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Claustrophobic sufferers beware, you're in for a scare. 'Buried' is good film, nothing to special but it features enough of a decent plot device to fill the full 94 minutes without feeling outstretched and bloated. At times, it does however, feel like Macgyver in a box, err, coffin. You can tell the director was inspired by **** as a filmmaker as there are multiple eerie influences by the grand master in this movie. Both the lighting and the camera angles are supporting characters in this film as they attempt to focus on a terrific Ryan Reynolds.

'The Interpreter' is just simply not thrilling. That's quite a shame considering the film in question is a "thriller". Regardless, one of the final movies directed by Sydney Pollack does have its moments, with Catherine Keener a standout in her supporting role. Regrettably the two lead actors aren't as exciting. Sean Penn seems to do a decent job playing a rather dull and lifeless Secret Service agent and Nicole Kidman doesn't exactly light the world on fire with her South African accent. The filming locations are real, which is something at least.

Talk about breathing new life into a genre that probably has the most DIE-HARD fans out there. While science fiction features have been entertaining us for decades, District 9 breaks the mold and goes against the grain in terms of showcasing a completely different backdrop in contrast to the norm. While this flick deserves high praise for its originality, it is sadly quite convoluted in many parts. However, once the picture builds up steam, you eventually make sense of it all. Having said that, I still can't help but feel the director left it too late in the film.

Many critics have noted over the years that 'Die Hard' is one of the greatest action movies of all time. I would be partial to that sentiment to a certain degree. It isn't one of the best films ever made but it is top of its class in its respective genre, which is good enough for me. Bruce Willis is a terrific hero but It's Hans Gruber (played by Alan Rickman) who is the standout character of the flick. He's simply everything you ever look for in an evil villain - and the accent only helps. If you're looking for a fantastic popcorn feature to enjoy then look no further.

Going into this film as NOT the biggest Will Ferrell fan and only lukewarm to past performances of John C. Reilly, I had average expectations of how this film would turn out. Needless to say, I was decently surprised of how bad it didn't turn out. Sure, it wasn't a comedic blockbuster but it did produce some laugh out loud moments which had me chuckling. However, it should be noted that the two standout performances (in my opinion) were that of Adam Scott as the egotistical younger brother and his suffering wife played by Kathryn Hahn.

Usually, I don't pay too much attention to what the critics have to say, but in this instance they are unquestionably wrong, wrong and did I mention... wrong! 'Dumb & Dumber' is a fine movie, but more importantly it is one of the funniest flicks I've personally ever had the pleasure of watching in my entire life. It is simply the KING of the buddy comedy genre, even almost eighteen years after it was originally released in movie theatres. Directed by the Farrelly brothers who excel at comedy and starring Jim Carrey, it's no wonder why this movie is great.

At times 'The Day After Tomorrow' feels more like a made for television disaster miniseries than a AAA Hollywood title. You know, those movies we're excited about when first hear the outrageous plot (usually involving the destruction of iconic American landmarks) but are entirely disappointed when we actually watch it. However, this isn't because the special effects are cheap and unbelievable, but more so because the acting in this picture is incredibly bad. Paris Hilton bad. Now that's hot... err, bad. Watch this flick for the destruction scenes ONLY.

Must resist 'Psycho' motel references. *cough* Oh, hi. I didn't see you there. Anywayz, 'Vacancy' is... well, rather average. It's not so much of a bad film as it is pretty boring. It neither expands the genre nor offers anything new or fresh. The acting performances were alright (at best) but these lead actors weren't exactly believable as a married couple which repelled me from further from enjoying the movie. The production values are cheap but that simply might have been the intention to further point out that this isn't the Hilton Hotel by any stretch.

For what It's worth, it must be hard to make a zombie-esque film as they've been done like dinner. Overcooked and all! Did 'The Crazies' feature characteristic, horror film cliches? Why yes, it did. Truthfully it would be hard not too given the genre is overstuffed with these type of movies. However the finished product (in truth) turned out to be a lot more fresh and original than most living dead features these days. Not too shabby for a remake. As long as you're not expecting to bare witness to a Academy award-winning screenplay you'll be fine.

