AgentLexi2132

''You know what my father was? A wheel! The first wheel! And do you know what he transformed into? Nothing! But he did it with honor!''

Decepticon forces return to Earth on a mission to take Sam Witwicky prisoner, after the young hero learns the truth about the ancient origins of the Transformers. Joining the mission to protect humankind is Optimus Prime, who forms an alliance with international armies for a second epic battle.

Shia LaBeouf: Sam Witwicky

Pending Review...

''I like baseball, movies, good clothes, fast cars... and you. What else you need to know?''

The Feds try to take down notorious American gangsters John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson and Pretty Boy Floyd during a booming crime wave in the 1930s.

Johnny Depp: John Dillinger

The latest offering from Micheal Mann highlights the infamous John Dillinger and the 1930s depression era, a time of high crime and when bank robbery was big business. Public Enemies is expertly shot, if what sometimes dizzyingly shakey true to Mann's style, poise, and essence in the way he shoots and makes a film. It is also a historical story filmed in a modern way which puts a totally new spin on things. Interestingly the costumes, sets and chases are excellently displayed, and we really believe we are right there with them in the 1930s in all it's glory.

What can I say about the cast? It's a star laden cast thats for sure. Of course, we have Johnny Depp as enigmatic bank robber Dillinger. We have the opposite end of the table, Christian Bale as Melvin Purvis, the FBI Agent on Dillingers trail. The rest of the cast includes Marion Cotillard as John's love interest Billie Frechette, David Wenham, Billy Crudup, and numerous other appearances. The acting as expected is top notch, the direction and tempo moderately paced, blending drama with action.

''They ain't tough enough, smart enough or fast enough. I can hit any bank I want, any time. They got to be at every bank, all the time.''

So how does Public Enemies fare against the other treats Micheal Mann has given us? Is it as good as Heat? Is it another Collateral or mixed bag like Miami Vice was for fans and critics? I feel that it's an amazing film, however I did not get any sensation after watching that this was a masterpiece of film. At times its void of humour, sometimes the plot tends to go round in a circle and of course, the ultimate outcome of John Dillinger is one we can see coming a mile away. An outcome that is more than possibly echoed in history by an array of infamous characters.

So we get the cars, the women, the bank robberies, the prison escapes, and the fast paced car chase and shootouts to name but a few of Public Enemies attractions. It is a joy as always to see Christian Bale and of course Johnny Depp sharing the big screen and doing there respective thing. Public Enemies is a bold effort by Mann, in my opinion I expected something more, and probably because I am a Mann fan, pardon the pun, I did not feel that this matched his earlier offerings. Granted the shootouts are typical Mann and I think I may have missed the trademark blue scene true to his signature in-print to his movies.

Public Enemies is going to be a big hit this summer, thanks to the lure of it's two stars, the fact it is Micheal Mann, and the fact it is a historical insight into another world. I would recommend seeing it but it's the type of film you wouldn't necessarily would want to go and see again, and this for me is a disappointment. So the end summary I would give, Public Enemies is great but very over-hyped. Great performances from it's three main stars and dazzling action, but don't expect a feel good conclusion. At least Mann did a killer soundtrack, I'd watch it again for that.

Melvin Purvis: The only way you're walking out of this jail cell is when we take you out to execute you.
John Dillinger: Well, we'll see about that.

''Whose fucking baby is that?''

A Las Vegas-set comedy centered around three groomsmen who lose their about-to-be-wed buddy during their drunken misadventures, then must retrace their steps in order to find him.

Bradley Cooper: Phil Wenneck

Well, well, well...I think there is so many things to write about The Hangover that I feel a sly smirk spread across my face as I contemplate the possible ways of explaining the experience in a detailed reviewed analysis. Just think, you go in expecting something funny but come out with something unique, intelligent and a storyline that isn't just funny but has a killer soundtrack and addictive watchable quality.
The other thing that amazed me about The Hangover was the amount of cameos and people that pop up during the escapade, even the appearance of a random tiger, and a baby.

The cast is one of those casts that isn't strictly well known, but this is a good thing, the main guys are strangely charismatic and we warm to them instantly as we follow them on their journey to Las Vegas. The music and the scenery merge together and the time seamlessly streams on effortlessly making for such a pleasurable film it becomes a joy rather than a chore. The Hangover cleverly starts off, by dropping us in the future and then zips us back in time to the trip the boys take to Vegas.
SO plot wise to explain, Doug Billings played by Justin Bartha (National Treasure sidekick) is taken on a stag do by his strange mates and future bearded brother in law. This is the normal part...introducing us to the characters.
Bradley Cooper is Phil Wenneck (Alias series),Ed Helms is Stu Price, and
Zach Galifianakis is Alan Garner. These men will make you piss your pants with pleasure, and still the belly laughs keep coming.
Other appearances include Mike Tyson, Ken Jeong and Heather Graham to name but a few who really give the film a surreal sort of awakening in the mists of crazy Las Vegas.

''No, it's a satchel... Indiana Jones has one.''

