Control, based off the memoir of Curtis’ wife Debbie (played here by Samantha Morton), is a beautiful, moving, but ultimately flawed elegy to the late singer. Music video legend turned feature film director Anton Corbijn (Nirvana, Depeche Mode, etc.) shot the entire film on location in stark black and white. Visually, this is a gorgeous and mesmerizing film, but where Corbijn fails is his blind desire to make this a study of one man and one man only, a decision that comes at the expense of nearly every other character introduced, including Curtis’ wife herself (a shameful waste of Morton).

An even bigger, and downright unforgivable, flaw is the misguided and joyless approach to Joy Division’s music. We are forced to watch lifeless performance after lifeless performance (and from the footage I’ve seen, Joy Division was anything but lifeless on stage), the only exception being a show where Curtis actually collapses on stage from an epileptic seizure. The band is only seen rehearsing and writing music once (are we supposed to believe music as powerful and influential as theirs just came out of thin air), and we never get a sense of why any of the other musicians are in the band. Corijn seems to strip every character around Curtis of a personality to somehow amplify the “specialness” of Curtis himself. None of this, of course, does the music and art of Joy Division any justice. And this is coming from someone who’s not even that big of a fan.

Sam Riley, who plays Ian Curtis, is the one shining light. He deftly carries the film through some painstakingly slow plot development and meandering story lines, like Curtis’ other love interest, Annik. The biopic, especially the musician biopic, seems to be a task rarely pulled off, and while this is a noble effort, clearly done with much love and respect to Curtis, it unfortunately falls way short of its subject.

6.5 out of 10

Unfortunately for him his personal life needs fixing as well. To make matters worse, one of his firms long lasting cases just suffered from one of the attorneys (Wilkinson) breakdown. Through the course of this movie, Michael is forced to not only try to keep Wilkinson together, but keep defense attorney Karen Crowder (Swinton) from gaining the upper hand, and saving his own personal life from going down in flames.

At first glance I got the feeling that this is another Grisham rip off with a Clooney spin. Within the first 15 minutes I was (as almost always) proven wrong. Tony Gilroy (Director) does a wonderful job moving us through this story and making sure that there are enough twists and turns to keep the viewer interested. Swinton does a great job holding her own against Clooney and I loved Tom Wilkinson taking on the role of the emotionally distraught attorney. Each character shows what Gilroy wanted to portray; principles, morality, and how far dedication will take you.

If I had something negative to say, it would have to be that George Clooney didn’t seem to give this his usual on screen power and lets a lot of the other actors carry him. Still the moods are done well and the ending is not as predictable as you might think. I wouldn’t say rush to the theaters for this one because it’s the kind of movie that you’re going to want to watch when it comes to video (can’t wait for the director commentary). I’d give this one a 7.5/10

Wahlberg did an excellent job in this none stop roller coaster action movie and is truly beginning to shine. I really love movies that portray a government as an evil entity as most of the time, this is completely true. As the story unravels, we’re introduced to the bad guys who we love to hate, but doesn’t Danny Glover look really old?

Almost everything about this movie is perfect. The cast, action sequences, cinematography and editing really emerge you into the twisting plot and the incredible dialog is just the icing on the cake, Another one of those movies you just don’t want to end.

The soundtrack was also magnificent and really fitting with the theme of the film, The drama although a little unrealistic at times, was nail biting stuff. I was very pleasantly surprised with shooter, I think you will be too. Mark Wahlberg is the next Bruce Willis.

I’ll give shooter a very admirable 8/10

This film was based on a true story and successfully pulls on your heart strings. I hadn’t seen so much as a trailer when I sat down to watch this film and was in fact clueless as to what it was about prior to watching it…boy was I shocked to find out it was a total tear jerker! I did however find it to be well written and superbly acted.

This is the type of movie that makes you grateful for what you have no matter how little it may be. Its a story about family about love and about true dedication to strive above circumstances to become more than you are. If this film doesn’t motivate you to try harder at whatever it is you wish to achieve then nothing ever will. It is thought provoking and causes self reflection.

I was interested throughout the entire film, there were no dull spots though it is not a fast paced movie. I’d say its a great film for anyone to watch and encourage you to set aside the 77min to do so. I give this one a enthusiastic 7.5/10

I found myself riveted on the screen and nothing could distract me as the story and character development unfolded. Like any film review you don’t want to take anything away from the person yet to see it but I can say it’s one hell of a climax…

Not often a film leaves you with your mouth wide open, this one did. I’d associated with one particular character in an extremely negative way throughout, as we all do in society, only to find the power of empathy at the end. Now that is some achievement and sadly something that isn’t done too often.

Most definitely in my top 100 and deserving of a 9/10

I’m still in shock I managed to sit through all 81 minutes of it. This sham of a crime / drama movie needs to be taken off any shelves and burned in a large open field so the stench of crap doesn’t pollute anything else….

I’m not even going to give you a basic plot outline for this one, nor list any of the flaws in this movie, what I am going to do is give it a rating of 2/10 and hope the rest of you don’t waste those precious 81 minutes of your life as I did. Horrible Horrible movie.

