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Doubt - PG-13
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Based on an award winning stage play, Doubt is an engrossing and superbly acted drama with three finely charged performances from Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams. There are lots of unanswered questions at the end though this is what is good about Doubt it makes you think and makes you draw your own conclusions on character and events.. Watch out for Viola Davis who is utterly compelling in her single scene.
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October 4, 2009
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N/A
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Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa - PG
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The gang from the first film find theirselves in the wild and Alex the lion (Ben Stiller) is reunited with his parents. More of the same family friendly capers ensue with the same great vocal cast back for some more action. The main joy coming from some pesky penguins and Sacha Baron Cohen's King Julian. This does what it says on the tin and is entertaining.
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October 4, 2009
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N/A
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(500) Days of Summer - PG-13
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A different take on the love story with Joseph Gordon - Levitt and Zooey Deschanel making an endearing on screen partnership. The story revolves around Levitt remembering his 500 days with Summer (Deschanel). The soundtrack is superb, the acting terrific and the scripting sharp. This is a different kind of date movie that turns the rules somewhat on their head, though is still an optimistic and fun film.
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October 4, 2009
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N/A
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Wuthering Heights - Unrated
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The dark and brooding nature of Emily Bronte's novel is somewhat lost in this film. Also there is some serious miscasting having Laurence Olivier as Heathcliff, he seems too clean cut and well spoken to be the young Heathcliff, though seems more settled playing the older and wiser man at the end. Merle Oberon is fine as Cathy, though the chemistry between the two leads seems a little lost. A fine adaptation, though by no means captures the essence of the novel.
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October 4, 2009
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N/A
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Yes Man - PG-13
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A fun film with a moralistic message behind all the comedy. Jim Carrey steps back into his madcap personna to play a man who decides to embark on a self help program where he has to say yes to any request that may come his way. From here he finds his life changing for good and also for the bad. Carrey is great here in his comfort zone and the always brilliant Zooey Deschanel is superb as his love interest. Also brilliant is Rhys Darby as Carrey's boss.
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October 4, 2009
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N/A
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Some Like It Hot - Unrated
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Deemed as a true comedy classic Some Like It Hot is an enjoyable film with some great one liners that have withstood the test of time. Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis play two hapless musicians who witness a gang murder and go on the run dressed as women and join a all girl music band where they meet Sugar Cane (Marilyn Monroe). Filled with lots of laughs and some truly classic Monroe songs this is a great entertainment.
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August 23, 2009
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N/A
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The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas) - PG-13
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Exploring the tragedy of WWII through the innocent eyes of children, this is an extremely powerful and emotional film with superb acting. Young Bruno (Asa Butterfield) is the son of a Nazi soldier (David Thewlis) who moves to a house close by to a Concentration Camp. There he makes friends with a young Jewish boy who is being held captive there. What follows is an inspiring story of friendship between the two boys which ends in tragedy when the true meaning of the war hits home. Asa Butterfield and Jacj Scanlon steal the film with their engaging performances making the finale even more heartbreaking. A must see film.
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August 23, 2009
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N/A
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The Game - R
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Daid Fincher delivers another tense and suspensful film with twists and turns galore. Michael Douglas plays a high flying business man who receives a birthday gift from his brother (Sean Penn) that turns his life upside down. This is a real guessing game where you truly don't know what is going to happen next. The ending is a little bit stupid though after investing time in the film, though this is still a top notch thriller if you can forgive that.
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August 23, 2009
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N/A
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Gideon's Daughter - Unrated
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Well acted by a fine cast including Bill Nighy, Miranda Richardson and Emily Blunt, ths is a touching drama showing the bond between father and daughter. Nighy gives another great performance playing a PR guru who starts to truily think about life and his relationships when his daughter (Blunt) decides she wants to travel. Seeking solace with a mother (Richardson) who has recently lost her young son, he begins to truly value life.
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August 23, 2009
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N/A
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The Bucket List - PG-13
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Two of the greatest actors team up for this inspiring story of two men suffering with cancer who decide to write a Bucket List of things they would like to do before they die, Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman are a winning combitnation working well together, The story is not overly sentimental as you'd expect with the emotional moments handled well and there are lots of funny moments that add a great balance. A great film.
