Reviews - Film Ireland

Reviews

	The Damned United Not just for footie fans, The Damned United is a joy to watch. More		Paul Blart: Mall Cop Refreshingly expletive-free, Mall Cop has just one problem: it’s not really all that funny. More
	Flash of Genius More flash in the pan than work of genius, the film fails to deliver anything memorable. More		The International The International tries to be Bond and Bourne, but ends up leaving the audience out in the cold More
	Cadillac Records A lacklustre movie that offers little insight into the era. More		The Unborn The Unborn feels like a rehash of every other fright flick from the last 30 years, very nearly including the kitchen sink. More
	Push Though not hugely original and with more than a touch of Heroes about it, Push is still enjoyable enough. More		Gran Torino Uplifting and wry, Gran Torino upholds Eastwood’s cast-iron reputation More
	Punisher: War Zone Dark and gritty revenge movie or camp Batman and Robin-esque caper? Punisher: War Zone doesn’t know either. More		Vicky Cristina Barcelona A witty, yet serious film that asks ‘why is love so hard to define?’ More
	Revolutionary Road The Titanic reunion in Revolutionary Road is more camp than classic. More		Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist Sweet, funny and romantic without being cloying, this playlist is actually quite good. More
	The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Equal parts extraordinary and so very ordinary, overall Fincher’s latest fails to impress. More		The Good, the Bad, the Weird Unpredictable and full of suspense, this Korean action film will get you hooked and keep you interested. More
	Milk *Both highly engaging and entertaining, Milk* looks set for Academy® success.** More		Frost/Nixon With exemplary performances, Frost/Nixon is guaranteed to compel your interest. More
	Che Whilst both intelligent and creative, Soderbergh’s epic is at times an endurance test. More		Valkyrie Valkyrie provides the odd tense moment or two, but fails to pack a punch. More
	Rachel Getting Married Terrific performances, a beautiful script and inspirational direction make this a painfully poignant cinematic gem. More		Slumdog Millionaire Visually stunning and full of colour and life, Slumdog Millionaire is one of the must-see films of this year. More
	Año uña A well-composed, innovative first feature from Jonás Cuarón. More		La Bohème None too shabby, this adaptation of Puccini’s opera still manages to be magical, despite the melodrama. More
	Lemon Tree A gentle and bittersweet film set on the border between Israel and the West Bank. More		The Secret Life of Bees If you’re susceptible to an uplifting tale or a happy tear then The Secret Life of Bees is worth a chance. More
	What Just Happened A sharp and scathing satire that scrapes through the thin veneer of glamour hiding Hollywood’s dark underbelly. More		Lakeview Terrace Anyone satisfied with a clichéd fright will find what they’re looking for in Lakeview Terrace. More
	Changeling Jolie's brilliantly emotive performance makes Eastwood’s film an Oscar®-worthy contribution. More		The Baader Meinhof Complex While tough to watch in some parts and perhaps a little muddled towards the end, The Baader Meinhof Complex is still well worth a look. More
	Quarantine Though an inferior Hollywood remake of [REC], Quarantine will entertain those in search of a cheap thrill. More		Waltz with Bashir Startling and unsettling animation gives Waltz with Bashir an impact difficult to equal. More
	Body of Lies A smart action/spy caper better compared with the Bourne films than Full Metal Jacket. More		Quantum of Solace With plenty of fight scenes, mayhem and death to keep the escapist viewers’ adrenalin flowing, Quantum of Solace is a ‘see it twice’ movie. More
	Incendiary Incendiary represents an evolution in post-terror cinema and gives a glimpse into the terror-scarred western world. More		Alarm Alarm attempts the guise of a thriller but achieves audience reactions more akin to a cringe-inducing comedy. More
	Burn After Reading Another classic from the Coen Brothers – fans shouldn’t be disappointed with Burn after Reading and newcomers will be convinced. More		The Fall Touching and heart-warming, this work of art will keep you hooked. More
	Pride and Glory *Failing to sustain its grit all the way to the end, Pride and Glory* is good but not great.** More		Anton Well shot and with some visceral moments, Anton shows potential. More
	Death Race Though lacking the agoraphobic desolation of the original, Death Race delivers a testosterone-soaked hyper-reality. More		Unrelated *Refreshingly sophisticated and rife with lush visual metaphors, Unrelated* has a rare and laudable honesty.** More
	The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas As a fable of innocence versus evil, this adaptation is a remarkable achievement. More		Saviours A truly observational documentary, Saviours focuses more on the boxers than the boxing, and is none the less for it. More
	RocknRolla Though not as good as Ritchie’s early efforts, RocknRolla is a step in the right direction. More		Get Smart For the eyes of Steve Carell die-hards only… More
	The Wackness Despite its over-dependence on pot,The Wackness is a smart, atypical coming-of-age tale. More		The Duchess A well-acted, well-made movie, that fans of period drama will love. More
	Somers Town Though slight, Somers Town is a truthful, heartfelt, and immensely likable film. More		Elegy Strong performances and acerbic wit make Elegy a smart, engaging work. More
	Paris A highly intelligent, beautifully shot and extremely enjoyable film, Paris merits repeated viewings. More		Star Wars: The Clone Wars The Clone Wars may be visually impressive but has nothing that really warrants a theatrical release. More
	Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day With an enchanting leading lady and three charming leading men, this is the kind of romcom that most girls wish for. More		Savage Grace Lacking energy or structure, Savage Grace seems unable to make up its mind as to who and what it’s about. More
	Make It Happen Unoriginal, sappy and borderline offensive, Make It Happen is a disingenuous bore. More		The Dark Knight Set to be the biggest film of the year, The Dark Knight may also prove to be the best. More
	Meet Dave Meet Dave is an entertaining and safe choice for feel-good family entertainment. More		Forbidden Kingdom This classic kung fu story does the job, with exciting fight scenes and a humour-packed plot. More
	Hancock Although it begins positively, Hancock unravels under the weight of an extremely ill-judged twist. More		Couscous For a taste of something different, Couscous is the perfect dish. More
	Sex and the City Like a Prada handbag, Sex and the City never goes out of fashion. More		Iron Man Summer has landed with the entertaining and exciting Iron Man. More
	Prom Night While Prom Night may not be ‘A’ material, it does do the job, providing the required jumps and uneasy moments. More		Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Saved only by the charismatic presence of Ford, the latest ‘Indy’ installment is disappointing and CGI-ridden. More
	Cassandra's Dream Woody Allen’s latest is a pretty decent thriller, but not a single sex or psychoanalysis joke to be seen. More		Mongol Not a testosterone-filled battle fest, Mongol is a thinking man’s epic. More
	Persepolis An animated tour de force, Persepolis is a political but personal coming-of-age tale. More		California Dreamin' California Dreamin’ fails as a cheap-laughs, easy-going comedy, but turns into something much better – art. More
	Awake Hayden Christensen’s wooden performance and monotone voice are no help to this messy, stunted thriller. More		Funny Games U.S. The acting alone almost justifies this remake. More
	Forgetting Sarah Marshall Finally, a romantic comedy that is both funny and romantic. More		Meet the Spartans This product-placement pandemic fails to raise even a snigger. More
	Be Kind Rewind A quirky, off-centre motion picture, Be Kind Rewind has a life and originality all of its own. More		Rambo Failing to distract from Stallone’s approaching OAP status, Rambo embraces the inevitability of diminishing returns. More
	There Will Be Blood Filmmaking and storytelling in its purest, most electrifying form. More		Waz Waz is a smart, well-made and entertaining horror-thriller. More

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