Another clever aspect about The Hangover is that thanks to the clever way it tells the story switching back and forth and not giving us the whole picture right away, we the audience begin to feel just as at a loss as the main protagonists. This means we are interested to find out where there lost friend is, where the chicken and tiger came from, where the hell a random baby popped up from in their hotel closet. Alan Garner making the baby wank...was so hilarious...A moment that was so wrong but it just worked...still crying from the memory.
The Hangover is a feel good film, probably saying this is an understatement but if you like your humour abit on the shady side, abit of crudeness mixed with a jumble of violent and chaotic chases, then The Hangover is definitely for you. As the movie goes along we see the characters evolve and we rejoice in their happy outcomes, we see them find out what happened, we see them fill in the blanks, and we laugh at WHAT did happen.

Overall, I feel The Hangover is one of the funniest films I've seen this year and I doubt if any others can rival it. Granted it may have competition from the controversial Bruno but I doubt it. This is fun, this is a tight knitted script, a collosus belly laugh throughout and definitely a good promotion for holiday makers planning on Vegas. I will without a doubt be watching this gem once again, for the baby, for the tiger, for the Phil Collins, the police car and woman with the nice rack, and a thousand more circumstances which I won't mention. So what you waiting for?! Go see it!

''I have a question. You probably get this a lot but this isn't the real Caesar's Palace is it?''

''Here kitty, kitty...''

A loan officer ordered to evict an old woman from her home finds herself the recipient of a supernatural curse, which turns her life into a living hell. Desperate, she turns to a seer to try and save her soul, while evil forces work to push her to a breaking point.

Alison Lohman: Christine Brown

''I beg and you shame me?''

Sam Raimi's Drag me to hell is an interesting venture. Experience a piece of nostalgia as we go back in time and have this new story but with an Evil Dead style storyline. This horror film proves itself to be not a strictly scary piece of cinema but rather more a sort of black comedy which will have you in fits of laughter at the supposedly sick happenings. Despite the content Drag me to hell's sequences of blood and gruesome gore will entice and amuse rather than shock and tantalize.

I couldn't help but notice that Drag me to hell has some superb original ideas and to contrast that it can be boring and feature some poor acting. One thing is for sure this is B-Movie substance, just like Evil Dead was. I was particularly impressed with a fight scene in a car, a rather shocking kitten sacrifice, and a graveyard scene which was purely horrific. Yet the ending was abit of a let down in it's entirety, and sadly predictable. Other than that, Drag me to hell manages to be a rather comic horror, but not in the same league as Evil Dead. It's just not scary enough.

''I desire the SOUL of Christine Brown. We will FEAST upon it while she festers in the grave!''

Performances range from a Alison Lohman as Christine Brown, whom I haven't seen before, she manages to do a reasonably good job as the films main protagonist. Sometimes she proves to be abit wishy washy and naive, others she is believable. Which is strange.
Justin Long as Clay Dalton is typical Justin Long, he seems no different in his style of acting. Similar to Die Hard 4.
Dileep Rao as Rham Jas I liked as the Indian medium, he had a strange charisma about him which also was funny and also made you warm to him.

Overall Drag Me to Hell is full of its epic shocks, and the less you go in knowing about it the better. I could go on for ages about the story and spoil everything there is to know, but that would truly ruin some of its charm it has to offer. Which is certainly not to say that it is lost after a first viewing, just that it's an experience unlike any other going into this movie watching virtually no clips and reading very little about it. It becomes a truly rewarding venture.
Sadly no Danny Elfman doing the music for Raimi, due to their fall out. Instead we get the haunting tones of Christopher Young, which prove to be similar.
Drag me to hell proves to be a mixture of fun, a bag of goodies which have sweet and sour surprises for the viewer. For me when the end comes, there is still something I wanted but never got from the whole experience, but never mind.
Raimi going back to his roots after blockbuster franchise Spider-man, going back to his formulaic horror origins, and Drag me to hell is worth checking out if you are an admirer of his previous films.

''I beat you, you old bitch!''

''We've been fighting a long time. We are out numbered by machines. Working around the clock,without quit. Humans have a strength that cannot be measured. This is John Connor. If you are listening to this,you are the resistance.''

After Skynet has destroyed much of humanity in a nuclear holocaust, a group of survivors led by John Connor struggles to keep the machines from finishing the job.

Christian Bale: John Connor

Terminator Salvation blasts off the summer with it's action packed, sci-fi war time apocalypse theme and this time it doesn't even need Arnie magic to be a metallic mesmerizing piece of blockbusting glory. Yes we have Christian Bale hitting another franchise as the main prophet leader John Conner, looking slightly reminiscent of his Machinist days. But we can forgive that, this is the future, this is a world at war...at war with machines.
From the word go Terminator Salvation does not stick to the same formula the other Terminator films followed, not at first at any rate.

The twist being that we have not just humanities salvation in question but also the salvation of one man, or if you wish, one machine. The soul being equal to either in opinion. Terminator Salvation takes two roads and gives us a dazzling array of characters in which to relate to.
Whether it be Bale's wooden, angry, seriously brooding John Conner, or Sam Worthington as tough good guy terminator Marcus Wright, or boyish rogue Anton Yelchin as Kyle Reese whom strikes gold with another performance as with Star Trek for a rising star, he's got more films ahead of him I'm sure of it.
Helena Bonham Carter was an interesting appearance, although a computer sequence in which she explains the whole point of the machines purpose kind of made me cringe with unemphatic predictability.
Moon Bloodgood has a good romance with Sam Worthington which is believable, unlike Bryce Dallas Howard and Bale who fail to be considered a couple in love, the kiss they share is almost as wooden as Bale appears to act sometimes. Granted it may not be there entire fault but I fear a tension between the two during filming perhaps.
Common does a similar role of what he did in Wanted but shows he can do this type of action movie.

