music classical theatre film blog newsletter search: reviews trailers features a-z film blog film reviews archive: 2007 < film reviews archive: 2007 | 2006 | 2005 Closing the Ring Sob-story: slushy wartime romance directed by Richard Attenborough but worthy of little praise. I Am Legend 28 Days in Manhattan: As the last survivor on Earth, Will Smith must save humanity from a plague that has turned the population into zombies. Don't Touch the Axe Witty, frustrating and extremely long French Napoleonic romance. Paranoid Park A teenager finds himself embroiled in a crime in this strange and disconnected tale of not coming-of-age. St Trinian's Rupert Everett heads the all-star cast in this 'reimagining' Enchanted Disney's latest is a mix of animation and live action about a fairy-tale princess. Les Chansons d'Amour Unusual French musical exploring sexuality and gender. Politics a-plenty, shame about the songs… We Own the Night Joaquin Phoenix and Eva Mendes star in an uneven police thriller set on the dirty streets of 1980s New York. Southland Tales Donnie Darko director Richard Kelly returns with a follow-up, long in the making, confusing in the watching, and slippery in the understanding. A cult classic or a mashed-up mess - or worse still, possibly both… Hotel Harabati French oddity: a couple find a suitcase of money and things begin to fall apart He Was A Quiet Man A rather unimaginative comedy-drama about an office worker who shoots his colleague, saved by a superb turn by Elisha Cuthbert. Chromophobia Director Martha Fiennes with a strong cast and a weak script full of stereotypes The Nines Writer-director of Go returns with a mind-bending triple-bill of interconnected short films. Dizzyingly complicated. Hitman Adapted from the popular videogame, Hitman fails to impress despite locking down on it's target audience with uncanny accuracy… Blade Runner: The Final Cut A version for the 21st century: Ridley Scott has recut his 1982 masterpiece yet again, to produce the most visually arresting sci-fi film of all time. Wristcutters: A Love Story A road-trip through limbo: an unconventional oddity that's neither here nor there… The Darjeeling Ltd Three very strange brothers embark on a spiritual journey. Anderson's distinctive style is all over this, but is there any substance below? Sleuth Caine returns to remake his 1972 classic Sleuth, now playing the old Olivier role, in a darker, edgier and shorter version of a jealous duel of wits. TRAILER: Sleuth Beowulf The epic saga of Beowulf and Grendel meets the latest CGI technology to produce a sumptuous film. Shame about the story… TRAILER: Beowulf Weirdsville Director Allan Moyle plays it fast-and-weird in this screw-ball black comedy. Brick Lane Monica Ali's best-selling novel adapted into film. Can it retain the flavours of the original? Lions for Lambs Robert Redford's latest is an intelligent, discursive look at modern America, the politicians, the media and the masses. Riveting, fascinated, and excellently conceived. A masterpiece. TRAILER: Lions for Lambs Into the Wild A young man denies his well-off upbringing and sets off alone into the wilderness, determined to live a life of frugality. If only director Sean Penn had followed his example. In Memory of Me It's a monk's life… Planet Terror Robert Rodriguez presents his half of the sliced-up Grindhouse double-bill. Zombies, medical students and a machine-gun for a leg: it's as stupid as it is fun. Shrooms Low-budget Irish horror. A teen ingests a powerful psychotropic mushroom, and soon all hell is breaking loose. Death at a Funeral Director Frank Oz returns to our screens with a comedy about families, death and midgets. TRAILER: Death at a Funeral The Lookout Memento reimagined as a fun crime-heist thriller. Chris has memory problems and a job in a bank. Things are quickly bound to go pear-shaped. TRAILER: The Lookout Eastern Promises David Cronenberg reunites with A History of Violence star Viggo Mortensen, for a tough and suspenseful drama set on British soil. TRAILER: Eastern Promises Sicko Michael Moore turns his lens on the American health-care system, and finds injustice galore. Unsettling, both in its portrayal of truth and its use of untruth. TRAILER: Sicko Once Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova star in a beautifully judged, unassuming film of genuine passion. One of the finest films of the year. TRAILER: Once Stardust Can young Tristan cross the Wall and rescue a fallen star? Or will witches, evil princes, and pirates stand in his way? Matthew Vaughn (Layer Cake) directs from the popular Neil Gaiman story. TRAILER: Stardust Princess Animation set in the bleak and impersonal world of the pornography industry. An inside-out fairy-tale strictly for adults. TRAILER: Princess The Counterfeiters Walking a fine line between thriller and documentary, director Ruzowitsky creates an accessible film full of moral uncertainties. Excellent. TRAILER: The Counterfeiters Black Sheep New Zealand splatter-horror-comedy about mutant sheep. If that sounds good, you'll love it. If not, don't say we didn't warn you… TRAILER: Black Sheep Ratatouille Pixar returns triumphant with a tale of