Kwaidan

Release date: 29 December 1964 (Japan)

Even today this 1964 film by artist-turned-director Masaki Kobayaski remains a masterpiece. Whether viewed as a psychological horror, a histogram of creepy folktales or a fantasy, Kwaidan remains hugely influential in Japanese film even today and echos of Kobayaski's style appear in modern anime with his pioneering use of stark colours and subtle messaging that mixes fable and parable. The film is a compendium of four stories based on the stories of Lafcadio Hearn - Black Hair, The Woman in the Snow, Hoichi the Earless and In a Cup of Tea. Each has its eerie and supernatural aspects and of the four the first and third work the best. Hoichi the Earless is a profound segment that blurs the lines of history when a story teller's ability to recount the past has the ghosts of the past trying to recruit him.

Essential viewing for any Japanese film fan, Kwaidan gets my rating of 9 out of 10.

The King's Speech

Release date: 5 September 2010 (Telluride Film Festival)

Telling the little known story of King George VI's (an excellent Colin Firth) struggle with stuttering and the speech therapist, Lionel Logue (an even better Geoffrey Rush), who aided him, The King's Speech recounts a heady slice of European history from the death of George V (Michael Gambon), the ascention and abdication of Edward VIII (Guy Pearce) and the arrival of George VI on the throne at the start of World War II. Directed by Tom Hooper, the film gives us a peek into the Family Royal and the intrigue - real or imagined - of life at court. Everyone is good in this film and the production has a regal air about it fitting the subject matter. The film's best bits though are those with Bertie and Lionel alone working through his stammer and the psychological baggage that birthed it. A good film that marries a history lesson with a drama few of us - at the time - knew was taking place behind the velvet curtains of Buckingham Palace.

My rating 7 out of 10.

Fantastic Mr Fox

Release date: 14 October 2009 (London Film Festival)

After promising his pregnant wife, Mrs Fox (Meryl Streep) he'll refrain from his fox raiding ways to take up a job as a journalist, the erstwhile Mr Fox (George Clooney) moves his home from a den to an oak tree situated beside three of the biggest, baddest farmers in the county - Boggis and Bunce and Bean. There, with his very odd son Ash (Jason Schwartzman) grown-up and his nephew Kristofferson (Eric Chase Anderson) moved in, he resumes his chicken stealing ways. This inevitably leads to a war between the farmers and Mr Fox which draws in the entire animal community living beneath the ground. Directed by Wes Anderson and using stop-action animation - a decidedly brave move that works in a world of computer drawn animation films - Fantastic Mr. Fox takes Roald Dahl's much loved characters on a new adventure that is endearing, slightly odd, and wickedly funny.

My rating 7 out of 10.

Winter's Bone

Release date: January 2010 (Sundance Film Festival)

Daniel Woodrell's novel of the same name is adapted by director Debra Granik and becomes a movie critic's darling. When 17-year-old Ree Dolly (Jennifer Lawrence) is told the home she and her family live in will be confiscated unless her drug-dealing father Jessup is found, she takes things into her own hands to search the underbelly of Missouri hillbilly country - and its vile web of secrets and mean inhabitants - to discover the truth. Sadly, she finds it in a swamp but does come out richer for it. Winter's Bone is beautifully filmed in an unflinching fashion and cuts very near the bone. And while Lawrence, John Hawkes (as her uncle Teardrop) and especially Dale Dickey (as the cruel-to-be-kind matriarch Merab) are all excellent, in the end you have no emotional attachment to these folks - real as they may be in portrayal - and worse, tire of the dreariness of the whole thing. A good example of style over substance, Winter's Bone leaves this critic cold indeed.

My rating 4 out of 10.