This second helping is darker, grittier and more obscene than the original but not necessary better or worse than its predecessor. I found 'The Hangover Part II' to be more of a continuation of the first film (as the title suggests) then a entirely new sequel. Being an R-rated comedy, you're not going to unearth a more rancid, scandalous hive of foul language, full-frontal nudity or drug references but quite frankly you shouldn't expect otherwise and it's this appeal which won over so many fans from the 2009 movie. Warning: watch this picture with an open mind!

Even though the chemistry between the two male leads (played by actors Paul Rudd & Jason Segal) was one of the better aspects of the film, I couldn't help but feel 'I Love You, Man' could have been much better explored - particularly the back story of Segal's character. This feature is good, not great, excellent or astonishing funny but it is fine for what it is. The supporting cast were decent but this picture is essentially a two-man show even though the "bromance" seemed to have been somewhat rushed along with the overall running time of the movie.

'The Hangover' is one of those buddy comedy films where you have to stop asking questions, grab a bucket of buttery popcorn, sit back and enjoy the ride. Character development is virtually non-existent and not everything is correctly wrapped up and explained by the end of the movie. Regardless this is a truly funny feature. The unpredictably and random events are what I'm sure most people will highly appreciate. The lack of a proper narrative is fine and although some people might be put off by the nudity I thought it was brilliantly amusing

One thing 'The Big Year' is, is not humorous. Nor is it particularly clever or thoughtful. What exactly is this movie about then? Despite it's unoriginality the story itself is fresh. There haven't been too many films made about birdwatching let alone 'comedic' ones. The frequently changing setting matters not as the locations are simply stunning and makes some of David Attenborough's documentaries seem dull in comparison. You won't churn out any laughter with TBY but as long as you realise it's simply a quaint, little feature then you simply *might* enjoy it.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

Could 'Dinner for Schmucks' forebode the return of the screwball comedy genre of film? Given how pleasantly good this movie was it very well could. Going against the grain for these type of features, Schmucks focuses more on quick-witted and edgy jokes instead of the standard toilet humour which proved to be a breath of fresh air. While the two leads were great, without question the stand out actor is Zach Galifianakis who portrays Therman Murch. He provides audiences with one of the funniest, freshest characters seen on screen in years!

Laughs were had but they were few and far between and merely chuckles every now and then. While this isn't a bad film (it's not exceptional either) I didn't find it to be particularly funny. I would classify it more as an independent spiritual awakening with an element of dramatic flair than anything else. The cardboard storyline and simple dialog won't win any awards but the characters themselves are quite interesting especially Paul Rudd who portrays the lead as the "idiot brother". It's no surprise this flick debuted at Sundance as it emulates that indie vibe.

It's interesting that with all the hi-tech technology and wonderful gadgets this film shows off on a grand scale, at the end of the day it doesn't differ much from when E.T. decided to phone home. However, this time mankind is being lured by those aliens and in actual fact - they might not be aliens at all. But I digress. Essentially this movie is about the unknown and ones interpretation of the overall philosophy of life and its meaning. I don't know what I was expecting from 'Contact' but too many questions were left unanswered for my liking...

One half of me says to continue watching this film, the other half thinks it should sink dead in the water and I should flip on something else. For an action/disaster movie 'Poseidon' is rather, well... safe. And easy to foretell. Predictable at best to be perfectly honest. It's neither boring nor bland and some of the "escape" scenes are well directed but overall this feature offers nothing new in the genre. Truth be told, pick a side (heads or tails) and then throw a coin in the air to determine this picture's fate because it honestly could go either way.

First and foremost, to the critics and users who 'awarded' this film a one or two, what did you honestly expect? It's a disaster feature directed by the master of doomful movies, Roland Emmerich. He's been making these type of flicks for quite a while now and his style and overall substance hasn't changed much over the years. Yes, '2012' has cheesy acting, modest screenwriting and an absurdly nonsense plot but again I ask the question - were you expecting something different. As far as cataclysmic pictures are rated, this is average.

