The heist flick seems to be back in business, after the popularity of the genre during the ‘60s and ‘70s of the previous century. A couple of years ago, the revival started with films such as The Thomas Crown Affair, The Score (starring the late Marlon Brando) and Ocean’s Eleven, a 2001 remake of, well, a 1960 movie, featuring Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis jr. and Dean Martin. What made the 2001 remake such a pleasing film to watch was the loose and daring direction of Steven Soderbergh and the setting aside of egos of its top cast.
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The Guardian has an interesting lead story about the pharmaceutical industry’s fear that they may be the next “target” for a Michael Moore documentary. I for one say “yeah!”

Ok, he might not be unbiased, but this is an industry that has slipped by without being scrutinized for way too long. Personally, I’m looking forward to some lefty propaganda in the upcoming “Sicko,” the supposed working name for the documentary. Bring it on!

Young actors who are suddenly launched to stellar heights, have often trouble continuing their careers when they get their feet back on the ground. Hayden Christensen was literally rocketed sky-high in the last two Star Wars movies, where he played the young Anakin Skywalker. This movie gave him the chance to show that he is a talented actor, starring as the lead star in this biopic about a young successful reporter. His choice is an interesting one, since he – once again – chooses to play an unlikeable character.

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Hooliganism has been the scourge of British society for some time: these so-called football supporters consisting of young and middle-aged men make up part of a very violent subculture. This adaptation from John King’s novel, follows a group – or firm – of Chelsea supporters as they go about their usual business of working, drinking and fighting. There is a high degree of realism in the portrayal of hooligan life and attention to the personal world of the people behind it. Although very reminiscent of Danny Boyle’s Trainspotting, this movie can certainly hold its own.

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It was established some years ago, that Asian (and predominantly Japanese) horror is the next hot thing in Hollywood. This process was originally initiated by the American remake of The Ring. Several other titles are currently in the making, including Walter Salles’ (Central do Brasil, The Motorcycle Diaries) Dark Water, starring Jennifer Connelly and The Ring 2, and Tom Cruise’s plan for a possible remake of The Eye. The Grudge looked interesting on paper, also considering the return of its director Takashi Shimizu. Alas, although some elements that made the original, Ju-on, a great contribution to the fascinating Japanese scary movie catalogue remain intact, The Grudge, starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, does not seem capable of surpassing mediocrity.
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What better place to see Bridget Jones : The Edge of Reason than in a London Odeon? The typical British humour, the locations and the stiff upper lips are the local ingredients which somehow manage to put a smile to my face without any of the actors having uttered a word. Renée Zellweger gained 30 pounds and put on a jolly good British accent again to bring the loveable Bridget back to the screen in this sequel.

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I’ve been made fun of quite a few times on this website over my love of rom-coms. Although I’m a sci-fi nut at heart I love watching romantic movies from time to time. The problem however is that Hollywood keeps making so many truly bad ones. I also quite like sports movies. Sure, you know beforehand that the main character is going to win in the end, but when done right these movies can be fun as well. So what if the two genres are married?

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Everything that involves Knights Templar, Illuminati, freemasons in combination with ancient history has my undivided attention; I consider myself to be quite knowledgeable on these subjects and therefore this movie was of particular interest to me. Nicolas Cage plays Ben Gates who is a historian and treasure seeker, in search of the ultimate treasure of mankind: the one of the Knights Templar. This treasure consists of ancient artefacts and art pieces of immeasurable value. Just this premise had me almost salivating in anticipation but eventually left me with an ambiguous feeling.

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Frankie is a young, deaf boy, who is told by his mother that his father is at sea working as a sailor. They correspond by sending letters to each other; letters that are intercepted and replied by his mother. What Frankie doesn’t know is, that his mother and grandmother have left his father, because of his abusive habits. The ship Frankie’s mother made up, turns out to actually exist and she is confronted with a dilemma, when Frankie becomes determined to meet his father.
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In Maria Full of Grace, the title character quits her job and decides to dive into the world of Columbian cocaine smuggling. After a quick but tough mastering of smugglers’ skills, including swallowing the goods (using grapes as a substitute for cocaine-filled condoms) and pretending to be a regular passenger, Maria sets off to New York City to deliver the precious and dangerous content of her stomach.
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