Exam

Release date: June 2009 (Edinburgh Film Festival)

Stuart Hazeldine wrote and directed this stylistic thriller that has a mysterious group of wannabes entering a room to take an exam which will land one of them a much coveted job with the world's greatest pharmaceutical. At the outset the exam's invigilator (Colin Salmon) lays down the rules the 8 candidates must adhere to. These include no spoiling the exam paper; no talking to either the invigilator or the armed guard stationed in the room; and no leaving the room. With that, the exam and intrigue commence. The central players end up being White (Luke Malby), Black (Chukwudi Iwuji), Blonde (Natalie Cox) and Deaf (John Lloyd Fillingham) who - once they realize they can talk to each other - try to sort out the mystery and answer the question that appears to elude them. Exam is a well thought-out thriller expertly directed within the confines of a single room. It captures you from the opening credits forward with enough cerebral and physical action to keep you pondering. You'll look at your next exam a little differently for sure.

My rating 8 out of 10.

The Kids Are Alright

Release date: 25 January 2010 (Sundance Film Festival)

Lisa Cholodenko directs a film she wrote - and a very good original screenplay at that - which follows the arrival of a surrogate father into the lives of two lesbians and their two children. Annette Benning stars as Nic, the successful physician and 'father' of the family. Julianne Moore is her partner, Jules, a woman still trying to find herself and her lot in life. When their teenage children - Joni (Mia Wasikowska) and brother Laser (Josh Hutcherson) - decide to meet their sperm-donating father Paul (Mark Ruffalo) it sets off all sorts of doubts and drama that challenges the family's dynamic. The film is refreshing in that it portrays two not unusual occurrences in life within the (to some) unique context of a gay couple with kids. Filmed with good humour, it all ends predictably enough - poor Paul aside - and Benning steals the show.

My rating 8 out of 10.

Toy Story 3

Release date: 12 June 2010 (Taormina Film Festival)

Lee Unkrick directs this latest installment of the Disney Studios juggernaut that keeps going and going. The playpen of characters returns including Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), Jessie (Joan Cusack), Lotso (Ned Beatty), Mr Potato Head (Don Rickles - who this reviewer always thinks is deceased), and Ken (Michael Keaton). As Andy heads for college, he toys with what to do with his beloved childhood friends. Opting to cart them to the attic, they are inadvertently waylaid by Andy's mom and end up in a notorious daycare overseen by an evil strawberry-scented teddy bear called Lots-o'-Huggin'. The story is formulaic to its core and despite the gorgeous animation, Toy Story 3 has a thoroughly been-there, done-that feel. And the Academy picked this an Oscar 2011 contender? Oh my!

My rating 5 out of 10.

The Men Who Stare at Goats

Release date: 8 September 2009 (Venice Film Festival)

Despite a stellar line up of stars, The Men Who Stare at Goats is simply too strange a film to warrant anything but passing interest. Ewan Macgregor stars as Bob Wilton, a loser journalist who ships out to Iraq to get a story that will make his girlfriend reconsider the fact he is a loser. There he meets Lyn Skip Cassady (George Clooney) who recounts a tale only a strung out San Franciscan could love of an army officer, Bill Django (a good Jeff Bridges), whose job it was to train a secret group of army misfits to be - wait for it - psychic Jedi warriors. Kevin Spacey appears being, well, Kevin Spaceylike as the Jedi warrior with a grudge, Larry Hooper. And yes, a goat dies. The film fails despite its tongue-in-cheek plot thanks solely to Macgregor who is thoroughly aggravating throughout the film. This reviewer kept hoping he'd be shot. Never a good sign, granted. Kudos to Clooney and Bridges for giving us something to focus on.

My rating 4 neahs out of 10.

Red

Release date: 29 September 2010 (Austin Fantastic Fest)

Retired Extremely Dangerous is what the initials stand for and to it you might add, fun to boot. Directed by Robert Schwentke, the ensemble piece stars a fine group of stars - Helen Mirren (as Victoria); Bruce Willis (as Frank Moses); Karl Urban (as William Cooper); the always crazy John Malkovich (as crazy Marvin Boggs); Mary-Louise Parker (as Sarah); Morgan Freedman (as Joe Matheson); the always fine Brian Cox (as Ivan) and even Richard Dreyfuss and Ernest Borgnine. Best watched by totally ignoring the plot and simply going along for the ride, it's great to see this cadre of fine movie stars in a vehicle that plays wonderfully to their age.

