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Howards End .
"Do you know what I am doing Miss Kenton, I am placing my mind elsewhere while you chatter away", brilliant! How Anthony Hopkins fame became centred around his portrayal of a hammy serial killer and not his altogether more satisfying portrayals of stilted and emotionally retarded middle aged men is incomprehensible. Case in point, Remains of the Day. I have seen this film at least a dozen times and have never grown tired of Hopkins nuanced portrayal of Mr Stevens, the fastidious, snobbish and rigid butler in a manor filled with pre-war mystery and machinations. A love story that never gets off the ground, it's frustrating in the extreme and if you don't end up yelling at the screen you're not involved enough. Emma Thompson is beyond fantastic as the delightful and supportive Miss Kenton while the film is the perfect example of the frustrating appeal of English formality. (Craig)

Shark. Season one
Like many actors & actresses around his generation (Glenn Close 'Damages', James Spader 'Boston Legal', Keifer Sutherland '24' etc) James Woods returned to TV after a film career and found it a far different medium than it was when he was starting out. In 'Shark' Woods plays Sebastian Stark, a notorious cutthroat Los Angeles Defence Attorney who switches sides and becomes a prosecutor after the shocking end to one of his cases - and ends up heading a high-profile new crime unit overseeing a group of inexperienced young lawyers. While not as formulaic as other TV crime procedurals, it's not as weighty as 'Damages' or as groundbreaking as other TV shows - but it does have one thing they don't, which is James Woods. In Stark, Woods finds a character he can dig into with a perfect balance of subtly and his trademark scenery chewing. Solidly entertaining. (Mark)

After Hours.
After Hours is an insomniacs black comedy based around one night from hell for an unassuming programmer : a trip into the dark urban night for an everyman innocent. Paul's night spirals towards disaster not because he deserves it but because, at 2.00 in the morning, bleary eyed and susceptible - it can. That potential for calamitous coincidence runs through After Hours like a clotted vein. Paul is helpless and the harder he tries to free himself from his predicament the harder stuck he becomes, the deeper stuck he becomes the weirder it is, the weirder it is the more helpless he becomes... There is the briefest of moments in 'After Hours',- in a crowded nightclub - where the camera pans up to follow a spotlight. Holding that spotlight is the bearded face of Martin Scorsese. Yes, Scorsese is pulling the strings and it's full of telling, distinctive fateful moments, surreal conversations and strange strangers. In 'After Hours' the city becomes a looming character. The repellent, the disturbed, become the normal. Paul gets caught in a vortex ever moving toward tragedy. This is a comedy though and tragedy is avoided, mostly.. Even a 'minor' film by Scorsese bears all the hallmarks, all the important themes of his 'major' ones. (Monty)

Rock & roll nerd : the Tim Minchin story.
Australian musical comedian Tim Minchin is as cute as a (slightly offensive) button on stage, and thankfully just as self-depreciating and geeky when off. This award winning documentary follows his first few steps towards fame as he gets an image makeover, pops off to the Edinburgh fringe fest to become a smash hit, and somewhat nervously confronts fatherhood. Minchin is an insightful, intelligent and extremely witty comic and his work never veers towards the low-brow musical comedy styles (although some of his topics are delightfully sordid!). The film is a fascinating insight into the world beyond the stage as Minchin struggles with the financial realities of producing and running his show and there's a wonderful love story that runs throughout between Minchin and his delightfully straight forward and feisty wife. It's an enlightening and brave film, and for anyone seeking a peak into the world of the almost but not quite famous it's a gem. (Craig)

Surveillance.
After the debacle of 'Boxing Helena' director Jennifer Lynch (daughter of David Lynch) disappeared, only to return 16 years later with this twisted 'thriller'. Julia Ormond & Bill Paxton are F.B.I Agents who descend on a small town police station to question 3 separate witnesses to a series of gruesome killings: a young girl, a drug addled woman, and one of the local cops. As each witness gives his or her version of events (with plenty of embellishment) what really happened is told via flashback, building up to the surprise twist. Wildly uneven in parts, but suspenseful (even if you manage to guess what's going on) and with some seriously demented moments that show the influence of her father. Probably not to everyone's taste, but worth checking out if you dig David Lynch movies. (Mark)

The UP series : the definitive collection of all the original UP series films.
Michael Apted has interviewed the same group of the English lower, middle and upper class every seven years since 1964 in what is one of the great film experiments. Apted says in either 21 or 28 up (watched in unison they become a confused blur of tweed jackets, fluro tracksuits and bad haircuts) that, 'this is the real subject of this documentary - opportunities.' John, Charles and Andrew withdraw as the series goes on, conscious of their early blunders and their less than charming representation of the upper class; Suzy becomes a strong independent mother and wife; the swarthy, confident Nick a nuclear physicist; the insecure public schooled Bruce a charismatic teacher at a multi-cultural London public school and then to Bangladesh; the gregarious Jackie and Sue by 42up are single mothers. Watched together the Up series becomes a compelling condensed log of lives and confirmation life can be way stranger than fiction. Neil confounds the phrase repeated at the end of every one of the Up series 'give me the boy at seven and I will give you the man..' The seven year old Neil is witty, banters and is thoughtfully imaginative. By 21 he's squatting and in the grip of depression. By 35 he's living in the perpetually glum Shetlands, acting in Pantomimes and sauntering home in ghostly mists. That Neil becomes better and is well enough to work for a council and has some kind of happy is a relief. Apted's seven year itch can continue and so can ours. (Monty)

Milk.
Sean Penn is a marvel in his portrayal of assassinated city official and gay rights campaigner Harvey Milk. Harvey was the first openly gay elected politician in the US and as such was a bold target for criticism from conservative quarters. The film follows his early, fairly unsuccessful political career and the grass roots community activism which ultimately allowed him to engage with a wider audience. Penn is well deserving of the praise heaped upon him for his compelling and realistic portrayal of Harvey, a complex man burdened with a social responsibility which often seemed to overwhelm him. The film is filled with an assembly of great characters and even better characterisations, but like many similar message films, the opposition, in this case played by Josh Broilin was a tad underutilised, nevertheless the film was fleshed out by some fantastic historical footage which highlights the social climate superbly. Penn, along with a superb supporting cast, build a film that still manages to be uplifting as the inevitable tragedies unfolds. In response to his critics Harvey once noted that, "all men are created equal. No matter how hard you try, you can never erase those words", and ultimately if anything the film is a wake up call for the lethargic reminding us that there are those who paid a severe price for the equality we experience today. (Craig)

Universal film noir collector's boxset.
Four 'Noir' films from the Universal vaults. The 'Big Clock' (1948) (later remade as Kevin Costner's 'No Way Out') sees Ray Milland play the overworked editor of a National crime magazine who has a dalliance with his bosses mistress. When his boss murders her later that night he decides to put the blame on the 'mysterious' man she was seen with earlier, and then assigns Milland the job of tracking him down - leaving Milland with the job of sidetracking the investigation away from himself & finding the real killer. The other 3 films all feature the same stars: Alan Ladd & Veronica Lake, whose on-screen chemistry made them one of the most popular cinema duo's of the 1940's. 'This Gun For Hire' (1942) is adapted from the novel by Graham Greene, and sees Ladd play a cold hitman who is stiffed on a job with some 'hot' bills from a bank robbery. Trailing the man who hired him he soon becomes involved with Lake's Nightclub singer/Undercover Agent and a plot involving international espionage. 'The Glass Key' (1942) adapted from Dashiel Hammett's tight novel of political corruption sees Ladd play the henchman of a crooked politician, who is backing a new Senator into power - in return for the attentions of his daughter (Lake). Meanwhile Lake's seedy playboy brother is romancing the politician's daughter - and when he is found dead Ladd sets out to prove his boss innocent of the crime. 'The Blue Dahila' (1946), a gritty look at post-war emotional fallout is perhaps the most interesting of the four, with its original screenplay by Raymond Chandler (allegedly written on a 2 week drunken bender to fulfil a contractual obligation) and sees Ladd play a disaffected war veteran who returns home just in time to be framed for the murder of his trampy wife. He then sets out to track down her real killer, becoming involved with the shady gangster owner of 'The Blue Dahila' nightclub, and his ex-wife (Lake). Good stuff if you're a fan of old films. (Mark)