About 90% of this movie was filmed with hand held cams. The in your face, 12 cuts per second editing add to the suspense and drama. Normally I’m not a fan of this style of direction (refer to Michael Bay’s Transformer action sequences) But It works flawlessly setting the pace for this movie.

Lets talk about the cinematography, This film is stunning. Shot on location in London, Madrid and New York, The wide angled shots of the most popular scenery to the slick “zoom-in” aerial photography added to this movies arsenal of visual appeal.

The Score was magnificent, from the somba Spanish drum rhythms to the underground Techno from New York, this film has it all.

Although some of the fight scenes were over edited, the fact that the movie held the same flow throughout and kept a ridiculously fast pace for 2 hours is an incredible achievement in my eyes. I don’t recall ever being so immersed in a movie hoping for it to never end…

The acting was what has become expected of these huge name A-list stars and everyones performances was right on the money. I didn’t see a single letdown in this movie. Nothing, for me, this is the easiest 9/10 I think I will ever give. you must see this movie.

A journalist investigates a series of murders that follows the discovery of an unpublished novel by Charles Dickens in the cellar of an old Thames pub. Gradually he becomes obsessed with unraveling a century-old murder in the pages of the manuscript. Only when he has done so, with the help of a mysterious beach-combing tramp who stalks the Thames foreshore, is he able to solve the modern murders

There are some really nice touches bringing the 19^th century into the 21^st and vice versa, some of which might not strike you at the time. The story revolves around a lost manuscript of Charles Dickens, cleverly revealed throughout the course of the film. Derek Jacobi’s handling of two characters is pretty impressive, while Vinny Jones gets on with solving the riddles. There are plenty of unexpected twists and turns to keep the viewer entertained. It’s certainly not a blockbuster but a pleasant film nevertheless. User Review Rating: 6/10

Not so Mr Brooks. You don’t want to give too much away when you review a film because it always takes away any surprise elements for the viewer, but let’s just say this is Costner in a role not seen before…

Mr Brooks is quite a suspenseful thriller with some juicy twists. Well cast, very well played and leaves you with plenty to think about. User review: 7/10

It’s the emotional tale of a dying woman, played by Redgrave going back over a failed love affair some 50 years prior as conveyed to her daughters.

The script is very touching without being smarmy and the photography is superb adding just the right atmosphere. It’s a story of mistakes that are regretted and eventually seen for what they are. Through the tale Nina (Collette) finds her own resolutions as Ann reveals more and opens up.

I have to say, despite this being a terrific film I just don’t understand why the casters had a blue eyed Redgrave being portrayed earlier as a brown eyed Danes, it was the only thing that irritated me in an otherwise good film. User review: 7/10

Gosling does an equally good job playing the DEA all star prosecutor, my only small peeve is the unnecessary romance subplot, completely detracts from the head-to-head whit fest that is completely entertaining and a joy to watch….

This movie didn’t do as well as I thought it would, It’s surprising when you look at the current drivel been thrust upon us at the moment; refer to our Wildhogs or Firstborn reviews.

Fracture delivers, big time. It’s a clever, thought provoking whit-fest that should keep you glued to your seat and completely engrossed. If it doesn’t, I’ll buy you a Pabst. 8.5/10

Popular, middle class high student (Justin Chatwin) is beaten and left for dead by a gang led by project girl (Margarita Levieva) who mistakenly believes he informed on her recent jewelery store robbery….

The half dead student dumped in the woods leaves his body and follows the investigation into his disappearance. A tad moralistic but the acting is quite good and the personal growth of the characters comes through rather well.

I cannot give this film a fair review as I haven’t watched it in its entirety thank God, but if the first half is anything to go by I bet I can predict its outcome…

Questions will be left unanswered, the main cast are still completely unknown to the audience, nothing really happened, large robots who transform into cars came from a different planet, OK, well, maybe not that but I bet I’m close.

Am I wrong? do you not agree with this movie review? is there something I’m missing? leave us some comments, tell us what you think of first born. My rating is a 2/10

This film was billed as a romantic comedy and even has Drew Barrymore staring in in it, what could possibly go wrong? Well, this entire movie felt like a poker tutorial. Eric Bana playing “Huck” was dreadful. I lost count how many times he was explaining the ins and outs of playing poker… to the camera!

I could go on and on about how bad this movie is, I wont bore you with too many details. Drew’s performance was incredibly lackluster, Bana was just trying to subliminally sell us something (im still not exactly sure what!) its only saving grace with the cast is that Robert Duvall does an OK job playing Hucks hard ass father.

Unless you are an avid poker fan, stay as far away from this movie as you can. I’m even reluctant to give it a 6, without Duvall, it’d have been a 4! 6/10

This is a great movie with very few flaws. A lot of time went into the script and cast selection. I’m not usually a fan of crime drama / thrillers but this one seemed different, almost like more of an effort was made during its production. There are a few plot twists that add to the movies flow, most of which worked.