My rating 7 out of 10.

A Room With A View

Release date: December 1985 (Royal Command Film Festival)

An Ivory and Merchant film that is - as all Ivory and Merchant films are - exquisite. A Room with a View puts to film E.M. Forrester's fabulous novel of the same name. The film is a gorgeous love story with a overriding social commentary that pokes fun at English sensibilities at the turn of the century. Starring oh-so-young versions of Helena Bonham Carter as Lucy Honeychurch and Daniel Day Lewis as her pompous fiance Cecil Vyse; Julian Sands is Lucy's paramour George; the great Denholm Elliott is his father Mr. Elliott; Julie Dench is writer Eleanor Lavish - gotta love that name! - Simon Callow plays Reverend Beade and the great Maggie Smith is Lucy's cousin and chaperon, and ever-in-a-muddle, Charlotte. The film is rich on too many levels to count and the scene of Lucy coming upon George in the field high above Florence remains one of this reviewers most favourite movie scenes of all time.

My rating 9 out of 10.

500 Days of Summer

Release date: 17 January 2009 (Sundance Film Festival)

Marc Webb directs Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Tom Hansen and Zooey Deschanel as Summer Finn, the inspiration for the title of the movie. Tom is a greeting card copy writer who has become so caught up in his verses that when he meets new office employee Summer is instantly love-struck. What follows is a cute synopsis of their 500 days of ups and downs. Summer, you see, is a freer spirit and is fine with that nebulous commitment best termed 'friends with benefits'. When fate intercedes and she meets the man of her dreams, Tom is forced to realize sometimes love-struckness can be one-sided. 500 Days of Summer is a very good film that uses an inventive storyline complemented by fine acting to relate one of the great truths of dating - often you're not 'the one', but 'the one' is out there.

My rating 8 out of 10.

Finding Bliss

Release date: 8 January 2009 (Slamdance Film Festival)

Schlock. Pure schlock and poor schlock at that. A straight to dvd disaster that uses the premise of a 'real' film-maker Jody (Leelee Sobeiski), who, trying to make inroads into the industry, opts to work at an adult film company while secretly filming her 'real' movie in their studios at night. While the movie bills itself as a romantic comedy, the dreadful intermingling of a love story with porn makes the romance, pardon the pun, impotent. Directed by Julie Davis and with Matt Davis as Jody's romantic interest, Jeff Drake, the film's only redeeming quality is supporting actors Kristen Johnston as Irene Fox and PJ Bryne as Gary. What's sure, you'll not find any bliss in this awful film.

My rating 1 out of 10.

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse

Release date: 24 June 2010 (Los Angeles Film Festival)

(yawn)... finally the end of this sad journey. The usual gaggle of werewolves and vampires reassembles again including the unholy trio of shamelessly inane 'actors' Kristen Stewart as Bella, Robert Pattinson as Edward and Taylor Lautner as Jacob. David Slade directs the two sorry hours of tedious boredom; Bella graduates; Victoria returns for more revenge; Jacob still lusts after Bella. Amid the tiresome seen-it-all-before scenes rank with simply brutal dialogue lies the end of the saga. Let do hope and pray this dreadful series that only got worse as it evolved has finally met its eclipse.

My rating 1 out of 10.

Before Sunset

Release date: 10 February 2004 (Berlin International Film Festival)

Nine years after their first encounter in Paris, Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Deply) cross paths again when Jesse arrives in Paris at the end of a long book tour. The book, of course, is a veiled autobiography of his and Celine's before sunrise journeying. Both remain haunted by their first encounter and director Richard Linklater picks up where they left off dealing with the question: did either return to the train station as they promised. Before Sunset doesn't work as well as the first film. The couple are simply re-hatching old themes, driven by a plot vehicle - Jesse's soon departing plane - that feels false. Though both are wiser, sadder and more mature this time out, the passion that brought life to the first film is buried in too much psychological melodrama that is both too verbose by half and gives us characters weighted in stone rather than light. But perhaps that's the point?

