was a very good tie in of the fantasy scenes with the series of actual events. Having never seen this before now, I was surprised at just how good it was.

Disappointing, considering the material the filmmaker had to work with: it was a storyline that they could have done a lot more with. No great ghostly thrills at all, if anything the story was more of a psychological nature. I thought the actor portraying Beckett did an excellent job with the role. More use could have been made of the character of Cassie - the one fit at the dining room table seemed rather out of place. Badly paced and boring at times, this film in the hands at a more adept filmmaker really could have been something.

Fans of ghostly tales should like this series, as I am so far. The accounts seem credible enough with real life testimony of the actual people who experienced these hauntings and there's genuineness in the telling of their own stories. There's quite a lot of special effects like for example, the ghostly appearances but some of the recreations are overdone. One annoyance is the - again - overdone use of music with lots of cymbal crashings and spooky noises to get the hairs up on the back of the neck: overkill, really. Overall, it's entertainment, however factual reportings about haunted houses and strange apparitions can be stranger than fiction.

A feel-good romantic comedy with a really good on-screen chemistry between Witherspoon and Raffalo. The story is a predicatable one so it's no great movie event, but still, it's an enjoyable one.

After the film, I watched the feature included on the disk. The filmmakers had a vision by which to carefully document the case of the Zodiac killer via this dramatised biopic. It feels kind of disconnected, there are lots of scenes with many actors all in their respective roles as journalists, famous people of note, law enforcement and all of the events were covered as well as it could be, I think, in this fairly long film. They also were able to recreate the 70s very well and it's interesting to see what law enforcement capabilities were like back then, without the benefit of our digital age. They had rudiments of forensics compared to now, a lot of politicking, and a kind of naivety. The role of Graysmith attempts to tie the other events together. Most chilling scene: the man they interviewed as the Zodiac mocking his interviewers. It's interesting for those interested in psychology.

Certainly a movie to make you think, but not one in which to really want to be an armchair judge. It is a gory, uncomfortable film but brings closer to home, as it were, the kind of atrocities that are being committed all around the world because of ideologies. The ending leaves an uncertaintly, but that's life.

Gripping drama with convincing acting performances. The last time I saw Lesley Sharp, who plays Janet Scott in this series, was in the series "After Life". This new detective series proves that Sharp is a great dramatic actress once more. I found myself very drawn into the the ongoing storyline, however, I felt as if the series producers had something of an axe to grind in terms of what can be obvious failings in female and male relationships. While Rachel Bailey is a clueful detective, she lacks emotional intelligence, which sort of grates after a while. Scott, on the other hand, is a rock-like figure around which the other characters cluster. A very entertaining, but flawed series, in my opinion. Still, it's worth watching.

Probably the best film for animated excellence I've seen. The detail is stunning and I especially liked the movement as with the princess's hair and all the extremely lifelike movements, which I felt was best portrayed in Angus the Clydesdale. A really good story and message. Only one thing bothered me, and that's the use of the word "babby". Don't the Scots use the word "bairn" for the word "baby"? It's a commonly enough understood word without having to use this "babby" word. Anyway, annoying but the rest of it was really super.

This movie was well worth seeing: a biopic on the youth of Assange and very interesting. What the filmmaker, I think, was attempting to do was to show what has compelled him in his early years as a hacker to do what he does today in releasing articles to the public. First, his mother was an activist herself and then there's his need for justice after the frustration of living those years in hiding from that cult. This could have been a fiction, however, it's true, so it's even more fascinating. Interesting also that the filmmaker uses a greyish cast in the filming, which gives an impression of a sense of disconnection, or a feeling of an apathy or emptyness in a way that a society could be represented. The actor that portrays Assange was well cast in the role.

It took a little while for this movie to warm up: it had all the right elements of a film of total excellence, but somehow I just couldn't feel much empathy with the protagonist - played by Worthington. Anyway, I took a look at the special features and saw to what lengths the film-makers went to to produce this film: "The Ledge". This is my opinion only, but I think that they were focusing so much on the extravaganza of the ledge and what they had to do to produce all the ledge scenes that they forsook, in part, to include the audience into a empathetic relationship with Worthington's character, especially from the beginning of the movie. I think that it is this element that makes us barrack for the beleagured hero so much in a this film genre. A little bit more effort to achieve this and I would have given it all five stars. No doubt about Sam Worthington, this Aussie rocks, and rocks Hollywood. Yah!

Gorgeous, funny, sweet and very charming: a bit of fun and whacky romance that is very touching. I think they'd be people out there just like Angelique and Jean Rene, those highly sensitive persons that find it hard to relate, poor artistic souls that they are! I like a foreign film and this one was well worth seeing. Only criticism is the ending was a bit too 'twee' and I would have liked to see more about the chocolate making. This movie will bring on chocky cravings.

It's been over twenty years since I've seen this movie and after watching it in 2012, it's really stood the test of time. For a film made in the 80's it doesn't rub in the fashion statements of that decade, which is a plus in its favour. Strange now, however, to see Mel looking so young and fit. I had a sense while watching it that this film and its sequels set a kind of precedent for tv cop shows with various facets that include clever use of humour, defining of character and relationship between characters. It's a great flick.

Would this one be the biggest block buster of the year? I would think so, for the filmmakers spared no expense. There's an absolute perfection about this movie and the special effects that pervade the film are excellent. In the hands of a less adept filmmaker, the combination of these super hero characters might have been cheezy, however there's a sophistication like in the Iron Man movies that's also in this one. The ultimate hero of them all? Captain America of course, for when Thor's hammer comes down, the Captain's shield resists! Yah! USA (or something like that). Great to watch, terrific acting performances.

