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Directed by John Hilcoat and written by iconic Australian musician and novelist Nick Cave (the two have previously collaborated, on 1988's "Ghosts... Of The Civil Dead"), The Proposition is a gritty and unflinching modern western set in rural Queensland in the 1880's. The film opens with a furiously chaotic shootout, bullets ripping through the tin shack where bushranger brothers Charlie and Mikey Burns are holed up following the **** and murder of a local family. The brothers are swiftly overwhelmed and captured by British expatriate Captain Stanley (Ray Winstone). Stanley is not satisfied with his victory, however, because the real villain remains at large - Athur, the eldest and most dangerous Burns brother is hiding in the ranges with the remainder of his posse. Rather than simply imprison them both, the captain presents Charlie with an ultimatum - track down and slay Arthur within nine days, or Mikey will hang from the gallows on Christmas day. It's a swift and effective introduction, giving us a telling taste of the violence and desperation that fill the rest of the film. Charlie locates his brother with ease, but gathering the courage and willpower to murder family is another matter. Arthur (Danny Huston) is an intellectual psychopath, quoting poetry and philosophising on life while carrying out brutal and heinous crimes. His eccentric personality and unflinching taste for extreme violence have developed for him a near-mythical legend status, and neither the local police nor the aboriginal tribesman are willing to hunt him down. Huston's brilliant performance is as charasmatic as it is unnerving, and is one of the highlights of the film. The bond between Arthur and the other posse members is unbreakable - the very definition of "mateship". As a result, he is fiercely determined to free Mikey and seek revenge on Stanley, and in no way suspects the impending betrayal from his brother. Back in town, Captain Stanley faces his own dillemna - businessman Eden Fletcher, who all but owns the local law enforcement, has demand that Mikey receive one hundred lashes a preemptive punishment for his crimes. Stanley knows that the ordeal would surely kill the boy, and in doing so nullify his agreement with Charlie and bring down the wrath of the remaining gang members. It's a harsh and uncomprimising narrative - can Stanley resist the bloodlust of the townsfolk and stay true to his moral code while still managing to bring about justice? The performances are exemplary, the entire cast potraying their characters with comfortable ease. The Proposition is filled with a vast array of minor characters, mostly crude and cruel men who are as much a product of the harsh country as they are of their convict backgrounds. Cave's script is tight and focused, the dialogue spot-on. The score, also written and performed by Cave with the assistance of violinist Warren Ellis, is unusual but highly effective, filled with murmering whispers and bleak soundscapes. The cinematography is absolutely breathtaking, perfectly capturing the achingly beautiful landscape with wide, open shots. These elements come together to create a realistic insight into colonial Australia, perhaps the most accurate recreation to date. The Proposition has been praised for its cynical but accurate potrayal of white/aboriginal relations in colonial Autralia; the white townsfolk treat the aboriginals in an extremely patronizing and condenscending manner. The racial juxtaposition is perhaps best exemplified by Captain Stanley's property - a fenced-off recreation of traditional (and relatively luxurious) English housing that greatly contrasts with the sorrounding countryside. The colonists are stubborn intruders, attempting to bring "civilization" to the vast land and in doing so destroying a rich and unique culture formed over thousands of years. A refreshing take on the dying western genre, The Proposition is so vigorously paced, so shocking in its violence and so beautifully shot that it demands the viewer's full attention. I can't recommend this one enough.

Based on a true story, Donnie Brasco subverts the glamour and scope of other successful gangster films for a more focused narrative, and the result is a very personal and effective film. The film follows a young FBI agent (Johnny Depp), as he manages to infiltrate a mafia faction through one of its veteran soldiers, Lefty (Al Pacino). The growing bond between Pacino and Depp's characters plays out beautifully, with both leads giving subtle and low-key, but brilliant performances. The dialogue is witty and sharp, and delivered near-perfectly by the vast majority of the cast. One element of the film that wasn't so effective was the subplot involving Depp's deteriorating relationship with his wife and family. These scenes seemed necessary, but in my opinion were a little clunky in their execution. While there were some scenes that could have been shortened or cut out entirely (the film coming in to a lengthy 150 minutes), overall Donnie Brasco is a fine gangster flick.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

In Do the Right Thing, Spike Lee has painted an astonishingly honest and human depiction of racial prejudice and ignorance. Lee presents us with a multitude of complex characters from a wide spectrum of racial and cultural backgrounds and portrays their involvement and experiences with race issues on an very personal level. The ending in particular was extremely though provoking - we're given no answers to the issues dealt with in the film, and this is in no way a mistake on the director's part, but a deliberate calculation that heightens the effectiveness of the film. The cast is brilliant, especially John Turturro, Giancalro Esposito and Lee himself. Do The Right Thing is a timeless masterpiece with timeless messages and a provocative insight into race relations.

