Drag me to Hell  (MA)
★ ★ ★ ★ ½
Christine Brown has a good job, a great boyfriend, and a bright future. But in three days, she’s going to hell.

Red Cliff (M)
★★★½
Based on the events during the Three Kingdoms period in Ancient China in which specifically told in the title, The Battle of Red Cliffs.

Wake in Fright (M)

Fully restored 35mm print of Ted Kotcheff’s controversial 1971 Australian/American co-production about a young teacher who becomes trapped within the violent and drunken culture of the Australian outback

For session times in your area, click here.

Detailed Listings:

Drag Me To Hell

Review: ★ ★ ★ ★ ½
Genre: Horror / Thriller
Rating: MA 15+
Running Time: 99min
Director: Sam Raimi, Ivan Raimi
Cast: Alison Lohman, Justin Long, Jessica Lucas, Lorna Raver
Official Website: View

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

Christine Brown is an ambitious L.A. loan officer with a charming boyfriend, professor Clay Dalton. Life is good until the mysterious Mrs. Ganush arrives at the bank to beg for an extension on her home loan. Should Christine follow her instincts and give the old woman a break? Or should she deny the extension to impress her boss, Mr. Jacks, and get a leg-up on a promotion? Christine fatefully chooses the latter, shaming Mrs. Ganush and dispossessing her of her home. In retaliation, the old woman places the powerful curse of the Lamia on Christine, transforming her life into a living hell. Haunted by an evil spirit and misunderstood by a skeptical boyfriend, she seeks the aid of seer Rham Jas to save her soul from eternal damnation. To help the shattered Christine return her life to normal, the psychic sets her on a frantic course to reverse the spell. As evil forces close in, Christine must face the unthinkable: How far will she go to break free of the curse?

Worth Seeing?
Review: ★ ★ ★ ★ ½

Here’s what I had to say:

“While I’ve been laughing at horror films for years, I can’t remember the last time I laughed with one. That’s what separates Sam Raimi’s Drag Me to Hell from the recent genre offerings; not only is it genuinely scary, it’s also outrageously funny. And for once, it’s intentional.”

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-REviL75zg

Red Cliff
Review: ★★★½

Genre: Action | Adventure | Drama | History | War
Rating: M
Running Time: 148 min
Director: John Woo
Cast: Tony Leung, Zhang Fengyi, Chang Chen, Chi-Ling Lin
Website: View

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

After directing stylish action films such as THE KILLERS and FACE-OFF, director John Woo turns to Chinese history for inspiration with RED CLIFF. The Han Dynasty is facing its death in third century China, and the emperor raises a million-man army against two kingdoms that are hopelessly outmatched. This war film stars Tony Leung, the beloved actor best known for LUST, CAUTION and IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE.

Worth Seeing?
Review: ★★★½

Here’s what Katina had to say:

“Red Cliff is pure visual indulgence, plot all but forgotten when the battle is nigh. Good lead performances give this story a worthy life amid its few faults.”

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjTFxGRCTXw

Wake in Fright

Genre: Drama | Thriller
Rating: M
Running Time: 114 min
Director: Ted Kotcheff
Cast: Gary Bond, Donald Pleasence and Chips Rafferty

Website: View

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

Based on the novel by Kenneth Cook, director Ted Kotcheff’s controversial 1971 Australian/American co-production was almost lost to cinema’s past as the only known 16mm and 35m prints of the film were in an extremely poor condition for screening. But the 2004 discovery of the original negatives in a Pittsburgh vault destined for destruction has seen the film carefully restored by the National Film and Sound Archive and Atlab/Deluxe, securing a slot in the Classics Program at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival, where it first premiered in 1971 and was nominated for the Golden Palm Award. Starring Gary Bond, Donald Pleasence, Chips Rafferty and Jack Thompson, Cook’s story of a young teacher who becomes trapped within the violent and drunken culture of the Australian outback is a riveting drama that is now considered a classic of Australian Cinema Culture. Fully restored 35mm print.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiz7sx0fD7E

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince  (M)
★ ★ ★ ★
As Harry Potter begins his 6th year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, he discovers an old book marked mysteriously “This book is the property of the Half-Blood Prince” and begins to learn more about Lord Voldemort’s dark past.

Lucky Country (M)
★★★½
A desperate family on the brink of ruin find themselves turning on each other after three strangers arrive at their farm with rumours of gold.

My Friends, My Loves (M)
★★★
Two divorced men become a modern-day odd couple when they move in together in London’s French quarter, along with their two kids.

For session times in your area, click here.

Detailed Listings:

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Review: ★ ★ ★ ★
Genre: Action/Adventure/Drama
Rating: M
Running Time: 153min
Director: David Yates
Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Helena Bonham Carter, David Bradley, Jim Broadbent, Jessie Cave
Official Website: View

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

Voldemort is tightening his grip on both the Muggle and wizarding worlds and Hogwarts is no longer the safe haven it once was. Harry suspects that dangers may even lie within the castle, but Dumbledore is more intent upon preparing him for the final battle that he knows is fast approaching. Together they work to find the key to unlock Voldemort’s defenses and, to this end, Dumbledore recruits his old friend and colleague, the well-connected and unsuspecting bon vivant Professor Horace Slughorn, whom he believes holds crucial information. Meanwhile, the students are under attack from a very different adversary as teenage hormones rage across the ramparts. Harry finds himself more and more drawn to Ginny, but so is Dean Thomas. And Lavender Brown has decided that Ron is the one for her, only she hadn’t counted on Romilda Vane’s chocolates! And then there’s Hermione, simpering with jealously but determined not to show her feelings. As romance blossoms, one student remains aloof. He is determined to make his mark, albeit a dark one. Love is in the air, but tragedy lies ahead and Hogwarts may never be the same again.

Worth Seeing?
Review: ★ ★ ★ ★

Here’s what I had to say:

“In the same way that Rowling’s novels matured with her readership, the films have suitably grown darker with each instalment. There’s still some kindred magic in the air, not to mention a healthy dose of humour, but Harry Potter’s sixth year at Hogwarts is easily his darkest, most mature adventure to date. That said, it’s also his best.”

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBGbKCm_pQQ

Lucky Country
Review: ★★★½

Genre: Drama | Thriller | Western
Rating: M
Running Time: 96min
Director: Kriv Stenders
Cast: AdenYoung, Toby Wallace, Pip Miller
Website: View

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

Lucky Country is a gripping period western in which Aden Young stars as Nat, a small landholder barely hanging on to his patch of the bush. His daughter Sarah is just old enough to see herself as a woman, his son Tom just old enough to judge his father as a man. When three ex-soldiers arrive amidst rumours of gold, the group begins to turn on each other, and the cabin becomes a psychological battleground in which Tom’s loyalty to his father is put to the ultimate test. Director Kriv Stenders (Boxing Day, Blacktown) turns away from the rough contemporary look of his recent films to channel the visual traditions of the Heidelberg School. He mixes in a claustrophobic tension, producing a work with richly mythic resonance. Lucky Country places the fear of the bush, of being overmatched by something larger than yourself, back at the centre of Australian culture, suggesting the tenuous way that Australians might ever claim to be at home in this landscape. One day, your luck runs out… Premiered at the Adelaide Film Festival.

Worth Seeing?
Review: ★★★½

Here’s what Megan Wright had to say:

“An unusual and edgy Australian thriller from director Kriv Stenders, which encapsulates the isolation and desolation of a settler’s existence.”

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzgTlJ7VzBI

My Friends, My Loves
Review: ★★★

Genre: Comedy, Romance
Rating: M
Running Time: 99min
Director: Lorraine Levy
Cast: Vincent Lindon, Virginie Ledoyen, Mar Sodupe
Language: French (Subtitles in English)
Website: View

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

Two divorced men, Mathias (Vincent Lindon) and Antoine (Pascal Elbé), become a modern-day odd couple when they move in together in London’s French quarter, along with their two kids. But while establishing house rules is easy, handling relationships with the opposite sex is another matter. Between Antoine, who has learnt to lock down his emotions so as to no longer suffer, and Mathias, who is all too quickly overcome by his, day to day life is not simple. Life for the two men and their kids is joyful chaos, however domestic bliss is jeopardised and their smart arrangement falls apart when Mathias falls for the charms of Audrey (Virginie Ledoyen), a gorgeous French ex-pat living in London.

Worth Seeing?
Review: ★★★

Here’s what Katina  had to say:

“My Friends, My Loves does what it sets out to in presenting a love story with a comedic twist. Not groundbreaking for the genre, but nonetheless still a bit of fun.”

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTjRvz6wwnw

When high-powered book editor Margaret (SANDRA BULLOCK) faces deportation

Bruno (MA15+)
★ ★ ★ ★
Flamboyant Austrian fashionista Brüno takes his show to America.

The Fox and the Child (G)
★★★
It has been described as both a nature doc and “fairy tale” look at the story of young girl and her friendship with a fox.

Winged Creatures (M)

A group of strangers form a unique relationship with each other after surviving a random shooting at a Los Angeles diner.

For session times in your area, click here.

Detailed Listings:

Bruno

Review: ★ ★ ★ ★
Genre: Comedy
Rating: MA 15+
Running Time: 83
Director: Dan Mazer
Cast: Sacha Baron Cohen, Alice Evans, Candice Cunningham, Trishelle, Sandra Seeling
Official Website: View

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

After BORAT took over America in 2006, another Sacha Baron Cohen creation arrives on the big screen. In BRUNO, the gay Austrian model of the title brings his antics to the States.

Worth Seeing?
Review: ★ ★ ★ ★

Here’s what I had to say:

“It’s this expository side of Bruno that marginally elevates it above other recent comedy gems such as The Hangover. Where the latter film only ever asks the audience to laugh and nothing more, Bruno challenges preconceived stereotypes and expose alarming truths about the current state of society.  There is a greater reliance on shock humour and a more noticeable presence of a script than there was with Borat, but it’s hard not to love the audacity of  Bruno; a film certain to give the box office a real anusstampfen.”