I enjoyed this third enstallment of the Shrek series of movies, in part and to a point. I did have some laugh out loud moments, however the use of pop culture music was to the point of nauseating. The part where Snow White was singing and then there was Led Zeppelin? What were the filmmakers thinking? It absolutely grated on my nerves!

This Ghibli Studio animated film is filled with wonderful subtleties. It's not a movie to be blown away by, however, the audience can be absolutely delighted by the intricacies of the animation. The movements of the characters are so lifelife and natural and for even deeper appreciation, you have teenagers interacting with each other and teens will be teens the world over and in this movie its Japan. Ghibli fans should love this film, but maybe people not familiar with Ghibli might not quite totally appreciate - also its soundrack is Japanese with English subtitles. The plot is fascinating and you can't help but be drawn into what happens between the boy and the girl - it is turbulent "Ocean Waves", but I think there's so much realism in the dynamic of their peculiar relationship. I can't say anymore without giving away the plot.

I saw this movie some years ago and wanted to see it again. It's an amazingly good anime with a solid futuristic story line. The action sequences are elaborate and lavish and the naturalistic movements due to CGI are stunning.

A small budget urban horror film by a filmmaker who just wanted to make it apparently. The movie, thus, is amateurish and while using a couple of actors seen in other movies, the young woman who plays the main character of Sarah is straight out of high school acting class. The plot throws together a whole lot of things that feature in horror films, including a good looking "Crow" type of hero who wields a sword against an army of zombies. One thing about those zombies, they move fast, a thing not typical to the genre, in fact they were more like 'zoombies'. The plot hotch potches other elements, a magical amulet, an evil sorcerer, lots of demented attacking birds, demons - you name it (yes, even a kind of vampire thingy). The guy that directed the film, Brian Metcalf, wrote the screenplay and looks like he got his creative licence realised but the audience must then endure the hour and a half of it. Redeeming features, the music score and the film titleling. Overall it's not all bad for a B-grader and not as bad as some I've attempted to watch.

A really awful B-grade, a very loose plot that could have had potential in the hands of more adept filmmakers and will eventually be relegated to the midday movie spot that 7 Prime regularly have on during week days. One thing that really stood out as very noticeable was the main actor, the psychologist woman and her self-conscience acting performance: a a poser with her plumped and parted lips, even when the psycho guy turns up in her house! There are plenty of good thrillers out there, but this one is entirely forgettable and not worth watching.

So disappointed in this film as was a young relative of mine who had seen it before I did. Where's the brilliance of "Beetlejuice" and "The Corpse Bride"? Even "Edward Scissorhands"? Visually, this movie "Dark Shadows" is really astounding, very atmospheric and lavish. However the plot is ridiculous (and other things that are 'off')! I am rather familiar with the original tv series "Dark Shadows" and what Burton did with the characters of this cult-classic series is really terrible. The original characters were interesting enough without Burton making a crazed travesty of it. And also the makeup on Depp, very similarly to his "Alice" movie was gauche. And what's with the mish mash of calling Victoria Winters by the name of Maggie Evans? These women were two different roles in the tv show. I noted that there was a memorium to Dan Curtis, the producer/director of the original tv show, at the end credits. I really wonder what Dan would think of Burton's absurd send up?

I reread the novel recently and it is an excellent story. The director did a good job and it was brilliantly filmed. The child actors were entirely believable, especially the boy who played Michele. Btw, the novel has a lot more in it and it's just a fairly short book but the director of the movie was able to portray the crux of the tale well. The ending varied a little from the novel and I found the novel's ending rather better.

The first time I saw this was on video in high school in 1973. And it was through this series on American history with the incomparable Cooke, that I gained an interest in the subject. I recently read the book of the series and watched the DVDs at the same time. Probably the most poignant chapter to watch was "Arsenal", Cooke's sobering commentary on the cold war - and well I remember us all living in fear of two super powers going to war throughout that time. So the fact that he made that series at the time holds even more meaning. I can highly recommend it.

Great to see this again and there's nothing dated about it, everything's as fresh, funny and exciting as when it was first released. I like anything with Tommy Lee Jones; he's great in all movie genres including this comedy. Best line of the movie from Frank the pug: "If you don't like it, you can kiss my furry little b...". Gotta laugh.

Lots of great characters that the director was skillful at personalising to a filmgoing audience, a really exciting story and loads of special FX. Maybe the moral of the story is - there's enough problems right here on planet E without asking for more trouble and spending mega bucks on hardware to make outerspace contact with more technologically advanced beings on far flung planets! haha Really enjoyed it, a feel-good time. Wouldn't mind seeing it again.

Usually when I see the movie of the book, I'll read the book first. In this instance, I'm glad I didn't - though I did read another novel by this author (it was a graphic novel) that I found even less agreeable than the plot of this story. Firstly, on the positive side, Rachel McAdams did a fabulous job convincing that she was in love with her husband, so the romance element, which pervaded the whole movie, was well portrayed. On the other side to it, I thought the movie too 'poignancy- for-poignancy's sake', and after reading something about Niffeneggar, the author of the tale, I think I have insight in how she likes to provoke emotion in her readers and that all seems just so unnecessary. There's probably one redeeming feature of Clare's situation that might make some women at least appreciate sentiment from this movie (at the risk of sounding like I'm contradicting myself) and that is how some are in a position of feeling like their partners are emotionally absentee - sometimes their spouse is there, emotionally speaking, and at other times he's in another place. Maybe that element of empathetic nature was why "The Time Traveller's Wife" became a best-seller and then a film. The filmmakers did a good job with the material and I was not confused by the time travelling as a result of what they were able to produce in terms of a screenplay. If you like romantic weepies, the movie is ok.