Little Britain USA.
David Walliams and Matt Lucas' transported their show to the good old US last year for a short stint on HBO. Taking the show to the US could have been fraught with difficulties, cross cultural humour issues aside, the fact they are two of the most potentially offensive comedians working today meant there were fears they would have to dampened down their humour, even for HBO. Thankfully they have not, quite the opposite in fact, they happily shred American values and sensibilities on this 6 episode disc. Not all of it works, but there's a bunch of new characters and some old favourites returning so when it does work it's just as utterly hilarious as usual. Skewing American cultural norms for all their worth Matt and David don't hold back in their overt criticisms of US conservative values. Don't hold back, if you're a fan of the British version this is well worth seeing. (Craig)

Waltz with Bashir .
A documentary with a twist, Waltz with Bashir explores the director's inability to remember much of the 1982 Lebanon war, in which he took part. Its astounding animation draws us into the stories told, seamlessly gliding between present-day interviews with real people and their memories of particular events, some of which are really quite bizarre. It is both a gripping and intensely human portrayal of the war, and also the psychology of how memory works. (Carmel)

Buffalo Soldiers
'Buffalo Soldiers' had the misfortune to be made at a very bad time (just before Sep. 11, 2001) and as a result it ended up sitting on the shelf for 2 years before it was ever released. Based on the novel by Robert O'Connor, it sees Joaquin Phoenix play Ray Elwood, a clerk with the 317th Supply Battalion, stationed in West Germany just after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Ray really likes serving his country, as it affords him the opportunity to snow his good natured Commander (Ed Harris) while sleeping with his wife (Elizabeth McGovern), steal anything that isn't bolted down, and engage in various Black Market activities: from cooking Turkish Morphine into smack for the crooked MPs, to stealing wayward shipments of arms. It all comes to a grinding halt however, when an imposing new Sgt. arrives (a psychotic Scott Glenn), but the new Sgt. just happens to have a very hot daughter (Anna Pacquin), and as he begins to crack down on Ray's illegal activities, Ray decides to see just how far he can push him....Kind of like 'M*A*S*H' on hard drugs, 'Buffalo Soldiers' is an exceedingly dark comedy, definitely not to everyone's taste, as things spiral to an increasingly over the top ending, as Ray belatedly realizes just how crazy Scott Glenn's character is...(Mark)

Night at the Museum.
I was in the unique situation of watching Night at the Museum on DVD only 2 weeks before Night at the Museum 2 came out at the movies. I know these are kids films, but they are not strictly just for the kids. There's plenty of humour and action for all ages. I throughly enjoyed them (although the first one was miles better) and the cast includes so many famous faces that it just couldn't help but be a winner (my favourite was Steve Coogan as the miniature Roman general). 4 stars for movie # 1 / 3 stars for movie # 2. (Kini)

V : the mini series.
Back in the day, before 'straight to DVD' was the fashion, a 'made for TV' production ruled the home entertainment roost and the mini-series was often the height of televised sophistication. 'V' of course was one of the hugest smash hit made for TV mini-series ever broadcast on American TV. I'm not entirely sure of the numbers but something like a trillion billion dollars was spent making it and umpteen gazillion people tuned in to watch as supposedly benevolent alien beings arrive on earth and slowly but surely their dastardly plans are revealed. It's ace! Packed full of your B-grade 80's superstars (Mark Singer ahoy!) the acting is atrocious and forget subtext, its all there on the screen as those crypto-fascist aliens are beaten to a pulp by the rampant enthusiasm of gritty urban survivors; raised under a glorious free market capitalist system obviously. It's got it all, buckets of action, creepy cross species love stories, traitors, villains, guinea pigs being scoffed, nasty special effects, a very young Freddy Kruger and did I say action! It's essential viewing, apart from the complete lack of resolution at the end, that bits a bit of a bummer. (Craig)

The girl in the cafe.
There have been mixed reviews for this 2005 television film, but let me say at the outset that I love it. Anything starring Bill Nighy is magic for me, and here his talents are admirably matched by those of the luminous Scottish actress Kelly Macdonald. The chemistry between them is palpable and the relationship that develops between them is very believable. The production was conceived to tie-in both with the BBC's Africa Lives season of programming, and with the global Make Poverty History campaign, for which writer Curtis was a prominent campaigner. As such, it was also shown in South Africa on the same day as its UK and US premieres. It is touching love story with a powerful humanitarian message. Lawrence, an aging, lonely civil servant, falls for Gina, an enigmatic young woman he meets in a cafe. When he takes her to the G8 Summit in Reykjavik, however, their bond is tested by Lawrence's obligations. So you can have it all - an awkward but sympathetic couple falling in love against the odds, a powerful political polemic and the stunning scenery of Iceland. Just the thing for a wintery Wellington weekend!! (Sue)

You kill me.
Offbeat black comedy from Neo-Noir director John Dahl ('The Last Seduction', 'Red Rock West') sees Ben Kingsley play a hit-man for the Polish Mob in Buffalo, with a nasty drinking problem. When he botches an important hit, his boss sends him packing to San Francisco to dry out. Forced to join A.A, he acquires a sponsor (a mellow Luke Wilson), and a job at a Funeral Parlour, where he strikes up a relationship with the acerbic Tea Leoni. Some hilarious moments ensue, as Frank calmly explains to his A.A group how drinking was affecting his 'performance' on the job, and that there's nothing wrong with killing people - just killing them 'badly' - but the movie is more a wry take on Romance as much it is a somewhat violent noir-comedy. Kingsley is great as usual, and shares some real chemistry with the sharp tongued Leoni. Different but well worth checking out. (Mark)

The duchess.
Keira again but her acting was much better than it was in Silk Road. An 18th century rich little princess marries an older richer man her mother chose for her. He is cold and clinical with her and she believes that all men are like that. That is until her friend encourages her to have an affair with a gorgeous young politician. She is known for her extravagant fashions and uses her fame to raise awareness of his political cause. I can't tell the rest or I will ruin it for the watcher. 3 1/2 stars. (Kini)

Flight 666 : the film.
Flight 666 is a documentary covering the first leg of Iron Maidens Somewhere Back In Time world tour. Filmed by Sam Dunn, director of the award winning Headbangers Journey, the band cover 13 countries in 45 days, travelling 70,000km and performing to almost half a million fans in 23 sold out shows. Flight 666 is a unique look into the inner workings of a hugely successful metal band on tour. Packed with highlights, for a band going on 30 years their shows are still intense affairs, and the gigs, particularly those in South America, are rabid with utterly unhinged levels of fandom. Backstage antics are suitably tame for a bunch of 50 plus rockers (best not look at them to closely) but the interviews with the band members and crew are a gentle reminder that Iron Maiden have a huge amount of respect for their fans and realize they have to be in top form for every gig (the live footage is incredible!!). Backed with a bonus second disc of live clips from every show of the tour this is another in an increasingly long line of recent documentary films offering a fascinating and intelligent peek into the world of Metal. (Craig)

Young @ Heart.
This sounds as if it could be awful - a group of oldies with an average age of 80 - singing rock/punk/soul songs. But it is totally enthralling, uplifting, funny and sad. Even my 13 year old liked their version of Cold Play's "Fix It". Best thing I've seen all year. (Pippa)

The Jane Austen book club.
I had avoided watching this for some time because I recall the reviews were not very good when it came out. But I liked it - a lot! It is more of a chick flick and the story is also sort of predictable, but it is largely character-driven. 6 people get together to form a book club to read the 6 Jane Austen novels. They all read one book each month and the story of their relationships and friendships develops as the books are discussed. A solid 3 stars from me. (Kini)