Another subpar sci-fi action flick (Michael Bay's influence is clear) that further lowered my interest in the genre. Perhaps the script, as well as the film as a whole, was held back by Walt Disney Studios' constraints, but even so this is a film that targets kids younger than those portrayed in the film. The underlying teen romance subplot is unnecessary and totally holds back the flow of the film. As stated by a few critics, Bay has attempted to ride of the success of Twilight and other teen love films by incorporating those elements into a mostly action/sci-fi oriented film, but he's come up short. Timothy Olyphant is the most talented member of the cast, and it shows - but given the overall poor acting this isn't really saying much. It's a nice looking film, with impressive visual effects and passable cinematography, but neither of these elements can hold up a film on their own, and I can't help but feel that more of what was obviously a huge budget should have gone towards signing on more experienced actors. I Am Number Four is an effective film in that it will appeal to it's target demographic, but anyone outside that will likely end up pretty disappointed.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

Animal Factory, while not outstanding, is one of the most charming and effective prison films I have seen in a long time. Actor/director Steve Buscemi has done a great job, and despite the minimal creativity in terms of cinematography it's easy to see past the film's shortcomings thanks to a stellar cast. Willem Dafoe is absolutely brilliant, demanding the viewer's attention but not overplaying the role - he portrays his character with a sly, subtle perfection that is a delight to watch. Edward Furlong is also great for the most part, and the supporting cast - especially Mickey Rourke, playing the surprising role of a prison transsexual - are all excellent too. The cast potray their characters really effectively, bringing a charismatic flair to the film that draws you in emotionally, and Buscemi shows great talent as a director in his ability to bring the best out of his actors. Though there are a few somewhat baffling scenes, and a surprisingly low-key ending, Animal Factory is a great credit to everyone involved.

A premise alone isn't enough to make a great film, however - tension is slowly built through character development and interaction - but unfortunately, for a film so focused on atmosphere and unwaveringly serious conversation, the acting and dialogue are both totally subpar. I was surprised by how cynically the film portrays the effects of a desperate situation on the human psyche, as the group goes against all logic and begins to turn on each other. Natali has tried too hard to make complex political and social statements, and continually piles on allegory as each character makes their beliefs known, and it becomes a meaningless and confusing mess. The film makers have made the most of an limited budget; only a single set was used for the entire film, freeing up money to use on special effects, which are nothing special but get the job done.

Fifteen years after its release, Casino remains one of Martin Scorcese's tightest and most focused films to date. The narrative flows beautifully, driven by misplaced trust, greed, and betrayal. The dialogue is sharp and delivered flawlessly by an absolutely brilliant cast. Robert de Niro gives what I consider to be his finest performance since Taxi Driver, absolutely nailing the role and outshining his co-stars. Joe Pesci also does well, and as usual he and de Niro have great on-screen chemistry. Despite being three hours long, every scene feels natural and necessary, with no real filler. While I don't consider it to be better than Goodfellas, it is still an incredible film in its own right.

After finally getting around to reading the book I was truly excited to see the film adaption of Hannibal. Unfortunately, I was pretty disappointed. One of the most intriguing and important features of the book was Lector's background, revealed through multiple flashbacks throughout the story. I see no logical reason for Ridley Scott and the screenwriters to cut out such an integral element. Anthony Hopkins second performance as Lector is just as focused and well-executed has his first, so full credit to him. Gary Oldman plays Mason Verger perfectly, and the rest of the supporting cast are also fine. Julianne Moore however, gave what in my opinion was the weakest and least charismatic performance of the entire cast. She's no substitute for the brilliant Jodie Foster, and it shows. Ridley Scott gives some stylish flair, with some impressive cinematography, but overall the film feels less focused and streamlined than Silence.