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAGpmNb2xfQ

The Fox and the Child
Review: ★★★

Genre: Adventure | Drama | Family
Rating: G
Running Time: 92min
Director: Luc Jacquet
Cast: Bertille Noël-Bruneau, Kate Winslet (narration)
Website: View

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

When high-powered book editor Margaret (SANDRA BULLOCK) faces deportation to her native Canada, the quick-thinking exec declares that she’s actually engaged to her unsuspecting put-upon assistant…

THE MARCH OF THE PENGUINS director Luc Jaquet makes his narrative debut with this family-friendly film. Inspired by Jaquet’s childhood, THE FOX & THE CHILD centers on a young girl who discovers the beauty of nature right in her own backyard.

Worth seeing?
Review: ★★★

Here’s what I had to say:

“Whilst heart-warming at times, The Fox and the Child is essentially an art house film aimed at kids who would much rather be watching a more adventurous and exciting animation at their local multiplex. Even for adults, the stunning cinematography can only mask the story’s monotony for so long. “

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyqq87u4GPw

Winged Creatures
Review: NA
Genre: Drama
Rating: M
Running Time: 100min
Director: Rowan Woods
Cast: Kate Beckinsale, Dakota Fanning, Guy Pearce, Forest Whitaker, Josh Hutcherson, Marshall Allman, James Babson, Jacquie Barnbrook.

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

Spring 1936 – in a working-class district in the north of Paris, a neighborhood that probably had a name once but that everyone now simply calls the Faubourg. At the top of the hill, a view over… Kate Beckinsale, Dakota Fanning, Guy Pearce, Forest Whitaker, and Josh Hutcherson star as people whose lives change dramatically after they share in a traumatic event at a diner. WINGED CREATURES costars Jackie Earle Haley, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Embeth Davidtz, and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X20gtfksJBc

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (PG)
★ ★ ½
On a mission to rescue the hapless sloth Sid, the gang ventures into a mysterious underground world full of dinosaurs.

Last Ride (M)
★★★½
A desperate father and his 10 year old son are on the run from the law in the harsh Australian outback.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (M)
★★ ½
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.

For session times in your area, click here.

Detailed Listings:

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs

Review: ★ ★ ½
Genre: Action/Adventure/Comedy
Rating: PG
Running Time: 94min
Director: Carlos Saldanha
Cast: Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Queen Latifah
Official Website: View

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

On a mission to rescue the hapless Sid, the gang ventures into a mysterious underground world, where they have some close encounters with dinosaurs, battle flora and fauna run amuck – and meet a relentless, one-eyed, dino-hunting weasel named Buck.

Worth Seeing?
Review: ★ ★ ½

Here’s what I had to say:

“The slogan accompanying the Ice Age Dawn of the Dinosaurs poster wittily promises you’ll “Laugh your ice off”.  Whilst the kids in the audience might  shed a few icicles, this 3D threequel contains too few laughs and too many clichés to defrost anyone else.”

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhskSbh6EbA

Last Ride
Review: ★★★½

Genre: Drama
Rating: M
Running Time: 95min
Director: Glendyn Ivin
Cast: Hugo Weaving, Tom Russell, John Brumpton
Official Website: View

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

When high-powered book editor Margaret (SANDRA BULLOCK) faces deportation to her native Canada, the quick-thinking exec declares that she’s actually engaged to her unsuspecting put-upon assistant…

A desperate father takes his ten year old son, Chook, on the run after committing a violent crime.  As the two journey into the desert and an unknown future, their troubled relationship and the need to survive sees them battling the elements and each other. Chook eventually takes control and the choice he is forced to make has a devastating effect on both their lives.

Last Ride is an unforgettable love story between a parent and child.

Worth seeing?
Review: ★★★½

Here’s what I had to say:

“Last Ride is a slow-burning story of love and survival that manages to engage even once the predictably plotted narrative loses steam. “

Read our interview with director Glendyn Ivin and actor Tom Russell here.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDAglZU93ls

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Review: ★★ ½
Genre: Action/Adventure/Sci-Fi
Rating: M
Running Time: 150min
Director: Michael Bay
Cast: Megan Fox, Shia LaBeouf, Isabel Lucas
Official Website: View

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

Spring 1936 – in a working-class district in the north of Paris, a neighborhood that probably had a name once but that everyone now simply calls the Faubourg. At the top of the hill, a view over… The battle for Earth has ended but the battle for the universe has just begun. After returning to Cybertron, Starscream assumes command of the Decepticons, and has decided to return to Earth with force. The Autobots believing that peace was possible finds out that Megatron’s dead body has been stolen from the US Military by Skorpinox and revives him using his own spark. Now Megatron is back seeking revenge and with Starscream and more Decepticon reinforcements on the way, the Autobots with reinforcements of their own, may have more to deal with then meets the eye.

Worth seeing?

Review: ★★ ½

Here’s what I had to say:

“Two and a half hours of epic robot battles, thunderous explosions and Megan Fox running in slow motion. Two of the three grow incredibly tiresome.”

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7InTpNWJ4HQ

Year One (M)
★★ ½
On his latest expedition, Dr. Rick Marshall (Ferrell) is sucked into a space-time vortex alongside his research assistant.

The Proposal (PG)
★★★
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.

Disgrace (M)
★ ★ ★ ½
After having an affair with a student, a Cape Town professor moves to the Eastern Cape, where he gets caught up in a mess of post-apartheid politics.

For session times in your area, click here.

Detailed Listings:

Year One

Review: ★ ★ ½
Genre: Comedy
Rating: M
Running Time: 97min
Director: Harold Ramis
Cast: Jack Black, Olivia Wilde, Michael Cera
Official Website: View

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

When a couple of lazy hunter-gatherers (Jack Black and Michael Cera) are banished from their primitive village, they set off on an epic journey through the ancient world in Columbia Pictures’ comedy Year One. Harold Ramis directs. The screenplay is by Harold Ramis & Gene Stupnitsky & Lee Eisenberg (The Office) from a story by Harold Ramis. The film is produced by Harold Ramis, Judd Apatow, and Clayton Townsend.

Worth Seeing?
Review: ★ ★ ½

Here’s what I had to say:

“Year One is essentially the offspring of Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle and Monty Python’s the Life of Brian. It could have been great, had it not been repeatedly dropped on its head as a child. The resulting brain damage  sees this potentially hilarious biblical comedy turn into one giant, tiresome fart joke.”

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTNBwIAY9Zo

The Proposal
Review: ★★★

Genre: Comedy/Romance
Rating: PG
Running Time: 107min
Director: Anne Fletcher
Cast: Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, Malin Akerman, Mary Steenburgen, Craig T. Nelson,
Official Website: View

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

When high-powered book editor Margaret (SANDRA BULLOCK) faces deportation to her native Canada, the quick-thinking exec declares that she’s actually engaged to her unsuspecting put-upon assistant… When high-powered book editor Margaret (SANDRA BULLOCK) faces deportation to her native Canada, the quick-thinking exec declares that she’s actually engaged to her unsuspecting put-upon assistant Andrew (RYAN REYNOLDS), who she’s tormented for years. He agrees to participate in the charade, but with a few conditions of his own. The unlikely couple heads to Alaska to meet his quirky family (MARY STEENBURGEN, CRAIG T. NELSON, BETTY WHITE) and the always-in-control city girl finds herself in one comedic fish-out-of-water situation after another. With an impromptu wedding in the works and an immigration official on their tails, Margaret and Andrew reluctantly vow to stick to the plan despite the precarious consequences.

Worth seeing?
Review: ★★★

Here’s what I had to say:

“It’s certainly funny despite being the very definition of conventional, but either I missed the part when Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock fell in love or it simply didn’t happen. Their comedic chemistry is abundant in spades, but never does their sham wedding amount to anything more than, well, a sham wedding. “

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPgZcW8MCaA

Disgrace
Review: ★ ★ ★ ½

Genre: Drama
Rating: M
Running Time: 120min
Director: Steve Jacobs
Cast: Christian Bale, Sam Worthington, Anton Yelchin, Bryce Dallas Howard, Moon Bloodgood

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

Spring 1936 – in a working-class district in the north of Paris, a neighborhood that probably had a name once but that everyone now simply calls the Faubourg. At the top of the hill, a view over… David Lurie, twice-divorced and dissatisfied with his job as an English professor in post-apartheid South Africa, finds his life falling apart. When he seduces one of his students, and in doing nothing to protect himself from the consequences, he is dismissed from his teaching position, and takes refuge on his daughter’s farm in the Eastern Cape. For a time, his daughter’s influence and natural rhythms of the farm promise to harmonise his discordant life. But the balance of power in the country is shifting. In the aftermath of a vicious attack on the farm, he is forced to come to terms with more than his disgrace alone.

Worth seeing?

Review: ★ ★ ★ ½

Katina’s verdict:

“An important contemporary look at South Africa, Disgrace succeeds in outlining the instability of life with Malkovich and Haines strong in their central roles.”

Read our interview with Disgrace director Steve Jacobs here.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIL9iQmlmik

OPENING NEXT WEEK:

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Coco Avant Chanel
Wake in Fright

Land of the Lost (PG)

On his latest expedition, Dr. Rick Marshall (Ferrell) is sucked into a space-time vortex alongside his research assistant.

The Hangover (MA 15+)
★★★★
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.

Terminator: Salvation (M)
★ ★ ★ ½
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.

I Love You, Man (MA15+)

Friendless Peter Klaven goes on a series of man-dates to find a Best Man for his wedding.

Sunshine Cleaning (MA15+)
★★★★
In order to raise the tuition to send her young son to private school, a mom starts an unusual business — a biohazard removal/crime scene clean-up service.

Is Anybody There? (M)
★★★★
The surprising, touching story of this odd couple – a boy and an old man – facing life together.

My Year Without Sex (M)
★★★★
One family.  One year.  No sex.  What else is there? – Sport, spending, saving, singing, storage solutions, spiritual stuff, Santa …

For session times in your area, click here.

Detailed Listings:

Land of the Lost

Genre: Adventure / Comedy
Rating: PG
Running Time: 101min
Director: Brad Silberling
Cast: Will Ferrell, Danny McBride, Anna Friel, Jorma Taccone
Official Website: View

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

Space-time vortexes suck.