All about Eve.
Between her role in 'Jezebel' (1938) 12 years earlier, and her role in 'Whatever happened to Baby Jane' (1962) 12 years later, Bette Davis as Margo Channing in 'All about Eve' (1950) has to be her finest most famous role. Margo Channing, an ageing Broadway actress, takes in Eve Harrington (Anne Baxter) an adoring fan, as her Personal Assistant. Eve however, has other aspirations in mind and she schemes and manipulates her way not only into Margo's home, she wants her lifestyle as well, and on her course of ambition and betrayal, she will say and do whatever, and hurt whoever she has to achieve her goal of stardom. But along with that, does she achieve happiness? 'All About Eve' nominated for 14 Academy Awards, winning only 6, however a Classic in it's own right, making this Bette Davis performance alone more than worthy of her star on the Hollywood walk of fame. An oldie but a goody as they say, classic movies from the 40's and 50's are my treat! Where else would you hear those famous one liners? This one the most legendary of them all, Bette Davis as Margo Channing in/from 'All about Eve: "Fasten your seat belts, it's going to be a bumpy ride!" Classic! (Ethel)

Traitor .
Intriguing thriller that benefits from two top notch actors (Guy Pearce & Don Cheadle) who don't usually turn up in this sort of thing. A team of F.B.I agents begin to investigate a devout Muslim and ex-Special Forces soldier (Cheadle) in an Afghani prison, after they discover he is linked to a high level terrorist. When Cheadle escapes and becomes involved in a series of international bombings, Pearce and his F.B.I team pursue him across Europe and America. To say any more would give things away, but 'Traitor' is a far more effective movie than the much more high profile 'Body of Lies', a morally ambiguous tale of divided loyalties and shaded truths, all anchored by Cheadle's excellently nuanced performance. (Mark)

Takin' over the asylum
This is a BBC series (6 episodes) set in 1994. Ready Eddie McKenna (Ken Stott) is a double-glazing salesman and radio DJ. When he gets fired from his radio station slot he is told of an opportunity at the local mental hospital, St. Jude's. There he meets Campbell (David Tennant) who is manic depressive (mostly manic) and together they re-launch St. Jude's radio station. They play old 60's hits (great soundtrack) to the patients who become both his biggest fans and station workers. It's funny at times but its also deeply moving and slightly sad. It shows that there's just a little bit of crazy in all of us. 6 stars out of 5!!! ;). (Kini)

The Spirit.
In the same ilk as Sin City with a graphical rendition of stark black and white and red (for the blood), but without the power. Tries hard to be funny but can't quite work out if it's supposed to be a comedy or a smart sassy flick and fails for the most part so all that really hits you is the black and white and red. A star cast who look like they are trying too hard to be smart and sassy or just going through the motions. But if you like lots of bullets, it's fine. (Martin).

MythBusters. Season 1.
Adam and Jamie, two of the most wonderfully geeky true life TV stars ever, host this hit science based show. Investigating the truth to a plethora of urban legends they set about to test hypothesis, injuring themselves, destroying items, blowing things up and dismantling plenty of myths along the way. The first series is essential viewing, low budget with plenty of smash and grab experiments of some well known and hilarious suburban myths. Both Jamie and Adam have a long history in the special effects industry and the shows highlights are often watching their ingenuity and skills when constructing machines or setting up the experiments. They investigate a huge range of urban myths such as just how much facial matter contaminates your toothbrush when it sits in the bathroom all the way through to does sinking a ship to find out if you'd really be sucked down in a vortex and my personal favourite, can you really get the smell of a dead body out of car (yeah, that one is particularly fascinating). It's all excellent fun, vastly illuminating and something you can dip into at any stage of the series, there's sure to be some bizarre urban myth along the way that perks your interest. (Craig)

Chalk.
Mocumentary set in a secondary school around the lives of the teachers. It was good, but had potential to be so much better. For example, the rookie history teacher and the P.E. teacher romance could have been played out a lot better. But there are quite a few laughs in the short space of the film. The spelling bee is particularly good. My favourite character was the teacher trying to get voted "teacher of the year". (Kini)

Changeling.
Clint Eastwood once again weighs in with another great film. A period piece set in 1920's Los Angeles, it sees Angelina Jolie play Christine Collins, a single mother who returns home one day to find her son Walter missing. She files a missing persons' report with the Los Angeles Police Department, and 5 months later they find her son - except it's not really her son. What follows would seem an over-the-top, Kafka-esque, drama of false identification, police corruption & brutalization, forcible commitment, and media manipulation - if it all wasn't based on a true story - as Christine continues to insist that the police have made a mistake and her son is still missing. Sure, Jolie seems far prettier than anyone else in the 1920's, and her lipstick never seems to lose its gloss, but she is still totally engaging in the role. After an 'honest' Missing Person's Detective finally discovers the boy's fate, the movie should have ended - but it drags on for an unnecessary code, which is really the only weakness in an otherwise great film. John Malkovich has a supporting role as a crusading Pastor who rallies public support for her cause, but it's Jeffrey Donovan (T.V's 'Burn Notice') that stands out as the slimy LAPD Captain J.J Jones. (Mark)

Burn after reading.
A really great line-up of actors in this one with some stellar performances. I had been told that Brad Pitt's dumb gym instructor character was worth a watch and I wasn't disappointed. Not hard to see why this has already received the "Librarian's choice" sticker. A quirky comedy. 3 or 4 stars, I can't decide. (Kini)

Two fat ladies. The complete first series.
A golden sticker on the cover of this 1997 production says this is Prince Charles' favourite television programme. Would today's environmentally concerned Charles - so keen on us all changing our lifestyles and cutting back - think the same? Butter, eggs, sugar, bacon fat, lard, dripping (are they the same thing?) everything wrapped in bacon, abnormally sized anchovies stuffed into crevices, more bacon fat - I loved every greasy second and then felt a little bit queasy. Jennifer and Clarissa bounce around estates, manors and convents like a secondary drive is to cook in every kind of kitchen in English existence and by the time they make bubble and squeak under the elevated ceilings of a school it feels like they have. They're a double act and the repartee is sparkling, historically enlightening and charmingly irreverent. They streak around in a motorbike and side car and the English country side and England's cuisine has never seemed more enticing or unchanged; no wonder Charles loved them so much. (Monty)

Role Models.
More juvenile redundant puerile base humour from Paul Rudd and co. Bless them. Role Models is another of those re-imaginings of the American gross-out films we regularly see being released (with the now obligatory bonus of saccharine undertones). It's certainly no 40-Year-Old Virgin or Superbad, but in as much as it similarly harkens back to 80's risque fests (with a heavy debt to Judd Apatow) it's easily humorous enough to spend 90 minutes with. The jokes are well placed, there's a whole bunch of suitably bizarre and easily ridiculed characters and while the script isn't entirely original, Rudd and co-star Seann William Scott are given ample room to improvise and lark about so the laughs are frequent and sometimes even innovative. Not recommended for the fan of medieval re-enactments, child-care professionals or recently rehabilitated cocaine addicts, aside from that, game on if you're after something light with a touch of the dark. (Craig)

Seven pounds.
Intriguing, if somewhat pretentious and unbelievable, 'Seven Pounds' sees Will Smith play Ben Thomas an IRS agent who has suffered a pivotal tragedy of some kind in his life. As a result he decides to help 7 strangers, and drastically change their lives. Just who he is, what happened to him, and what his 'plan' is, is gradually revealed over the course of the movie. Smith is mostly good, and the movie tends to draw you in despite its overly familiar and manipulative structure. Worth checking out if you enjoyed '21 Grams'. (Mark)