My rating 6 out of 10.

Down with Love

Release date: 9 May 2003 (New York City, New York)

Down with Love is an homage to those silly, bantering romantic comedies of the 1960s. It is not trying to be something bigger or deeper or more meaningful. Its raison d'etre is simply lightness and silliness. Barbara Novak (Renee Zellweger) comes to New York to celebrate the publication of her women-can-have-lives-and-pleasure-without-men book - Down With Love. Journalist and womanizer extraordinaire, Catcher Block (Ewan Macgregor), is set on proving her wrong by trying to woe her - as someone else. It's all utterly ridiculous in the hands of director Peyton Reed and with the addition of David Hyde Pierce as Peter MacManus, Block's boss, and Sarah Paulson as Vikki Hill, Novak's agent, the mis-communication and comedic results are wonderful to see on screen.

My rating 8 out of 10.

Replusion

Release date: May 1964 (Cannes Film Festival)

In 1965 Roman Polanski directed a very young Catherine Deneuve in this deep and beautifully filmed psychological thriller. Deneuve is Carole, a young manicurist who lives in London with her sister Helen (Yvonne Furneaux). Carole is deeply troubled, in particular by men; repulsed in fact. A situation not helped by her sister who is banging her boyfriend Michael (Ian Hendrey) each nigh in their flat, nor by Colin (John Fraser) her wannabe boyfriend. Things come to a head when Michael takes Helen on a vacation leaving Carole alone in the flat. She soon slides into hallucinations as her mental state slips beyond the norm into a nether world where she imagines being raped as the walls of her flat - literally - come alive. Way ahead of its time, Repulsion is pregnant with subplot but try to avoid thinking too much and simply sit back and enjoy watching the great film-making. Exceptionally great even all these years on, Repulsion shows us how to create horror that doesn't need the gory effects so prevalent in today's films.

My rating 9 out of 10.

Sin Nombre

Release date: 18 January 2009 (Sundance Film Festival)

It doesn't end well. That said, Sin Nombre is a magnificent film that takes us deep into two miserable worlds: the gangs of southern Mexico and the lives of desperate families trying to escape poverty in Central America by making the dangerous journey to America. Directed and written by Cary Fukunaga, Sin Nombre shows us the story of El Casper (Edgar Flores), a Mexican lad brutally buried in gang culture and Sayra (Paulina Gaitan), a young Honduran refugee escaping to America with her father and uncle by riding train roofs across the breadth of Mexico. When the lives of these two youths meet atop the roof of a train one night, the film's true journey begins. Beautifully filmed and oh-so-sad to watch, Sin Nombre gives us in the 'have countries' a reality difficult to comprehend. Fate is cruel and despite knowing intuitively that his days are numbered El Casper aids Sayra in reaching the border as though his redemption for past sins rests on this goal alone. A must see.

My rating 9 out of 10.

Mission Impossible 3

Release date: 24 April 2006 (Rome, Italy)

JJ Abrams directs Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt in this latest MIF caper. Aiding Hunt is his usual crew - Maggie Q as Zhen and uber-cool Ving Rhames as Luther. Trying to finally exit the MIF life and retire, Hunt marries Julia (Michelle Monaghan). Alas the scriptwriters have different ideas for Julia after Hunt captures bad guy Owen Davian (a wickedly evil Philip Seymour Hoffman). She is duly dispatched to Shanghai as a bartering chip for Hunt to steal - wait for it - the "Rabbit's Foot", which is some crazy nuclear vial that will end the world or something - sorry, this reviewer lost track, and, frankly didn't really care by this point what it was all supposed to be about. In the end, there's plenty of action and Tom huffs and puffs his way through it all capably - the utter lack of any romance between him and Monaghan aside - and Billy Curdup, as double agent Musgrave, gets his comeuppance. Roll credits; roll eyes.

My rating 3 out of 10 for some breathtaking special effects.