Will Ferrell stars as has-been scientist Dr. Rick Marshall, sucked into one and spat back through time. Way back. Now, Marshall has no weapons, few skills and questionable smarts to survive in an alternate universe full of marauding dinosaurs and fantastic creatures from beyond our world–a place of spectacular sights and super-scaled comedy known as the Land of the Lost.

Sucked alongside him for the adventure are crack-smart research assistant Holly (Anna Friel) and a redneck survivalist (Danny McBride) named Will. Chased by T. rex and stalked by painfully slow reptiles known as Sleestaks, Marshall, Will and Holly must rely on their only ally–a primate called Chaka (Jorma Taccone)–to navigate out of the hybrid dimension. Escape from this routine expedition gone awry and they’re heroes. Get stuck, and they’ll be permanent refugees in the Land of the Lost.

Based on the classic television series created by Sid & Marty Krofft, Land of the Lost is directed by Brad Silberling and produced by Jimmy Miller and Sid & Marty Krofft.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07tUuSb0-S8&feature=fvst

The Hangover
Review: ★★★★

Genre: Comedy
Rating: MA 15+
Running Time: 99min
Director: Todd Phillips
Cast: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Heather Graham, Justin Bartha, Jeffrey Tambor
Official Website: View

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

Two days before his wedding, Doug and his three friends drive to Las Vegas for a blow-out bachelor party they’ll never forget. But, in fact, when the three groomsmen wake up the next morning, they can’t remember a thing. For some reason, they find a tiger in the bathroom and a six-month-old baby in the closet of their suite at Caesars Palace. The one thing they can’t find is Doug. With no clue as to what transpired and little time to spare, the trio must retrace their hazy steps and all their bad decisions in order to figure out where things went wrong and hopefully get Doug back to L.A. in time to walk down the aisle.

Worth seeing?
Review: ★★★★

My Verdict:

“Director Todd Phillips gets the most out of a cracking cast and endlessly witty script, making this the best hangover you’re ever likely to ever experience. “

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzmkDDmoODA

Terminator Salvation
Review: ★ ★ ★ ½

Genre: Action/Adventure/Sci-Fi
Rating: M
Running Time: 114min
Director: McG
Cast: Christian Bale, Sam Worthington, Anton Yelchin, Bryce Dallas Howard, Moon Bloodgood
Official Website: View

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

Spring 1936 – in a working-class district in the north of Paris, a neighborhood that probably had a name once but that everyone now simply calls the Faubourg. At the top of the hill, a view over… In the highly anticipated new instalment of “The Terminator” film franchise, set in post-apocalyptic 2018, Christian Bale stars as John Connor, the man fated to lead the human resistance against Skynet and its army of Terminators. But the future Connor was raised to believe in is altered in part by the appearance of Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington), a stranger whose last memory is of being on death row. Connor must decide whether Marcus has been sent from the future, or rescued from the past. As Skynet prepares its final onslaught, Connor and Marcus both embark on an odyssey that takes them into the heart of Skynet’s operations, where they uncover the terrible secret behind the possible annihilation of mankind.

Worth seeing?

Review: ★ ★ ★ ½

My verdict:

“Terminator Salvation is a big-budget-in-your-face-action-packed blockbuster with so much cheese you might as well bring along some crackers. But as with all junk food, no matter how much you know it’s bad for you, you can’t help but enjoy it anyway.”

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcg5t0mT8V4

I Love You Man

Genre: Comedy/(B)romance
Rating: MA 15+
Running Time: 104min
Director: John Hamburg
Cast: Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, Jaime Pressly, Rashida Jones, Rob Huebel, Jon Favreau, Colleen Crabtree, Caroline Farah
Official Website: View

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

Spring 1936 – in a working-class district in the north of Paris, a neighborhood that probably had a name once but that everyone now simply calls the Faubourg. At the top of the hill, a view over… Peter Klaven (Paul Rudd) is a successful real estate agent who, upon getting engaged to the woman of his dreams, Zooey (Rashida Jones), discovers, to his dismay and chagrin, that he has no male friend close enough to serve as his Best Man. Peter immediately sets out to rectify the situation, embarking on a series of bizarre and awkward “man-dates,” before meeting Sydney Fife (Jason Segel), a charming, opinionated man with whom he instantly bonds. But the closer the two men get, the more Peter’s relationship with Zooey suffers, ultimately forcing him to choose between his fiancée and his new found “bro” in a story that comically explores what it truly means to be a “friend.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjLOc0fACEg

Sunshine Cleaning
Review: ★★★★

Genre: Drama  | Comedy
Rating: MA 15+
Running Time: 91 minutes
Director: Christine Jeffs
Cast: Amy Adams, Emily Blunt, Alan Arkin

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

Spring 1936 – in a working-class district in the north of Paris, a neighborhood that probably had a name once but that everyone now simply calls the Faubourg. At the top of the hill, a view over… From the producers of LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE comes the charming Sundance hit SUNSHINE CLEANING, a spirited comedy-drama starring Amy Adams (DOUBT, ENCHANTED) as single-mom Rose Lorkowski, a plucky…From the producers of LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE comes the charming Sundance hit SUNSHINE CLEANING, a spirited comedy-drama starring Amy Adams (DOUBT, ENCHANTED) as single-mom Rose Lorkowski, a plucky ex-cheerleader now cleaning houses and having an affair with her high-school sweetheart, Mac (Steve Zahn). When Mac, a police detective, suggests the lucrative job opportunities in crime-scene cleanup, Rose enlists her sister, Norah (Emily Blunt), to join her in the gory but ultimately fulfilling business enterprise. The sisterly chemistry between Adams and Blunt is impressive and forms the crux of their characters’ growth throughout the film: Rose’s optimism–reciting self-affirmations and positive spins on her occupation (“It’s a growth industry”)–complements Norah’s cynical, wickedly humorous exterior, which hides her bruised, vulnerable heart. Rounding out this likable cast is Alan Arkin, appearing as Joe, the sisters’ lovably grumpy father, and Jason Spevack, who plays Rose’s eight-year-old son, Oscar. SUNSHINE CLEANING has all the familiar ingredients of a small independent feature (dysfunctional family spanning three generations, offbeat comic situations, dark emotional subtext), but thanks to the keen directorial hand of Christine Jeffs (who also directed the Sylvia Plath biopic, SYLVIA), and a smart screenplay from first-time writer Megan Holley, the film manages to transcend indie-film quirkiness, offering a heartfelt story of family bonds and the unexpected curveballs in life’s road.

Worth seeing?

Review: ★★★★

My Verdict:

“Thanks to some infectiously likeable characters and a sincere look  at the role death plays in life, Sunshine Cleaning shines brightly.”

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VN5hSoC4-cQ

Is Anybody There?
Review: ★★★★

Genre: Drama
Rating: M
Running Time: 95min
Director: John Crowley
Cast: Michael Caine, Bill Milner, Anne-Marie Duff, David Morrissey

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

Spring 1936 – in a working-class district in the north of Paris, a neighborhood that probably had a name once but that everyone now simply calls the Faubourg. At the top of the hill, a view over… Growing up and growing old never played so poignantly as it does in John Crowley’s IS ANYBODY THERE? The film grapples with the sad truths of getting older and losing loved ones, all the while maintaining a sardonic wit and sincere warmth. Coming of age in a family-run rest home, the reclusive, death-obsessed Edward (Bill Milner, SON OF RAMBOW) wiles away his days tormenting his parents’ elderly residents and secretly tape-recording them in search of answers about the afterlife. Edward finds a kindred spirit in Clarence (Michael Caine), the curmudgeonly, retired magician who begrudgingly takes up residence at the guest home. The two strike up an unlikely friendship that helps Clarence come to terms with losing his wife, and Edward finds a way out of his shell. Milner holds his own alongside veteran Caine with a biting yet charming performance. Anne-Marie Duff (NOTES ON A SCANDAL) and David Morrissey (BASIC INSTINCT 2) offer up moving support as Edward’s working-class parents, who struggle to hold onto their marriage while making ends meet. The colorful cast of senior citizens, which includes seasoned actors Rosemary Harris (Aunt May from the SPIDERMAN films) and Karl Johnson (HOT FUZZ, ROME), provides some of the film’s most melancholy and comic moments. Along with stellar performances from the impressive ensemble, IS ANYBODY THERE? is well-scripted and beautifully shot. Though it deals with some of life’s toughest moments, this is a film that is sure to appeal to audiences of all ages.

Worth seeing?
Review: ★★★★

Stephanie’s verdict:

“There is plenty of magic in this story, most coming from Caine’s highly-regarded performance. But young Milner helps to provide some just as enchanting moments in this film that is as heartbreaking as it is heart-warming.”

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsUb2TmBJ6w

My Year Without Sex
Review: ★★★★

Genre: Drama/Comedy
Rating: M
Running Time: 96 min
Director: Sarah Watt
Cast: Sacha Horler, Matt Day

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

Spring 1936 – in a working-class district in the north of Paris, a neighborhood that probably had a name once but that everyone now simply calls the Faubourg. At the top of the hill, a view over…

MY YEAR WITHOUT SEX is a kind of a love story about all the big questions, and even more of the small ones. Over one messy year, Ross and Natalie navigate their children, nits, housework, birthdays, Christmas, faith, football, job insecurity, more nits, and whether they will ever have sex again.

Worth seeing?
Review: ★★★★

My verdict:

“My Year Without Sex is a delightfully modest film that overcomes its narrative lulls with authentically crafted characters and astute observations of everyday life.”

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tWWFtAl0I8

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (PG)

Security guard Larry Daley infiltrates the Smithsonian Institute in order to rescue Jedediah and Octavius, who have been shipped to the museum by mistake.

Angels and Demons (M)
★★½
Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon works to solve a murder and prevent a terrorist act against the Vatican.

Observe and Report (MA 15+)
★
Bi-polar mall security guard Ronnie Barnhardt is called into action to stop a flasher from turning shopper’s paradise into his personal peep show.

What Just Happened (M)
★★★
Two weeks in the life of a fading Hollywood producer who’s having a rough time trying to get his new picture made.