Speed dating.
I just loved this movie! James is a serial speed-dater and after he starts making the women uncomfortable he is asked to leave and never come back to the events. He tells his therapist that he just can't sell himself to girls in only 3 minutes and he has absolutely no idea what he wants to do with his life. His attempts to make himself appear more "mysterious" to women land him in hot water with the police. After he is hit by a car he gets temporary amnesia and the business card from the speed dating company is one of the only clues. With the help of his nurse he tries to retrace his steps and piece it all together. This one is a 5 out of 5 stars for me. (Kini)

Danger! 50,000 volts.
British comedian Nick Frost hosts two series, this one and Danger! Incoming attack, of this light hearted and low budget tour of things that can kill you, maim you, or just give you a nasty rash. Nick plays his usual role of the hearty buffoon and guides us through a few scenarios like driving a tank, avoiding mine fields and how to capture, cook and eat a rat (yum). It's a little dated (circa early 00's TV fun times) but Nick's an enthusiastic enough host to provide a few solid chortles as he imparts totally worthless information in a entirely entertaining manner. Pick it up if you just want something quirky to flick on occasionally or your just paranoid enough to really need to know how to escape the jaws of an alligator, avoid rampaging mobs or become your friendly neighbourhood sniper. (Craig)

My Blueberry nights .
This one is quite a slow paced romantic drama. In the wrong mood the watcher may get bored, but I found it was good enough for a wet Sunday afternoon. Natalie Portman puts in a good performance as the gambling gal in Las Vegas.(Kini)

Grumpy old women : live
Have you ever gone tut-tut when some-one doesn't say thank-you when you hold the door open for you? - if the answer is Yes then "Grumpy Old Women : Live" is the DVD for you. A no-holds barred, tell it like it is, nothing is sacred live performance about middle-age, menopause and all the changes that go with it will make you realise you are "not alone"!! Husbands, partners and boyfriends - go on, give it a go too -it is a very, very funny show - you will enjoy it. (Liz)

What happens in Vegas.
Predictable, but sometimes that is just the sort of DVD you need (in my case it was a welcome distraction on a wet cold Wellington weekend). Ashton & Cameron both give good performances as a couple who get drunk and married in Vegas and the next day win big in the casino. When a judge orders them to live together for 6 months before he will grant their divorce they each try to get the other to quit on the relationship and forfeit the money. 3 stars from me. (Kini)

Bound.
This sexy & fun pre-Matrix thriller from the Wachowski Brothers sees Jennifer Tilly play a gun-moll who wants to ditch her mobster boyfriend (Joe Pantoliano). When ex-con 'handyman' Corky (Gina Gershon) drops by to fix the pipes, some sultry eye contact leads to a steamy affair, and a plan to steal 2 million of the Mob's money that her boyfriend is holding for his bosses. Full of clever unexpected twists, some over the top violence, and very black humour, it's not for everyone - but worth checking out if you're a Tarantino or Coen brothers fan. (Mark)

The painted veil.
This is a stunning visual film and the storyline is exceptionally good also. It's a reasonably long movie to watch, but I was completely captivated for the entire film. A young scientist and his new wife move to Shanghai from England. She doesn't really love him but wants to leave her family (who held fears they would have to support her forever). When there's a cholera outbreak in rural China and the local doctor dies, he decides to take up the post and drag her along to punish her for having an affair. I have rated it my highest 5 stars out of 5. (Kini)

Taste of Cherry.
A man drives through a dusted Iranian city scape. He stops in front of strangers; carefully chosen strangers - but strangers nonetheless. In the course of the very short trips beside him they find out why they have been chosen, he wants them to help him die.
Kiarostami does not explain why; this man has a nice car, he is normal, well spoken. One by one he is refused - the soldier, the religion student - will no one help him? A university teacher finally agrees to check the spot he has chosen the next morning. The actors are all amateurs; seemingly, the effect is natural, unforced. The shots are extended, dust drifts aggressively by, morning arrives. We never leave that car, night ensues. The ending is wilfully mysterious and that total change in emphasis surprises. This really is a film about life. (Monty)

Two Weeks.
I've recently watched Two Weeks with Sally Field. It was fabulous. We laughed, we cried and recognised how sick we are. If you have lost anyone to cancer you will empathise. Enjoy. (Pru)

P.S. I Love You.
This was another of those films I avoided thinking the plot sounded like something that had been done to death (no pun intended) many times before with the likes of Ghost and The Lake House. A young husband dies leaving his wife devastated, but reaches out to her through letters he has written to help her after his death. This actually turned out to be an excellent wee film. Where I was expecting a predictable romantic plot turn, it just didn't happen. Instead it was actually a fairly realistic portrayal of a young woman dealing with grief and healing herself and the relationship with her mother (played by Kathy Bates). P.S. It is a bit of a tear-jerker! (Kini)

August Rush .
Young Evan lives in an orphanage, but he hears music all around him - in the wind, the fields, the everyday noises. He believes his parents are speaking to him through music and one day they will find him. When he runs away to New York he follows that music and meets The Wizard (Robin Williams) who teaches him how to tune into his talents. Meanwhile each of his parents are following their own musical journey and re-discovering talents from their past. This one will be in my best picks of the year for sure! It was absolutely wonderful. 6 stars out of 5! :) (Kini)

Ashes of American flags
Wilco is the greatest contemporary American rock band. If you're in any doubt of this fact then watching the 6 minutes of Handshake Drugs off their latest DVD release Ashes of an American Flag will alleviate your uncertainty. Filmed over a run of select concerts, held in intimate and legendary venues, Ashes is a stunning concert and documentary set, where the songs are intercut with the various members of Wilco ruminating about life on the road, music's role in their own lives and its wider impact and influence upon society. As expected the level of musicianship on offer is dazzling. With Jeff Tweedy so often portrayed as a tortured tyrant it's a pleasant surprise to see the entire band working together to truly inhabit each song, not to mention we get the chance to view some real musical democracy on offer as each band member is offered a chance to genuinely shine. Nel's Clines guitar work and Glenn Kotche's percussion are particular highlights, but the other members are all expertly filmed with a warm mix of saturated widescreen and intimate HD all bound together with a wistful, nostalgic and welcoming super 8 feel. (Craig)

The wackness.
If you ever wanted to see Oscar winning Sir Ben Kingsley doing bong hits, making out with an Olsen twin or quoting Biggie Smalls, then this is the movie for you. Dope dealing slacker Shapiro (Josh Peck) has problems: he's kind of bummed out, and also really needs to get laid. Luckily he has some help from his therapist Dr Squires (Kingsley) who is happy to trade psychology sessions for quality marijuana, and pass on his wealth of knowledge on life, love and other matters. What begins as a strictly 'business' relationship blooms into an odd-couple friendship as the naive Shapiro begins to fall for Dr. Squires sexy sophisticated stepdaughter (Olivia Thirlby) & Squires' marriage to his younger wife (Famke Janssen) begins to fall apart. This slice of 'nostalgia'/coming-of-age tale from director Jonathan Levine recreates New York circa 1994, perfectly capturing the fashion, music, and language; and while it's a bit implausible in parts it's never short of entertaining, and often hilarious. (Mark)

The black balloon.
Thomas has moved around schools quite a lot as his Dad's in the army. So it's hard enough fitting in. But with an autistic brother who seems set on embarrassing him at every turn, life's not easy. Add a heavily pregnant mother (Toni Colette) on bed rest and a Dad who talks to a teddy bear and he has quite a lot on his plate! Enter the love interest...who just happens to be great with his brother and a lot less embarrassed about stuff than Thomas. She helps him come to understand and love Charlie as he is. A really good Australian film. (Kini)

