Obi - those are December's films as the site has updated since I posted.
November's films are:
Outbound:
Hustle and Flow
Rated 15, Drama, 116 mins
Megaphone: Craig Brewer
Headliners: Terrence Howard, Anthony Anderson
In a nutshell: A streetwise Memphis hustler in a mid-life crisis tries to find his voice and realise his long buried dreams in this gritty, absorbing drama. Seasoned actor Terence Howard who at last seems to be making his mark plays Djay, a man down on his luck who begins to write down his freestyle raps and teams up with a church musician.
Verdict: From director John Singleton (Boyz N the Hood), this was winner of the Audience Award at Sundance, and shouldnt be missed.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Rated PG, Family, 116 mins
Megaphone: Tim Burton
Headliners: Johnny Depp, Freddie Highmore, David Kelly
In a nutshell: This psychedelic and off-beat comedy owes more to Edward Scissorhands than the cuddly Gene Wilder we all remember. Set to become a cult classic for a whole new generation, this wonderfully eccentric and surreal adaptation not only features the delicious Johnny Depp, but also manages to be laugh-out loud funny. Best accompanied by an enormous chocolate bar.
The Wedding Crashers
Rated 15, Comedy, 119 mins
Megaphone: David Dobkin
Headliners: Vince Vaughn, Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams
In a nutshell: A pair of committed womanisers meet their match when they gatecrash one too many weddings and find themselves entangled with the daughter of an influential and eccentric politician.
Verdict: Vaughn and Wilson are hilarious as the die-hard party animals, set on one last bash before they retire from the wedding scene. Nude, crude and a right good laugh.
The Business
Rated 12a, Comedy, 113 mins
Megaphone: Richard Linklater
Headliners: Billy Bob Thornton, Marcia Gay Harden, Greg Kinnear
In a nutshell: School of Rock meets Bad Santa in this remake of the 1976 romp which originally starred Walter Mattau. This time its Billy Bob in the dug out with his team of little misfits who he must try and turn into champs.
Verdict: Not as family friendly as you might think, Coach Buttermaker is an alcoholic, pest-removal worker who briefly played professional baseball. Superb, cynical fun, not to be missed.
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
Rated 15, Action, 120 mins
Megaphone: Doug Liman
Headliners: Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Vince Vaughn
In a nutshell: John and Jane Smith are an ordinary suburban couple with an ordinary, lifeless marriage. But each of them has a secret, they are both assassins hired by competing agencies to kill the same target - each other!
Verdict: A sexy action adventure starring Hollywoods most talked about couple.
Silver City
Rated 15, Drama, 128 mins
Megaphone: John Sayles
Headliners: Chris Cooper, Richard Dreyfuss, Danny Huston
In a nutshell: When a good-looking frat boy with a dubious past runs for governor of Colorado, daddy makes sure that nothing will prevent his son from being appointed. However, the surprise discovery of a corpse soon threatens to unravel the corrupt local politician's campaign until a journalist-turned-investigator is hired to visit the suspects. Excellent political satire, this is a gripping and conspiratorial whodunit, packed full of atmosphere.
Verdict: Excellent political satire, this is a gripping and conspiratorial whodunit, packed full of atmosphere.
Dig!
Rated 15, Documentary, 107 mins
Megaphone: Ondi Timoner
Headliners: Anton Newcombe, Courtney Taylor-Taylor, Joel Gion
In a nutshell: Get ready to rock - you needn't be a fan of the bands to enjoy this vibrant documentary following the launch and subsequent careers of The Dandy Warhols and The Brian Jonestown Massacre. Winner of the Grand Jury Documentary Prize at Sundance, theres been huge buzz surrounding this feature, which was seven years in the making and tracks the friendship and rivalry that develops between the bands founders.
Verdict: Packed full of pop-star punch-ups and suitably outrageous rocknroll footage, dont miss it.
Kung Fu Hustle
Cantonese with English subtitles
Rated 15, Action, 99 mins
Megaphone: Stephen Chow
Headliners: Stephen Chow, Yuen Wah, Qiu Yuen
In a nutshell: In pre-Revolutionary China, Sing, a small time thief and wannabe gangster aspires to join the notorious "Axe Gang" while residents of a housing complex exhibit extraordinary powers in defending their turf.
Verdict: A jam packed, crazy action flick, which is unmissable - even for those who are normally put off by subtitles. Breathtaking stunts and special effects make this a hilarious roller coaster ride of martial-arts mastery and explosive comedic timing. A madcap movie, packed full of non-stop mayhem, you will never have seen anything quite like this.