Quiet Chaos (MA15+)
★★★★
A look at the strange bereavement behavior of an Italian executive. Based on a novel by Sandro Veronesi.

For session times in your area, click here.

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian

Genre: Action/Comedy
Rating: PG
Running Time: 105min
Director: Shawn Levy
Cast: Ben Stiller, Amy Adams, Hank Azaria, Robin Williams, Ricky Gervais, Owen Wilson, Ed Helms
Official Website: View

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

Sequel to the box office hit will bring the dead presidents and extinct animals of the “Museum at the Museum” back to life.

Original film featured single father Larry Daley (Ben Stiller), as he grudgingly accepts the supposedly menial graveyard shift as a security guard at the Natural History Museum. To his utter astonishment and disbelief, Larry watches in shock and awe as, one by one, the primeval beasts and storied icons that surround him stir magically to life – and total havoc ensues.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQyrz5V7Vuw

Angels and Demons

Genre: Crime/Drama/Thriller
Rating: M
Running Time: 138min
Director: Ron Howard
Cast: Tom Hanks, Ayelet Zurer, Ewan McGregor, Pierfrancesco Favino
Official Website: View

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

The team behind the global phenomenon “The Da Vinci Code” returns for the highly anticipated “Angels & Demons,” based upon the bestselling novel by Dan Brown. Tom Hanks reprises his role as Harvard religious expert Robert Langdon, who once again finds that forces with ancient roots are willing to stop at nothing, even murder, to advance their goals. Ron Howard again directs the film, which is produced by Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, and John Calley. The screenplay is by David Koepp and Akiva Goldsman.

When Langdon discovers evidence of the resurgence of an ancient secret brotherhood known as the Illuminati – the most powerful underground organization in history – he also faces a deadly threat to the existence of the secret organization’s most despised enemy: the Catholic Church. When Langdon learns that the clock is ticking on an unstoppable Illuminati time bomb, he jets to Rome, where he joins forces with Vittoria Vetra, a beautiful and enigmatic Italian scientist. Embarking on a nonstop, action-packed hunt through sealed crypts, dangerous catacombs, deserted cathedrals, and even to the heart of the most secretive vault on earth, Langdon and Vetra will follow a 400-year-old trail of ancient symbols that mark the Vatican’s only hope for survival.

Worth seeing?
Review: ★ ★½

My Verdict:

“As its title suggests, Angels and Demons is mix of the good and the bad. Whilst Ron Howard has made a more stylish and structured film than The Da Vinci Code, he still hasn’t quite figured out how to make exciting or engaging. “

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KybMg1LaRPQ

Observe and Report

Genre: Comedy
Rating: MA 15+
Running Time: 86min
Director: Jody Hill
Cast: Seth Rogen, Anna Faris, Michael Pena, Ray Liotta, Jesse Plemons
Official Website: View

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

Spring 1936 – in a working-class district in the north of Paris, a neighborhood that probably had a name once but that everyone now simply calls the Faubourg. At the top of the hill, a view over… At the Forest Ridge Mall, head of security Ronnie Barnhardt patrols his jurisdiction with an iron fist, combating skateboarders, shoplifters and the occasional unruly customer while dreaming of the day when he can swap his flashlight for a badge and a gun. His delusions of grandeur are put to the test when the mall is struck by a flasher. Driven to protect and serve the mall and its patrons, Ronnie seizes the opportunity to showcase his underappreciated law enforcement talents on a grand scale, hoping his solution of this crime will earn a coveted spot at the police academy and the heart of his elusive dream girl Brandi, the hot make-up counter clerk who won’t give him the time of day. But his single-minded pursuit of glory launches a turf war with the equally competitive Detective Harrison of the Conway Police, and Ronnie is confronted with the challenge of not only catching the flasher, but getting him before the real cops do.

Worth seeing?

Review: ★

Katina’s verdict:

“Shame on you Seth Rogen, this is an absolute cop-out (pun intended).The report finds that this can not be called a comedy because it’s not funny. Avoid.”

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNPSxqbPLPQ

What Just Happened

Genre: Comedy | Drama
Rating: M
Running Time: 104 minutes
Director: Barry Levinson
Cast: Robert De Niro, Sean Penn, Bruce Willis, Catherine Keener.

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

Spring 1936 – in a working-class district in the north of Paris, a neighborhood that probably had a name once but that everyone now simply calls the Faubourg. At the top of the hill, a view over… Directed by Academy Award® winning director Barry Levinson, WHAT JUST HAPPENED is a winningly sharp comedy about two nail-biting, back-stabbing, roller-coaster weeks in the world of a middle-aged Hollywood producer (Robert De Niro) as he tries to juggle an actual life with an outrageous series of crises in his day job. Based on Hollywood producer Art Linson’s bestselling memoirs (What Just Happened: Bitter Hollywood Tales from the Front Line).  The all star cast includes Sean Penn, Catherine Keener, Robyn Wright Penn, John Turturro.

Worth seeing?

Review: ★★★

My verdict:

“What Just Happened is likely to be enjoyed by those familiar with the inner workings of Hollywood, but the mostly gutless array of industry jokes struggles to hit the funny bone like it should.”

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3tsnfmWrYc

Quiet Chaos

Genre: Drama  | Romance
Rating: MA 15+
Running Time: 107 minutes
Director: Antonio Luigi Grimaldi
Cast: Nanni Moretti, Valeria Golino, Isabella Ferrari, Alessandro Gassman.

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

Spring 1936 – in a working-class district in the north of Paris, a neighborhood that probably had a name once but that everyone now simply calls the Faubourg. At the top of the hill, a view over… Nanni Moretti stars in and co-wrote this moving Italian drama about grief. Pietro (Moretti) has just lost his wife, and he is left alone with their young daughter (Blu Yoshimi). He promises the girl that he will wait for her in the car when she returns to school for the first time, but then his temporary offer turns into habit. Now, Pietro spends his days in his car, watching the world around him and grieving in his own way.

Worth seeing?

Review: ★★★★

Katina’s verdict:

“Quiet Chaos can be likened to a flower, slowly developing until reaching full bloom. It is confronting in parts, but that’s overtaken by the reward of such an understanding of Pietro and his suppressed emotional journey.”

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdmWj3FQkXo

Star Trek (M)
★★★★
A chronicle of the early days of James T. Kirk and his fellow USS Enterprise crew members.

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (M)
★★★
A bachelor is haunted by the ghosts of his past girlfriends at his younger brother’s wedding.

A Film With Me In It (M)
★★★★
A screenwriter gets caught up in the middle of a chain of bizarre events to which he calls on the help of his alcoholic friend to resolve.

The Baader Meinhof Complex (MA 15+)
A look at Germany’s terrorist group, The Red Army Faction (RAF), which organized bombings, robberies, kidnappings and assassinations in the late 1960s and ’70s.

For session times in your area, click here.

Star Trek (2009)

Genre: Action/Adventure/Sci-Fi
Rating: M
Running Time: 122min
Director: J.J. Abrams
Cast: John Cho, Ben Cross, Bruce Greenwood, Simon Pegg, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Winona Ryder, Zoe Saldana
Official Website: View

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

The film explores the origins of James T. Kirk, Spock and the crew of the USS Enterprise from the original “Star Trek” series and how these iconic characters came together. According to rumors, the story involves an elder Spock (Nimoy) and a group of Romulans (led by Nero, played by Bana) being transplanted into the past where Spock must prevent the Romulans from irreparably damaging the timeline. To do so, he will have to enlist the assistance of his younger self (Quinto).

Worth seeing?

Review: ★★★★

My verdict:

“An endlessly exhilarating and engaging ride regardless of its narrative flaws, Star Trek sits proudly as one of the best sci-fi films of the last decade, and that’s coming from someone who has never Trekked before.”

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past

Genre: Comedy/Romance
Rating: M
Running Time: 100min
Director: Mark Waters
Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, Breckin Meyer, Lacey Chabert, Anne Archer, Amanda Walsh
Official Website: View

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

Celebrity photographer Connor Mead loves freedom, fun and women…in that order. A committed bachelor who thinks nothing of breaking up with multiple women on a conference call, Connor’s mockery of romance proves a real buzz-kill for his kid brother, Paul, and a houseful of well wishers on the eve of Paul’s wedding. Just when it looks like Connor may single-handedly ruin the wedding, he is visited by the ghosts of his former jilted girlfriends, who take him on a revealing and hilarious odyssey through his failed relationships–past, present and future. Together they attempt to find out what turned Connor into such an insensitive jerk and whether there is still hope for him to find true love…or if he really is the lost cause everyone thinks he is.

Worth seeing?
Review: ★ ★ ★

Elise’s Verdict:

“Predictable but entertaining; Ghosts of Girlfriends Past has just enough laughter and love to fill the requirements of the rom-com genre. “

A Film With Me In It

Genre: Comedy/Thriller
Rating: M
Running Time: 97 minutes
Director: Ian Fitzgibbon
Cast: Dylan Moran, Mark Doherty, Keith Allen.

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

Spring 1936 – in a working-class district in the north of Paris, a neighborhood that probably had a name once but that everyone now simply calls the Faubourg. At the top of the hill, a view over… Pierce (Dylan Moran of Black Books fame) is an aspiring screenwriter who spends most of his time at the pub with his pal, unemployed actor Mark (Mark Doherty, who also wrote the script). Their incessant conversations about the film they will make, starring Mark, are played out against a backdrop of failing relationships, financial chaos and crumbling dwellings.  Their inept bumblings take them on a rollercoaster ride from small aggravations into a tsunami of accidental homicides veering between slapstick and black humour.  “At the outset, A Film with Me In It appears to be an enjoyable low-key comedy.  However just as we are lured in a comfortable sense of security by its initial tone the film changes gear and moves into darker, fresher territory.

Worth seeing?

Review: ★ ★ ★ ★

My verdict:

“A Film With Me In It is the perfect blend of black humour, absurdity and a name that covers both; Dylan Moran. I won’t deny that this film is exactly my cup of tea, but like most black comedies, it certainly won’t be for everyone. Yet it’s a wonder why this film has such a limited release; the popularity of Black Books is underestimated in Australia, and A Film With… has the potential to gain a solid following from the show’s large fan base and beyond.”