''You and me, we've been at war since before either of us even existed. You tried killing my mother, Sarah Connor. You killed my father, Kyle Reese. You will not kill me!''

So Terminator Salvation isn't overly original, it borrows some sequences from Transformers, for instance a tentacled machine tied to a table, mirrors a certain scene in the former. It may not have alot of new ideas, but what it lacks in originality it makes up for with great sequences, some great effects, despite a few plot holes and looping, this is a great effort to carry on the Terminator legacy. An animated appearance of Arnie may shock, and definitely to me seemed surreal, Bale being thrown around by a 10ft Schwarzenegger seemed to defy belief.

Overall Terminator Salvation is another blockbuster to start the summer, and definitely and adrenaline rush from the word go. It may not be a rival for the new Transformers popularity but it definitely has alot of spirit and ideas to a franchise that has been around for just as long. When you reach the end, you know it's not really the end...Terminator Salvation is just the beginning...again...and you know they have to make more terminator films to keep the money coming in.

This is Alex Curran, leader of the resistance, signing off...(John Conner is having a heart transplant, so standing in for the poor chap).

''Win or lose, this war ends tonight!''

''Memory can change the shape of a room; it can change the color of a car. And memories can be distorted. They're just an interpretation, they're not a record, and they're irrelevant if you have the facts.''

A man, suffering from short-term memory loss, uses notes and tattoos to hunt for the man he thinks killed his wife.

Guy Pearce: Leonard

Memento is deeply psychological, as soon as it starts you can see in between the lines, the stylish layout and the Adult thriller Hitchcock-esque execution, that this is birthed from the mind of Nolan. That being said Memento not only is derived from acclaimed Director Christopher Nolan but also Jonathan Nolan who wrote the short story Memento Mori. Christopher does the Screenplay which to my opinion holds no faults, it's virtually flawless.

Carrie-Anne Moss as Natalie, and Joe Pantoliano as Teddy Gammell again show as they did in The Matrix that they have a knack for clamping down and getting roles in deep, challenging, twisty, intellectual pieces. Which also pretty much describes Memento to a small degree. They do a good job in showing no one can be trusted within the film and everyone raises more questions rather than answers.

''I always thought the joy of reading a book is not knowing what happens next.''

Guy Pearce the main focus and Leonard character of Memento, genuinely comes across as being a mysterious faceted three dimensional entity thanks to the mind bending script. Guy's narration really gives the film a gritty Film-Noir detective feel which really lifts Memento to dizzying heights.

We see his short term memory effortless put forth to us, we see his tattoos and his troubles state of mind. In this sense Nolan succeeds in using his tool Guy Pierce to as near success as heaven doth allow.

''I have to believe in a world outside my own mind. I have to believe that my actions still have meaning, even if I can't remember them. I have to believe that when my eyes are closed, the world's still there. Do I believe the world's still there? Is it still out there?... Yeah. We all need mirrors to remind ourselves who we are. I'm no different.''

So what is the plot that Memento offers us? It consists of an emotional shock that results in unhinged revenge, Leonard Shelby is now piecing back the bits of remembered past? Or is he? Is he alive? If we agree that a person doesn't exist as an entity without memory, existing in a uncanny state of limbo, and that this dead Leonard is watching his life flash by. It's a genius question which for all us deep thinkers allows for us to theorize on our own conclusions.

As all the pieces start to come together in this jigsaw, at the climax yet in the narrative's ascending beginning, Leonard is denied all the usual action of a hero's benefits and indeed rewards reaped: Increased self-knowledge, knowledge of the world and the plot of occurrences. He is given the answers at the start yet only remembers the questions. Leonard at the end is a more coherent character than at the beginning.

Is this due to the fact we've given a mass of information by then and think we know him and his situation better? Or is he, as his narrative progresses, getting vaguer, moving towards inertia, the catatonia that finally swamped his altar-ego Sammy Jankis.

Our problem is that the film comprises not one plot, but four, all fragmented, full of gaping black holes, all mediated by this character who knows nothing. One is Leonard's narrative as he sees it, as he tries to avenge his wife's murder. The second is told in monochrome flashback (or whatever this is called in a film that runs backward), mostly told in mysterious phone calls, and seem to flesh out the gaps missing in the first plot, but actually creates more. The third is the 'real' plot that may have something to do with cops, snitches, femmes fatales, or may be hallucinated, misremembered by Leonard, or simply planted there as cover for another plot, or may not even exist at all. The fourth is the story of Sammy, who suffered the same 'condition' as Leonard.

All four unique strains are obviously connected with each other to create a discordant vision, but each undermines the other. In a relative sense, hell is here, and Leonard is in hell. We can only take the opening sequence, where Leonard stands holding a fading photograph over a dead man's bloody body as the only reliable image, and in this image, another, the snapshot, is slipping away, untouchable, like Leonard's memory, like the film, like Memento. It's ending is in a sense a rewinding of sorts.