Gran Torino.
Gran Torino is supposedly Clint Eastwood's last film, in front of the camera at least, and his portrayal of cantankerous old Walt plays expert homage to a career filled with such stoic and conservative characters. With a sly nod to the ridiculousness of a legacy of misanthropic and uber-masculine characters Clint brings Walt thundering onto the screen with a sneer, a grimace and a grumble as the aged war veteran loses his beloved wife and considers the multigenerational Asian family moving in next door. An incident occurs, a few beers follow, and Walt's prejudices soften, somewhat. It's a moving film, somewhat uneven due to the amateur status of most of the cast, but this is also perhaps it's most endearing aspect as the older veteran Eastwood grants plenty of screen time to the debut performances of an inexperienced cast. With a script full of deft putdowns and rambunctious un-pc one liners it's certainly an entertaining, funny and sharp film. Ultimately, I guess the film points to a fact Eastwood has been noting for years in his films, everyone has a story and in amongst all that minutiae there's some pain, some laughs and some struggles for almost all of us. Let us hope we all get to Walt's age and still be willing to drop a few prejudices. (Craig)

Butterfly on a wheel.
'Butterfly on a Wheel' (released as 'Shattered' in the US) is one of those thriller's that's a bit B-movie-ish, but has an A-grade cast so ends up as being a fairly watchable couple of hours. Neil & Abby (300's Gerard Butler & Maria Bello) seem the perfect couple, financially secure & living happily with their young daughter, until one day a stranger (a steely eyed Pierce Brosnan) gets into their car, holds them at gunpoint and tells them that unless they do exactly what he says their daughter, whom he is holding prisoner, will die. Brosnan seems to have a very personal score to settle with the seemingly innocuous couple, and just what that score is, is what this movie is all about. The three leads are all pretty good, and it tends to avoid the predictable action, car chases and ordinary-people-doing-crazy things, for something a little more subtle, and keeps you intrigued enough to hang around for the twist at the end. Worth a look in. (Mark)

How about you.
Ellie finds herself left in charge of her sister's home for the elderly over Christmas, complete with 4 of its most difficult residents. 3 of them refused to be relocated to another home nearby over the Christmas stand-down and 1 of them is actually banned from the place. What transpires is a heart-warming story where 5 people who seems completely incongruous with each other band together to have a 'family' Christmas. Great performances from a very good cast including Imelda Staunton & Vanessa Redgrave. (Kini)

Looking for Fidel.
At times, in this Oliver Stone directed film, Fidel seems tired, withdrawn, exhausted. It's miraculous that Stone gets this private audience. He even gets to interrogate ten desperate Cuban hijackers with Fidel present - of course, it's a media beat-up, a propaganda exclusive but, this is powerful stuff, first-hand evidence of a totalitarian regime of repression. It's a shame that Stone can't still that camera for a second - it's all cut, cut, cut and the camera fidgets more than a hypothermic Woody Allen. The few times the camera settles on Fidel, not Stone - I'm not sure Stone doesn't know he's not the reason for this - but, when it does settle on a deflated, aged Fidel, and Stone asks about death, about the inherent sense in appointing a successor, Fidel looks every bit the sick man he would become. Fidel takes Stone to a Cuban hospital - an example of all the good he has done for his people - and he has his blood pressure and pulse taken. 'He has the heart rate of a 32 year old,' says the doctor. 'How many years will I live?' asks Fidel. Doctor. 'A 100, maybe more.' This could have been the great portrait of a falling giant. There are brilliant moments though, that turn a stomach. (Monty)

Twilight.
My family enjoyed 'Twilight" the DVD. Not too gory, but it is a chic flick. Apparently the second and third books are gorier so guys will like them more. (Brigid)

The Madness of King George .
Based on Alan Bennett's acclaimed play The Madness of King George is a black comedy/drama taking a look at a period of mental illness suffered by King George III. Nigel Hawthorne's' performance as King George is a marvellous portrayal of a man slipping further into the grips of serious dementia. With wonderful supporting performances from Helen Mirren, as his dedicated wife, Ian Holm, as a proto-psychiatrist well ahead of his time with treatments and Rupert Everett as the hilariously pouting treacherous son. Like all Bennett works the script is a marvel of erudite wit, but it would be nothing without the truly fantastic performances from an inspired ensemble cast the keeps the 'cleverness' in check and allows the story to remain immensely human. A harsh, gritty and in parts very funny film, The Madness of King George is well worth a viewing just for the opportunity to get wistful and nostalgic and at the end say, "they don't make 'em like that anymore". (Craig)

Apron Strings
Good NZ film. A young man goes in search of his Indian culture in South Auckland. He takes on a job in a restaurant working for his Aunt (unknown to either her or his mother). 4 stars. (Kini)

The White Masai.
I was too lazy to read the book when it was recommended to me, so opted for the DVD. One of the best films I have seen in a very long time. A young Swiss woman is literally stopped in her tracks by an attraction to a Masai while on holiday with her boyfriend. She abandons him and goes in search of him and his tribe. This one got 5 stars! (Kini)

Wiseguy. Season 1.
'Wiseguy' is where modern TV really began. Ken Wahl played Vinnie Terranova, an undercover operative with the F.B.I Organised Crime Bureau. Tasked with infiltrating various criminal enterprises to gather evidence from the inside, Vinnie is aided by his cynical handler McPike (Jonathan Banks) & his on the ground support 'Lifeguard' (played by double-amputee Jim Byrnes). Vinnie's missions played out in 'Story-Arcs' or 'Arc's', a then radical approach that allowed a story with a larger scope to play out over 6-10 episodes. The first 9 episode 'Arc' has Vinnie infiltrate the New Jersey Mob family of Sonny Steelgrove (Ray Sharkey), eventually becoming his trusted friend, all the while gathering evidence against him. The second 'Arc' sees Vinnie investigating a mysterious assassin called Roger Lococco (William Russ) who turns out to be working for the Drugs & Guns crime boss Mel Profitt (played by a then unknown stage actor called Kevin Spacey) a paranoid criminal genius with a penchant for Malthusian economic theory, and injecting Heroin between his toes ('Only the toes knows' becoming a trademark line). Sure the style is all a bit 80's, but the show did what no other show had done before, and what countless others have copied since: create believable, charismatic, well written characters - on both sides of the law - and play out a solidly entertaining full-length story full of twists & moral shadings. (Mark)

The Visitor.
This film will stay with me for a long time. When Walter goes away to a conference and enters the apartment he owns in that city, he finds it occupied by a Syrian man, Tarik and his Senegalese girlfriend (both illegal immigrants). He agrees to let them stay until they find somewhere to stay. Hopeless at playing piano and desperate to be "musical" Tarik encourages Walter to find his own rhythm playing the drum. When Tarik is arrested in the subway, Walter feels responsible and visits him daily at the detention centre. He pays for a lawyer and offers Tarik's mother a place to stay so she can be close to her son. Wonderful film! (Kini)

Margaret Thatcher : the long walk to Finchley.
This is a film which will delight Anglophiles - it is a subtle and understated comedy based on Margaret Thatcher's ten - year struggle to obtain a 'winnable' Tory seat in the fifties. It begins on the night that she met her husband-to be Denis and continues until she wins nomination and election in the seat with which she has been associated ever after -Finchley. A mischievous and highly amusing reason for her ultimate success has been invented here. It involves the enigmatic man from whom she ultimately wrested the top job - Edward Heath. The movie underlines the premise that politics were central to her life - almost to the exclusion of everything else. There are many in-jokes which will evoke a smile, but the principal reasons for watching it will be the very creditable performances of Andrea Riseborough and Rory Kinnear as Margaret and Denis Thatcher and the marvellous evocation of fifties Britain, in manners, motors, social customs and costume. (Sue)

Chased by dinosaurs.
Naturalist Nigel Marven once again travels back in time, to roam amongst the beasts of yore. My son and I have been transfixed by Nigel's explorations into the world of dinosaurs since we first viewed Prehistoric Park (another great series by the way). This is a fantastic DVD, Nigel jumps back in time to visit the seven deadliest seas, the CGI is great, this and Prehistoric Park are both BBC productions so you know you're going to be in for some quality viewing with decent production values. Nigel himself is a treat, an insanely passionate naturalist, although not a natural 'actor', he dives into his performance and I often found myself completely forgetting we weren't actually watching 'real' events unfold. I've re-learnt a lot about dinosaurs since watching these DVDs, and as far as bonding experiences go you really can't fault two lads sitting on the couch, eating their fish and chips, while watching a fifty ton Megalodon devour prehistoric whales (and if you don't know what a Megalodon is, you should definitely watch this DVD immediately). (Craig)