talent, cooking and rats. Visually stunning, original and heartwarming, it's a genuine return to form. TRAILER: Ratatouille Resident Evil: Extinction The Resident Evil franchise has the dubious honour of being the longest game-to-film series ever made. But at least part 3 has some zip. TRAILER: Resident Evil: Extinction Daywatch Jaw-dropping Russian fantasy-horror mixing inventive special effects and a Russian sensibility. TRAILER: Daywatch Control The life of Joy Division singer Ian Curtis, rendered in loving black and white. TRAILER: Control Kenny Australian mockumentary following the fortunes of a portaloo installer. Can it pull its head out of the U-bend? The Brave One Dark vigilante thriller or failed superhero movie? Can Jodie Foster make The Brave One more than an love-letter to gun-culture? TRAILER: The Brave One Yella Superb German film, taking up the themes of capitalism and past regrets without putting a shot wrong. A Mighty Heart Based on the disappearance of journalist Daniel Pearlman, A Mighty Heart shows the true power of true-life storytelling. TRAILER: A Mighty Heart Tough Enough A tale of a young mother's hardship: Tough Enough has certainly got grit, but surprisingly, it's got wit and verve too. Death Proof Tarantino's much delayed return with Kurt Russell in tow - has it been worth the wait? Superbad Teenage weirdos hatch a plan to celebrate graduation with ladies and booze in a new comedy by Knocked Up star Seth Rogen. TRAILER: Superbad Disturbia Neat Hollywood teen-thriller that knows its place. The Serpent French thriller with real venom and bite. TRAILER: The Serpent Atonement Much hype surrounds this adaptation of Ian McEwan's popular novel, but can Pride and Prejudice director Joe Wright pull it off? Breach Chris Cooper gives the performance of a lifetime in US spy drama Breach, playing devout Catholic and super-traitor Robert Hanssen. TRAILER: Breach Hallam Foe Tight and mysterious Edinburgh-set drama, starring Billy Elliot's Jamie Bell as spying loner, Hallam Foe. TRAILER: Hallam Foe Knocked Up The writer-director of The 40-Year-Old Virgin returns with the comedy film of the year. TRAILER: Knocked Up Seraphim Falls Pierce Brosnan and Liam Neeson star alongside some stunning scenery in a Wild West chase. TRAILER: Seraphim Falls Sugarhouse Tense London-based thriller about a drugs deal gone horribly wrong, based on the successful stage-play Collision. TRAILER: Sugarhouse Lady Chatterley Beautiful and beguiling French adaptation of DH Lawrence's classic novel of love, lust and class. The Bourne Ultimatum Matt Damon returns as icy amnesiac Jason Bourne in the summer's best three-quel by far. But can the Ultimatum match the spectacular thrills of Supremacy? TRAILER: The Bourne Ultimatum The Walker Woody Harrelson and Lauren Bacall star in a tale of riches and murder, set in the world of DC high society. Surf's Up Penguins, surfers and CGI: Surf's Up has certainly got style, but can it stay upright? TRAILER: Surf's Up Waitress A lonely waitress with a talent for pie-making finds love. Is this the perfect recipe for romance? Tales from Earthsea Studio Ghibli return with a beguiling and enchanting new animation, based on the works of Ursula K Le Guin. Prepare to be spirited away... TRAILER: Tales from Earthsea The Hoax Lasse Hallstrom directs this tale of journalistic fabrication centred on a fake biography of reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes. Transformers Warring robots are already on Earth, in disguise. Armageddon director Michael Bay returns with another sci-fi concept. Get ready for things to blow up... TRAILER: Transformers Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix The boy wizard returns to tackle the evil Lord Voldemort and smash all box-office records along the way. But does he still have the magic, or is it all getting a little old? Die Hard 4.0 A decade since John McClane found himself in a hijacked building, Bruce Willis reprises the have-a-go hero for a fourth instalment of mayhem. And it's actually rather good... Paris, je t'aime Juliette Binoche and Natalie Portman are amongst the all-star cast in an anthology of 18 short films centred on Paris. Walter Salles and the Coen Brothers are amongst the directors. Les Petites Vacances French New Wave actress Bernadette Lafont stars as an ex-teacher who takes her two grandchildren on holiday but neglects to tell their parents of her itinerary. Shutter Vengeful apparitions abound in this T-Horror tale of accidental death and unforseen consequences. La Vie en Rose Marion Coutillard plays Edith Piaf, in a biopic that plays all the right notes but not necessarily in the right order... Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer The Fantastic Four return to battle the Silver Surfer - but is there any place in today's world for such a light hearted gang of superheroes? Exiled Johnnie To directs another Hong Kong thriller about four hitmen sent to kill one of their former friends in pre-handover Macau. Ocean's 13 A third instalment of Las Vegas casino heisting reunites George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon et al with director Steven Soderbergh. Can we have too much of a good thing, or does Al Pacino make it worthwhile? Black Gold Hard hitting documentary focussing on the exploitative nature of the global coffee industry. Will it make you think twice about that ice latte? Wedding Daze Jason Biggs stars in yet another gross-out romantic comedy, directed by Michael Ian Black. Ten Canoes An Aboriginal morality tale, featuring forbidden love, sorcery, stunning landscapes and those titular canoes... Klimt John Malkovich stars in this surreal biopic of the Austrian artist, directed by Raul Ruiz. