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Alien is a masterpiece of horror and science fiction. Ridley Scott made a film for the ages that sprouted many sequels and a whole industry in itself but it is nice to see how simple the first film is executed. Alien is a perfect example of a director gradually elevating the level of energy and anticipation in a motion picture. The way Scott meticulously raises the sense of menace and tension is worthy of Hitchcock. This atmosphere-soaked production relies on the viewer's imagination to enhance the alien's nightmarishness. Scott carefully restricts how much we see of the creature - there's enough to provide our minds with horrifying images, but not so much that the illusion is spoiled. Alien contains its fair share of genuine scares. These aren't mere "boo" moments, where something benign jumps out of the shadows accompanied by a loud noise and a musical crescendo, but legitimate shocks. The first occurs when the face-hugger leaps out of the egg and attaches itself to Kane. The second is when the alien explodes through Kane's chest. Then, during the hunt for the alien, there are numerous others.

This is a nice little thriller film starring Robert Redford and Brad Pitt. Directed by Tony Scott who loves to use technology all out, Spy Game, however, fails to be a great film. This is a fairly interesting -- if almost hopelessly complex -- CIA picture that gets ratcheted to the stratosphere by director Tony Scott's near-romantic infatuation with his own technical abilities. You can more or less forgive him during action sequences, even though truly gifted directors know how to shoot even those with restraint. But Scott films every scene, no matter how routine, as if he's covering the launch of a nuclear missile. Both Pitt and Redford are good, and their similar appearance and look will not go unnoticed. The soundtrack, especially the main techno theme is pretty good though. All in all a good thriller.

In order to be effective, some motion pictures (more than others) require their audiences to engage in a behavior which is often referred to as the "willing suspension of disbelief". For a movie like K-PAX to work, not only is a suspension of disbelief necessary, but an abandonment of cynicism, as well. Because the movie tends towards melodrama, more hardened viewers may tune out without bothering to look beneath K-PAX's surface to discover that there are some interesting themes and issues lurking there. The premise, although not original, is intriguing, and the overall impact is helped immeasurably by the competent performances of lead actors Kevin Spacey and Jeff Bridges. Even considering its flaws (one of which is an overlong running length), K-PAX offers a worthwhile couple of hours spent in a darkened theater.

This is a creepy movie starring a young Charlie Sheen. I love the atmosphere and vibe of this film- reminds me of another rather underrated film by the name of Miracle Mile. This is dark movie full of violence and the fact that the leads are such a**holes doesn't help. It takes courage to even make a film such as this. You may not like it but it is definitely worth a watch.

Bowfinger is a hilariously charming film starring Steve Martin and Eddie Murphy set in the heart of Los Angeles. Martin plays a filmmaker desperate to make a film despite his lack of money, talent or connections. The entire film is funny and Eddie Murphy proves why he was such a famous comedian back in the day as he portrays twin brothers with opposite personalities. There are great side roles for the likes of Heather Graham, Robert Downey Jr. and Terrence Stamp but the film belongs to Martin and Murphy. If you are in the mood for a heartfelt comedy without any pretenses than Bowfinger is a great choice.

Rescue Dawn is a great tale of a US soldier who is captured by Vietnamese forces after his flying mission fails and he somehow manages to land safety after surviving the crash. It is a great man vs nature film shot in the lush jungles of Thailand using some cool camera techniques. Christian Bale plays the main lead and he goes to such extremes to make the film- something not atypical of him- that you must commend him for it. Werner Herzog is the man behind the camera and this might be his most accessible feature film and as you know- anything with Herzog's name is worth a watch.

After the frat pack started to fizzle out by the mid 00s a new bunch of younger comedians took their place. This stoner gang consisted of Seth Rogen, James Franco, Judd Apatow behind the camera, Jonah Hill, Paul Rudd etc and they would rule the roost of Hollywood comedies for the next few years. Knocked Up is one of their first and one of the finest entries. This isn't a laugh riot but more about comedy with dramatic elements.

Steven Soderberg is a maverick of a filmmaker and this is one instance of his going off the track to get what he deems is the right form of expression. In the limey Terence Hill goes to Los Angeles to avenge his daughter's death- fair and simple. Except the way by which Soderberg shows us the entire ordeal- which includes flashback of a young Stamp taken from actual outtakes of his older films- is what is endearing and makes this film rise above any other revenge action film. Terence Stamp is excellent and a case of choosing an artist rather than a movie star to play a character.

This is an underrated horror thriller which gets most things right- the pacing, jump scare and even acting is pretty decent which is a shock since no one has really heard of this film. DiBlasi is a talent to watch out for judging by the way he gets everything right with a limited budget. Last shift is a great film. (Go watch it for the amazingly well done jump scares)

This is a great independent feature made for a mere 100,000 dollars and all the great things that come with limited budget is on display here: minimal locations, great cast, fantastic dialogue delivery and great plot. This film is the birth of a great filmmaker in Charlie Mcdowell- Keep an eye out for the lad. (Great independent film by a new talent)

The Dark knight rises ends what can be considered one of the greatest trilogies in all cinema. On its own this is a great, long film containing some amazing action set pieces- especially vehicles but the fact remains that there are many underlying themes about human nature and mortality at play here. Christian Bale dons the batsuit one last time for Nolan but it is Tom Hardy as Bane who steals the show with his raw energy. On its own this is a must watch but when seen as a piece of a trilogy this is not to be missed. (Concludes one of the greatest series in all of cinema)