I enjoyed this movie - kind of a mix from elements of "Avatar", "Star Wars" and "Monsters and Aliens". It may not be the sort of movie for really young children: there's a kind a sophistication to it and I think that must come from the way the filmmakers have applied the vision of Edgar Rice Burroughs. I really liked all the actors in the film, especially to note the actress who plays the Princess - a solid, strong woman, not one of those ubiquitous blonde 'hollywood' types and 'not' Natalie Portman! The character who steals the show is Woola. Maybe he'll get his own movie, but I reckon Disney already have the toys made (now, is that a dog, or a cane toad??)

I read the novel earlier this year so I couldn't help but compare the film with that. The movie was brilliantly acted, a little drawn out at times, but I couldn't help yet being a tad disappointed by it because it was so watered down from what the novel actually contained. Overall, the film was a lot more satisfying in terms of what ends well or 'happily'. In the novel, however, there's a lot more to everything and it's far more grittier. What I really liked about this film was the cinematographic beauty of it: the indoor and outdoor scenes were very appealing and pleasing on the eye. And I appreciated that this movie from the 50s came with English subtitles on the DVD, not all the oldies have the option for subtitles. It's a long movie and fairly satisfying.

So, so good, thoroughly entertaining, enjoyable and exciting drama full of great characters and producers, writers and actors who are 'true believers' in what they have created in this fabulous tv series. Everything - well almost - is slick and savvy. There was one episode that I felt lost it's way a little bit, to do with a paternity accusation, a bit on the strange side, but as far as tv series goes, this one's a perfect as they get. Can't wait until Season four on DVD.

For me, a disappointment after "Clash of the Titans", which I watched through twice before I sent it back. This movie was full of adventure and excitement, surely, and with great actors (will watch anything with Ralph Fiennes in it), however, the script....woeful. Quote of the film: Hades says to his brother, "You look about 10,000 years younger!" Zeus replies, "And I feel it too!" ...must be a movie for all ages, especially the younger generation.

One of those movies where you think you have it worked out and takes a twist. It's extremely violent but interesting. Probably the ending could have been more satisfying but still worth watching. I particularly liked the way this one was filmed, the cinematographer did a good job with it.

There's something magical about this film, and I think what that magic is is that it is able to evoke the atmosphere of the cinematic 'event'. I remember how much I loved seeing "Willy Wonka..." in my childhood (yes in 1971!) at the cinema, and I feel that "Hugo" brings that same awe and fascination to the screen. Hugo is one of those movies to watch again and again.

I think that sometimes it doesn't always pay to take too much notice of film critics and this film was one that I remember got its share of criticism when it was released for cinema. I honestly couldn't find anything wrong with this film at all - everything about it was excellently done and Robert Pattinson put his heart and soul into his acting performance. It's a very 'adult' film and is able to describe with poignancy a terrible period of the last century. It is excellent - well worth seeing.

Not a bad animated film at all. It has a good storyline and some interesting characters. Also, it moves at a pace and holds the interest, especially with some funny moments. The only criticism I would have is about a few hackneyed images ie., a cat emerging from a dustbin with a fish skeleton in its mouth and the zoo animals right up against the bars of their cages and able to grab at passers by. Other than that, it was savvy enough.

I do admire Stephen King as a writer, but there are things that I don't particularly like about his horror novels, and that is the overuse of mystery (and many open-enders) and the killing off of characters in some of the most bizarre ways. The producers of "Haven" imitated King's style in this. And while I liked the main character of Audrey, I felt that there wasn't enough in this tv show to hold my interest. I found that these bizarre methods of 'dispatching' people in gruesome ways too trivialised, and when one of the secondary female main characters gets killed, I'd decided I'd had enough as I found it overall cheapened human life. My review is pretty hard but this is all my honest opinion.

I chose this movie to watch because I thought it was a psychological thriller but turned out to be an dark occult story - and a rather confusing one at that. Julianne Moore steals the show with her performance but I wasn't too rapt in the movie overall.

Can't go wrong with a film starring Denzel Washington, and this one is no exception. This movie is one of the best spy films I've seen - the acting, the action and the storyline all top notch. It's called "Safe House" but not all the events take place inside the house (re - spate of movies taking place in a small/confined area in recent years). No, the title more alludes to what might be perceived as a 'safe' house - the CIA, homeland security etc.. Two very excellent features of this movie is that all the action scenes are so realistically done, and all the viewer is brought right into the fight scenes so they are not merely (yet another) fight scene or gun battle, but taking the audience into the intimacy of the action. Ryan Reynolds is highlighted in this movie to his absolute best and he and Washington's character are put together in a finely-balanced interaction that bedazzles with subtely and impact. A film for adults with a non-confusing storyline and one of excellence in the action genre.

I don't know why I 'chose' this movie - put a pretty girl with double D's in a slasher genre movie and voila! something very bad happens. A big "don't bother".