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End Johnny Depp's Cockney Sparrow is back, and it's even longer this time as director Gore Verbinski throws maelstroms, goddesses, boggling effects and Chow Yun Fat at the third instalment of the Disney franchise. Jindabyne Gabriel Byrne and Laura Linney star in this emotionally charged drama about murder and suspicion in a small, remote community. Zodiac David Fincher returns to the serial killer genre which helped him breakthrough in the first place. But those expecting another Se7en might be in for a surprise... 28 Weeks Later With Danny Boyle and Cillian Murphy busy with Sunshine, can more money make the sequel to their 28 Days Later rise above expectations despite their notable absences? Robert Carlyle is amongst the zombies this time... My Best Friend Daniel Auteuil stars in a French comedy about friends who part and come together again. Spider-Man 3 With Sam Raimi directing the third film and Tobey Maguire again hanging about in his superhero outfit of red and blue, is Spider-Man 3 another winner or a film too far? Fast Food Nation Large ensemble drama taking a sweeping looking at the various lives affected by the US fast food industry. Richard Linklater directs. The Upside of Anger Yet another US indie about a dysfunctional family dealing with a crisis - can it find anything new to add to the formula? Straightheads Brutal revenge horror movie starring Gillian Anderson. Definitely not for the faint hearted. This Is England Shane Meadows directs this tough yet sympathetic look at British racism in the 1980s - is he the next Ken Loach, or something else entirely? Typhoon Big budget Korean action thriller that may not be as dumb as it seems. Kwak Kyung-taek directs. Away From Her Touching drama about a husband slowly losing his wife to alzheimer's disease. Sarah Polley's directorial debut. Curse of the Golden Flower Zhang Yimou returns with another balletic, colourful kung-fu epic. Chown Yun Fat stars in this tale of secrecy and betrayal. The Lives of Others Thriller depicting the intrigue and espionage of the surveillance society that was 1980s East Berlin, directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck. Unknown Five men wake up locked in an abandoned warehouse, with no memory of how they got there. It quickly becomes clear they are involved in a kidnapping plot - but who are the criminals, and who are the victims? Sunshine Danny Boyle directs this Alex Garland scripted sci-fi thriller about a team of scientists sent on a mission to revive a dying sun. Lights in the Dusk Third and final part of Aki Kaurismaki's Helsinki based trilogy, following a lonely nightwatchman's doomed attempts at romance. The Caiman Italian director Nanni Moretti directs this wry send up of former president Silvio Berlusconi and his divisive effects on Italian society. Days of Glory Four men are summoned from their Algerian homeland to defend a French motherland they've never before set eyes on. Rachid Bouchareb directs this mix of politics and action. The Namesake Mira Nair directed adaptation of the succesful book of the same name, following thirty years in the history of a family caught between India and America. 300 Three hundred Spartans defy a Persian army of more than a million at Thermopylae. Adaptation of Frank Miller's comic tale of male machismo. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles The classic 80s kids cartoon gets the full 21st century CGI treatment. Patrick Stewart and Ziyi Zhang add voice talent. Factory Girl Sienna Miller stars as heiress and artist Edie Sedgwick, the original it-girl and sometime dalliance of Andy Warhol, here played complete with wig by Guy Pearce. Hayden Christensen also stars. Sleeping Dogs Billed as a black comedy, this low-budget number centres on an all-American elementary school teacher's secret. Desperate Housewives' Melinda Page stars. INLAND EMPIRE Master of the impenetrable David Lynch returns with another surreal masterpiece. Can you watch it without hurting your brain? Becoming Jane James McAvoy and Anne Hathaway star in this dramatization of the early years of Jane Austen's life. TRAILER: Becoming Jane The Good German Steven Soderbergh directs this noirish spy thriller, starring George Clooney. Duelist An incredible twist on the bog standard cop movie: balletic swordfights abound. Directed by Lee Myung-se. The Illusionist Edward Norton and Paul Giamatti star in this tale of magic and science in late 19th Century Austria. TRAILER: The Illusionist The Good Shepherd Matt Damon stars in this slow burning psychological spy drama, directed by Robert De Niro. TRAILER: The Good Shepherd