''My wife deserves revenge, whether I know about it or not.''

''My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions, loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next.''

When a Roman general is betrayed and his family murdered by a corrupt prince, he comes to Rome as a gladiator to seek revenge.

Russell Crowe: Maximus

Joaquin Phoenix: Commodus

Epic, dramatic, heart-wrenching, action packed and dramatic. Ridley Scott's roman historical masterpiece, forget the still good but flawed kingdom of heaven this is the one to watch.

Russel Crowe gives his best performance of his career. The late Richard Harris and Oliver Reed give high performances and a quality that shines timeless etherality. Joaquin Phoenix is an equal cold maddened son who's hunger and thirst for power is a vision to see.

''At my signal, unleash hell.''

A tale of redemption of a man fighting for good. A cause bigger than himself and to overthrow a tyrant obstructing the birth a republic. Revel in the violence, behold it's beauty and magnificence, wasn't a doubt in my mind that Ridley Scott would reap the rewards of his efforts and win awards galore. People who criticize this film are the same people that ridiculed Blade Runner, Alien, and my message to them is to get stuffed, thats as polite as i can put it. Gladiator features some wonderful cinematography by John Mathieson. The battle scenes are very graphic. (This movie is not for the squeamish, that's for sure.) There were some scenes in particular that really struck me, such as when Crowe appears to be floating over the ground very fast. The use of colour and colour tones added a great deal to the mood of the movie. Excellent. The script was being written and re-written as the filming was going on, yet it doesn't show that the actors had no idea how the movie was going to end when they began filming. The acting is terrific. Russell Crowe is wonderfully cast as Maximus. Many reviewers agree that he is now officially a star. Joaquin Phoenix also proves his mettle as the emotionally troubled Commodus, whose behavior and emotion toward his sister could give anyone the creeps. Connie Nielsen makes you believe that, as Lucilla, she really is torn between natural loyalty to her brother and doing what she knows is right. Oliver Reed, in his last performance, is memorable in his role of Proximo, the former gladiator who is the owner of Maximus and brings him to Rome. In short, the actors were brilliant in their roles, not over-acting, but giving subtle, strong performances.

''I don't pretend to be a man of the people. But I do try to be a man for the people.''

The fights staged in Gladiator are masterful set pieces; stylized and captured gloriously. However, the fighting in Gladiator is not unrealistic; it's graphic and bloody. The warriors who battle each other are not super-men, they are normal men, real fighters, who get bashed and beat up at every turn. These soldiers combat in a truly gritty way, they are warriors who need to smell and rub their hands in the earth they battle upon. Chief amongst these mortal combatants is Russell Crowe's, a hero of mythological stance, whose raw aggression on the battlefront, coupled with his powerful expressions (combating and not combating, his silent moments from his execution to his first brawl in the arena are his best) and compelling heroics earned him a well earned Oscar. These battle-scenes of Gladiator are, of course, extremely well tended to by Ridley Scott who is the master at crafting epic war scenarios (see, I told you fanboy-praise would sneak its way in!). The patient, slow pacing of the film seems to take a sudden halt here, and then fast-forward in an amazingly rapid-fire pace with quick shots, swinging swords, vivid skies and a great score by Hans Zimmer to further emphasize the dramatic mood. The very culmination of this is not at the end, but rather early. It is the moment that Maximus removes his helmet, reveals his identity and faces the emperor, after a long and ferocious battle. It is a scene so poignant that I always wish it would have been saved until later on in the film, thereby giving it even more weight. But no matter, because rest assured that it is goosebumps-inducing enough. A gloriously entertaining, heartfelt and carefully crafted war adventure by Ridley Scott in which little feels missing or incomplete. What more could you ask for? Great acting from the cast I suppose, well, this is also present in Gladiator. Best of all, the actors have good dialogue to work with so they don't choke on the dated lines. Russell Crowe propels this film with his heroic personality, Connie Nielsen adds introspective depth, and Joaquin Phoenix is excellent as the twisted but idealist emperor Commodurus.

Gladiator is visually stunning; it is the work of a master craftsman. It is also emotionally intriguing, something some Scott films lack. Its soul-searching music (applause to Hans Zimmer) and its ambitious, gorgeous view of the after-life are beautiful. Its truly gritty-edge give it a dirty, gruesome magnificence.

One of my fave films of all times, one i have watched countless times. Near the beginning in the forests was filmed near my relatives too and I've been. Simply breathtaking scope and settings and the music hits your soul.

I am certainly entertained.

''What we do in life echoes in eternity.''

''The man who can wield the power of this sword can summon to him an army more deadly than any that walks this earth. Put aside the ranger. Become who you were born to be. Take the Dimholt Road.''

[In Elvish]

''I give hope to men. I keep none for myself.''

The former Fellowship of the Ring prepare for the final battle for Middle Earth, while Frodo & Sam approach Mount Doom to destroy the One Ring.

Viggo Mortensen: Aragorn

Return of the King asserts itself as the final and best of the Rings Trilogy. I recall seeing it at the cinema and despite my disappointment at Saruman being cut from the theatrical version and others, including certain Witch King scenes plus The Mouth Of Sauron at the Black Gate which I loved in the book. Despite these missing the film had me glued for it's three hour duration from start to finish.