I found that this movie had its slow times for a comedy with some big-name actors, but I discovered that I began to quite enjoy it towards the last half of the film (liked the twist at the end!) I had been expecting something funnier from a Steve Carell film, but there were other things about it that made watching it a feel-good one. Not a bad way to spend the almost two hours of movie time.

One of the better dramas I've seen in a while, very entertaining. Paltrow is excellent as the troubled, talented country singer. If you watch it, have a tissue or two handy.

Was disappointed in this movie because I think with what the director had to work with, a far better job could have been made of it. The script was predictable and thus very poor; the plot was weak and sloppy. Also I think that the constant showcasing of Lautner's body was overdone. This could have been a much tighter production, but for some reason the whole thing was dumbed-down.

Loved this film and thought it was a great continuation from the original trilogy - and all the slow mo stalk-walking in leather that the audience can handle. The film is open for a sequel so I'll be looking forward to that.

Fabulous film, very elaborately plotted like the first. Some of the best cinematography and special effects I've seen so amazingly put together in more recent years. Also, I really liked Noomi Rapace in the role of the gypsy. This movie escapism is top entertainment.

Clever film, really great fun. I noticed that this film had a PG rating and from some of the humour, I can see why. There's some adult-conceptual humour smattered in amongst it all - I don't think youngsters would get that but grown ups would catch the drift of some of the jokes. I would probably watch this movie again (the dance scenes were the highlight for me)...frisky two times? haha.

Probably the worst movie I've attempted to watch this year. Bad cast, bad script, bad plot, in fact, it's all bad. Btw, the acting is very, very bad...

I watched all the episodes and then to the special features as I was amazed with the brilliance by which the producers made this series. The special effects are really stunning, as well as everything else. Season 2 has a lot more episodes than season one and, in my opinion, a more entertaining season. Incredibly good sci fi entertainment.

I think anything created by Julian Fellowes, famed for "Downton Abbey", is going to be good and I wasn't disappointed. For a start, it is wonderful storytelling. The relationship between Tolly and his granny progresses to a brilliant ending. The story is a mix of many entertaining elements, wonderful characters, a picturesque setting and the mystery of what unfolds. For those who like ghost stories, I can highly recommend it.

Quite a well-plotted film for a 'tres noir' horror-thriller and typically, of very darkly-themed horror, there's that nasty twist at the end. For lovers of dark horror only, I would suggest, but overall a very well made film.

A friend suggested I see this film because he knew that I would like it and I did. Part comedy, part whimsy but really interesting, particually if one is at all interested in the artists that are featured in the storyline. The last time I liked Wilson in a role was in "Zoolander" and I haven't really liked his movies much since, but this one suited his lay-back temperament very well. I particularly found Gil's relationship to Inez very interesting, for it was through the story that Gil discovers what he might really want from a relationship and Woody Allen is able to illuminate all sorts of things in his breezy directing style. Liked it very much.

A really fun film and one to make you feel-good. It begins a bit silly but the story takes on momentum and then a viewer can get swept along with it. Typical of these Indian comedies/musicals/dramas there's some touching, sensitive moments. It's also a typically long film so you'll get your money's worth. It got a few good laughs out of me.

The movie was really good to watch after reading the novel. The novel has more in it, but for the two hours or so that this movie runs, the main is covered by the movie. Both novel and movie are both moving experiences. An extremely well-made film and well worth seeing.

I think that with the scenario the filmmakers had to work with, this film could have been made a lot better. It reminded me of the "Blair Witch" style of movie but without any real scares. The script was very poor in my opinion and needed a lot more polish.

This movie is one of my all time top 10! It is Nic Cage at his most charming and disarming and definitely funny. There might be those who would be tempted to give up on this movie within the first 20 minutes but don't do it! There's a reason for all the mayhem - well if you could call it a 'reason'! ha!. My favourite scene is the iguana scene. It's one of the best scenes that ever made it to cinema in my opinion. Very, very funny - and strangely mesmerising. Great film!!

I had to see the film after reading the book of the true account of Eve White. What's great about her case is that there was a resolution to her peculiar psychological disorder, so it could be said that there was a happy ending. I always love Lee J. Cobb in anything, he just has one of those compelling cinema presences. A really interesting film.

An impressive Aussie production. I could not help but be impressed with some of the scenes the actors had to perform. I had read the novel beforehand, and I think the filmmakers did a more than adequate (extremely well done, actually) job with faithfully reproducing the novel to be true to the author's intentions. Well worth seeing.

I look forward to each Studio Ghibli film as they come out. This one had me in absolute wonder from the start; the animation is stunning, the backdrops of the artwork paintings for the moving figures to be superimposed, the movement of the characters, and all the little intricicies (you could watch this film over and over and pick new things up), all add up to another masterpiece of excellence. What I love best are the little subtleties. I remember a part when Arrietty is startled by a sudden gust of wind, and it's really only a wind gust, but her reaction is so realistic. Ghibli films are so profound for this subtle intricacies. It's a totally charming story.

I was tossing up whether to add this to my queue (I had not watched it at all when it was screened on tv) because because there are parts of The Mentalist that I find a tad too slick; it's a big budget tv show that's very popular and so I think it tries a bit too hard to reach the biggest audience. But putting that aside, it was great and the finale episode of this season - priceless. What makes this show so strong are the likeable characters: Lisbon, Cho, Rigsby and Van Pelt, and of course that larrikan Aussie actor. I will be watching season four.