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August 13, 2009
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N/A
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Philadelphia - PG-13
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Showcasing one of Tom Hanks' finest performances, this is a heartfelt and emotional account of a man's battle with AIDs and his custody fight with the law firm that fired him because of his condition. Hanks performance is sincere and honest and there is great support from Denzel Washington as they homophobic lawyer that defends him. The use of Bruce Springsteen's haunting "Streets of Philadelphia" adds to the tone and you cannot help but be engrossed by this film, right up the final tear-jerker of a ending.
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August 10, 2009
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N/A
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The Accidental Tourist - PG
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A lighthearted film with William Hurt playing a travel writer mourning the loss of his son. After his marriage breaks down he finds comfort in the arms of a free spirited dog trainer (Geena Davis). Though when his wife (Kathleen Turner) wants him back he has to choose where his heart truly lies.. Hurt gives a very safe performance while Davis (who won an Oscar for her performance) is very good. This does feel very dated at times though is very touching and enjoyable.
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August 10, 2009
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N/A
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How to Lose Friends & Alienate People - R
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For the most part an enjoyable comedy film with Simon Pegg making a very unlikeable character likeable. He plays a British journalist who gets the chance to work for a top magazine in New York. There he isn't the most popular newcomer in the office with his unique ability to rub everyone up the wrong way with his sometimes offensive sense of humour. Though soon his fortunes begin to change.. The cast here is very good with Jeff Bridges having fun as a sharp talking boss, Kirsten Dunst as the sweet love interest and Megan Fox as a sultry young actress who catches Pegg's eye. All in all this is entertaining with some good hit and miss comedy moments.
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August 10, 2009
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N/A
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Rachel Getting Married - R
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There's absolutely no doubt that the acting in this film is superb and is certainly the main strength. Sadly there are long periods where nothing really happens which makes it a very slow and dull experience. Oscar nominated Anne Hathaway plays a recovering drug addict who returns home for her sisters wedding to face some old memories and some home truths. Thanks to a very capable ensemble cast this feels very real as if you are watching a home video (due to the hand held camera being used a great deal) though if you have a short attention span then you may loose interest in this film as it tends to drag.
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August 6, 2009
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N/A
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The Proposal - PG-13
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A completely predictable, though enjoyable romantic comedy with Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds making a charming double act. Bullock is well suited to this material while Reynolds is very charming. The plot sees Bullock's boss from hell forcing her PA (Reynolds) to pretend they are engaged so she doesn't get deported as her visa has expired. In order to get the approval of the authorities they have to pretend they are a devoted couple and go to Alaska to break the news to his family and chaos ensues. This is a fun film with great performances from all. It may be very light and fluffy though what else would you expect from a film of this genre.
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August 2, 2009
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N/A
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Rory O'Shea Was Here (Inside I'm Dancing) - R
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Superb performances and a funny and extremely moving script, Inside I'm Dancing is a terrific film. James McAvoy shows his talent once again playing a Rory, a man with Muscular dystrophy who strikes up an unlikely friendship with Michael, who has cerebal palsy. Both reside in a care home and are determined to break free of their mundane lives. Though all is not what it seems when they begin to fight over the attention of their carer (Romola Garai). The result is an involving film that is a joy to watch.
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July 27, 2009
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N/A
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MirrorMask - PG
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A bizarre film in the vein of Alice In Wonderland and Labirynth. The story is of a young girl who goes on a quest to save the good queen of a mythical land while trying to dodge the darkness of the evil queen who also rules the land. Simple in its execution and some weird yet wonderful creations, this is worth a look for the spectical of it all. The cinematography is lush and eye popping while the effects are experimental if a little odd. A solid fantasy affair that is a little slow at times, though very watchable.