The Baader Meinhof Complex

Genre: Action | Biography | Crime | Drama | History
Rating: MA 15+
Running Time: 150 minutes
Director: Uli Edel
Cast: Martina Gedeck, Moritz Bleibtreu, Johanna Wokalek, Jan Josef Liefers, Vinzenz Kiefe.

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

Spring 1936 – in a working-class district in the north of Paris, a neighborhood that probably had a name once but that everyone now simply calls the Faubourg. At the top of the hill, a view over… Germany in the 1970′s: Murderous bomb attacks, the threat of terrorism and the fear of the enemy inside are rocking the very foundations of the yet fragile German democracy. The radicalised children of the Nazi generation lead by Andreas Baader (Moritz Bleibtreu), Ulrike Meinhof (Martina Gedeck) and Gudrun Ensslin (Johanna Wokalek) are fighting a violent war against what they perceive as the new face of facism: American imperialism supported by the German establishment, many of whom have a Nazi past. Their aim is to create a more human society but by employing inhuman means they not only spread terror and bloodshed, they also lose their own humanity.  The man who understands them is also their hunter: the head of the German police force Horst Herold (Bruno Ganz). And while he suceeds in his relentless pursuit of the young terrorists, he knows he’s only dealing with the tip of the iceberg.

German with English subtitles

X-men Origins: Wolverine (M)
★★★
Hugh Jackman returns as Wolverine, a mutant who undertakes a dangerous chemical bonding operation to make him invincible; just the advantage he needs to take down his murderous brother Victor.

Defiance (M)
★★★★
Jewish brothers in Nazi-occupied Eastern Europe escape into the Belarussian forests, where they join Russian resistance fighters and endeavor to build a village in order to protect themselves and about 1,000 Jewish non-combatants.

Paris 36 (M)
A small theatre in working class 1936 Paris is on the verge of closing, leaving Pigoil without a means to achieve his dream of visiting the sea. But when a talented young woman takes a role in the theatre’s lastest production, all hope is not lost.

For session times in your area, click here.

X-men Origins: Wolverine

Genre: Action / Drama / Thriller
Rating: M
Running Time: 103min
Director: Gavin Hood
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Liev Schreiber, Danny Huston, Ryan Reynolds, Taylor Kitsch, Lynn Collins, will.i.am, Dominic Monaghan
Official Website: View

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

Leading up to the events of “X-Men,” “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” tells the story of Wolverine’s epically violent and romantic past, his complex relationship with Victor Creed, and the ominous Weapon X program. Along the way, Wolverine encounters many mutants, both familiar and new, including surprise appearances by several legends of the X-Men universe.

Worth seeing?

Review: ★ ★★

My verdict:

“Wolverine is  about on par with X-men 1, not as good as X-men 2, but better than X-men 3.“

Defiance

Genre: Action / Drama / Thriller
Rating: M
Running Time: 136min
Director: Based on an extraordinary true story,
Cast: Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber, Jamie Bell, Alexa Davalos, Allan Corduner,
Official Website: View

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

Based on an extraordinary true story, “Defiance” is an epic tale of family, honor, vengeance and salvation in World War II. The year is 1941 and the Jews of Eastern Europe are being massacred by the thousands. Managing to escape certain death, three brothers take refuge in the dense surrounding woods they have known since childhood. There they begin their desperate battle against the Nazis. Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber and Jamie Bell star as brothers who turn a primitive struggle to survive into something far more consequential – a way to avenge the deaths of their loved ones by saving thousands of others.

Worth seeing?
Review: ★ ★ ★ ★

My Verdict:

“Don’t count on a historically accurate war drama thanks to the Hollywood treated screenplay, but do count on an emotive, engaging and inspirational story about the spirit of survival, bravery and brotherhood.”

Paris 36 [Faubourg 36]

Genre: Drama
Rating: M
Running Time: 120 minutes
Director: Christophe Barratier
Cast: Gérard Jugnot, Clovis Cornillac, Kad Merad, Maxence Perrin

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

Spring 1936 – in a working-class district in the north of Paris, a neighborhood that probably had a name once but that everyone now simply calls the Faubourg. At the top of the hill, a view over… Spring 1936 – in a working-class district in the north of Paris, a neighborhood that probably had a name once but that everyone now simply calls the Faubourg. At the top of the hill, a view over Paris to one side and, to the other, the burgeoning suburbs of the city. A small square, a few shops, lopsided buildings, cobbled streets and the peeling façade of the neighborhood music hall, the Chansonia.

In this blue-collar neighborhood, the triumphant election of the Popular Front government is greeted with enthusiasm and hopes for a brighter tomorrow, yet stirs up all kinds of extremism. Among the new government’s promises, the famous law on paid holidays that will allow numerous workers to see the sea for the first time.

In early May, three inhabitants of the Faubourg, show-business workers and close friends, do not share other people’s wild hopes, the Chansonia, the music hall that employed them, closed down four months earlier, leaving them all unemployed.

Pigoil (Gérard Jugnot), a stage-hand, thirty years with the Chansonia. Without a job, he could lose custody of his 12-year-old son, JOJO (Maxence Perrin)and have to give up his plans to take him to see the sea.

Worth seeing?

Just like sex, Paris sells. If you can find away to sneak the ‘P’ word into the title of your film, you’ll instantly gain an international audience that would never have existed otherwise. For this reason, Paris 36 looks to be a film that I  sickly sugar coats the capitol of love to appeal to foreigners. This might be just your cup of tea, but it’s certainly not mine.

Fired Up!
★★ ½

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Closed For Winter
★★★

Let the Right One In
★★★★ ½

For session times in your area, click here.

Fired Up!

Genre: Comedy
Rating: M
Running Time: 90min
Director: Shawn Colfax (Nicholas D’Agosto) and Nick Brady (Eric Christian Olsen), the stars of the Gerald R. F
Cast: Nicholas D’Agosto, Eric Christian Olsen, Sarah Roemer, John Michael Higgins, Molly Sims, David Walton
Official Website: View

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

Shawn Colfax (Nicholas D’Agosto) and Nick Brady (Eric Christian Olsen), the stars of the Gerald R. Ford High School football team, are dreading the prospect of another summer at football camp. When Nick hatches a scheme for the two to join their school’s cheerleaders at cheer camp instead, they find themselves awash in a sea of gorgeous young women. It all goes great until Shawn falls for Carly (Sarah Roemer), the beautiful head cheerleader who sees right through them.

Worth seeing?

Review: ★ ★ ½

Katina’s verdict:

“It fails to get you really Fired Up, but appreciating it’s all been done before makes it bearable.”

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Genre: Drama / War
Rating: M
Running Time: 94min
Director: Mark Herman
Cast: Asa Butterfield, Zac Mattoon O’Brien, Zac Mattoon O’Brien, Henry Kingsmill
Official Website: View

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

What would you do if you got a second shot at life? Class of 1989, Mike O’Donnell is a star on his high school basketball court with a college scout in the stands and a bright future in his grasp. But instead, he decides to throw it all away to share his life with his girlfriend Scarlett and the baby he just learned they are expecting. Almost 20 years later, Mike’s glory days are decidedly behind him. His marriage to Scarlett has fallen apart, he has been passed over for a promotion at work, his teenage kids think he is a loser, and he has been reduced to crashing with his high school nerd-turned-techno-billionaire best friend Ned. But Mike is given another chance when he is miraculously transformed back to the age of 17. Unfortunately, Mike may look 17 again, but his thirtysomething outlook is totally uncool in the class of 2009. And in trying to recapture his best years, Mike could lose the best things that ever happened to him.

Let the Right One In

Genre: Drama, Horror, Romance, Thriller
Rating: M
Running Time: 115 minutes
Director: Tomas Alfredson
Cast: Kåre Hedebrant, Lina Leandersson, Per Ragnar

Review: ★ ★ ★ ★½

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

Set in snowy 1982 Stockholm, twelve year old Oskar attracts unwanted attention from the school bully. Living with his divorced mother in a drab apartment block, he meets similarly-aged new neighbour Eli one night in the local park and immediately recognises a fellow outcast. She’s impervious to cold and absent during the daytime and Oskar soon comes to suspect his new friend may be connected to a series of local murders. LET THE RIGHT ONE IN is at once heart-warming and hair-raising and so fresh and original it transcends the limits of the vampire genre it plays with (Swedish dialogue with English subtitles).

Worth seeing?
Review: ★ ★ ★ ★ ½

My Verdict:

“It’s saddening yet heart-warming, horrifying yet beautiful – Let the Right One In is a triumph of both the horror and romance genres, combining to make a thoroughly engaging, moving and enduring cinema experience. If Twilight is the Vampire film for starry-eyed teenage girls, Let the Right One In is the Vampire film for everyone else.”

Closed For Winter

Genre: Drama
Rating: M
Running Time: 85min
Director: James Bogle
Cast: Natalie Imbruglia, Daniel Frederiksen, Deborah Kennedy
Official Website: View
Review: ★ ★ ★

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

Closed for Winter is the emotional and poetic story of Elise, a beautiful young woman haunted by a tragic event in her youth.  As Elise attempts to piece together the mystery of her sister’s disappearance at the beach, twenty years before when both were children, she must face dark family secrets that have remained unspoken.  As the past is revealed, Elise at last finds the courage to begin to live.  Based on Georgia Blain’s critically acclaimed novel of the same title, Closed for Winter, features a stunning performance by international star Natalie Imbruglia in her first leading role.

Worth seeing?
Review: ★ ★ ★

Katina’s Verdict:

“Locations are used well and the story is solid, but the awkwardness of it all is unsettling. Closed for Winter sits somewhere in the middle of recent Australian film – that isn’t a bad thing considering the industry’s recent run.”

Fast and Furious

Vin Diesel and Paul Walker reteam for the ultimate chapter of the franchise built on speed— “Fast & Furious.” Heading back to the streets where it all began, they rejoin Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster to blast muscle, tuner and exotic cars across Los Angeles and floor through the Mexican desert in the new high-octane action-thriller.

