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Tropic Thunder
A few decent laughs and a solid performance from Downey Jnr
can’t hide the fact that Tropic Thunder is a huge missed opportunity |
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Hellboy II: The Golden Army
A pleasingly dark but thoroughly enjoyable comic book flight
of fantasy that is yet another magnificent achievement for
its unique director |
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Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Flawed certainly, but The Clone Wars does what it says on
the tin. There are clones, there is war, and there is, at
last, an awful lot of fun |
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The Dark Knight
Believe the hype, because Christopher Nolan and his incredible cast have made a stunning film that deserves all of the adulation it has received so far and so much more |
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WALL*E
Funny and sweet, but also surprisingly sharp and satirical, WALL*E is Pixar’s most sophisticated film to date and therefore another significant point in their development as filmmakers |
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The Mist
A claustrophobic classic which casts us as the monsters, but
still manages to come lined with Darabont’s usual humanistic
tone |
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Wanted
Fight Club for people who don’t understand Fight Club, Wanted is full of the kind of macho nonsense that David Fincher’s film so cleverly satirised |
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Indiana Jones and the Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull
While Indy 4 isn’t quite the Holy Grail we’d all hoped for, nor is it the pit of Kali. Ford, Spielberg and Lucas have created an action-packed adventure that adds far more to the originals than it takes away |
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Joy Division
More footnote than companion to Control, Joy Division doesn’t
take enough risks to be the definitive account of Manchester’s
favourite sons |
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Persepolis
Funny and heartbreaking in equal measure, Persepolis filters
the political through the personal to make some important
points on the state of the world |
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Three And Out
A decent black comedy idea executed with the fumbling hands of novices, Three and Out is neither funny nor touching and will cause more howls of complaint than laughter |
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Drillbit Taylor
An uneven mix of modern and 80s comedy, Drillbit Taylor provides neither laughs nor heart and wastes the talents of those involved |
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10,000 BC
Witless and still overlong despite its short running length, 10,000 BC is a missed opportunity for some dumb matinee fun |
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There Will Be Blood
A thrilling, masterful piece of filmmaking that could be looked upon as a defining picture of its generation |
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Alien vs Predator: Requiem
About as frightning as afternoon tea with Paddington Bear, AVPR is every bit as bad as you'd think. And worse |
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Enchanted
Smart, irreverent and genuinely affecting, Enchanted is nothing short of a resurrection for Disney and could well be looked back on as one of their classics |
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Fred Claus
Nothing like a Christmas cracker, but not really a turkey,
Fred Claus is a messy but entertaining stocking filler |
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Beowulf
A marginal improvement on The Polar Express, but despite its
fine script and impressive performances, you can’t help but
wonder if Beowulf would have been better without all the technological
bells and whistles |
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Planet Terror
Just as pointless, boring and childish as Death Proof. Not even the sight of a mutated Bruce Willis exploding can save this one |
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SiCKO
Michael Moore has taken on his critics, rediscovered his heart and
created what is arguably his best film to date |
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Ratatouille
While Ratatouille may fall just short of Toy Story or Finding Nemo, it’s a magnificent dish served by a master chef at the top of his game |
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The Kingdom
The dumbest smart movie of the year, The Kingdom is ultimately confused as to what it wants to say and comes off rather foolish as a result |
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And When Did You Last See Your Father?