Very enjoyable, feel-good film that's well worth seeing. I liked it very much. I kind of think there's a message in there too - that people in middle age (like moi!) can work on getting some of that pragmatic optimism for themselves. I had some laugh-out-loud moments too, so this romantic comedy is better than many others I've seen in quite a while.

Gregory Peck: always so wonderful in everything and this movie is no exception. Having recently read the novel to this story, I was interested in seeing Peck play the role of Tom Rath. It's a long movie, about two and a half hours, and a little dull in places I thought, but maybe that's because I already knew the story from reading it. I think that the film makers did what they could with the more complicated plot of the novel; there was only so much they put in those two and a half hours, but readers of the novel still wouldn't be disappointed. The cinematography has richness to it - it is beautifully filmed. It would have been good to have some background into this film on the disc but only the film and chapter parts are on it. Also there's no subtitling, which people with a hearing impairment, like myself, would find frustrating.

This film is more correctly a Hindi drama than a more typical "Bollywood" film - those which have a plethora of song and dance sequences within them. This typically long film has music, singing and a small amount of dancing in it - but what Indian film doesn't? What I liked about this film (which is another thing typical of Indian films) is that they are full of emotion, and the emotion is so wonderfully acted: it's believable. In western movies, the accent always seems to be on acting "cool", but the Indians never let that trouble them. So it's always refreshing to watch an Indian-made film just to see people being unselfconsciously warm to each other and flowing in their emotions. Not a bad story either. I found it all very good, especially the relationship between Arkash and his father.

After reading Wyndam's novel "The Midwich Cuckoos" again recently, I felt that this film adaptation didn't do the story justice. I remember seeing the old British-made films from the early sixties and being chilled by them, but this John Carpenter version seemed more violent for violence sake and played around too much with the original story. I've never been that keen on films directed by Carpenter, except for Vampiros los Muertos, which I liked. "Village of the Damned", made in 1995, lacks sophistication, even for its day. Overall, I think it has its entertainment value, but I would recommend those black and white British originals.

In my opinion, this classic black and white film from the Golden Age of Hollywood is a must-see for any movie lover of classic film, especially from that era. Ingrid Bergman is a stunning beauty in this film and she plays her role as a woman, being tricked into thinking she's losing her mind, to perfection - she won the oscar for this role for that year. Charles Boyer plays the menancing psychopath entirely convincingly - he's so cold and calculating. It is truly a remarkable experience of film.

I quite enjoyed this film; it's one to get cozy with, with a warm drink and a rug on the couch. A chick flick, yes, but there's a lot of good feeling in it. Worth watching.

Pretty predictable plot, but I like Mila J in movies, ever since The Fifth Element. I think this is the sort of movie that will probably make it to the tv in the midday movie timeslot. The ending, in my opinion, let the film down also. The only thing intriguing is the main character's inability to read faces and the film describes that very well in the context of the thriller storyline.

I really didn't like this movie. I've seen most of the contemporary animated movies (suitable for viewers of all ages) and for the most part, they have been clever and entertaining even though, of course, they are pure fantasy escapism. This one goes to another 'zone' - it is imbecilic, though anyone under the age of eight would be entertained. Also, many of these films have some sort of a message, the only one I could detect is that sons need the love and approval of their fathers. But all that crazy food - how about "feed the world"? So there's something bizarre in the whole premis of it. Munchies for the filmmakers, maybe?

Really liked the actress Noomi Rapace in the role of Lizbeth Salander, far better than the American actress in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (US). I think Rapace's role really sells the Swedish trilogy of the films. However, I did find that I was disappointed with what was actually in the film, or rather not in it. In the novel, I found that the most entertaining aspect was Salander's interaction with her contacts in Hacker Nation. Only the character of Plague was included in the film and in a very minor role. I also felt that Erika Burger was not portrayed as the strong, capable woman that she so typified in the novel, particularly in the last novel. I realise that the film would have been a lot longer to include more about Berger and Hacker Nation, but I feel the film suffered as a result, hense I feel that this film was more along the lines of an 'account' of the novel, and lacking in some key areas. Still, it was worth seeing.

One of the all-time feel good comedy/romance classics, in my opinion. Yes, it is incredibly far-fetched but it still contains some things worth thinking about and the movie touches on those things, for instance, a society build on principles of looking after its own, instead of the narcisstic greed of the few (maybe all politicans should be 'made' to watch it..ha!) I hadn't seen this movie in some years, but I'm glad I've seen it again as I was just as entertained. And I did feel very good after watching it too.

Hmm, Willem Defoe channelling Kris Kristofferson, I wonder? Anyway, aside from some of the things that could be critiqued about this film, it was still a good story - a horror/sci fi/apocalyptic tale. Very visual, lots of special effects and the whole thing was entertaining. I don't know if the Australian film with the American accents ever works, but you'll need to suspend all belief to be entertained by it anyhow. Really liked Claudia Kavan in her role as Audrey and Ethan Hawke as the good vamp. Worth seeing and there's a very interesting short on this disk too worth watching.