The Mouth of Sauron: My master, Sauron the Great, bids thee welcome. Is there any in this rabble with authority to treat with me? Gandalf: We do not come to treat with Sauron, faithless and accursed. Tell your master this: the armies of Mordor must disband. He is to depart these lands, never to return.

Be it the the amazing conversation between Elrond and Aragorn where he gives him the sword. Although in the book his sword is remade and given to him in Fellowship nevertheless I admit this scene is great cinema and really sells the pure adrenaline and emotion of Aragorn's beginning transformation into a King through his impending fight against Evil, against Sauron.

Like Two Towers we are treated to separated characters, on one side it flicks to Sam, Frodo and Smeagol as they approach Mordor and Mount Doom then back to Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas trekking towards the Paths of the Dead and preparing for battle. But King really is faceted because then we also have all these other pivotal characters Gandalf and Pippin at the White City in all it's magnificence with the maddened Denethor. Theoden and Eomer preparing to help Gondor from the descending armies of darkness. The secretive Eowyn with Merry going to fight even thought they are not permitted too. Return Of the King gives so much detail and luscious fantasy and story before we even come to the battle scenes its a great film. Chuck in the battle at the White City, the final climactic onslaught at the Black Gate and the powerful scene where Sam carries Frodo up Mount Doom showing the powerful bond of friendship and vigor, bravery and compassion, then what you have is not only a film which is great but one that is the definition of what can only be described as close to perfection.

''Courage, Merry, courage for our friends.''

The musical score retains its beauty, elegance and power. The special effects, notably Gollum again, are nothing less than breathtaking, and simply move the story along. The battles are monumentally huge and exciting. There are some liberties taken with the story, especially during the end with the homecoming, and yet, everything that needed to be covered regarding the main characters was handled. After the greatest moment of the series resolves itself, the story provided a breather. And gives a good-bye to friends seen on screen for the last three years. It was truly a bittersweet feeling in realizing that there will be no''Rings" movie for 2004. I will miss this talented group and magical escape.

At this point everyone has come to know and love all of the characters, and the stakes have become tremendously high. Kingdoms are at their knees, and the only two characters who can save the day are getting weaker and weaker. The tension was very high in this episode and I can honestly say that out of all 3 this was the only one that had me on the edge of my seat. There were many memorable scenes (one of my favourites including the part with the giant spider)that made this the classic that it is sure to stay for decades to come.

''Sauron will not have forgotten the sword of Elendil. The blade that was broken shall return to Minas Tirith.''

This is the longest of the series, mostly because of the ending that seems to last a while, albeit slightly warped from the book(The Book had a Shire incident with Saruman at its peak). This was a good ending, and we can see why Frodo did what he chose to do effectively. He, and us the audience, have gone through an incredible ordeal and I think we needed that 20 minute linger. When the battle is over, and the celebrations have ended, there is a sad emptiness felt. The films spanned over 3 years, there have been the extended cuts of course, but after that, it's all over. Peter Jackson gave us an ending that was both appropriate and admirable.

Much to my satisfaction the Extended Version of Return of the King capitalizes on the already perfect theatrical version and dressing it with details sadly missing previously. What we then have are the scenes with Saruman, the Witch King parts and the Mouth of Sauron back in which I mentioned were missing. Also more material from the book to do with Faramir and Pippin, Sam and Frodo's mishaps in Mordor and their disguises as Orcs and Aragorn looking finally into the Palantir to make himself known and seen to Sauron is particularly captivating and effective.

''That's for Frodo! And for the Shire! And that's for my old Gaffer!''

For me a film can never be too long or too short, and rarely when you get a film as incredible as King do you want it to end. I know I didn't, it's magical and mesmerising, be it a moving scene with Ian Mckellan and Billy Boyd preparing for fighting at Minas Tirith or Elijah Wood and Sean Astin struggling with the Ring's evil resonance, this film is pardon the pun very precious.

A true masterpiece from Peter Jackson and his crew and cast fulfill his vision, Howard Shore utilizes the Score and adds to the beauty that is Return of the King.

Sam: There and Back Again: A Hobbit's Tale by Bilbo Baggins, and The Lord of the Rings by Frodo Baggins. You finished it. Frodo: Not quite. There's room for a little more.

''You just couldn't let me go could you? This is what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object. You truly are incorruptible aren't you? You won't kill me out of some misplaced sense of self-righteousness, and I won't kill you, because you're just too much fun. I think you and I are destined to do this forever.''

Batman and James Gordon join forces with Gotham's new District Attorney, Harvey Dent, to take on a psychotic bank robber known as The Joker, whilst other forces plot against them, and Joker's crimes grow more and more deadly.

Christian Bale: Bruce Wayne / Batman

Heath Ledger: The Joker

The Dark Knight basically begins from where Batman Begins left us last time. Things have changed and a new maniacal nemesis is at large. Cleverly we are instantly thrown into a ensuing bank robbery with some sharp modern music. The first segments of Dark Knight already firmly establish this is going to be a piece of unrivaled greatness.

When we get onto Batman and his antics we find that he has been imitated by others and his old friend Scarecrow is still up to no good, with shifty dealings. What follows are some brilliant action pieces blended with superb acting, with Actors of class under Nolan's direction being used to perfection.