For session times in your area, click here.

Fast and Furious

Genre: Action
Rating: M
Running Time: 106min
Director: Justin Lin
Cast: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, John Ortiz, Laz Alonso,
Official Website: View

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

Vin Diesel and Paul Walker reteam for the ultimate chapter of the franchise built on speed- “Fast & Furious.” Heading back to the streets where it all began, they rejoin Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster to blast muscle, tuner and exotic cars across Los Angeles and floor through the Mexican desert in the new high-octane action-thriller.

When a crime brings them back to L.A., fugitive ex-con Dom Toretto (Diesel) reignites his feud with agent Brian O’Conner (Walker). But as they are forced to confront a shared enemy, Dom and Brian must give in to an uncertain new trust if they hope to outmaneuver him. And from convoy heists to precision tunnel crawls across international lines, two men will find the best way to get revenge: push the limits of what’s possible behind the wheel.

Worth seeing?

Whilst everything suggests this to be nothing more than an unwarranted reboot of an ailed franchise, the trailer for Fast and Furious was just too cool, featuring an edited take of the opening fuel tanker heist. I must admit I didn’t mind the first film, thought little of the second, but absolutely loathed the third film. With this trend in mind, I can’t say I was looking forward to the fourth…but damn, there’s just something about that trailer (see below).

Mary and Max

A tale of friendship between two unlikely pen pals: Mary, a lonely, eight-year-old girl living in the suburbs of Melbourne, and Max, a forty-four-year old, severely obese man living in New York.
Review: ★ ★ ★ ★ ½

17 Again

A guy whose life didn’t quite turn out how he wanted it to and wishes he could go back to high school and change it. He wakes up one day and is seventeen again and gets the chance to rewrite his life.

Review: ★ ★ ★

Dragonball: Evolution

The young warrior Son Goku sets out on a quest, racing against time and the vengeful King Piccolo, to collect a set of seven magical orbs that will grant their wielder unlimited power.

Review: ★ ★ ½

The Boat that Rocked

In 1966 — arguably British pop music’s finest era — the BBC played only two hours of rock and roll every week. But pirate radio blasted rock and pop from the high seas 24 hours a day.

Review: ★ ★ ★

Elegy

Cultural critic David Kepesh finds his life — which he indicates is a state of “emancipated manhood” — thrown into tragic disarray by Consuela Castillo, a well-mannered student who awakens a sense of sexual possessiveness in her teacher.

Guest Review: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Good

The rise of national socialism in Germany should not be regarded as a conspiracy of madmen. Millions of “good” people found themselves in a society spiralling into terrible chaos. A film about then, which illuminates the terrors of now.

Race to Witch Mountain

A Las Vegas cabbie enlists the help of a UFO expert to protect two siblings with paranormal powers from the clutches of an organization that wants to use the kids for their nefarious plans.

For session times in your area, click here.

Mary and Max

Genre: Animation / Drama / Comedy
Rating: M
Running Time: 93min
Director: Adam Elliot
Cast: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Toni Collette, Eric Bana, Barry Humpharies
Official Website: View
Review: ★ ★ ★ ★ ½

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

MARY & MAX is a claymated feature film from the creators of the Academy Award winning short animation HARVIE KRUMPET. It is a simple tale of pen-friendship between two very different people; Mary Dinkle, a chubby lonely eight year old girl living in the suburbs of Melbourne, and Max Horovitz, a 44 year old, severely obese, Jewish man with Aspergers Syndrome living in the chaos of New York. Spanning 20 years and 2 continents, Mary and Max’s friendship survives much more than the average diet of life’s ups and downs. Like Harvie Krumpet, MARY AND MAX is innocent but not naïve, as it takes us on a journey that explores friendship, autism, taxidermy, psychiatry, alcoholism, where babies come from, obesity, kleptomania, sexual difference, trust, copulating dogs, religious difference, agoraphobia and much much more.

Worth seeing?

In a word; YES!

Review: ★ ★ ★ ★ ½

My verdict:

“If American Beauty director Sam Mendes teamed up with the makers of Wallace & Gromit at Aardman Animations, the product might look something like Mary & Max.   The film perfectly uses visual wit to help tackle an array of very real societal issues, which are honestly and convincingly explored. It’s a big call to make this early in the year, but if Pixar’s upcoming film Up isn’t up to Wall-E standards, Adam Elliot might just be on his way back to the Oscar podium in 2010.”

Read our exclusive interview with Mary and Max director Adam Elliot!

17 Again

Genre: Comedy
Rating: PG
Running Time: 102min
Director: Burr Steers
Cast: Zac Efron, Leslie Mann, Thomas Lennon, Matthew Perry, Michelle Trachtenberg
Official Website: View

Review: ★ ★ ★

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

What would you do if you got a second shot at life? Class of 1989, Mike O’Donnell is a star on his high school basketball court with a college scout in the stands and a bright future in his grasp. But instead, he decides to throw it all away to share his life with his girlfriend Scarlett and the baby he just learned they are expecting. Almost 20 years later, Mike’s glory days are decidedly behind him. His marriage to Scarlett has fallen apart, he has been passed over for a promotion at work, his teenage kids think he is a loser, and he has been reduced to crashing with his high school nerd-turned-techno-billionaire best friend Ned. But Mike is given another chance when he is miraculously transformed back to the age of 17. Unfortunately, Mike may look 17 again, but his thirtysomething outlook is totally uncool in the class of 2009. And in trying to recapture his best years, Mike could lose the best things that ever happened to him.

Worth seeing?

Review: ★ ★ ★

Katina’s verdict:

“17 Again doesn’t present anything we haven’t seen before, but is nonetheless a fun outing. Some great one-liners help its cause, as does Efron’s involvement. Because really, it’s The Zac Efron Show. If you’re not a fan, perhaps stay away.”

Dragonball: Evolution

Genre: Adventure/Family/Fantasy
Rating: PG
Running Time: 82min
Director: James Wong
Cast: Justin Chatwin, Joon Park, Jamie Chung
Official Website: View
Review: ★ ★ ½

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

“Dragonball: Evolution” is the long-awaited, live-action motion picture based on the popular Japanese manga created by Akira Toriyama. Toriyama’s work spawned best selling graphic novels, videogames and a phenomenally successful television series.

The manga, series and games bring to the new film a rich mythology and exciting, complex characters – all of which have captivated millions of fans, of all ages, around the globe. One of the greatest manga franchises ever created, “Dragonball” has an enormous online fan base and is consistently one of the most frequently searched-for terms on Google and Yahoo!

“Dragonball” has exploded into a global phenomenon that has generated more than four billion dollars in merchandising sales. It is considered the gold standard of anime-based video games, with more than 25 different games and over ten million units sold since May 2002. The series – 500 episodes strong – posted top ratings in Europe, Asia and the U.S.

The motion picture “Dragonball: Evolution” features a cast of rising young stars and veteran acclaimed actors. Justin Chatwin, who portrayed Tom Cruise’s son in Steven Spielberg’s “War of the Worlds,” takes on the role of the heroic Goku, a powerful warrior who protects the Earth from an endless stream of rogues bent on dominating the Universe and controlling the mystical objects from which the film takes its name. Emmy Rossum (“The Day After Tomorrow”) is Bulma, a beautiful woman intent on retrieving the mystical Dragonballs for her own reasons; Jamie Chung (“Samurai Girl”) is Chi Chi, a young martial artist who captures Goku’s eye; and screen legend Chow Yun-Fat (“Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”) is Roshi, the Master who guides Goku on the young man’s epic quest to save the Earth from the forces of darkness.

Worth seeing?
Review: ★ ★ ½

My Verdict:

“Ultimately, DragonBall Evolution isn’t able to decide on who it wants to please. It’s enjoyable enough as a standalone action film for teens, but not likely to be memorable or engaging enough to create new fans out of them. For long-time fans of the original series that have patiently waited for a live action Dragon Ball film, the campiness of the Evolution is likely to leave you feeling unsatisfied, as the comic/anime you grew up with hasn’t managed to return the favour and grow up with you.”

The Boat That Rocked

Genre: Comedy/Romance
Rating: M
Running Time: 135min
Director: Richard Curtis
Cast: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy, Rhys Ifans, Nick Frost, Kenneth Branagh
Official Website: View
Review: ★ ★ ★

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

Inspired by the British pirate radio revolution in the ’60s, the majority of the film’s shoot will take place in a large rusty metal fishing trawler moored off the coast of England in the very waters that kept the rock of the ’60s booming into the U.K.

In 1966 — arguably British pop music’s finest era — the BBC played only two hours of rock and roll every week. But pirate radio blasted rock and pop from the high seas 24 hours a day. And 25 million people — more than half the population of Britain — listened to these pirates every single day.

“The Boat That Rocked” is an ensemble comedy in which the romance takes place between the young people of the ’60s and pop music. It’s about a band of rogue DJs that captivated Britain, playing the music that defined a generation and standing up to a government that, incomprehensibly, preferred jazz.

Leading the cast are Philip Seymour Hoffman as The Count, a big, brash, American god of the airwaves; Bill Nighy as Quentin, the boss of Radio Rock — a pirate radio station in the middle of the North Sea that’s populated by an eclectic crew of rock and roll DJs; Rhys Ifans as Gavin, the greatest DJ in Britain who has just returned from his drug tour of America to reclaim his rightful position; Nick Frost as Dave, an ironic, intelligent and cruelly funny co-broadcaster; and Kenneth Branagh (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Hamlet) as British Minister Dormandy, a fearsome government official out for blood against the drug takers and lawbreakers of a once-great nation.

Worth seeing?
Review: ★ ★ ★

My Verdict:

“Whilst British pirate radio might have rocked the airwaves back in the 1960′s, Richard Curtis’ onscreen depiction only ever manages to gently sway. It’s by no means a nauseating motion; there’s still a lot of lighthearted fun to be had, but Curtis’ screenplay tends to draw out the lean premise, causing the film to run out of steam well before it reaches its destination.”