Bewitched
Rated PG, Comedy, 102 mins
Megaphone: Nora Ephron
Headliners: Nicole Kidman, Will Ferrell, Michael Caine
In a nutshell: Isabel is a naive, good-natured witch, determined to lead a 'normal' life. Jack is a loud-mouthed actor trying to get his career back on track. When the pair are cast in a remake of the 60s comedy Bewitched they soon discover that their motives for accepting the roles are very different.
Verdict: Kidman's twitching nose is cute enough to cover Michael Caine's thin performance, although this remains a good comedy popcorn flick.
Cinderella Man
Rated 12a, Drama, 144 mins
Megaphone: Ron Howard
Headliners: Russell Crowe, Renee Zellwegger, Paul Giamatti
In a nutshell: Ron Howard's latest crowd pleaser warmly tells the true-life story of Depression-era fighter and folk hero Jim Braddock, who having lost everything turned to boxing in order support his family, and in turn defeated heavyweight champ Max Baer in a 15-round slugfest.
Verdict: A good ol--fashioned drama featuring a stellar cast - and a roller coaster ride of emotions. They don't make 'em like they used to.
Land of the Dead
Rated 15, Horror, 93 mins
Megaphone: George A Romero
Headliners: Simon Baker, John Leguizamo, Dennis Hopper
In a nutshell: It's been two decades since master filmmaker George A Romero's zombies have stalked the screens of cinemas and now a new chapter of horror is about to begin. The world is merely a memory, what's left of mankind is cordoned off behind the walls of a fortified city struggling to survive, while the walking dead roam outside.
Verdict: Great, gory fun, this long-awaited sequel is a must-see.
Batman Begins
Rated 12a, Action, 140 mins
Megaphone: Christopher Nolan
Headliners: Christian Bale, Katie Holmes, Liam Neeson
In a nutshell: Exploring the origins of the Batman legend, and how the caped crusader started out. In the wake of his parent's murder, Bruce Wayne decides to fight the sinister forces that threaten the city.
Verdict: A fast paced, dark action flick - featuring a particularly creepy baddy played by Cillian Murphy, this is a far cry from the last Batman instalment, and a much more moody affair.
Coming home:
The Island
Rated 12a, Action, 131 mins
Megaphone: Michael Bay
Headliners: Ewan McGregor, Scarlett Johannsson, Sean Bean
In a nutshell: Set sometime in the future, the story centres on a society which invests in human cloning as an insurance policy against illness and disease, hey presto you can grow yourself another organ/limb/offspring, delete as appropriate.
Verdict: Ewan McGregor in a white jumpsuit? Mmm, guess it must a movie about cloning. Sure enough, settle back for some superb - if slightly exhausting, sci fi action.
Stoned
Rated 15, Drama, 102 mins
Megaphone: Stephen Woolley
Headliners: Paddy Considine, David Morrissey, Leo Gregory
In a nutshell: As creative leader of The Rolling Stones during it's infancy, Brian Jones led a sordid and debauched life, chronicled here in this strangely mesmerizing depiction of the final months before his death. Found at the bottom of his swimming pool after being let go from the band, a verdict of accidental death was eventually given.
Verdict: This is a step back in time to when rock stars were arrested for drugs and didn't show up to their own gigs. Were we talking about Pete Doherty?
Bad News Bears
Rated 12a, Comedy, 113 mins
Megaphone: Richard Linklater
Headliners: Billy Bob Thornton, Marcia Gay Harden, Greg Kinnear
In a nutshell: School of Rock meets Bad Santa in this remake of the 1976 romp which originally starred Walter Mattau. This time it's Billy Bob in the dug out with his team of little misfits who he must try and turn into champs.
Verdict: Not as family friendly as you might think, Coach Buttermaker is an alcoholic, pest-removal worker who briefly played professional baseball. Superb, cynical fun, not to be missed.
The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lava Girl
Rated U, Family, 93 mins
Megaphone: Robert Rodriguez
Headliners: David Arquette, Taylor Dooley, Tayor Lautner
In a nutshell: From the creators or Spy Kids comes another adventure that's out of this world. Not really one for the grown-ups. Kids are sure to be captivated by Maxs imagination and his superhero friends who come to life.
Verdict: Whilst originally filmed in 3D, our test audience (a 4 old year Spiderman fan) didn't seem bothered by the lack of cardboard goggles and avidly sat through it twice, whilst critics reckon it's better without the third dimension!