Christian Bale as the dual identity Bruce & Batman, really shows us he's settled into the role. Giving a deep growling Batman with beast like grating tones and a seemingly unlimited strength and fury. As Bruce Wayne, on the outside to Gotham he's still that rich, complacent playboy who's living the life of luxury and at the same time burdening responsibilities and dark secrets.

Maggie Gyllenhall as Rachel Dawes was for me one of the surprises of Dark Knight. I'm sorry but she may be a fine actress but she just wasn't attractive enough, her acting isn't at all in question, it was bold. I reckon they should of stayed with Katie Holmes for this sequel, for then even the people that didn't like her in the role would be happy, considering the outcome at least. I on the one hand wasn't phased when push came to shove and said character was gone from play, in my mind she did start to slow down the film.

''Introduce a little anarchy. Upset the established order, and everything becomes chaos. I'm an agent of chaos. Oh, and you know the thing about chaos? It's fair!''

Now Heath Ledger playing Joker, what can I say? Partly the huge success and interest has been due to this great Actor's performance being witnessed. After all this is Heath's last film he finished. Going on to his performance as Joker I have to say he is perfection, everytime he's on screen he's mesmerizing, every little thing he does which ranges from the sick depraved to the downright mad. Heath Ledger was a chameleon, a method actor, who had the ability to change, to shape himself into any part he played. Dark Knight is one of the finest examples of this, truly blasting Jack Nicholson's version apart and I guarantee an Oscar for him, or for his memory and in honour of this talent. I loved how immersed Heath had become in the Joker even giving us details to how his face had gotten into it's current state and his abusive childhood and father. Whenever we have a villain there is always a reason to how he got to that point and Nolan uses Heath to get this across effortlessly. Joker never seized to make me laugh in appreciation despite what could be considered sick antics, I considered genius. Who else could do a pen trick with someone's head? Dress as a nurse with a silencer in hand and his clownish face glistening? Hide in a body-bag to infiltrate a mob boss's joint? Who else could immortalize Batman's most famous nemesis Joker? Without a doubt Heath Ledger bar none.

''You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.''

Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent/Two Face was a really interesting character. He played this politician extremely well, with all his good intentions and honourable ways, Harvey hides a dark side too. References to his coin are used regularly and help us understand the reasons for his later fascination with chance and luck deciding fate. I think Harvey Dent was covered nicely in this, getting across the whole growing hate he supposedly receives from Batman after he saves him and unfortunately Rachel isn't so lucky. Two-face, Harvey's alter-ego to my mind wasn't really that developed which is understandable given the amount of detail here to cram in and what with the Joker unleashed Nolan still does a top notch job. The effects on his face were breath-taking although I was starting to worry that Dark Knight maybe becoming unrealistic and veering towards more cartoony details in it's villains. But same with Batman Begins the Scarecrow was slightly more comic like and I found the whole realism in both Begins and Dark Knight to be a major achievement to me.

''Sometimes, truth isn't good enough, sometimes people deserve more. Sometimes people deserve to have their faith rewarded.''

Gary Oldman as Commissioner Gordon really excelled in his role this time. Not only does Gordon have more to do but he's in this awesome trio of Harvey, Bats and himself working together to save and help Gotham. I'm really pleased Gary Oldman & Heath Ledger got to do a scene together too, not to mention Bale too. The chemistry they all share and the talent rocketed through anything and everything. Nolan cleverly keeps the aspect of Gordon's family being important to him and later we remember this, and it helps us relate to his character when things unravel.

Morgan Freeman & Michael Caine seem to have less to do this time round. With Caine taking most of the first half of the movie while Freeman takes the 2nd half to his chest.

The Dark Knight was everything I expected it to be and it's certainly the dark masterpiece I predicted, but I do get the feeling that it's been overly hyped for what it consists of. See it not just for Heath's performance which is a defining and immortalized, but also see it because Dark Knight is the greatest comic book/graphic novel to movie ever. DC comics & Warner Bros. must be beaming right now with this piece of gold.

Dark Knight really does have the last laugh. An astonishing achievement that really does follow up a masterpiece. Let's face it, a sequel is coming, without the need to get Two-Face to call it for us, we know it's coming Nolan.

Perfection.

''Because he's the hero Gotham deserves, but not the one it needs right now. So we'll hunt him, because he can take it. Because he's not our hero. He's a silent guardian, a watchful protector. A dark knight.''

''Today is history...''

Oskar Schindler uses Jews to start a factory in Poland during the war. He witnesses the horrors endured by the Jews, and starts to save them.

Liam Neeson: Oskar Schindler

Ben Kingsley: Itzhak Stern

Ralph Fiennes: Amon Goeth

Thomas Keneally's bestselling book was made into a movie adaptation of awesome historical resonance and emotional valour. Oskar Schindler was a Catholic war profiteer during World War II. He initially prospered because he went along with the Nazi regime and did not challenge it. But Schindler ultimately saved the lives of more than 1,000 Polish Jews by giving them jobs in his factory, which turned out crockery for the German army. Schindler lost his wealth, but gained salvation for many lives and the descendants that would spring from those lives.

