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Both in terms of technique and storytelling approach Locke proves to be a fascinating piece of filmmaking, as the audience accompanies a successful construction manager on a thrilling car journey, where he faces a massive, life-changing predicament, one that effects both his professional and private life. Tom Hardy is simply magnificent in the title role, portraying a highly complex character for whom one develops very mixed emotions, as he is respected and despised both at the same time. The film demonstrates great ingenuity and creativity with its concept, proving gripping and incredibly suspenseful throughout, the credit for the which can be equally shared by Hardy's marvelous acting skills and a captivating story that is flawlessly executed. The fact that a fairly simple film with a single actor, a single confined location and a long string of problems can produce such a spellbinding experience is nothing short of extraordinary, which certainly makes Locke worthy of the highest praise.

It is mainly the ferocious and commanding performance of Daniel Day-Lewis that gives value to a film where themes of family, religion and greed intertwine in portraying the merciless nature of the turn of the century oil business. There Will Be Blood proves to be a fairly intriguing film and one that explores very complex ideas, with Day-Lewis's despicable and malicious character personifying the principle of the story, as he is propelled by an untamable and maddening thirst for wealth. However, despite having a very solid and captivating opening phase, the film then loses its strong momentum and later begins to feel rather empty and flat, with only Day-Lewis's impressive acting skills ultimately capturing one's attention and carrying the story forward. Although it cannot be argued that the cinematic visuals presented by director Paul Thomas Anderson are striking and that the film's soundtrack proves powerful, the narrative of There Will Be Blood seems fractured and is unimpressive, resulting in a film which is worth viewing for Daniel Day-Lewis's towering performance, but sadly not much else.

A great World War Two historical drama of epic proportions which offers a highly impressive and resounding biographical portrayal of perhaps the greatest American combat general. The acting of George C. Scott is simply superb, as he captures the ruthless, unwavering and stubborn character of General Patton, a man who thrived in the disciplined military system and was a firm believer of the eternal glory of war. The film is remarkably well paced considering its length, as it flows beautifully through the different settings showing George Patton in the last two years of the war and illustrating his controversial nature, all the while also allowing the audience to develop a great deal of admiration and respect for the man. Due to the exquisite cinematography and production design all the scenes are brilliantly constructed, portraying the war in a realistic and accurate manner, which makes Patton a very interesting viewing experience, one that offers an absorbing blend of a war film and a biopic, with both aspects executed to mere perfection.

It seems only fair to recognize Need for Speed as a solid film for what it is- an adaptation of a beloved video game intended for an audience with a passion for racing, thrilling car chases and screeching tyres. The film has a fairly predictable vengeance plot, yet it is well-structured and has enough entertaining twist to keep the audience engaged at all times, while also offering the occasional addition of humor which feels favorable to the overall tone and pace. Considering the fact that there is little computer generated imagery involved the film's design is very impressive, as all the racing sequences are well-crafted and prove electrifying, with some of the camera-work also being praiseworthy. Need for Speed therefore does not disappoint as it is a fun, gripping and exciting racing adventure, one that unsurprisingly has numerous flaws but nonetheless remains enjoyable.

By focusing on a futuristic apocalyptic world, where the remaining population lives together on one colossal train and a class system begins to emerge, Snowpiercer attempts to blend ferocious action of Asian cinema with engrossing drama, but instead produces a rather ridiculous film that does not fit the scope of either genre, as neither the action nor the dramatic features are executed thoroughly. Although the initial and the concluding phase of the film prove satisfying, the vast majority of the running time is dominated by an audacious storyline that loses itself in its own ambitious goals, which ultimately defines the film. Overall, the audience is exposed to a distasteful amount of exaggerated violence and the film often appears bizarre without any particular reason, which takes away from the original premise, one that carries a strong metaphorical message. Snowpiercer aims to serve as a profound social critique, but due to its unconvincing execution the deep themes and concepts it tries to tackle are merely touched upon and remain largely unexplored.

A thought-provoking, heartfelt and tragic story that is based on a Pulitzer Prize winning play, Death of a Salesman is a very compelling character study of an aging man who is blinded by his pride, integrity and overly-ambitious goals he carries for his eldest son. The film expertly evokes themes of work, love, family and fatherhood, as an old salesman struggles to cope with the emptiness of his life, while also constantly being tormented by his own personal frustration and disappointment. Dustin Hoffman gives an outstanding performance in the leading role and is accompanied by a strong supporting cast, with John Malkovich and Kate Reid being particularly noteworthy, as all the characters are key in contributing to the overall moral of the story. However, perhaps the most interesting aspect presented in Death of a Salesman is that it does not seem to invite one to sympathize with the characters and their fate, but rather hopes for the audience to observe the struggles of life and use the film's profoundly touching story as a tool for learning and reflection.

Not only is the acting and writing simply dreadful, A Long Way Down also seems awkwardly made, as it focuses on a group of four individuals who help each other relinquish their suicidal thoughts, resulting in a film which loses itself in its own complex web of intense emotions and themes. Despite it having a very short running time, the film is horribly paced and it drags on, while also failing miserably at creating the idea of the characters establishing genuine life-changing bonds. The main issue, however, is that the film struggles to cope with the highly complex emotional and existential themes it choses to tackle, as the relationships which are the vocal point of the film do not appear sincere, causing A Long Way Down to be unable to develop feelings of sentimentality and compassion in its audience.