Near Dark.
Vampires. They're everywhere. Brooding on the covers of popular fiction, befriending lonely teenage girls, starring in their own TV shows. And they're all really nice people. They just want to solve crimes, satisfy a woman's every desire, capture the hearts of teenage girls, and co-exist peacefully with all of us. Except maybe these vampires....'Near Dark' was the first effort from James Cameron's ex-wife, Kathryn Bigelow - who would later helm the epically stupid 'Point Break' - full of B-movie stalwarts like Bill Paxton & Lance Henriksen. A young farm boy (a then unknown Adrian Pasdar who would later find fame on 'Heroes') falls for a girl who turns out to be from a group of bloodsuckers. Turned into one of them, he falls in with her 'family', a nasty & violent 'coven'...but just how far will he go to be with the girl he loves? Sure it takes itself far to seriously and is full of plot holes - but what separates 'Near Dark' from every other vampire movie is a sinister sense of atmosphere & it's gritty take on the genre (the word 'vampire' is never actually used) as Bigelow recasts the 'vampires' as spree killing rednecks straight out of Springsteen's 'Nebraska'...definitely a cult classic of sorts. (Mark)

Outsourced.
When his call centre in Seattle gets outsourced to India - Todd is asked to go over and train his replacement. From the minute he arrives and gets high jacked from the hotel he was booked into and taken to 'Aunty Ji's guesthouse', it's clear that he is going to have fun getting to grips with the ins and outs of Indian culture. The Indian people can't say his name correctly and so for the entire film they refer to him as "Mr Toad". It's a good romantic comedy. We really enjoyed this one despite the rather ambiguous ending. (Kini)

2 days in Paris
Julie Delphy irritated me for the entire film (I guess I should have remembered that I hated her in Before Sunset too), but I was somehow compelled to watch it through to conclusion. Adam Goldberg gives an exceptionally good performance as her hysterical, paranoid hypochondriac boyfriend. Enjoyed the French and scenes of Parisian life. Judge for yourself, but it only got 2 stars from me. (Kini)

Mirrormask .
What ho! Hallucinatory fun with a deadpan acceptance of it as reality. A girl lives in a circus family and yearns for running away to normality. The opposite happens. Light-hearted fairy-tale feelgood identity-discovery tale. Great visuals, easy story line, good for anyone who can relate to a yearning for a life either less or more interesting than the one they currently have. Might be a little simplistic / predictable for anyone fixated on twists and intrigue, but it's an excellent teen/pre-teen story, and great for adults who like things nice. (Michael)

Miss Pettigrew lives for a day
Awesome little film! Haven't seen such a truly charming film since Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont. It's London 1939 and the penniless Mrs Pettigrew finds herself dining at a soup kitchen after losing her latest job as a governess. The next day she finds herself embroiled in the lifestyles of the rich & famous when she shows up at the door of Miss Delysia Lafosse, actress. The characters are all delightful. It's a top quality feel-good film. (Kini)

Breaking and entering.
I recently saw the DVD 'Breaking and Entering' starring Jude Law and Juliette Binoche. It is a movie from the director of 'Cold Mountain' and 'The English Patient' and while it's not a thriller or full of action, it is a modern movie that is very thought-provoking. The twists of fate within the lives of the two families the story is mainly about, are real for today's world and make this movie one to be seen when in a quiet, reflective type of mood. (Suzanne)

Chrysalis.
Pretty good French sci-fi movie, which blends a touch of Phillip K Dick, Ridley Scott's 'Blade Runner', and martial arts into an entertaining mix. Set in Paris in 2025, Albert Dupontel plays a suitably grim French 'Europol' Detective, out to track down the killer of his partner. Meanwhile a young girl (Melanie Thierry) recovers from a horrific car accident in a clinic run by her mother. Their two stories eventually mix together, and while the movie ultimately loses itself in its ambitions, it's still plenty stylish and entertaining, particularly in its subtle use of futuristic technology and the brilliantly claustrophobic version of Paris, where the only colours left seem either black, grey or blue. (Mark)

Funny Games.
In this exploration of violence, and our reaction as viewers to its portrayal, controversial director Michael Haneke takes a simple home invasion premise and shapes a claustrophobic and horrifying masterpiece. Tim Roth and Naomi Watts, who also produces the film, play a wealthy couple with a young son, all set for a relaxing weekend in their lakeside manor. Two young and polite gentlemen from next door arrive, one asks to borrow some eggs, and mayhem ensues. It is difficult to recommend a film that is distressing to watch, but what sets this film apart is the fact that it creates such a level of tension and unease when really little actual violence is shown onscreen. With sly nods to the audience and scenes that are allowed to reconfigure at will, the film's 'message' is very clear and keenly felt, almost within the first 30 minutes. As a comment upon our obsession with film violence it succeeds at every level, as a thriller perhaps less so, there's nothing to thrill here, but plenty to think about for days to come. (Craig)

Caramel.
Who would think that a charming movie like this could come out of Beirut? The writer, director and also lead role is Nadine Labaki, apparently a well-known actress and music video director in the Middle East. She shows, in this her first movie, her fine sense of cinematography and sophisticated talents with a touch of Pedro Almodovar. The film is set in a Beirut beauty salon and is about five ordinary Lebanese women from different generations and backgrounds. Each of them has their own problems but they try to overcome and make a difference. It depicts their everyday struggles with a comical touch. It's beautifully shot and funny, but life can turn bitter. The plot itself is nothing new but it's sweet like the title, and above all, Labaki's love for the city of Beirut and its people seeps out from the screen. (Shinji)

The last of the Mohicans.
In our life, the most beautiful and precious thing we are given is I think Love. Just one simple word, this movie is amazing!! When I saw this movie on the shelf at my library, I was thrilled. Daniel Day-Lewis is such a great actor. The movies he plays never disappointed me. And Madeleine Stowe acted gracefully with her beautiful eyes in this film. Your heart will be full of love, sadness and happiness after watching this film. (Eun Young)

Australia.
Love it or hate it, you cannot get past the vast magnificence of this land and its people, that is the 'people of the land'.. We see Australia through the eyes of an Aboriginal child (Nullah), and the relationship between him and his wise Grandfather (King George), physically apart, but spiritually together, of the same country but in different worlds. The ever protective eye of 'King George' forever watching over his Grandson 'from a distance', so far, but yet so near.. We see the ever increasing love between an English aristocrat (Nicole Kidman) and a Drover (Hugh Jackman) blossom, and that love flow onto this aboriginal child, Nullah.. And in between all of this, we see cattle being driven from A to B, and we see the ugliness of racism and prejudice, and the divide between rich and poor, and the Japanese bombing of Darwin early in WWll.. Over 2 half hours filled with the magnificence that is Australia, I hear moans and groans - gosh if you can sit through 'Gone with the Wind' you can sit through this.. You feel almost every emotion there is to feel. Happiness, Joy, Love, Hate, Anger, Sorrow, Hurt, Pride.. the list is endless.. If you come out of this feeling 'nothing' at all, but tired and bored and sleepy, well what more can I say, the emotion then I say is 'sad'.. Yes, we see the magnificence of this country Australia, but through the eyes of an aboriginal child.. I saw more than that! ..'come Nullah 'tis time to go walkabout!'.. (Ethel)