Described as a Belgian thriller, this film is one that cinephiles (lovers of cinema) will really appreciate. It begins slowly and the audience might wonder, well, just what the film-maker is up to, for the main character of Sam is going through his usual morning routine and takes himself to work as a security guard in a shopping mall, all very 'ordinary'. But then! The event that changes everything, and it couldn't be more dramatic. It's what happens after the event that is shocking, moving and a thing of wonder. Basically, it's a film about the human condition and there are wonderful subtleties which might be more greatly understood by Belgian film-goers as something to do with cultural 'soul', but nonetheless this film, regardless that it is not spoken in English, but subtitled, is one of those films that will haunt after it has ended. This film is quite beautiful and quite perfect in itself. It will shock yes, and the first three minutes or so of the disk are devoted to what happens in the 'event' via a music video, but this is included as a kind of prologue to entice the audience into Sam's alter-real world and you want to find out why the event took place. So does Sam, and that's his journey. Fascinating.

I was looking forward to this film adaptation of the first of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum Bounty Hunter novels, but I found myself quickly disappointed. Not in the casting, for I found Heigl to be quite acceptable for the role, as well as the leading male roles, especially the part of Ranger. Not so keen on Debbie Reynolds as Grandma Mazur, I had a more Estelle Getty kind of character face for the part - Debbie (bless her!) has had a lot of face work over the years and she's looking too good for someone who spends recreation time at the local funeral parlour. What I was disappointed with was the pacing of the movie and the cinematography: the pacing was too fast for the lacklustre use of the camera; it seemed to me the filming was in three shots, wide, close up and panoramic and nothing much else - no build up or tension, it was all paced at a trot. The director captured the storyline good enough, but it didn't excite me like the Plum novels do. In the hands of a more experienced director, there could have been a lot more done with this film. And I will add that there lacked also a certain slapstick quality that the novels have in abundance. There could have been a lot more made of Lula, even for the smaller part she has in the first novel, unlike the rest of the series. It could have been a lot funnier. Maybe a sequel will be better. I wonder what other Evanovich fans think?

I don't know how I missed out on seeing this amazing film in my youth, but, as I get older (baby boomer) I have come to appreciate quality cinema classics from any decade. This is one of those film 'events', in my humble opinion that stuns. I wanted to see it after having read the novel by Oscar Wilde. Unfortunately, I made the error of seeing the recent remake first, which was truly horrible trash, mostly for its voyeurism. However, this black and white (or is it?) classic from 1945 captures the essence of the story by Wilde. Hurd Hatfield, cast as Dorian Grey, perfectly cast - as were the other cast members. And oh! That painting! The audience may well gasp, for the reveal of the painting is one of the great moments in cinema. Lots of use of lighting, shadows, and symbolisms in this film also that thinking people will enjoy and appreciate.

This is a film to watch in a quiet, meditative frame of mind, in my opinion. It's not one to watch for thrills particularly, but it does work on the audience, with the subtle yet powerful interactions of the characters and the desires within human hearts that can appear as complicated. David (played by Defoe) is a loner figure, paid to do a job and one that he plans to carry out to the best of his expertise. The director is able to intimately acquaint the audience with this quiet, serious man. I found that there is a lot to like about this film; a lot to appreciate. I think there was a lot of realism involved as well, particularly involving the tensions between those who want their jobs in the forestry industry preserved, and the green protesters. I think the ending was very logical, considering the sequence of preceding events.

I saw in the credits that the author of the Twilight novels, Stephanie Meyer, was one of the producers of this film. Not surprised by that, for the movie was exactly in line with the novel, the first half of the novel I should say. I would add that I wasn't a fan of the novels but have liked the movies - which are very well done. "Renesmee"? Sounds like a name from Kath and Kim where Kim's daughter was named "Epponee Rae". Ha. Anyway, the movies are polished and worth seeing, especially for fans of Meyer's story. The love scene with Bella and Edward is very touching, beautifully done.

Marvellous and memorable sequel to Happy Feet. What I really liked about this sequel is that original songs were written for this one (I wasn't particularly taken with the urban pop much used in the first). The Sven song was very clever and I had to watch it again. But most of all it was Erik's opera that was so amazing, bringing a tear to the eye. The message of the two films is something worth thinking about. The animation is just superb.

Some great actors in this movie of confused direction. Was it a psychological thriller? a horror tale? a ghost story? It seems to be a mixture of all three, but I feel the director didn't pull it off successfully. Also the title of the film does not seem entirely apt. On the disc there was a special feature describing the actual house and how much fuss they made about it - but the house in the film lacked atmosphere for such fuss. For some reason, this movie was tame, considering there's been other movies of this type made with much greater impact. For instance, when the twist is revealed, it lacks any dynamic shock factor that would make the audience draw breath. In the hands of more adept direction, this film might have worked. It probably will make it to tv for the midday movie, but as a major film event, it fizzes.

It took a few episodes to get into but by episode four, I really wanted to see more as I felt the storyline really started to warm up. It reminded me of the tv series "Jericho", partly for the post-apocalyptic theme, but also for the fact that there's a select group of characters that are thrown together for survival. While there's a certain raw starkness in so much of it, which would be realistic as one would expect for a post apocalypse, there's the amazing use by the makers of this series of the extras cast, those who are the zombies - so the use of make-up and effects is excellent. The only thing I haven't found much like any 'realism' is the fact that there are few people left and they are fighting between each other much of the time. I think that history, to a certain extent, has proved that when there are people drawn together for the common cause of survival, less selfishness in favour of the common good prevails. But the series makers are nonetheless producing a show for the sake of entertainment and one of the key human elements in any plot is human conflict on an interpersonal and on a wider scale. There's plenty of gun use in this show so be prepared for some mega violence - violence which is offset by the human spirit in survival mode. I think, after disc one, this show will only get better.

