Breaking and Entering - Dir: Anthony Minghella

It'a another Jude Law relationship movie, but who would have thought that this one could have been so turgid. Oscar winning director Anthony Minghella (The English Patient) wrote and directed this movie which also stars decent enough actresses Robin Wright Penn and Juliette Binoche. The problem is it never really goes anywhere and doesn't really tread any new ground. It's all too predictable really and no one really gets past first gear. From such a lauded Oscar winning director this is disappointingly average. This is a JM THUMBS DOWN.

Last King of Scotland - Dir: Kevin Macdonald

The critical and awards buzz surrounding this film has been pretty big and in some parts it truly deserves it. The movie meshes fact and fiction regarding the meeting of a fresh Scottish doctor played by James McAvoy and Ugandan dictator Idi Amin played by Forrest Whitaker. The latter is truly exceptional and deserved his Oscar for Best Performance. After seeing it, you wonder how he ever had to audition for the role, but he did! McAvoy is ok but his performances are becoming a bit samey with that constant pissed off steeley eyed looked he does. The screenplay is the biggest let down in that it all seems quite thin and never really digs deeper than the surface. It's watchable because of Whitaker's virtuosu performance, but the film around it isn't engrossing enough. This a JM SUCK IT AND SEE.

All the President's Men - Dir: Alan J Pakula

This 1976 movie hooked up the two legends of Redford and Hoffman in this replay of the story of the lowly journalists that uncovered the Watergate affair and brought down Nixon. For a movie that centres around a lot of talking and investigating, it is incredibly absorbing. In part this is because of the great script written by the real journalists involved, but also because of the great on screen charisma of the leading actors. There certainly are very few people in Hollywood today that can hold a screen like these two in their hey-day. It's a classic film, that won 4 Oscars and was nominated for 20, but unfortunately is pretty long and won't be everyone's cup of tea. It's a JM SUCK IT AND SEE.