Elegy

Genre: Drama/Romance
Rating: M
Running Time: 112min
Director: Isabel Coixet
Cast: Penélope Cruz, Ben Kingsley, Dennis Hopper
Official Website: View
Guest Review: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

Driven by Isabel Coixet’s visually assured and deeply observant direction, “Elegy” charts the passionate relationship between a celebrated college professor and a young woman whose beauty both ravishes and destabilizes him. As their intimate connection transforms them-more than either could imagine-a charged sexual contest evolves into an indelible love story. With humanistic warmth, wry wit and erotic intensity, “Elegy” explores the power of beauty to blind, to reveal and to transform.

David Kepesh (Sir Ben Kingsley) glories in the pursuit of adventurous female students but never lets any woman get too close. When gorgeous Consuela Castillo (Penelope Cruz) enters his classroom, however, his protective veneer dissolves. Her raven-haired beauty both captivates and unsettles him.

Even if Kepesh declares her body a perfect work of art, Consuela is more than an object of desire. She has a strong sense of herself and an emotional intensity that challenges his preconceptions. Kepesh’s need for Consuela becomes an obsession, but ultimately his jealous fantasies of betrayal drive her away.

Shattered, Kepesh faces up to the ravages of time, immersing himself in work and confronting the loss of old friends. Then, two years later, Consuela comes back into his life-with an urgent, desperate request that will change everything.

“Elegy” is based on Pulitzer Prize-winner Philip Roth’s short novel “The Dying Animal.”

Worth seeing?
Guest Review: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Eddie Crismani’s Verdict:

“With a great script by Nicolas Myer based upon a Philip Roth novel The Dying Animal, Elegy is a brilliant and subtly directed film by Spanish director Isabel Coixet. This romantic drama beautifully caresses to the surface themes of growth, love and finding a place in the world for us out of a selfish, self-centred and lonely… one.”

Good

Genre: Drama
Rating: M
Running Time: 96min
Director: Vicente Amorim
Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Jason Isaacs, Jodie Whittaker, Mark Strong, Steven Mackintosh, Gemma Jones
Official Website: View

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

Viggo Mortensen takes on an extraordinary change-of-pace role as John Halder, a good, decent individual with family problems. A German literature professor in the 1930s, Halder explores his personal circumstances in a novel advocating compassionate euthanasia. When the book is unexpectedly enlisted by powerful political figures in support of government propaganda, Halder finds his career rising in an optimistic current of nationalism and prosperity. Yet with Halder’s change in fortune, his seemingly inconsequential decisions potentially jeopardise the people in his life with devastating effects.

Worth seeing?

The title might be Good, but the word on the street suggests anything but. Granted, I still am intrigued by this film, and will endeavour to see it. Mortensen is a great actor, who rarely disappoints…even if the film around him might.

Race to Witch Mountain

Genre: Family/Adventure/ Sci-fi/ Comedy
Rating: PG
Running Time: 94min
Director: Andy Fickman
Cast: Dwayne Johnson, AnnaSophia Robb,
Official Website: View

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

For years, stories have circulated about a secret place in the middle of the Nevada desert, known for unexplained phenomena and strange sightings. It is called Witch Mountain, and when a Las Vegas cab driver (Dwayne Johnson) finds two teens with supernatural powers in his cab, he suddenly finds himself in the middle of an adventure he can’t explain. When they discover that the only chance to save the world lies in unraveling the secrets of Witch Mountain, the race begins, as the government, mobsters and even extraterrestrials try to stop them. “Race to Witch Mountain” is a fun and thrilling adventure featuring incredible special effects.

Worth seeing?
It’s probably a better pick than Dragonball if you plan on taking the kids to the movies.
But “The Rock” in a kids movie? Reminds me of Vin Diesel in The Pacifier…and we all know how well that went down.

Monsters vs. Aliens

When a meteorite from outer space hits a young girl and turns her into a giant monster, she is taken to a secret government compound where she meets a ragtag group of monsters also rounded up over the years.

The Pink Panther 2

Insp. Jacques Clouseau teams up with a squad of International detectives who are just as bumbling as he is. Their mission: Stop a globe-trotting thief who specializes in stealing historical artifacts.

Inkheart

A young girl discovers her father has an amazing talent to bring characters out of their books and must try to stop a freed villain from destroying them all, with the help of her father, her aunt, and a storybook’s hero.

For session times in your area, click here.

Monsters vs. Aliens

Genre: Animation / Adventure / Sci-Fi
Rating: PG
Running Time: 90min
Director: Rob Letterman, Conrad Vernon
Cast: Reese Witherspoon, Hugh Laurie, Will Arnett, Seth Rogen, Rainn Wilson, Stephen Colbert, Kiefer Sutherland
Official Website: View

For session times in your area, click here.
Available in 2D and 3D sessions depending on cinema.

Studio’s Synopsis:

When California girl Susan Murphy is unexpectedly clobbered by a meteor full of outer space gunk, she mysteriously grows to 49-feet-11-inches tall and is instantly labeled a “monster” named Ginormica. The military jumps into action, and she is captured and held in a secret government compound. The world learns that the military has been quietly rounding up other monsters over the years. This ragtag group consists of the brilliant but insect-headed Dr. Cockroach, Ph.D.; the macho half-ape, half-fish The Missing Link; the gelatinous and indestructible B.O.B.; and the 350-foot grub called Insectosaurus. Their confinement time is cut short however, when a mysterious alien robot lands on Earth and begins storming the country.

As a last resort, under the guidance of General W.R. Monger (on a desperate order from The President), the motley crew of Monsters is called into action to combat the aliens and save the world from imminent destruction.

Worth seeing?

The trailers for this never grabbed me, but the 3D element does. Yes, I admit; I’ve fallen right for their marketing trap.  Roger Ebert might not like the 3D aspect, but I think it’s a nice gimmick that adds a bit more excitement to the film, for young and old. Don’t expect the next WALL-E, though.

The Pink Panther 2

Genre: Comedy
Rating: PG
Running Time: 92min
Director: Harald Zwart
Cast: Steve Martin, Jean Reno, Emily Mortimer, Andy Garcia, John Cleese, Alfred Molina, Molly Sims, Aishwarya Rai
Official Website: View

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

When legendary treasures from around the world are stolen — including the priceless Pink Panther Diamond! — Chief Inspector Dreyfus (John Cleese) is forced to assign intrepid-if-bumbling French police detective, Inspector Jacques Clouseau (Steve Martin) to a team of international detectives and experts charged with catching the thief and retrieving the stolen artifacts.

Worth seeing?

It was bad enough that the original Hollywood remake tarnished the Peter Sellers’ classic once, let alone having the nerve to do it again. Steve Martin hasn’t made a funny movie in decades, no reason to suggest he’s going to start now.

Inkheart

Genre: Adventure/Family/Fantasy
Rating: PG
Running Time: 106min
Director: Iain Softley
Cast: Brendan Fraser, Paul Bettany, Helen Mirren
Official Website: View

For session times in your area, click here.

Synopsis:

Based on the best-selling book by Cornelia Funke, “Inkheart” is a fantasy
adventure that sends a father and daughter on a quest through worlds both real and
imagined.

Mortimer “Mo” Folchart (Brendan Fraser) and his 12-year-old daughter,
Meggie (Eliza Hope Bennett), share a passion for books. What they also share is an
extraordinary gift for bringing characters from books to life when they read aloud.
But there is a danger: when a character is brought to life from a book, a real person
disappears into its pages.

Worth seeing?
★ ★

I reviewed Inkheart here, giving it 2/5 stars. My conclusion:

“Inkheart isn’t nearly captivating enough for young teens or adults. The limitless potential of the premise is hardly utilised, falling back on the use of genre clichés to link together underwhelming snippets of action.”

Knowing
A teacher opens a time capsule that has been dug up at his son’s elementary school; in it are some chilling predictions — some that have already occurred and others that are about to — that lead him to believe his family plays a role in the events that are about to unfold.

The Uninvited
Anna Rydell returns home to her sister (and best friend) Alex after a stint in a mental hospital, though her recovery is jeopardized thanks to her cruel stepmother, aloof father, and the presence of a ghost in their home.

Bottle Shock
The story of the early days of California wine making featuring the now infamous, blind Paris wine tasting of 1976 that has come to be known as “Judgment of Paris”.

For session times in your area, click here.

Knowing

Genre: Drama/Mystery/Thriller
Rating: M
Running Time: 121 min
Director: Alex Proyas
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Rose Byrne, Chandler Canterbury
Official Website: View

For session times in your area, click here.

Studio’s Synopsis:

In 1958, as part of the dedication ceremony for a new elementary school, a group of students is asked to draw pictures to be stored in a time capsule. But one of the students, a mysterious girl who seems to hear whispered voices, fills her sheet of paper with rows of apparently random numbers instead.

Fast forward 50 years to the present: A new generation of students examines the contents of the time capsule and the girl’s cryptic message ends up in the hands of young Caleb Myles. But it is Caleb’s father, professor Ted Myles (Nicolas Cage), who makes the startling discovery that the encoded message predicts with pinpoint accuracy the dates, death tolls and coordinates of every major disaster of the past 50 years. As Ted further unravels the document’s secrets, he realizes it foretells three additional events-the last of which hints at destruction on a global scale and seems to somehow involve Ted and his son.

When Ted’s attempts to alert the authorities fall on deaf ears, he takes it upon himself to try to prevent more destruction from taking place.

This  supernatural thriller charts one man’s faltering steps towards belief in the ultimate order of the universe even as he finds himself surrounded by mounting chaos. With the reluctant help of Diana Whelan (Rose Byrne) and Abby, the daughter and granddaughter of the now-deceased author of the cryptic prophecies, Ted’s increasingly desperate efforts take him on a heart-pounding race against time until he finds himself facing the ultimate disaster-and the ultimate sacrifice.

Worth seeing?
Gone are the days where there was a shimmer of hope that Nicolas Cage might just have a good performance left in him. After films like The Wicker Man and Bangkok Dangerous, I find it hard to fathom this is a man who won the best actors Oscar in 1995. However, of all of Cage’s films of late, I’m semi-intrigued by Knowing due to it’s director Alex Proyas. He was the man responsible for the brilliant noir film Dark City back in 1998.  Then again, Nic Cage is in it….it just can’t possibly be good.