What starts off as a promising film to some extent slowly but surely begins to unravel itself from that decently tied knot after the first thirty minutes. After that, it's all downhill for 'The Box'. While the premise itself is somewhat interesting (based on a 1970 short story titled "Button Button") the screenplay fails to maximise whatever potential the story might have had, instead decides to capitalize on a plot line that is incredibly far-fetched and never makes perfect sense. Regardless, I'm sure *some* fans of the psychological thriller genre will enjoy.

Being the FIRST-EVER animated film for both Steven Spielberg and John Williams you would think this film (although pretty good) would have been classic perfection due to the immense build-up over time it's taken these two men to make a picture of this scope and scale. I was expecting the 3D motion capture computer-animation to be much more lifelike, much like how Avatar when it was released. Instead this movie felt too 'cartoony' for my taste buds despite the fact that the content is marketed to the late teen/early adult demographic.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

Although the subject matter was tragically deep and at times truthfully poignant, the ability to execute this film as a solid narrative was a failure of first time director Tom Ford. While the writing was generally decent (Ford was also co-writer in addition to his directing role) his direction ultimately left me pining for something more real and gritty and less flashy with sprinkles of shallowness of the side . Sadly a lot of the movie itself felt like a really long perfume advert. The best thing about 'A Single Man' was simply the wonderful and divine Colin Firth.

Alotta **** Need I say more? The first film in the Austin Powers series, "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery" sets the tone in a amusingly camp and whimsical way for the preceding sequels. Mike Myers does what Eddie Murphy largely failed to do in "The Nutty Professor" or "Norbit" - that being portraying multiple characters who both DON'T outshine the other and provide equal amount of laughs. Although there are a lot of references to 1960 spy flicks (namely the Bond pictures) anybody who enjoys a good comedy will adore this movie.

If you're a fan of the video games and have not seen this film then DON'T suddenly scramble away to the nearest video store with the belief that this film is anything like those titles, because that would be a bare-faced lie. Whilst this movie does hold its own for the most part it deviates so far from the popular games that it bares only minimalistic origins to It's original inspiration. Positive aspects about this feature is the soundtrack which features music very suited to the atmosphere of the setting and the CGI which was fantastic for the time.

Based on a comic book titled 'Red' (no capitals) this movie adaptation doesn't really know what direction it wants its viewers to ferret out. While the action is self explanatory the film often confuses itself with the fine line between comedy and drama. Unfortunately the plot is simply dull although the characters themselves are cleverly layered out; if only they had something decent to do. Particular praise must be highlighted towards John Malkovich who is absolutely hysterical in his portrayal of a paranoid retired C.I.A. agent.

As a film which has the arduous task of combing elements from both horror AND thriller genres 'Silence of the Lambs' works out relatively decent with the exception of a few minor hiccups The first is character development. It's most definitely featured but is rather weak and lifeless. You simply don't care that much for these characters or their back-stories. Jodie Foster gives a stunning performance but I felt that Anthony Hopkins portrayal of Dr. Hannibal Lecter was overblown. If suspense is more important than gore you should enjoy this flick.

This film, 'Casino Royale' is like a breath of cool, fresh air in the sense that it absolutely refreshes the entire James Bond franchise. Daniel Craig has exceeded all expectations and has successfully molded his own version of the famous 007 spy. The movie itself is dark, gritty and realistic; gone are the days of the cheeky, suave Bonds we've previously seen in the past. However if you're not a fan of poker this flick will prove to be both tedious and boring at times and the lack of a decent villain is somewhat disappointing to say the least.

With quite the lengthy title It's satifsying that the movie itself is exactly the opposite, in no way being tiresome or tedious. 'The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!' in the first film in It's respective trilogy and proves that movie adaptations based on television programs can indeed work if excelled at. If you're a fan of laugh-a-minute, side-splitting comedies then this flick WILL bring about the funnies in more ways than one. Simply put, It's slapstick comedy at Its near-finest and is one of the best flicks I have over my entire life.

One of the most accomplished Australian films in recent memory, 'Animal Kingdom' is a tale which follows the story of a young man as he's thrust into the life of crime and relentless violence. The performances in this movie are ALL outstanding but kudos must go towards Jacki Weaver who portrays the family matriarch struggling to keep her boys on a tight leash. It's no surprise to hear she was nominated for an Academy Award for her portrayal of Janine 'Smurf' Cody. A small and limited budget doesn't always equal bad flick.