Plein soleil.
This is the first time 'Tom Ripley,' Patricia Highsmith's sociopathic fraudster, & murderer appeared in all his handsome, boyish glory on screen. Alain Delon is devilishly blue-eyed, mystifyingly passive and perfectly ambivalent as Ripley. This is the same story told in 'The Talented Mr Ripley,' and the European locations are similarly stunning, the story-telling as taut. There are strong differences. The actors play with a chilly, detached cool. Some scenes hint at an evil in Ripley - in 'Plein Soleil' he is not misunderstood, he is not struggling with what little there is of his conscience - the psychology prominent in the second Ripley is missing, this Ripley has no motivation, he kills because it suits. When he walks through a fish market and examines one crustacean, one fish, in detail, one after another after another you wonder if it's because Ripley is as primal, as instinctive. Clement's Ripley is icier than Damon's and more believable than Malkovich's - Highsmith thought Delon the perfect Ripley, and I agree. (Monty)

Bella .
Bella is great. It is the story of an ex pro-footballer whose career ended suddenly (you find out why later in the film). He winds up working in a restaurant kitchen for his brother. When one of the waitresses gets fired he follows her for the day and takes her to the beach to meet his parents. Can't say much more without giving away the plot...but it was a very touching film. A bit of salsa in it too, so I liked that! (Kini)

Body of lies
Slow moving, but intriguing Ridley Scott movie (adapted from the novel by David Ignatius) sees Leonardo DiCaprio give a convincing performance as Roger Ferris, the CIA's ground man in the Middle-East war-on-terror, working on tracking down a major Bin Laden type terrorist. Assisting, and interfering, from afar - via a real time live satellite link - is his handler Ed Hoffman (played with method relish by a fattened up Russell Crowe). DiCaprio gives a great performance, far more convincing than he was in the more celebrated 'The Departed', as an even handed agent who respects the local authorities and culture and is struggling against the political interference and power plays from Washington, as much as he is against the intricacies of the intelligence game. When DiCaprio hatches an intricate plan to smoke out the terrorist leader, he unwittingly sets in motion a series of events that puts the life of his new girlfriend in danger...More 'realistic' than one would expect, nevertheless it somehow fails to gel entirely into the movie it wants to be, falling in the end somewhere in between the jingo-esque action of fairly awful 'The Kingdom', and the geo-political weight of the heavier 'Syriana'. (Mark)

In Bruges.
A triumphant return to form from Colin Farrell, a dutifully subtle showing from Brendan Gleeson and a intense, thoroughly intimidating performance from Ralph Finnes. In Bruges is a crisp, very funny and immensely satisfying film. It's the tale of two hit-men sent to the historic Belgium town to 'cool off' after a extremely unfortunate complication with their last job. One's bored, one's fascinated; mayhem and very dark hilarity ensues. With a script full of deft comedic and dramatic touches In Bruges is one of those rare films that satisfies on both the visceral and emotive level. I highly recommend it. (Craig)
Recently we have enjoyed 'In Bruges' - it is rather macabre but humorous as well. Ralph Fiennes is surprising as he breaks free of his usual extremely proper British type of character. (Pru)

Sabah : a love story.
Sabah is a muslim woman who is single and kind of dowdy. She decides to start swimming when she turns 40 and meets Stephen at the pool. She's not sure her family will accept him so keeps it secret. Watching Sabah unfold into a beautiful confident woman in love is the best part of the film. Plus it had great dancing! (Kini)

4 months, 3 weeks and 2 days.
Under the Ceauseecu era, in communist Romania, an abortion was an unlawful act and unwanted pregnancy caused huge problems. The movie depicts a day of Otilia's life, who reluctantly helps her roommate to get an underground abortion that could be fatal for everyone involved. This may sound similar to 'The Lives of Others' in portraying a life under communist regime but no melodrama here. Almost documentary in style, vigorous and powerful direction by Cristian Mungiu, who uses long-take shots and almost no music, raises tension throughout which makes you feel like you are watching a suspense drama. It doesn't make you happy but undoubtedly one of the best movies in recent years. (Shinji)

Harry he is here to help.
Laurent is taking his family to their rundown, dilapidated family bach in the country in their old rusty car in a furious French summer. He meets Harry, well-dressed, successful, and, an enigmatic figure from his past. What happens next has the gut-wrenching twists and subtle turns of the best Hitchcock and the revealing deep, dark psychological heft of the best Simenon novel. 'Harry' is in the great tradition of existential French thrillers. Laurent is pushed, teased and finally terrified and his reactions surprise and raise essential questions. What can tip a normal person over the edge? How much do we have in common with those we dislike? How far are we from becoming the people we despise? (Monty)

Burn after reading.
Clooney, Pitt, Swinton, McDormand, Jenkins and Malkovich. The line-up for the latest Coen brothers' film is exceptional, and although the film is not without its faults, Burn After Reading is a fine return to Coen's darkly comedic past. Missing CIA memoirs, infidelity, attempted bribery, elective surgery, treason and unrequited love all play a part in this immoral tale. The Coens have once again worked their creative genius by assembling a thoroughly loveable cast of horribly unlikeable characters. (Craig)

Year of the dog.
This was a really quirky little film about a single woman. When her dog Pencil dies, she goes in search of a meaningful relationship in her life. Her subsequent campaigning the cause of homeless/abused animals becomes a metaphor for the emptiness she feels. (Kini)

The bank job.
London in the early 70's: When model Saffron Burrows gets nicked for some illicit drug smuggling, she calls on her new lover in MI5 (or maybe 6)....who just happens to need someone to organise an off the books robbery of a safe deposit box that holds some very embarrassing photographs....and she knows just the bloke for the job.... Jason Statham only really plays one role, but when he gets a good movie there's no one better, as evidenced by 'The Bank Job' a good old fashioned heist flick, all the more interesting as it's based on real events. What follows is highly entertaining, as Statham & his motley crew of amateurs find themselves in over their heads when they find out what the real purpose of the robbery is... (Mark)

Pineapple Express
Pot addled court-processer Dale, played hilariously by Seth Rogan, and his dealer Saul, played even more brilliantly by James Franco, must run for their lives as crooked cops and bad guys galore hunt them down after Dale accidently witnesses a murder. Stoner comedies, handled poorly, frequently offer little more than a few childish chuckles, but Pineapple Express, directed by David Gordon Green, manages to expand upon some firm comedic foundations and offers up a very funny film filled with gags which work well due to the two main stars ability to improvise and interpret what could easily have been a routine script. Certainly not sophisticated in any way and utterly juvenile in content, but for anyone wanting an uncomplicated but hilarious film this is the one. (Craig)

Eastern Promises.
I somehow managed to watch most of this film without turning the subtitles on for the Russian bits. However, no translation was really needed as the movie flows along at a good pace and it's pretty easy to get the gist of what the bad dudes are up to (i.e. there's lots of gratuitous violence). I thought both Viggo and Naomi Watts were both great in their respective roles. A very satisfying film. (Kini)

Pathology.
On the surface this seems nothing more than another C-grade entry in the 'Torture-porn' or 'Gore-no' genre, but instead it's a surprisingly watchable thriller about some very nasty people. Milo Ventimiglia (TV's 'Heroes') plays Ted Grey, a top Med-school grad who discovers that his new colleagues play a gruesome after hours game - someone is selected to kill an 'undesirable' or homeless person in a particularly devious way, and the others have to figure out how they did it. The arrogant Ted soon falls in with this bad crowd, begins an affair with one of them, while still juggling his rich fiance (Alyssa Milano), and picks up a nasty drug habit. It's all fairly ridiculous, and some of it's quite gruesome. It's too gory for a straight medical-thriller, yet too well acted & plotted for a typical 'Torture-porn' flick, and surprising gripping, as Ted's new friends begin to realise he may be even more amoral than they are... definitely not 'Grey's Anatomy'.... (Mark)