Powerful, captivating and gruesome. Se7en plays out at an accelerating pace, drawing the viewer in more and more. As Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt put aside their differences and piece together the mystery, we're presented with (crime)scene after scene filled with brutal, intricate murders, each pertaining to the seven deadly sins. Fincher's direction is masterful; the visual atmosphere created by the dark lighting and aesthetics are complemented perfectly by the chilling soundtrack. Freeman and Pitt are both great, playing complex characters, and the character development and interaction was one of the best features of the film. Se7en is truly a classic thriller, and something recent horror films such as the SAW franchise owe a lot to.

A surprisingly honest film that proves Smith is capable of displaying tender, raw emotion and the hardship that goes with it. The characters are believeable and well-acted, and to be honest I think Jason Lee gave a stronger performance than Ben Affleck. Joey Lauren Adams was pretty annoying at times, but in the more serious dualogues between herself and Affleck she shows some real emotional intensity which doesn't seem forced in the slightest, something I really respect from actors/actresses. There's a lot of smart, snappy dialogue which has always been Smith's forte. The film drags a little in the middle third, and some scenes could certainly have been shortened or cut out. Overall though, Chasing Amy is a fresh and charming film, and one of the few romcoms I can tolerate.

Attack the Block is a fresh twist on the done to death alien invasion film, presenting its tale from the viewpoint **** of thuggish British teenagers. John Boyega gives a strong performance, but his character is just so uncharismatic. It's hard to warm up to a thug who robs a young girl at knifepoint in the opening scene. He later forces the girl to attend to his friend's wounds, refusing to seek a proffesional's help. The supporting cast is mediocre at best, totally overplaying their roles. The trashy teenage girls annoyed me to no end, with the exception of the down to earth Paige Meade. Nick Frost is wasted, given a promising character but underwhelming dialogue. Too much of the humour is reliant on pop-culture references, rather than anything really original. If there's one thing the film achieved to its fullest, it was reminding me just how much I despise British thug culture.

Four Lions is truly one of the most original and daring comedies I've seen in years. There's many who won't get the humour, and many more who will REFUSE to get it, labelling it as offensive and "too soon". If you love black comedy and don't mind a bit of controversy, you'll enjoy Four Lions. The script is masterfully crafted and had me laughing out loud almost a dozen times (something that doesn't happen often when I watch films alone). The humour reminds me of Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant's early projects, with lots of banter between the characters. Nigel Lindsay steals the show as Barry, the dimwitted and misguided fanatic whose plan to invoke a holy war involves blowing up his own mosque. His performance stands out, but the rest of the cast are brilliant too. The ending surprised me, with a rather cynical look at the modern media and how it reacts to terrorist attacks. Four Lions is a brave and clever black comedy, and will satisfy all but the most ignorant of critics.

American Gangster is Ridley Scott's first attempt at an epic gangster flick, and an impressive achievement. Scott borrows heavily from Scarface and Goodfellas in his tale of Frank's rise from unknown affiliate to drug kingpin, and the increasing paranoia and desperation that come with such a transformation. American Gangster feels more like a slightly dumbed-down tribute to these gangster masterpieces, rather than something equally sublime. That being said, American Gangster is one of the finest gangster films of recent years, if a little rough around the edges. At two and a half hours, it definitely felt as though some scenes could have been shortened, or even cut out altogether. The lengthy viewing time also made some of the drama feel a little forced and overexaggerated. Washington is fantastic as the polite and charismatic (but also ruthless) Lucas, and gives one of the best performances of his career. Crowe is a little overshadowed by Washington, but nevertheless does a fine job. The cinematography is near-perfect, the soundtrack complementing the 70's setting and role of the Vietnam War in the film was unexpected but certainly a nice touch. All in all, American Gangster is a fine addition to the dozens of gangster films out there, but it's unlikely it'll be cherished as a classic.

Miller's Crossing is a loving tribute to the classic gangster films of old. There's a lot of excellent acting, with on real weak point in the cast. The Coen brothers always do an near-perfect job at casting their films, and Miller's Crossing is no exception. The storyline can be somewhat hard to follow at times, with a twisted maze of double-crossing that will surely confuse the most attentive of viewers. Not a masterpiece, but a really exhibits the Coen brothers' potential.