Another thing I really liked about this film was the lack of unnecessary violence. It wasn’t your typical Hollywood flick with blood, gore and brutality… the violence used was in my opinion, necessary, and actually useful in delivering the plot. The dialog was crisp and incredibly well written and acted. A film that makes you think and the complete opposite of what I was expecting. I’d give The Lookout 8/10

Before I begin this review I must say, I really hope Shia doesn’t become stagnant playing a similar role in all his upcoming movies. Although he plays his part incredibly well, I fear he may become branded as a one dimensional actor, this kid is talented, give him some more challenging roles!

Onto the movie, After the loss of his fater in a fatal car accident, Kale becomes withdrawn and distant. After a fight with a teacher at school, he gets into some serious trouble resulting in home arrest. Once his privileges are taken away he turns his attention to the outside world and becomes fascinated with his new neighbour Sarah Roemer playing Ashley.

Now, why cant the directors realize Shia’s talent and give him a decent lead female? It seems every movie he’s in, they give him some blond bimbo who cant act to save her life. Very disappointing.

I like the aspect of voyeurism in this movie, Its a nice change from the usual hack and slash thrillers we’re all so accustomed too, Your watching the bad guys through a video camera or peeking through a closed blind, the camera shots are great and suspense scenes make you believe you’re there.

As the movie unfolds, Kale watches a story on the news involving a kidnapping, after further investigation and spying, it becomes clear “whodunit”. Needless to say, it was one of his neighbors he’d been watching.

I really enjoyed this movie, Mostly because I enjoy watching Shia. The movies simplicity and decent script helped keep my attention throughout, if there was a better leading lady and less clichés (dark stormy nights, blood splatters) It would have been a tad better. A not too shabby 7.5/10

As the story unfolds Sandler really defines his character, his heart wrenching story really hit a nerve with me and I felt a lot of sympathy and anger whilst watching the movie, again, I cannot recall ever being so emotionally involved with a film.

This movie has a pretty spectacular cast with Liv Tyler as the “conveniently located therapist” and even Donald Sutherland got a nice role as the “don’t mess with me” Judge assigned to handle Sandler’s insanity hearing.

My only problem is the conveniences this movie presented. everything falls into place a little bit too predictably. That aside the script, acting, cast and plot are all just right. The movie held its direction well and kept me interested on all sub plots and stories. It even made me cry on 2 occasions.

A big 2 thumbs up to Mike Binder who wrote and directed Reign Over Me, I don’t think he could have possibly done a better job. A resounding 8.7/10 – must see

Now, when you think about British skinheads in the early 80’s violence, racism and brutality are the words that come to mind, This film strays away from typical skinhead behaviors and focuses more on the friendship and bonds that can be made no matter what clique your in.

I loved how this movie looked and felt. I was emerged in 1980’s England. The council estate, corner shop, graffiti, clothing everything was true to the era. The young actors did an amazing job developing truly believable characters, even the “bad guy” was played to perfection, I love a good Scouce bad guy.

Its not often I rate a film so highly but this is the easiest 9/10 I have ever given. This is a must see movie.

Despite its overly ambitious plot, POTC: at world’s end still makes you hunger for more. Hans Zimmer has shown yet again how amazing a theatrical score can be. This trilogy’s soundtrack is the only one I actually own on CD and worth every penny.

Bloom and Knightly give there usual high class performances, there on screen chemistry hasn’t dwindled the past four years, in fact, it seemed to be getting stronger and more believable, as was Depp’s immensely humors “Jack Sparrow” character. I don’t think anyone can get bored of him, he has defined a truly amazing character that will live on for many years to come.

The action is fast, The romance believable, The story concluded. POTC 3 at worlds end lived up to its hype and was worth every cent of an $8 entrance fee. A hearty 7.5/10

But as a fan, I went to the theater to see the movie, And the reviews and critics were right. The movie tries to do too much and in the end disappoints.

First, the movie fails to fully introduce any of the new characters, and for most of the first half is quite scatter brained and moves from sequence to sequence, failing to bring any of these stories really together.

Despite the poor development, the worst part of the movie was the cheesiness. Yes, we all know this is a comic adaptation. Yes, we all know comic books are cheesy. But not to this extent. For moments, I had actually believed we were sitting in the wrong theater, watching some horrible chick flick. There were moments in the movie that seemed out of ordinary, random, like chosen scenes from SNL making parodies of itself. As funny as this may sound, it made it difficult to continue watching the movie. We were constantly reminded of Tobey Maguire and James Franco’s inexperience as actors. Neither of whom could pull of the cheesiness or light-hearted fun.

The movie writers completely moved away from what the first two movies set up. And even worse, they deceived the movie-goer with the trailers. You enter the theater expecting more action, some darker events, but perhaps the same light-hearted comic book fun. Yet, you get less action, less plot development, “dark” events that are impossible to take seriously and will just laugh at instead, and over-sapped cheesiness that puts “Scary Movie,” “Not Another Teen Movie,” and “Can’t Hardly Wait” to shame. For a movie that was portrayed in the trailers as “the darkest of the three,” it earned the most laughters, mockeries, disappointments and walk-outs I’ve seen in a Spiderman screening.

It was honestly difficult to sit through this movie, it was nearly unbearable. Very disappointed in the way they chose to finish the series. I give Spiderman 3 a not so webtastic 5/10