Gone baby gone .
Based on the novel by Dennis Lehane, who also wrote the source novel for 'Mystic River', 'Gone baby gone' was one of last year's best films. On the heels of his underrated turn in 'Hollywoodland' Ben Affleck directs this mostly faithful adaptation, which begins as a search for a missing girl, and turns into a quagmire of moral complexity. Local Private eyes (Casey Affleck & Michelle Monaghan) are hired by the aunt of a little girl who has been kidnapped, to add their local experience to the police investigation. The police (Morgan Freeman, Ed Harris) are reluctant to let them become involved, but their local knowledge soon turns up some new leads - that turn the focus back on the girl's deadbeat mother (a great turn by 'Wire' regular Amy Ryan), who has ripped off a local drug dealer. A ransom drop is set up, but turns bad, leaving the little girl dead. But then maybe everything is not as it seems.... Less stylised than 'Mystic River' and far better than the overrated 'The Departed', 'Gone baby gone' is one of those rare 'genre' movies that transcends its origins and packs a real emotional and moral heft. Atmospheric and grim, with an ending that really leaves you thinking. Recommended. (Mark)

The king of Kong
In the early 1980s, the unbelievably arrogant and deeply creepy Billy Mitchell set a Donkey Kong record that stood for 25 years. This delightful, and often hilarious, documentary follows the trials of Steve Wiebe, an obsessive-compulsive unemployed teacher from Washington, who set out to challenge Mitchell's record. It's a brilliant tale; Wiebe breaks the record but who knew there was so much ruthlessness amongst the arcade gaming community? It's a fantastic peek into a slice of life that for all intensive purposes has disappeared from New Zealand. Packed full of eccentric gaming geeks and worryingly deluded characters, King of Kong fulfils all the requirements of a perfect small documentary. Fascinating people, an intriguing tale and the perfect ending. (Craig)

Run, fatboy, run.
This is quite a deviation from Simon Pegg's recent movies (Shaun of the Dead & Hot Fuzz). Dennis (Simon Pegg) leaves his very pregnant fiancée Libby at the altar who understandably can't forgive him. The only positive in his life is his son Jake (he is destined for greater things) and the relationship between them is appealing. When Libby (Thandie Newton) meets a rich, urbane American who wants to take them to America he realises that he may only have one last opportunity to show her that he regrets their break-up. He decides to run the London Marathon to show he can change and actually achieve something. For a beer-drinking, 20+ smoker who never exercises this is as they say "a big ask". There are a number of cheap and rather gross laughs, mostly involving Dylan Moran from Black Books (no surprise there) but overall this is an engaging movie - you hope it will end well. (Liz)

Breaking and entering.
Stars Juliette Binoche (love her) and Jude Law (can't stand him). Will (Jude) is a rich architect and he is drawn into Juliette's world (she's a humble immigrant who takes in sewing jobs) when he catches her teenage son stealing from him. 4 stars. (Kini)

Taken.
Hugely exciting action movie produced and written by Luc Besson sees Liam Neeson perfectly cast as a seemingly mild mannered 'ex-government' employee who has taken early retirement to reconnect with his now estranged teenage daughter. When she is kidnapped by sex-traffickers while on holiday in Paris he sets out to find her, unleashing a lethal skill set on the Parisian underworld. Sure it's clichéd & takes its cues from the 'Bourne' franchise and '24', yet despite several plot holes & devices that enable Neeson to track his daughter down in the 96 hour window before she 'disappears forever', it's highly entertaining and due to Neeson's great performance manages to be surprisingly believable for what it is. (Mark)

Angus, thongs and perfect snogging.
Hilarious....the things you do to impress boys and girls as teenagers. The storyline is a bit weak but then again it's for early stages of adulthood. Even if you haven't read the book, you will enjoy this movie. Georgia Nicolson, 13, takes us with her on her journey to find a boyfriend and keep him. (Wendy)

The Orphanage.
Directed by Spaniard Juan Antonio Bayona the Orphanage is a mesmerising tale of childhood loss and a mother's grief. Although it is a 'horror' film don't let yourself be fooled by its categorisation because, while it is certainly a ghost story, it is also a tender drama of heartbreaking parental love. I haven't been scared by a film in years but I found this film terrifying, particularly because the majority of scenes are filmed in complete daylight and even though it is deeply unnerving you'll find yourself utterly compelled to see the end. The orphanage is a beguiling mix of terror and sophisticated beauty, utterly free of the usual American horror cliches, it's a wonderful film. (Craig)

Grave of the fireflies.
If you are not acquainted with the works of Studio Ghibli, this is a good introduction to the wonderful works by the renowned team of Japanese animators. It will take you into the world of post-war Japan where two siblings tried to eke out a living in war-torn Japan. It is a bitter-sweet story of the insurmountable love between the two main characters and the cruelty of war. Visually stunning and incredibly touching. It will draw some tears but it is a must-see!! (Shirley)

Baby mama .
37 year old businesswoman Kate really wants a child. So much that she is prepared to pay as much as it takes. Kind of predictable, but heart-warming and the surrogate mother Angie provides some great comic relief. 3 stars for me. (Kini)

Jam and Jerusalem. The complete season one
This is one of those wonderfully warm, funny, occasionally poignant, life-in-an-English-village comedy series that will thoroughly cheer you up on a dreary Sunday afternoon, a sort of softer version of the movie "Calendar Girls". Sally Vine, the local doctor's wife and his practice nurse, regularly visits the local church women's guild of Clatterford St Mary to hand out prescriptions to the ladies. It's not until her husband dies suddenly, however, that loneliness, a lack of things to do and the need to avoid the frequent visits of the local grief counsellor persuades her to actually join the guild. There is Eileen, the Guild chairwoman who can never find a guest speaker, Queenie, the lollipop lady and the vicar's verger, the eccentric Delilah, who is a little deaf and tends to lose her false teeth in her cake, the delightful Rosie, Susie who organises the school runs, Caroline, a horse-mad mother whose son is a rock musician, and Kate the grief counsellor, who follows Sally in joining the group. Keeping a wary and somewhat bellicose eye on them all is the vicar of St Peters, whose aim is to prevent the ladies taking over the vestry for their meetings. "It's not all jam and Jerusalem, as they say," says Eileen, and indeed it isn't. There is the jumble sale (with suggestions of dubious goods on sale), St Peter's Harvest Festival, and lots more going on to keep the Guild ladies busy! But this might all be under threat from the Big Wheel of the Guild, Lady Ann Crump, who is coming at any moment to inspect them. Can the ladies prevail? Written by Jennifer Saunders with wonderful performances by Dawn French. Pam Johnstone, Pauline McLynne and others, how could this DVD fail to charm? (Deborah)

Tremors.
Tremors Part 1-4: Tremors Part One was a great low budget horror film from the late 80's. Basically we're talking gigantic flesh eating worms terrorising small dusty towns, I know, sounds great! A sprightly Kevin Bacon was in the first one, he had the good sense not to return. But that's ok because if you're on the look out for some hilarious and increasingly low budgeted monster flicks then we can do without 'real' actors, parts two to four are perfect as they are. Riddled with cliché and lame acting, with awful scripts and special effects that veer wildly from pretty good to downright awful the Tremors series is a truly wonderful romp through the B-Grade 'comedy' horror genre. (Craig)

Read my lips = Sur mes levres.
Really liked this one! A deaf girl who gets treated like a doormat at work befriends her new assistant (who is fresh from prison). He uses her lip-reading ability to help him uncover a crime taking place in the bar where he works nights. Really good French drama with an excellent plot. 4 stars out of 5! (Kini)

Before the devil knows you're dead.
This grim character study sees Philip Seymour Hoffman play Andy, a burned-out executive with a trophy wife and a nasty smack habit, and Ethan Hawke - his dim-bulb loser brother Hank - whose mounting alimony debts are getting the better of him. When Andy manipulates Hank into a plan to rob their parents' jewellery store to solve their money problems, things take a nasty turn when their mother is accidentally shot, and just get worse from there. Great support from Marisa Tomei as Andy's bored wife and Albert Finney as his cold father, and great directing from an 83 year old Sidney Lumet round out a cutting look at dysfunctional family relationships and moral bankruptcy. (Mark)