[Jules]

Alright, this won't be the usual detailed reviews that I do. Just quick reviews of what I thought of movies currently out in the cinemas that I've seen.

1) Beowulf
Plot: The warrior Beowulf fights and defeats the monster Grendel who is terrorizing towns, and later, Grendel's mother, who begins killing out of revenge.
A completely simplistic synopsis I've given you there but other than bringing in the word temptation, there's not much else I can really say to explain the plot.
Review: A fantasy tale based on a poem that has been stretched unbearably to a feature film. This isn't a bad film, it's just not that good. There's no reason why we should care about Beowulf and the fact that it drags doesn't help, either. Terrific CG doesn't make a film.
I'm giving it two and a half for an average tale that just didn't hook me in.

2) Hitman
Plot: Based on the game of the same name, Agent 47 is ensnared in a political conspiracy, which finds him pursued by both Interpol and the Russian military as he treks across Eastern Europe.
Review: Again, a seriously average popcorn action movie. Games just aren't being given the courtesy they deserve when they are translated to films. Many holes in the story, the only redeeming quality is having Timothy Olyphant (Go and Girl Next Door) as the lead. This isn't crap, though. It's just average action movie with perhaps less action than most people will want.
Generous three out of five for not boring me.

3) Eastern Promises
Plot: The film follows the mysterious and ruthless Nikolai (Viggo Mortensen), who is tied to one of London's most notorious organized crime families. His carefully maintained existence is jarred when he crosses paths with Anna (Naomi Watts), an innocent midwife trying to right a wrong, who accidentally uncovers potential evidence against the family. Now Nikolai must put into motion a harrowing chain of murder, deceit, and retribution.
Review: F*ck me, Viggo Mortensen has turned into a pretty damn good actor. Tremendous acting. It's a pity that Naomi Watts is in this. I dislike her immensely. A really good film, a different take being shown on the gangster lifestyle. Coming out of it, though, it was hard to specifically say what was good and bad about the film. It's still a good film to see.
Four out of five.

4) Death at a Funeral
Plot: Chaos ensues when a man tries to expose a dark secret regarding a recently deceased patriarch of a dysfunctional British family.
Review: It's really funny. Good British humour. I really enjoyed it, despite some of its stupidity (especially Alan Tudyk running around on drugs). A funny, entertaining comedy.
Three and a half out of five.

5) Good Luck Chuck
Plot: In order to keep the woman of his dreams from falling for another guy, Charlie Logan has to break the curse that has made him wildly popular with single women: Sleep with Charlie once, and the next man you meet will be your true love.
Review: Formulaic romantic comedy done horribly bad. That's a pretty good summary. Some laughs, mostly chuckles. Jessica Alba is not fit for this kind of comedy. Her character is ridiculously annoying. I came into this movie with the lowest of expectations. It beat my expectations by a small margin. Not a good movie whatsoever.
Two stars (I'M BEING SO GENEROUS)

6) Michael Clayton
Plot: An attorney known as the "fixer" in his law firm, comes across the biggest case of his career that could produce disastrous results for those involved
Review: See this. It drags like all hell but George Clooney is incredibly good in this, Tom Wilkinson is good in this and most of all, every scene in the movie actually has something to do with the plot and conclusion of the film! See it, see it, see it, see it. Be warned, I do like these kind of movies so it might be not as good to you as it was to me. Only downside is how it drags but still good!!!
Four out of five.


So those are my reviews as to what is out at the moment. I'll post more in this if I see anything over the next few days.

[Mickey]

I'll just post it here: Don't see 30 Days of Night. It is a sack of horse ****.

[denis]

Michael Clayton is boring as ****, i don't think its a movie people my age can appreciate as much as adults can, my dad enjoyed it.
2/5

[scardas]

i just watched Hitman today, i have never played the game so i dont know about the lack of holes n all that, but i thought it was a really good movie.

[vivian]

2 stars for Good Luck Chuck is abit generous don't you think?
The people need the truth man, there is $15 dollars involved!

[Jules]

What, Two stars (I'M BEING SO GENEROUS) doesn't explain that I'm being extremely generous?

[Jules]

Into the Wild
Plot: After graduating from Emory University, top student and athlete Christopher McCandless abandons his possessions, gave his entire $24,000 savings account to charity and hitchhiked to Alaska to live in the wilderness. Along the way, Christopher encounters a series of characters that shape his life.
Review: Okay, two major things. One, this is a long movie. It's 148 minutes but the slow pace makes it seem longer. Two, this is based on a true story and it might be best to go into this without any knowledge of the situation (although it's hard to avoid).
Other than those two things, this is an excellent movie. Sean Penn does a fantastic job bringing this tale to the screen, with all the actors; especially Emile Hirsch, performing well. This is a beautifully shot film. It really shows off the range in environment in the United States, without interfering with the plot. The cinematographer has done a brilliant job. The character development is strong and there are strong emotional points which can't be readily replicated for other films.
Couple of problems: one is the pacing; it does lead to looking at your watch. The other is the occasional breaking of the fourth wall, with Emile Hirsch directly looking into the camera. It's a niggly thing that just made the film seem a little bit less authentic, although these feelings lasted moments.
However, looking over these problems, this is a film which will stir many emotions and the ending has such impact that you will leave the cinema shaken.
I really loved this film.
Four out of five.