List was made in Poland, and incorporates authentic locations. The look of the film, primarily in grainy black and white, reminds us that we truly are watching history right here and now. Despite the movie's considerable length, it is never slow or dull. It is hard to believe that Hollywood, which so often churns out mindless drivel aimed at making money, could produce something so important and powerful as this film. Schindler's List is a cruel and honest depiction of the 2nd world war and genocide, cruelness and humanities inhumanity to man. A true story about a man who had morals, had a heart and above all the will to stand against bullies, against heartless fascists, with no sense of decency. Graphic and detailed, Jews treated like a cancer. The 2nd World War has always been one of my fave periods of history. Suffering and monstrous, among Downfall, The Pianist & Black Book this is greatness again...

Beautiful symbolism, especially a little girl in a red dress amongst all the killing and a Nazi playing Mozart amongst killing and more killing. Music and songs are fantastic and are a heavy contrast in places which i found fascinating. Genius.

Liam Neeson as Schindler is a beautiful character. You see so much in his eyes alone, so much compassion that it moves you on every level. His heart shines through, if one man making a difference is to ever be shown in an example, Oskar Schindler. Oskar Schindler was a Sudeten German industrialist, a wealthy womanizer who wasn't afraid to throw his money around. Always bearing his Nazi Party badge proudly, Schindler would often frequent nightclubs, extravagantly showering high-ranked Nazi officers and their girlfriends with champagne and caviar. With impeccable connections in the black-market, there was little that he couldn't get his hands on, and he was a good person to know. Buying friends was something that Schindler could do well, and he would often use these newfound alliances to aid his own business ventures. When thousands of the Polish Jew population was relegated to the Kraków Ghetto in 1941, Schindler saw an opportunity for further success, enlisting desperate Jewish investors and employing Jewish workers (who were substantially cheaper to employ) to open an enamelware factory. His connections in high places ensured lucrative army contracts, and Schindler need only have watched as his personal fortune grew, despite doing little to run the company beyond offering it "a certain panache."

It is clear from the beginning that Oskar Schindler does not harbour any racial prejudices. When Schindler requests the services of Itzhak Stern (Sir Ben Kingsley), a clever, humanitarian Jewish accountant, Stern declares that, "By law I have to tell you, sir, I'm a Jew." "Well, I'm a German, so there we are," replies Schindler indifferently, before getting straight to business. It is not race that he is concerned with, it is himself and, of course, his money. Stern does not enjoy running Schindler's business, and he initially acquires little satisfaction from it. When Schindler attempts to convey his genuine gratitude for his profitable services with a glass of whiskey, Stern absentmindedly refuses to drink it, and an embittered Schindler drinks it himself before ordering Stern to leave. With the arrival of Amon Goeth (Ralph Fiennes), a Hauptsturmführer of the SS, the hopeless plight of the Jews grows darker. In a harrowing extended sequence, largely based on the testimonies of Holocaust survivors, the Jews are mercilessly "liquidated" from the Krakow Ghetto, many simply shot on the spot. "Today is history," proclaims Goeth. "Today will be remembered. Years from now the young will ask with wonder about this day. Today is history and you are part of it?. For six centuries there has been a Jewish Krakow. By this evening those six centuries will be a rumor. They never happened. Today is history." Ralph Fiennes as Amon fascinated me. A man so cold and unfeeling, he treats Jews like germs, like animals. His disposition wonderfully portrayed ranging from him coldly murdering in the blink of an eye. Snipering them at leisure, taking them out to shoot. Perfect example when his gun fails to work as he is going to kill for not making enough hinges. It's horrifying to see a man without morals or any form of compassion, in short, a perfect Nazi devoid of humanity and reason. Amon Goeth in a way is the complete opposite of Schindler, an evil bastard who is brought to life by the genius of Ralph Fiennes, in one of his finest roles and more than likely, his best to date.

So evil, I love the apparent reveling in evil yet normality for the Nazis, and at the same time it's shocking and wrong. He enjoys killing, he's doing his job, he's eradicating this sub species, these people to them are no longer classed as human beings. Yet in doing this they have lost their own humanity. A perfect example of the two paralleled men, and there two different thinking stances is the power of undeniable, unrelenting Mercy.

Director Steven Spielberg, long known as a blockbuster filmmaker, with adventure classics as Jaws, E.T. The Extra Terrestrial and Raiders of the Lost Ark to his name, Schindler's List was and remains Steven Spielberg's most mature, most timeless, historically important directorial effort. Working with a screenplay that Steven Zaillian adapted from Thomas Keneally's Booker Prize-winning Schindler's Ark, Spielberg treats the subject matter with the respect it deserves and indeed requires. Wisely choosing to depict the events as realistically as possible, Spielberg allows the images to speak for themselves. Flawless acting, stunning cinematography and a haunting John Williams score excel this film above all others of the 1990s. This is the powerful story of the difference that just one man can make, and it is a story that deserves to be seen by all. We can only feel grateful that it was Steven Spielberg who chose to be at the helm.