Not as commendable as the original but better than the second film. All in all, the third installment in the Paranormal Activity franchise is a mixed bag. Much like the previous two films this movie is no different as it gradually builds up the terror and suspense as it progresses. While it does have a slow start it really climaxes in a frightful ending which leaves you scratching your head in astonishment. While most horror series begin to drift off into absurdity territory by the time a trilogy is completed these flicks show no sign of slowing down.

It wasn't the odd choice to film this movie in a documentary-style narrative which was the sole let down, but rather the character development (or lack thereof) of the survivors. I honestly couldn't care less if they died which is not exactly expected of an audience when watching a horror flick as traditionally they should root for the good guys. The entire film was morbidly depressing and is definitely one of the weaker installments in George A. Romero's "Dead" series. Thankfully massive amounts of blood and gore weren't lacking. Phew!

Chances are you're most probably a fan of the television show if you see this movie. Or at least you should be because only a real PokÃManiac would like everything about this feature, even the not so good aspects. Noticeable differences from the anime include better animation (larger budget no doubt) which is this film's strong suit, but sadly it more or less ends there. The story is rather bland and stereotypical, especially the abrupt ending. The music seemed strange and although easy on the ears it didn't match the mood of the flick.

Although marketed and advertised as a comedy-drama film, this movie truthfully skimps on the laughs but redeems itself in the dramatic sense. However there are so many different themes in 'Up in the Air' one could be forgiven in thinking the flick (in itself) is a self-motivational handout. Sadly some are left unanswered. Despite that George Clooney is excellently cast in the lead which matches his public persona of being quite charming but the standout has to be Vera Farmiga; a desirable choice for Clooney's love interest.

You have to give the director credit for at least having the balls to go against the grain and try something different. Sometimes risks are worth it and they work out. Other times they are not so successful. I'm divided on this movie. The story is fresh and original with a lot of potential to be had, but most was wasted on an awful script with corny dialog and I won't even attempt to justify the wooden acting. Thankfully the general premise is strong enough to award this feature some dignity. A decent effort from a first time director.

One of Adam Sandler's most enterprising projects to date, 'Little Nicky' tells the story of the son of the devil trying to strike a balance between heaven and hell and saving Earth in the process. Although not as funny as some of Sandler's early work i.e. 'Happy Gilmore' and/or 'Billy Madison' this film is still light years ahead of some of Adam's more recent movies like 'Jack and Jill'. Whats more is that you don't even have to be a true metalhead to "get" some of the references but it is much more appreciated if you are a fan of the genre. Supporting cast are so-so.

Set as a prequel to the 1982 film of the same name, "The Thing" is horror/thriller set in Antarctica which follows a team of scientists as they struggle to stay alive after unearthing an alien from another planet. Perhaps the best aspect of this movie is the fear of paranoia emulating from each of the survivors as they try to determine which one of them is not human before It's too late. This flick is okay but it offers NOTHING new or exciting to the series and could almost be a remake of the original remake.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

The flick, "GoldenEye" is certainly one of the best James Bond films ever made (the greatest in the Pierce Brosnan era) so in a film series which encompasses more than twenty movies I would say that is quite an impressive feat. This feature manages to bring to the big screen everything you love about these pictures e.g. large amounts of action, sexy Bond girls and really horrible villains you can't wait to see get their comeuppance by 007. Perhaps the only drawback is the lot itself which takes a backseat to the theme of betrayal.

"The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" is the first film in the "Chronicles of Narnia" series of books in which this film was adapted from. The special effects in this movie are beauteous but It's the landscapes which are simply breathtaking. The acting from the children is nothing special but Tilda Swinton manages to convincingly portray the White Witch as the horrible **** she was in the novel and I must make mention of Liam Neeson who was an excellent choice as the voice of Aslan. I would recommend reading the book first however.