The Italian Job turned out to be better than I expected. Looking through the cast I was worried that the director was relying on the ensemble of heavyweight actors to carry the film, but dialogue and story-wise, The Italian Job wasn't bad at all. There's a lot of unnecessary filler scenes in the middle third, and the director/editor could have easily cut out a good ten-fifteen minutes. As pointed out by a few users, Edward Norton is fairly disappointing as the film's villain among villains, and I would've preferred to see him cast as the lead man. That being said, Mark Wahlberg does a surprisingly good job, not overplaying the role. The supporting cast, particularly Mos Def and Jason Statham, lend some comic relief and and give an all-round solid performance. There's a heap of implausible moments in The Italian Job, so much so that I was scoffing at times at the ludicrousness of it all, but it's to be expected from a high-adrenaline action film.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

In No Man's Land, Danis Tanociv takes a simple premise, and applies it with a huge amount of intelligence and wit. The dialogue is sharp and often hilarious, and watching the Bosnian and Serb soldiers play off each other is one of the highlights of the film. There's a much greater emphasis on narrative and symbolism than cinematography, which is nothing special but gets the job done nicely. Tanovic paints a cynical portrait of the UN, questioning their involvement as peacemakers. The ending was merciless and not at all what I expected, but nonetheless brilliant. No Man's Land deserved the Oscar for best foreign language picture, and is a stellar debut from Tanovic.

John Hillcoat's adaption of the classic novel of the same name is a solid, loving and engrossing effort. Viggo Mortensen is absolutely brilliant as an unnamed survivor, trekking slowly towards the east coast with his son, played by Kodi Smit McPhee. The young and inexperienced McPhee holds Mortensen back in some scenes, especially the more emotionally intense dialogues that occur toward the end of the film. He does a satisfactory job, and shows a lot of potential, but nevertheless a more experienced child actor might have better captured the character. The script is pretty well thought-out, - there's very few of the cliches one might expect from such a film. However, some of the scenes drag out too long, and at times I was left wondering why certain scenes were necessary. The cinematography in The Road is immaculate. The way post-apocalyptic America is presented, with bleak, washed out landscapes and decaying buildings, is truly one of the most effective visions of a dying world I've ever seen. The Road is so filled with melancholic beauty and gentle, thought-provoking imagery that the situation in which the viewer watches the film will heavily influence their opinion of it. This is not a film to watch over some beers with mates - it's a film to watch alone and become totally immersed in.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

Hats off to Luc Besson for taking such a brave concept and absolutely nailing it. The Professional is one of the best films of the 90's, and trumps all but the best of today's thrillers. There's a really perfect balance between action sequences and slower-paced, dialogue driven scenes. The interaction between the confident Portman and soft-spoken Reno is quite beautiful, and kept me hooked even as the film slowed in pace towards the mid-way point. However, it's Gary Oldman who steals the show as the psychotic DEA agent, which is no small feat given Reno and Portman's solid performances. I don't think there can be any denying his performance was a inspiration for Heath Ledger's portrayal of the Joker - sometimes humorous, usually clever, and always tinged with a little insanity. The Professional truly is a gem - I just hope people can look past the mediocre critic reviews and form their own opinion.

I have really mixed feelings about Saw III. As a fan of the first two Saw films, I was intrigued to see what Wan and Whenell would do with the series, and the result was somewhat unusual. Tobin Bell, once again reprising his role as Jigsaw/John Kramer, is the standout in terms of acting. It was hard to care about the other characters, with the possible exception of Amanda, simply because they're portrayed so unconvincingly. It was interesting seeing the new focus on character development come into play, as Kramer transforms Amanda from survivor to apprentice. The ending really did surprise me; it's revealed this game was truly testing Amanda, and Lynn and Jeff were merely pawns. Traps in Saw III were gruesome, especially the pig carcass pit. My only problem with them is how straightforward they are to solve. Saw III was certainly a more mature entry in the series, but as usual, the interesting premise is let down by unconvincing acting and awkward, jumpy editing