The Longest Yard
Rated 12a, Comedy, 113 mins
Megaphone: Peter Segal
Headliners: Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Burt Reynolds
In a nutshell: A remake of the 1974 classic, Sandler stars as Paul Crewe, a pro quarterback who is serving time alongside former college champion and coach Nate Scarborough. When the pair are asked to pull together a football team made up of inmates to take on the guards, the result looks a lot like revenge.
Verdict: Great slapstick moments make this crowd-pleaser perfect popcorn entertainment.
Lords of Dogtown
Rated 12a, Action, 107 mins
Megaphone: Catherine Hardwicke
Headliners: Emile Hirsch, John Robinson, Heath Ledger
In a nutshell: A breathtaking and gritty fictionalised ride, which follows the surf and skateboarding trends, that originated in Venice, California - aka Dogtown, during the 1970's. Focusing on a trio of rebellious teens, the Z-boys, as they come to be known, pioneer a thrilling new sport and unknowingly depict the birth of modern day skateboard culture.
Verdict: An honest and accurate take on this legendary sport, this is a breathtaking ride through Dogtown.
The Descent
Rated 18, Horror, 99 mins
Megaphone: Neil Marshall
Headliners: Myanna Buring, Craig Conway, Natalie Jackson
In a nutshell: With a tagline that reads 'Afraid of the dark? You will be ..', you know exactly what youre going to get from this, the latest horror from Dog Soldiers director Neil Marshall. Centering on a group of friends who go caving, the trip takes a turn for the worst when they realise theyre trapped, and that theyre not alone.
Verdict: Successfully playing on almost every primal fear, this claustrophobic, gore-fest is billed as the best British horror film this year. Be brave, it's worth it.
Unleashed
Rated: 18, Action, 102 mins
Megaphone: Louis Leterrier
Headliners: Jet Li, Bob Hoskins, Morgan Freeman
In a nutshell: Having been adopted as a child by debt collector Bart, Kung fu prodigy Danny is raised like a dog and trained to attack whenever his collar is removed. Escaping from his captor, Danny is taken in by a blind piano tuner who helps him reintegrate into society.
Verdict: Produced and written by Luc Besson, this sympathetic and gripping movie has both brawn and brains.
Crash
Rated 15, Drama, 113 mins
Megaphone: Paul Haggis
Headliners: Don Cheadle, Matt Dillon, Sandra Bullock
In a nutshell: A collection of LA residents find themselves inextricably linked over a 36 hour period, during which their entire worlds collide in a thought-provoking and unflinching look at the complexities of racial tolerance in contemporary America.
Verdict: This is the directing debut for the writer of Million Dollar Baby, last years Oscar hit, and features a distinguished cast. Powerful, poignant and unpredictable, this is a bold reminder of the importance of tolerance and one of the years best movies.
The Honeymooners
Rated PG, Comedy, 85 mins
Megaphone: John Schultz
Headliners: Cedric The Entertainer, Gabrielle Union, Mike Epps
In a nutshell: Bus driver Ralph is one of life's dreamers, and when yet another of his wild schemes falls flat he wonders how he'll ever provide for his family. When his wife's dream home goes up for sale, he teams up with his best friends in the hope of getting together enough money to put a deposit down, but raising the cash proves more difficult than he ever thought.
Verdict: A remake of the classic 1950s TV comedy, this is a no-brainer comedy that ticks all the necessary boxes and will doubtless entertainment most people for a few hours. Just don't expect an Oscar winner.
Fantastic Four
Rated PG, Action, 106 mins
Megaphone: Tim Story
Headliners: Jessica Alba, Ioan Gruffud, Julian McHanon
In a nutshell: A group of astronauts gain superpowers after cosmic radiation exposure and must use them to oppose the plans of their enemy, Doctor Victor Von Doom.
Verdict: Featuring larger than life stunt action, this latest comic book adaptation is packed full of CGI, combine that with an action packed plot and believable performances from all the cast and youve got a box office blockbuster.
War of the Worlds
Rated 12a, Sci-Fi, 117 Mins
Megaphone: Steven Spielberg
Headliners: Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning, Justin Chatwin
In a Nutshell: Earth is invaded by alien tripod fighting machines, one family fights for survival. A super-scary Spielberg special that's sure to set your pulse racing.
Verdict: If you can suspend belief for a couple of hours, and handle an adrenaline fuelled ride through destruction, this is terrific - if nail biting - fun. If not, try renting ET when you get home.
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A bit of a mixed bag but I think I can find something to watch on both journeys :0)