Fans of urban vampire, zombie and werewolf TV shows and movies might be tempted to give this film a try, but don't expect anything too great. There are a few gaping loopholes in the plot (yes, how does that prisoner of the vamps end up with those swords strapped on their back and do some slaying?). In the film's favour are the actors who do a very good job with the material they have to work with and are probably the film's only real redeeming feature.

Season two, featured on this disk, ends extremely well. A few surprises in these last four episodes and left this viewer longing to see Season three. Overall, I find The Good Wife riveting viewing with outstanding characters, excellence of script and brilliant, exceptionately-cast actors. One of the more 'cerebral' series produced in recent years.

Amazing film, very moving, enjoyed all of it. In the last half hour I was waiting for something really, really bad to happen to at least one of the characters, but I'm glad the ending was very satisfying without any added melodrama. I especially liked the beautifully colourful way it was filmed and the costuming - the dress designs for that decade of the last century. I can recommend this film as one of the 'must sees' for this year.

I love this show. It has made me laugh more spontaneously than anything else lately. Why I like it so much is because it's just so Aussie, the characters are all dysfunctional in one way or another but they are endearing for it. Suzy and Henry are great characters and their relationship is intriguing. The show also appeals partly for the fact that Henry Mullet was a punk rocker - and that they play The Saints' song "(I'm) Stranded" before each episode. How well I remember that song and that band from "Countdown" days! Funniest scene on this disk was when Steve brings the red cushion into Suzy's apartment- hilarious.

Disappointed with these three episodes on disk four, it seemed to lack the punchiness of the earlier episodes. One scene that I really did not like involved Ely meeting the rival candidate's ex nanny at the restaurant. She sits down with him, plays nice (sort of the like the 'lawyer vogue' that's prevelent with all the roles played in this series) but later when she admits to him that she knows all about Ely and his lying to her, she gets up all huffy from her seat and walks out. That scene had a sloppy write. Other than disappointments in some episodes, The Good Wife is riveting viewing with extremely clever writing. I just wish they would stop pushing personal writer politics into the plot. Oh and also I have a hard time with Michael J. Fox playing such a rotter!

I like to give the indie-type film a chance, but this bombed out so badly that, for all my generosity, it bored and annoyed for the most part. The actor who plays Vlad is one of the most self-conscious leads I've seen in cinema: I felt as if he was always tempted to look at the camera. The plot drags on and on in a confusing way and it's more about who owns the land titles of the peasants than anything else so if you're looking for a scary film, don't try this. It does have its funny moments, but they are few. Best role is that of Vlad's old grandfather; he's really cute. The movie should have included a subtitle option as even though they were speaking English, some of the accents were pretty hard to understand. A peasant of a film about peasants in a film.

If something turns out too good to be true, it probably is. And so Juliet finds out when she rents a fabulous apartment in a recently renovated old building. The guy that's renting it to her is jolly nice as well.... This film has a fairly straight forward plot and one that you can kind of guess the outcome to. However, it's worth watching for insights into how a certain kind of deranged mind sees things.

Enjoyable family movie with the animation so cleverly incorporated into the scenes that it's certain that no penguin was harmed in the making of that motion picture. Jim Carrey's come a long way since his Ace Ventura days and continues, thematically, to play roles of a repentant husband/father type, doing it with his own brand of slap stick that's hugely entertaining. Angela Lansbury provides the film enormous charm.

What a surprise for a small budget film. Plenty of interesting little turns and the things of black comedy to keep you guessing, and just when I thought I had it all worked out a few times, too. Had to really love Warwick and was bemused by the way he walked, kind of like a duck. Funny that duck was to be served at the table that evening! Highlight of the film were the host and party guests dancing to a classic 70s disco hit.

A British-made series and one that reminds me of the series "After Life" but unlike After Life has a good smattering of humour. It's a pretty raw production and there's some pretty loose plot that probably could have done with some polishing, but an interesting story, nonetheless. On the loose plot, well, there's this part where Mitchell, the vamp guy, is having a date with a female co-worker. He casually asks her to escort her to the bus and she declines. This after just having left his scheming last (female) victim, herself now a vamp. Was it any surprise to find his date in that ravaged state in the alley outside? A bit dumb, really. Also, after 100 years, Mitchell's still a hospital orderly? And living on the shabby side? The werewolf morphs are pretty impressive. Not so impressed by the casting, particularly of the head vamp who's a policeman. I find him pretty unbelievable as a character. The show's on the side of grundge, but the character interactions are interesting enough to keep you watching. Some clever lines of script at times to offer some laughs.

The last episode, the final scenes, particularly the last scene, wil remain a memorable experience. To note that it would be impossible to watch season six without seeing the whole series, you just have to see the whole series to get what everything meant. I was satisfied that I was right about my own theory about why the passengers of Oceanic 815 were doing on the island. Kudos to the writers. A brilliant end to an amazing saga.

Really, really liked the first half and hour of this movie - in which the 90lb weakling turns into Capt. America due to a genius scientist that can turn weaklings into super heros. Anyway, a typical comic book movie that moves at a pace and after that first half hour, there's some musical follies for your entertainment value and then there's a lot of bashing, biffing, crashing, killing and general mayhem; and that goes on for the rest of the film. I just couldn't appreciate Hugo Weaving's acting in this movie. He did that successfully once: play the evil villain of power (Matrix), but in this movie, his acting was rigid and his German accent wasn't always spot on. I noted some Aussie twang in there at times...haha. The filmmakers tried to fit a lot, re all that killing, bashing and crashing into a movie that was too long to really hold my interest. I was pretty amazed at how they were able to morph Chris Evans's face onto the weedy body. Special effects, pretty wow.

