What’s it about?
Finally! A movie that starts where most rom-coms leave off. We begin with a wedding between Rose Byrne and Rafe Spall and look at the pressures of their first year of marriage including exes, jobs and temptations.

What did we think?
Anthony says: British comedies on the whole walk the line between clever and cringing very well which is why this movie is such a let down. With such a wonderful premise, one would have hoped for more wit and less cringe but most of this movie will leave you squirming rather than laughing. It IS funny in its way, features an amazing cast and the final act probably does justify it but it’s a question of whether you would take the time to get to the end really.

What’s it about?
An art auctioneer who has become mixed up with a group of criminals partners with a hypnotherapist in order to recover a lost painting.

What did we think?
Anthony says: With a quality cast and an overly complicated plot, Trance tries hard to be seen as a clever, classy movie but a few things work against it. Firstly, they explain everything eventually in a way bordering on monosyllabic and secondly, none of the characters are actually likeable so you’re not sure who to cheer for. They all could have died and I wouldn’t have cared. In no way hypnotising – you’ll just end up feeling sleepy.

Liz says: Awesome stuff happened. Then less awesome stuff happened. Then some confusing and silly stuff happened. Then we saw Rosario Dawson’s vagina and it all went downhill from there.

What’s it about?
John McClane (Bruce Willis) travels to Russia to help out his seemingly wayward son, Jack, only to discover that Jack is a CIA operative working to prevent a nuclear-weapons heist, causing the father and son to team up against underworld forces.

What did we think?
Anthony says: The opening seconds lift our spirits and hopes with a haunting bass version of Ode To Joy but then the black screen gives way to vision and it’s mostly downhill from there (impressive car chase aside).

Jack McClane is the Jar Jar of the Die Hard universe. He’s irritating, unnecessary and a walking cliche. Completely ignoring the complexities of the previous Die Hard movies, this time around the producers decided to keep the action and explosions but mix them with poor dialogue, bad editing and a simply ridiculous story.

I’m gutted.

What’s it about?
Elspeth Dickens (Laura Michelle Kelly), a former small-time singer, has put her dreams on hold to raise twin toddlers while her often-absent but idealistic husband (Ronan Keating) works weeks away at a time. She sets up a webcam to keep in touch with him but ends up becoming an inadvertent internet sensation. Suddenly marketing gurus and a shot at the big time beckon luring her away from her family.

What did we think?
Anthony says: Eccentric and whimsical, this film will intensely appeal to its key demographic. The question is will it rate with people who aren’t stay-at-home mothers? While there is still some appeal for females in general, the recurring themes and morals are predominantly about juggling love of kids and hubby with dreams. Which is a bit of a shame because this over-the-top semi-musical is actually fun but just has too many parenting in-jokes.

What’s it about?
The true story of a Spanish family (presented as British) who, with tens of thousands of strangers, find themselves in the mayhem of one of the worst natural catastrophes of our time – the 2004 tsunami.

What did we think?
Anthony says: The Impossible is a harrowing rollercoaster of raw emotion. Amazing effects reconstruct the disaster and the ensuing carnage but it’s actually a movie about the human cost.

It might be argued some of the shots were held too long which might be true for a fiction piece, but here they work. To shorten them would be to gloss over a terrible tragedy. Surprisingly the film doesn’t focus too much on individual tragedies beyond the family, instead allowing you to apply the horror yourself.

A movie for the big screen but, given the inclusion of children, not one for parents.

What’s it about?
As the Civil War continues to rage, America’s president struggles with continuing carnage on the battlefield and as he fights with many inside his own cabinet on the decision to emancipate the slaves.

What did we think?
Anthony says: I cannot tell a lie: Lincoln the movie is more about the American politic system than it is about slavery. Which for me – a polititragic and history buff – was great. But to be frank, for the average person – particularly non-US citizens – this movie is going to feel unnecessarily long. Early on you’d be forgiven for thinking the writing process consisted of getting his most memorable quotes and finding ways to link them together. And the result of the political vote was drawn out longer than an American Idol verdict. Seriously.

But an amazing cast means both acting of the highest quality and the chance to play “who’s that behind that facial hair?”. Day Lewis is superb in the titular role and I found myself engrossed in the film though the friend I took with me said the movie should have been a quarter of the length. It does feel more like a movie made to win awards through patriotism and high production values rather than for the sake of telling the story but I enjoyed it.

If the idea of a 19th century version of The West Wing appeals to you then see it.

MY personal rating: 4
My general score: 3.5

What’s it about?
Gladiator pursues Wolverine who takes in a dying Catwoman’s daughter (Red Riding Hood) after liberating her from Borat and the mad woman from every second Johnny Depp movie.

What did we think?
Anthony says: Fans of the story will leave satisfied though diehard musical nuts will shudder a bit at the inconsistent quality when they hear the people sing. There are minor quibbles, but at the end of the day you can’t complain about a reasonably faithful screen adaptation. Fans unfamiliar with the musical may leave a little exhausted but I’m sure I’m not on my own when I say it was fun without being exceptional.

What’s it about?
Tempted by promises of untold gold, a group of film-makers are lured back to Middle Earth where they magically expand a small novel into three long feature films.

What did we think?
Anthony says: Despite being bloated and excessively drawn out, it turns out the first film of the Hobbit trilogy is actually fun. With familiar characters, backdrops and the obligatory NZ tourism shots there is a sense of relaxing into a comfortable chair while watching. Which is fortuitous because it’s a long movie and feels more like set-up than a story in its own right.

Having said that I have to admit the sense of fun does over-ride the cynicism and negativity. It’s enjoyable, interesting and a visual feast. Good characterisation combines with a sense of whimsy to provide more comedy  than LOTR which is a fair reflection of the original novel. I’m surprised but it actually is a worthy addition to the franchise*.

* even if the franchise will be unnecessarily long by the end of it.

What’s it about?
Tom Cruise plays Jack Reacher. A calm yet intense individualist reminiscent of Ethan Hunt, John Anderton, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell and, let’s face it, Tom Cruise (pre-couch).

Jack casually struts and punches his way through what begins as a suspenseful procedural thriller. At some point a clerical error appears to have shuffled in every other film genre available. Jack is emotionally unaffected as he travels through Bond style action, Arnie one liners, Whedonesque banter, torture-porn and stooges slapstick before finally settling on eighties style buddy cop to round out the evening.

What did we think?
Dan says: Cruise manages to hold this shamozzle together like an affable tour host on a poorly written theme park ride. His dedication to ticking off the cliches no matter what aisle of the video store they come from is admirable.

Ultimately this adds up to a fun romp but try not to think about it too much on the drive home or you’ll just get frustrated.

What’s it about?
Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann reprise their roles as Pete and Debbie, aka “the other people” in Knocked Up, of which this entirely unnecessary but still kind of likeable film is a spin-off sequel. Pete and Debbie are turning 40, but Debbie’s not quite ready for the reality of what that means and Pete is dealing with mounting financial pressures like a hero by not telling his wife. Hilarity, arguments and reconciliations ensue.

What did we think?
Mitch says: Hey, remember that two-hour-long episode of Modern Family that featured an alarming number of middle-class white people and also Leslie Mann’s boobs?

Oh, wait. That was this. That was this film.