"Doubt" is one of the better acted films I've had the fortunate opportunity of seeing for quite a while. Every single actor in this movie pulls off spectacular performances in each of their quite unique and different roles. Once again Meryl Streep is the standout and her conduct is nothing short of spectacular. However more character development could have been further explored into the backgrounds of the three respective leads and the ending abruptly ended on somewhat of a cliffhanger without giving the audience closure.

It's common knowledge these days to believe that M. Night Shamalamadingdong is nothing more than a one-trick pony. Yes, his name IS amalgamated with this film but luckily for us he is only producing the movie and not actually directing it. Does that fact help? Maybe yes, perhaps no. Either way I have mixed feelings about "Devil". It's neither frightening nor suspenseful but it does have an element of unpredictability which is appreciated. All in all It's nothing special but it does do It's intended job for what It's worth.

A period piece set in the second World War! What magic is this? Actually, It's a movie known as "Captain America: The First Avenger" and it actually holds up rather well against some other recent dreadful comic book films *cough* Iron Man 2 *cough*. It a small way it could almost be likened to "Inglourious Basterds" in that it follows fictional characters in a made up scenario, but in a very REAL war. The action scenes and soundtrack are fantastic yet I couldn't help but feel that the script and direction were too overly simplified.

This is the first major motion picture chronicling the life of Britain's first female Prime Minister Margret Thatcher. Sadly, the end result is not good. The direction is rather poor and multiple scenes are jumbled up quite regularly. A clearer narrative would have suited this flick much more. However, not all is bad as Meryl Streep absolutely gives the performance of a lifetime, certainly one of the better performances over her long, lustrous career. Her alone is really the only thing that can redeem this otherwise messy movie.

Unlike the 1971 film 'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory', this movie manages to stray closer to the original book that Roald Dahl penned. The result creates a more weird and quirky atmosphere that even Tim Burton fanboys are used to. Whilst the soundtrack was orchestrated beautifully by longtime collaborator Danny Elfman, it was another fellow confederate in Johnny Depp who was puzzling. His portrayal of Willy Wonka was so random in his mannerisms you couldn't help but scream out for Gene Wilder.

It's not just some of the food featured that's light and fluffy, but rather the context of this film. That's not to say Julie & Julia is a bad movie but if you were looking for a more serious and somber biopic then you may have to look elsewhere. The acting is marvelous with Meryl Streep the standout, however that is to be expected by now. I do have another bone to pick though and it relates to the feeling that there's two features in one. I perhaps would have rated this flick much higher if the Julie Powell storyline was wiped altogether.

The sequel to the 2009 surprise hit Paranormal Activity, doesn't quite live up to the expectations of its predecessor. Whilst the first film had a frightning and suspenseful buildup to its epic climax at the end, this flick provides uneven scares that kill the mood. The acting in itself was nothing to be desired. I know there's a third feature in the series and with a forth on the way (due to be released in 2012) I hope the , franchise can redeem itself. P.S. If a large family is introduced in the next installment I'm going to scream!

More than a decade ago a movie called the The Blair Witch Project introduced to audiences worldwide a genre known as "found footage". Flash forward to 2009 and that style of film has been popularised once more in a little, independent feature called Paranormal Activity. The BIG question everyone wants to know -- is this flick scarier than the feature that started it all? Well, yes and no. It is frightful at times (particularly the last twenty minutes) but there's such a slow build up to the good stuff it's somewhat disappointing.

A mixed-race ensemble cast are featured in Danny Boyle's science fiction film Sunshine. Basically this movie follows the lives of eight astronauts as they work their way towards a combined goal of reigniting the dying sun with a bomb the size of Manhattan Island. If you enjoy psychological mayhem regardless of genre then this feature might be for you but I warn you now that this flick offers little in character development or their personal backstory before the trip. However, the music and score are glowing in appearance!

Unfortunately, the Dawn of the Dead remake (original was made in 1978) didn't live up to the prior expectations I had placed on the film upon hearing how good it is from my friends. Character development was virtually non-existent as the director instead opted to introduce more unnecessary empty shells as the movie progressed. The blood and gore was fine yet the zombies seemed more human than any recent flick of the same genre that I've seen recently. There's also a few cheesy moments which could have been left out.