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July 27, 2009
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N/A
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Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - PG
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Finely crafted and well adapted the 6th Harry Potter film is a brooding gothic feast for the eyes. The darkness of this film is only lifted by the brilliant comedy moments, though the look of this film is of danger and horror thanks to the amazing cinematography. The performances are as always superb. Jim Broadbent is brilliant as Horace Slughorn and Michael Gambon finally gets to grips with Dumbledore's character, after a shaky start taking over from Richard Harris. Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson once again mature into their roles as the famous trio and Tom Felton finally gets a chance to shine as Draco Malfoy. There isn't a bad performance here, everything just seems to fit and flows along at a pace that the running time of over two hours seems to fly by. The usual arguments of plot changes and admissions aside, this is certainly one of the best Potter films - it has action, comedy, horror and emotion. An outstanding build up to the two part 7th instalment.
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July 16, 2009
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N/A
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The Secret Life of Bees - PG-13
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A good cast list though a very dull script that never really takes off. There are good performances from all involved - Dakota Fanning gives another terrific performance, Queen Latifia is her usual loveable self and Alicia Keys, Jennifer Hudson, Sophie Okonedo and Paul Bettany are all fantastic in supporting roles. Overall, it's all very sweet and sentimental and we've seen this kind of film a million times before that it doesn't stand out from the crowd. See this for the great performances.
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July 16, 2009
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N/A
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Iron Man - PG-13
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Not your typical comic book screen caper, Iron Man deals with the usual good guy battling the bad guy, though Robert Downey Jr's Tony Stark doesn't get bitten by a spider or has a freak accident, he's just a good old fashioned vigilante. Stark is a billionaire inventor who builds a an iron suit to escape a kidnap situation, then uses his alter ego to hunt down his kidnappers who have plans of devistation on their hands. Downey Jr is a very charismatic lead while Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeff Bridges and Terence Howard are also very good in supporting roles . Great action set pieces and a all round entertaining film.
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July 6, 2009
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N/A
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Brideshead Revisited - PG-13
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Beaitifully shot and superbly acted this is a great period drama telling the story of Charles Ryder (Matthew Goode) and his relationship with siblings Sebastain (Whinshaw) and Julia (Hayley Atwell) who he stays with in their stately home, Brideshead. Goode, Whinshaw and Atwell all put in great performances while Emma Thompson and Michael Gambon are at their usual best as Sebastain and Julia's parents. If you love a good period drama then this is up your alley, while fans of Evelyn Waugh's source novel may be pining for a longer adaptation as seen in an earlier TV adaptation.
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July 2, 2009
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N/A
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My Summer of Love - R
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Beautifully shot and acted, this film is more about the characters and their thoughts and feelings rather than the plot. Emily Blunt and Natalie Press play two young girls whose friendship turns to love. Blunt and Press are a good match and while their acting is good, this film can be slow at times, though overall this is a thought provoking film that leaves a lot of unanswered questions though is a fine character study.
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June 28, 2009
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N/A
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Changeling - R
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Angelina Jolie is a revelation in this film and shows what a great actress she truly is. She dominates this film with a heartfelt and engaging performance that was truly worthy of her Best Actress Oscar nomination. She plays Christine Collins, a mother whose son disappears. The police investigation reunites her with a boy that is not her son and after fighting for a fresh hunt for her real son, Christine finds herself thrown into a mental asylum. She fights to clear her name and most importantly find her missing son. Based upon a true story, this is an involving and emotionally moving film, expertly directed by Clint Eastwood.
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June 28, 2009
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N/A
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Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - PG-13
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Much better than the first film, this sequel has all the brilliant special effects and action set pieces that were present before but the plot (while still flimsy) is more understandable. Shia LaBeouf is as likeable as ever and again proves to be a likeable leading man. The stunts, locations and set pieces are all fantastic and at the end of the day this delivers what you'd expect from this kind of film, brainless entertainment that thrills and excites.
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June 28, 2009
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N/A
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The Happening - R
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M. Night Shyamalan tries to recapture the brilliance of his earlier films, though ultimately fails. This film that doesn't really go anywhere and has little explanation plot wise. At the end you find yourself scratching your head with what the whole film is about and trying to convey. That's not to say that this is a bad film, the performances are good and there are moments of tension. You just get the feeling that after the likes of The Sixth Sense, Shyamalan is sticking to the same kind of plot twits and shock value that he has become attached to and not branching out into a new area.
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June 28, 2009
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N/A
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1591 ratings
983 reviews