If you want to watch this film, just expect a better-than-average B-Grade horror flick that will keep you curiously entertained for an hour and a half. Not a big budget movie but special effects used, especially to depict the aliens, were good enough. Imagine you're reading a novel, a little pot boiler about Area 51, and you think the story's not too bad. Well, this is like a novel put to film, but a film in which you get a full serve of gore. Watching the shorts for the other After Dark Originals, that's the common theme: they are all gore/blood slashers, but with pretty good acting and a story. I don't know if I'll be watching any more in the After Dark Original series, but if the situation arises, I would suggest that these films would be best enjoyed with some mates so everyone can have a good laugh together.

Really enjoyed this movie and found Daniel Craig's performance as Lonergan really compelling. So, this movie was of the comic book genre, actually adapted from an actual comic book of the same title. And the genre's of sci fi meets western, but I thought it worked and the filmmakers did a good job of it. There was lots going on all the time and I wasn't bored for a moment. The only thing I found that was overdone was the exaggerated emotional connections between the characters. I think that the emotions were overemphased on the sickening side, considering that these people of the old wild west were real toughies and so the film would have been better with that still present, but toned right down. One thing on a philosophical note. There were several factions, warring ones, in the plot: the townspeople, the bank robbers, the native Americans and then there was Jake and they were all at each other -like murderous. But when a common enemy comes along, namely the aliens, they all pull together and discover that they love humanity after all. Ha. Really liked the performance of Noah Ringer (Emmett in the movie). He's the young chap that played the lead in "The Last Airbender". This young man's got a future in film. And I really liked the character that Clancy Brown played too (the preacher guy). Hollywood always needs a liberal quotient of wisdom!

I didn't expect to be entertained by this film, but I was. I was intrigued by the film due to something I'd read in which referenced it to explain the nature of the psychopath. Both Kit and Holly fit a similar profile: both are emotionally flat-lined while Kit carries out the killings, she's calmly accepting. The film is carefully made with such a natural touch that the viewer is completely drawn in to what's taking place. And, unlike some films where the viewer is somehow accidentally drawn into supporting the main characters, in this film the murderous Kit and Holly, I feel that the director gives his audience breathing space to watch without becoming too emotionally burdened with empathy for them. In this way, the audience is spared judgement, while acknowledging the horror of Kit's dispassionate actions. Truly a classic of cinema and deservedly so. It's a movie that would be good made in any decade of movie making. Recommended.

Seyfried is possibly the only thing saving this film from complete flop. She's compelling to watch, with her big expressive eyes. While watching it, I wondered how wooden the acting of the various roles needed to be to satisfy the demands of the control-freaking director. It was filmed like a stage play and in a very unnatural way, like every word, movement and bat of an eyelid was controlled. This was all not necessarily for a fairly small budget special effects movie. If you want to see a good one where the director lets talented actors have some expression see "Outlander". A much better film for the film-type.

A third-generation Jim Morrison lookalike playing the head vamp was merely an ingredient in this truly awful sequel, the movie an excuse for teen soft porn/slasher. The only redeeming feature was Corey Haim's part.

One of those great, feel good movies and pure entertaining escapism. Woody Harrelson plays a completely lovable character and nice on the eyes. A film that's an hour and a half of fun.

I liked this movie for the fact that it was a darned good story. Jim Caviezel is compelling to watch and I also admired Sophia Miles in this role. In fact, the characters in this film were all extremely likeable (except for the dreaded Moorwen:) and the emotion created by them and their interactions was very moving. I think we movie watchers can get a bit spoiled by special effects, A-list actors and all the hypey blah. But, while this movie has its quotient of special effects, it's a bit like reading a good novel put on a big screen. It's value-worth for the storytelling alone. I can recommend this movie highly. I would see more like this one for sure. Four stars, not five, for the fact that he didn't go actively seeking his blaster when it fell down the waterfall. The sword thing was pretty brill, tho'.

What a disappointment! I finally got to see it on DVD after remembering how well it was reviewed when it first came out as a cinema release. But I'm of a generation that remembers the original make with John Wayne starring as Rooster Cogburn. The original was inspiring and one worth seeing over again. It always makes me wonder why filmmakers go to all the millions and trouble to remake a movie that is already a cinema classic. If they get it right the first time, why do it? The only movie I can remember, in recent history, that actually pulled that off was the Roald Dahl story of Charlie and the Chocolate factory - though I will add the original version with Gene Wilder remains my favourite. Rooster Cogburn, well! The director here goes to lengths, rather boringly so, to make this man out to be such a hard case. The court scene was overblown, unsubtle as a sledge hammer and guaranteed to have the audience thoroughly sorted so there's no confusion at all about the personality of this character - and that applied to every other character in the movie. The justice doled out to Tom Chaney was like "oh, big deal" - all that effort just for an anticlimax. But what was the most unsettling was the final scene of the middle aged Mattie Ross. A hard piece of souless wood and like the last spike nailed into a coffin. I found this scene particularly arrogant of the filmmakers. I'm so over Spielberg, the producer of this movie, he always tries too hard. The whole thing left me with nothing but thinking that I merely endured it. It spent its time showcasing the so-cool of these characters without giving anything inspiring to the audience. Yes, it tries too hard to impress.