Steven Spielberg has crafted a masterpiece. Just to add it was hard watching the concentration camp part, heart felt watching Schindler receive the ring and his selfless way. To have so much fear and hatred, coldness and malice and to see it overcome by hope and evil overthrown, Schindler's List should be watched by all...for to forget our past is to forgot our future and thus begin that vicious circle. Schindler's List was nominated for 12 Academy Awards and won seven including Best Picture and Best Director for Steven Spielberg. Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes were nominated for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor. It deserved every honour it got and I only wish Neeson and Fiennes were winners also.

It's a film about the Holocaust, but it's also a film about the results of dehumanization of a people and when the state executes the process, thus showing us the immoral extermination results. Steven Spielberg's best film to date, although he always makes a good film regardless, Schindler's List is his best work.

''It's Hebrew, it's from the Talmud. It says,-Whoever saves one life, saves the world entire-''

''Your life is defined by its opportunities... even the ones you miss.''

Tells the story of Benjamin Button, a man who starts aging backwards with bizarre consequences.

Brad Pitt: Benjamin Button

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is nothing short of genius. A genius to be expected of a seasoned visionary director such as David Fincher. In the past Fincher has given us the greatest stories and films that have ever graced the screen. Whether it be Fight Club, Se7en, Zodiac, under-rated Panic Room, or even the drab Alien3,(which still had glorious potential) all of his works are ones that make you think, ones that capture your attention and make you work them out, a puzzle of the greatest magnitude which involves you using the old grey matter. It comes as no surprise that Fincher's latest is perhaps the most romanticized, most glorious attempt at Fincher explaining life in a curious fable about a fictionalized character, from a short story. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a story of imagination, yet it's also a story of the raw unrelenting harshness that is nature, life and the confines of time itself. The premise being that a clock is made by a father whom loses his son during WW1, which ticks backwards, to grant the power to bring back all the ones who died, like his son, to counteract the harsh unrelenting merciless time which is forever pushing forward. Button asks us what if time went backwards for a person?

As events occur, Benjamin Button is shown to us, abandoned by a grieving father, whom loses his wife during the birth, we find he's different. Benjamin is born old. Ironically he is given to a family whom reside in an old peoples home, Benjamin is ultimately different in the sense he starts his journey as an Old wrinkled scrap of a human being. Subject to all the ravishes of time. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button greatest achievements not only lie with the main story but within it's sub plots, it's whimsical sequences such as a man getting hit by lightening various times to symbolize life throwing unpredictable obstacles at us, in showing that life and random occurrences, are ones of unfathomable, unstoppable power. The characters and locations also make life what it is. The same can be said of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, it's a journey of the most imaginative kind, of originality and flair which breathes tragedy and loss into a truthful resolution of realistic yet fantastical happenings.

''My name is Benjamin Button, and I was born under unusual circumstances. While everyone else was agin', I was gettin' younger... all alone.''

Performance wise, the whole cast add pure professionalism to every frame on display within The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Brad Pitt shines as Benjamin Button, although his performance is blurred by some dazzling effects of aging and even smoothing out to appear younger later on, he excels in showing us a very complex character. He's a man who's alone in the world, alone in the sense he's aging backwards unlike anyone else. We the audience oblige him by relating to his situation, I know I did. Who can say they don't feel alone in the unforgiving pacing of our lives. Not alot I would conclude, Brad Pitt makes us believe and feel for Benjamin, he makes us take the road and journey ultimately with him every step of the way. Cate Blanchett as Daisy, is simply another effortless masterpiece of acting from a dizzying queen of the screen. I've lost count of the number of masterpieces Blanchett has graced the screen for, her talent unrivaled and dizzyingly effective, she is beautiful in youth, beautiful in her aged appearances effectively making us feel for her as much as we feel for Benjamin. This isn't just a story of his but a story of Daisy, whom we feel for, we experience with and our hearts float toward. This is their story, a duo tale of two souls, both beginning from different parts of life. Benjamin starting off old, Daisy young, when they meet in the middle it's wonderfully romantic yet short lived, a frozen moment of happiness for the two, Pitt & Blanchett make us believe this is a surreal yet real occurrence of love, tested by a sick joke of nature, of time. Other fine supporting roles definitely deserving a mention would be Tilda Swinton, Jared Harris, and Elle Fanning. They all simply add wonder to the imaginative array of assortment.

Overall, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button has 13 Oscar Nominations and a further 47 Award Nominations in general, and it's not hard to see why. This sort of rareness only comes about in a blue moon. This is Fincher's perspective and strike upon what the purpose of life is, and it's delicately dressed up as a fantasy bi-opic of mythical proportions. Fincher cleverly uses a reversed idea of time, a symbolic usage of Buttons connecting life together, reflecting people gluing events and one man together, memories and chain reactions all eclipsing regret yet warming it with their embrace. Nearly everything The Curious Case of Benjamin Button gives us is a metaphors or symbols for deeper ideologies. Ideologies that transcend simple explanation, that require re-thinking, pondering, discussion and time to reflect upon, reflect on all angles available. David Fincher has buttoned together a masterpiece and a story that is unlike anything ever seen on the Big Screen. This is the cleverest fantastical way of showing life for what it truly is, too capture on screen the struggle of keeping love, of sacrificing it, and of losing a loved one, and ultimately accepting it, like in turn we must accept our own fate. Time being a perception and illusion, an invention of ourselves to label our own existence.

''Benjamin, we're meant to lose the people we love. How else would we know how important they are to us?''