The Uninvited

Genre: Horror / Thriller
Rating: MA 15+
Running Time: 87 min
Director: Charles Guard, Thomas Guard
Cast: Elizabeth Banks, David Strathairn, Arielle Kebbel, Emily Browning
Official Website: View

For session times in your area, click here.

Studio’s Synopsis:

In the suspense thriller “The Uninvited,” based on the 2003 Korean motion picture “Changhwa, Hongryon” written and directed by Kim Jee-woon, Anna (Emily Browning) returns home after spending time in a psychiatric facility following her mother’s tragic death and discovers that her mother’s former nurse, Rachel (Elizabeth Banks), has moved into their house and become engaged to her father, Steven (David Strathairn). Soon after she learns this shocking news, Anna is visited by her mother’s ghost, who warns her that Rachel has evil intentions.

Together, Anna and her sister (Arielle Kebbel) must convince their father that his new fiancee is not who she pretends to be, and what should have been a happy family reunion becomes a lethal battle of wills between stepdaughters and stepmother.

Worth seeing?

As long as this is better than The Unborn…which isn’t asking much at all.
But it’s disappointing to see yet another US horror rip off a probably better foreign film. Is there any originality left in the Hollywood horror industry? Also, Elizabeth Banks’ career should be given a speeding ticket; she’s in every second film and TV show at the moment. Luckily I don’t mind her.

Bottle Shock

Genre: Comedy/Drama
Rating: M
Running Time: 110min
Director: Randall Miller
Cast: Alan Rickman, Chris Pine, Bill Pullman, Rachel Taylor, Freddy Rodríguez
Official Website: View

For session times in your area, click here.

Studio’s Synopsis:

Brought together by a curious twist of fate on a dusty California road, a wandering vintner and a struggling winemaker find both their lives, and their careers, forever transformed at a blind Parisian wine tasting that introduced the world to the extraordinary wines of Napa Valley. The year is 1976, and Napa Valley has yet to gain the reputation as one of world’s best-known wine regions. Jim Barrett (Bill Pullman) has sacrificed everything in life to realize his dream of creating the perfect Chateau Montelena. Yet despite the fact that Jim’s Napa Valley vineyard has great potential, his son, Bo (Chris Pine), doesn’t seem to have much interest in the family business. Most days, Jim and Bo can be found trading blows in their backyard boxing ring — their attempts to knock a bit of sense into one another usually amounting to naught. Meanwhile, in Paris, British expatriate Steven Spurrier (Alan Rickman) finds necessity dictating that he educate Parisians on the latest wines to come out of California. Steven owns the Académie du Vin, and is eager to travel to the United States in order to ensure that he has conducted his research properly. Little did Steven and Jim realize that they were both on course for a chance meeting that would revolutionize the wine industry while opening up a whole new world of possibilities for wine lovers everywhere.

~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Worth seeing?
★ ★ ★ ½

I reviewed Bottle Shock here, giving it 3.5/5 stars. My conclusion:

“Ultimately, the shortcomings of the screenplay prevent Bottle Shock from reaching the top shelf, but that certainly doesn’t mean it won’t compliment your evening.”

Blindness
A city is ravaged by an epidemic of instant “white blindness”.

Duplicity
A pair of corporate spies who share a steamy past hook up to pull off the ultimate con job on their respective bosses.

Paul Blart: Mall Cop
When a shopping mall is overtaken by a gang of organized crooks, it’s up to the a mild-mannered security guard to save the day.

12 Rounds
Detective Danny Fisher  discovers his girlfriend has been kidnapped by a ex-con tied to Baxter’s past, and he’ll have to successfully complete 12 challenges in order to secure her safe release.

For session times in your area, click here.

Blindness

Genre: Drama/Thriller
Rating: MA 15+
Running Time: 116 min
Director: Fernando Meirelles
Cast: Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Danny Glover, Gael Garcia Bernal, Alice Braga.
Official Website: View

Studio’s Synopsis:

Brazilian director Fernando Meirelles (City of God) brings Jose Saramago’s much-loved novel Blindness to the screen with this ambitious adaptation. Like Saramago’s book, Meirelles chooses to forfeit names for his characters, instead spinning Blindness around the plight of a doctor and his wife (respectively played by Mark Ruffalo and Julianne Moore). A blindness epidemic strikes an unnamed city, forcing the government to put many citizens in quarantine, including Ruffalo’s doctor. Unable to conceive of life without him, Moore’s character feigns blindness and joins him in the grimy high-security institution where visually impaired citizens are kept. Their attempt to survive in the rotting facility, which quickly falls into disrepair and chaos, forms the backbone of Meirelles’s movie.

There’s a twist in the tale as Ruffalo and Moore’s characters struggle to lead the blind to a place where they can come to terms with their condition, and Meirelles makes the journey deeply unsettling. An impressive cast ably backs Ruffalo and Moore, including Danny Glover, Gael Garcia Bernal, and Alice Braga. Their performances give a palpable feeling of what it’s like to be blind, and even provide a few moments of dark comedy as they stumble through the institution in which they’re imprisoned. Meirelles’s movie, which essentially functions as an allegory for societal collapse, is an alarming and often distressing look at the dark side of human nature. The director often saturates the film with milky white color, reflecting the bright light the blind see when the condition besets them. This glare often makes it difficult to look at the screen, inflicting Meirelles’s audience with a feeling of momentary blindness. An atmosphere of tangible dread manifests itself as BLINDNESS progresses, and the ugly scenes of rape and brawling, largely caused by the meager food rationing among the blind, makes for emotional viewing.

Worth it?
I reviewed Blindness here, giving it 3/5 stars. My conclusion:

“Blindness takes the post-apocalyptic themes of Children of Men and blends it with the jilted morality of Lord of the Flies to questionable success. Whilst an intriguing, well performed and visually unique film, the shortcomings of the screenplay inhibit us from connecting with the all-important characters, preventing any fulfilling meaning from being drawn.”

Duplicity

Genre: Thriller
Rating: PG
Running Time: 125min
Director: Tony Gilroy
Cast: Julia Roberts, Clive Owen,  Tom Wilkinson, Paul Giamatti
Official Website: View

Studio’s Synopsis:

Oscar winner Julia Roberts and Clive Owen reunite for Duplicity, from writer/director Tony Gilroy ( Michael Clayton). In the film, they star as spies-turned-corporate operatives in the midst of a clandestine love affair. When they find themselves embroiled in a high-stakes espionage game, they discover the toughest part of the job is deciding how much to trust the one you love.

CIA officer Claire Stenwick (Roberts) and MI6 agent Ray Koval (Owen) have left the world of government intelligence to cash in on the highly profitable cold war raging between two rival multinational corporations. Their mission? Secure the formula for a product that will bring a fortune to the company that patents it first.

For their employers–industry titan Howard Tully (Tom Wilkinson) and buccaneer CEO Dick Garsik (Paul Giamatti)– nothing is out of bounds. But as the stakes rise, the mystery deepens and the tactics get dirtier, the trickiest secret for Claire and Ray is their growing attraction. And as they each try to stay one double-cross ahead, two career loners find their schemes endangered by the only thing they can’t cheat their way out of: love.

Worth it?

Michael Clayton was a refreshing and engaging thriller, so there is no reason to suggest Tony Gilroy hasn’t given Duplicity the same treatment. A great cast and an exciting premise; this looks like a stylish and sophisticated thriller/romance worth a look.

Paul Blart: Mall Cop

Genre: Comedy
Rating: PG
Running Time: 91min
Director: Steve Carr
Cast: Kevin James, Jayma Mays, Shirley Knight, Raini Rodriguez
Official Website: View

Studio’s Synopsis:

Coming off the finale of television’s popular sitcom The King of Queens and 2007′s I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, funnyman Kevin James takes the role of a single dad in this largely physical comedy, which the actor also co-wrote. Paul Blart (James) is a hard worker, but has never landed his dream job of being New Jersey state trooper due to his excess weight. Determined to support his mother and his daughter, Blart takes the slightly less glamorous post as the security guard at his local shopping mall. He never complains, approaching the job with impressive diligence and pride, but doesn’t get much respect for it. It’s only when a group of misfits in Santa’s Helper disguises take hold of the mall and several hostages that Blart’s would-be cop smarts come in handy and he gets a chance to shine. With a deadly situation on hand, Blart may finally be able to show the world (and his romantic interest, who just happens to be one of the hostages) what he’s made of. Though the villains have several advantages over him, Blart has a Segway scooter and a big heart on his side. While many of its jokes come at the expense of James’s extra pounds, the film ultimately makes its star out to be a hero. With his everyman appeal, James is well-suited to play Blart, showing that even average Joes can make a difference with the right attitude. Paul Blart: Mall Cop takes the banal out of the shopping mall, infusing a familiar setting with energy, laughs, and high-stakes drama.

Worth it?

I reviewed Paul Blart here, giving it 1/5 stars. My conclusion:

“Unfunny, unoriginal and tedious – Paul Blart: Mall Cop is successful only at living up to the standard set by past films that have begun with the words ‘A Happy Madison Production’.”

12 Rounds

Genre: Action/Adventure/Thriller
Rating: M
Running Time: 108min
Director: Renny Harlin
Cast: John Cena, Steve Harris, Aidan Gillen, Brian White, Gonzalo Menendez
Official Website: View

Synopsis:

John Cena is New Orleans Police Detective Danny Baxter. When Baxter stops a brilliant thief from getting away with a multi-million-dollar heist, the thief’s girlfriend is accidentally killed. After escaping from prison, the criminal mastermind enacts his revenge, taunting the cop with a series of near-impossible puzzles and tasks …12 rounds…that Baxter must somehow complete to save the life of his fiancée.

Worth it?

Who the hell is John Cena? Sure I could Google him and save time, but I shouldn’t need to if it’s plastered on the film’s poster like he’s a household name…

Nevertheless, director Renny Harlin did give us the enterainging Cliffhanger and The Long Kiss Goodnight, but that back in the 90′s when he still had some credibility. Now we have him to blame for the Exorcist Prequel, and this film starring some guy called John Cena…