Man dies, son grieves: there’s the story. And it is a story that has been turned into an impressive film; a wonderfully true-to-life, grown-up treatment of the contingency and uncertainty of human relationships |
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Control
A masterful drama which eschews the clichés of the music biopic
to pay a fitting tribute to the tortured life and magnificent
music of Ian Curtis and Joy Division |
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Rocket Science
Rocket Science makes up for its lack of originality and structural problems with a sweet, gentle and honest story that favours relatable characters over geeky caricatures |
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Death Proof
A roaring rampage of rubbish, Death Proof is Tarantino’s worst film to date and a contender for the worst film of the year |
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Disturbia
It loses points for brazen unoriginality, but this Rear Window ‘remake’ is well worth a watch thanks to some subtle direction and another great turn from LaBeouf |
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Atonement
Handsomely photographed and ambitiously directed, Atonement is nonetheless hampered by its sticky structure and miscasting |
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1408
A scary film with surprisingly subtle chills and a real emotional core as well as a superlative performance from John Cusack |
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Hallam Foe
A strange and enchanting film which features one of the performances
of the year from Jamie Bell |
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The Bourne Ultimatum
The Bourne Ultimatum confidently mixes thrills and intellect
to make it not only the best blockbuster of the summer, but
also the best film of the trilogy |
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Surf's Up
Free of the pop culture references and postmodernism most
of its peers indulge in, Surf's Up proves to be one of the
most charming and low-key animations of recent years |
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The Simpsons Movie
A surprising triumph and perhaps the best film of the summer
so far, The Simpsons Movie is a wonderful big-screen bow for
America’s most famous family and may lend creators fresh impetus
to get the TV show back on track |
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Transformers
Any preconceptions about Michael Bay's involvement in this film get blown away in a hail of clanking metal, falling rubble and great humour as he comes up with possibly the best blockbuster of the summer |
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Paris Je T'Aime
Naturally there are a few duffers, but on the whole Paris
Je T'Aime is a wonderful example of how to successfully work
a genre of film that is so often fumbled |
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Die Hard 4.0
Fans will be disappointed by this watered down interpretation
of John McClane. But if you like your action big, stupid and
a little bit boring, Die Hard 4.0 has plenty to offer |
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Shrek The Third
Shrek the Third never comes close to hitting the heights of
the first two films, but it's got enough gags to keep audiences
entertained |
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Hostel Part II
The evolution in Roth's career has failed to materialise. Despite an odd flash of brilliance, Hostel Part II is more of the same and that‘s simply not good enough any more |
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The Hitcher
While it's certainly not a worthy successor to the original,
The Hitcher works well as a big, stupid thrill ride |
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Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End
Not as fun as either of the first two films, it takes itself too seriously at times and comes dangerously close to plot overboard, but is redeemed by some excellent action sequences and of course Johnny Depp |
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Jindabyne
Jindabyne is bold and interesting, but also stifled by a jam-packed and lightweight script |
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Zodiac
Despite its stirring photography and superb set-pieces, Zodiac is too bogged down with factual detail to work well as a drama |
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Magicians
A satisfying cinematic debut for Mitchell and Webb, Magicians is frequently amusing, but could have done with a clearer sense of the kind of comedy it is aiming for |
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Black Snake Moan
Sumptuous cinematography and a hazy exploitation feel can’t save Black Snake Moan from feeling vacuous and pointless |
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My Best Friend
A sweet-natured and warm-hearted piece of film-making, My Best Friend delivers whimsical laughs and a real feel-good factor |
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Spider-Man 3
It may be the weakest of the trilogy, but Spider-Man 3 finds our friendly neighbourhood webslinger swinging high, despite some huge flaws |
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Bridge To Terabithia
A very understated and moving film that takes a long time to get going, but is wholly rewarding and a family movie that the whole family will get a lot out of |
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This Is England
Bold, real and surprisingly tender, This Is England is a vital
piece of film-making from a director at the peak of his powers |
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Away From Her
A quiet little gem of a film, Away From Her is anchored by
two wonderful performances and a superb debut from Polley |
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Half Nelson
While the film has its flaws, Gosling's performance doesn‘t.
Half Nelson is a wonderful twist on a stale genre, which is
anchored by a career making turn from its star |
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Sunshine
Thought-provoking and at times overwhelming, Sunshine's eye-popping
visuals paper over the moderate flaws forming what is the
film of the year so far and Boyle's undisputed masterpiece |
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300
Nasty, brutish, hate-filled trash, 300 is a valentine to violence with no sense of morality whatsoever. Avoid at all costs |
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Ghost Rider
Half knockabout comedy, half Meatloaf video, Ghost Rider is watchable if only for Cage’s unpredictable lead turn |
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The Number 23
A step back for Joel Schumacher after the tight Phone Booth, The Number 23 is at times entertaining but mostly forgettable |
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Hot Fuzz
Though lacking the human touches of Shaun, Hot Fuzz is still
a wonderful follow-up for a trio who are fast becoming the
saviours of mainstream British cinema |
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The Science Of Sleep
Undeniably messy, but Gondry’s flight of fancy is a sight to behold and one well worth spending a few hours in |
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Little Red Flowers
An unusual and meandering film that won't be to everyone's tastes, but the performances of the kids are excellent and the overall 'fight the power' message is certainly worthwhile |
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Infamous
An interesting and enjoyable film which, while never quite as complex, certainly does not deserve to be eclipsed by its predecessor |
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The Fountain
Darren Aronofsky's latest is Love Story as directed by Stanley Kubrick and every bit as wild, foolish and brilliantly befuddling as that sounds |
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Rocky Balboa
Overbearingly masculine at times, but with moments of genuine tenderness, Rocky Balboa is sure to get fans' blood pumping. If the Italian Stallion does nothing for you, though, best stay away |
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Babel
An ambitious and frequently
uncompromising film from Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu
which will nonetheless leave you with a feeling
of hope |
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