Led by magnificent acting performances and great direction, In the Name of the Father offers the audience a terrific reenactment of one of the most infamous miscarriages of justice in the history of Britain, as it portrays the story of Gerry Conlon and his father, and the false accusations made against them in regards to the Guildford pub bombings in 1974. By exploring a very controversial issue, this enthralling drama proves to be a very eye-opening and thought provoking viewing experience, one that is both politically and morally charged. Daniel Day-Lewis and Pete Postlethwaite give extremely passionate performances, as they serve as the centerpiece for a film that strikes a strong balance between exploring the estranged father-son relationship and the surrounding political issues. In the Name of the Father therefore proves thoroughly engaging, as it has perpetual motion, both due to its powerful story, but also due to the excellent filmmaking techniques that are one display.

With the use of wonderful art direction and costume design The Invisible Woman manages to capture the essence of the late Victorian period, as the film explores a fascinating romantic relationship that developed away from the limelight during the height of Charles Dickens's career. The story is told through the eyes of his mistress Nelly, who reminisces about her time with Dickens, and with the use of elegant transitions between the two timelines one is offered an interesting glimpse into the personal life of the great author, well depicted by Ralph Fiennes. A noticeable feature is the film's unique pace, which could be considered slow by some, as it is designed in a gentle and subtle manner, thus matching the intimacy of the tender affair that is explored. Sadly though, one is primarily left with the feeling that the film does not offer enough, as The Invisible Woman deals with merely a fraction of the complex dynamic between Dickens and Nelly, and the audience is ultimately required to imagine and speculate about the true nature and passion of Dickens's secret relationship.

It can prove a difficult task to depict a specific period in an accurate and interesting way, but The Immigrant does succeed in presenting to its audience the morally compromising circumstances women were exposed to in the 1920s as immigrants in the USA, although the film does also suffer from a few drawbacks along the way. Marion Cotillard carries the film in many ways, as she manages to capture the innocence and fragility of her character that signifies the struggles of women from the period. Overall, however, the characters and their relationships that are explored seem to lack emotional depth, a quality which would have added more layers of complexity to the film, and thus invite the audience to engage with the characters and the story far more. A strong soundtrack would have also certainly proved very beneficial to the film in order to add more flow and intensity to the story, as The Immigrant proves compelling but perhaps to narrow and plain, resulting in a film which is unable to fully impact its viewers.

As one would expect, The Other Woman is a typical revenge comedy that is based on a somewhat predictable plot, one that sees three women joining forces to find vengeance against a disloyal and unfaithful man, which creates a film that fails to produce any particularly amusing moments. Although the film clearly aims to emphasize the notion of female empowerment, it comes across as nothing more than straightforward comedy that focuses on clichéd vengeful ideas and schemes. Leslie Mann is definitely a bright spot and her performance does elevate the film in some respects, as she provides a wonderful addition of physical humor. However, The Other Woman has few positive features, as the film is far too long, while also being dominated by a simplistic storyline and poorly developed characters that desperately lack depth.

Spearheaded by forceful performances, The Reader is a very well-crafted historical drama that succeeds in portraying a story that is provided by very challenging source material, as an incredibly intimate relationship is used to explore the moral and emotional issues that arose in the scope of the Holocaust and its aftermath. Kate Winslet is simply outstanding in her role, and one cannot say enough about the quality of her acting, particularly due to the fact that the character she portrays is very unsympathetic and distant. Interestingly enough, the Holocaust is not placed in the forefront, but is rather maintained as a constant backdrop to the story, which makes for an extremely powerful and riveting viewing experience. The Reader is therefore the type of film that proves very gripping as it takes its audience on an emotional journey, one that has even greater resonance due to its main subject being Germany's postwar guilt.

It is the timeless Bible tale redesigned for the audience of the 21st century and told through the unique perspective of director Darren Aronofsky, who uses great visual and sound effects to create a cinematic spectacle of epic proportions, albeit one that is somewhat outlandish. Not only can Noah be praised for its terrific design, it is also very cleverly made, as religious themes are not forced upon the audience, but are rather more subtle, with greater emphasis being placed upon the characters, who are well-developed and come across as very compelling. Overall the film's star-studded cast offers some very strong performances, but it is the few scenes shared by Russell Crowe and Emma Watson that are particularly captivating and worth specific praise. Although Noah is considered to be an epic, the running time could have been shorter as the pacing is often poor, resulting in a film that captures one's imagination, yet comes across as lacking intensity and vigor.

With an exceptionally well-written screenplay in its core and a great ensemble cast, Almost Famous is a very warmhearted and endearing film that focuses on an aspiring high school writer who accompanies a famous rock band on their tour. Through a charming tone, the film succeeds in exploring themes of personal discovery and fulfillment, as well as the innocence and anxiety of young adulthood. Inspired by a unique past experience of the writer and director Cameron Crowe, who as a teenager wrote for Rolling Stone magazine, the film works as a very useful lens into the world of rock and roll music and the lifestyle that it dictates. The film's terrific soundtrack helps shape the atmosphere of the period it portrays, and due to its nostalgic look at the 70s, Almost Famous can perhaps above all else be considered as the director's heartfelt tribute to rock and roll.

Deeply touching, thought-provoking and highly emotional, Twice Born explores themes of love and war in a story that depicts the brutal realism of the events that took place in Bosnia in the early 1990s. Penelope Cruz is remarkably captivating in the leading role, as she gives a tremendously tender performance portraying a woman that is reminiscing about her past love and the events that transpired during the Bosnian conflict. The film smoothly switches between the different timelines, and expertly uses poignant twists to create a story that is both romantic and utterly gripping, but above all else has a profound emotional impact of the viewer. Not only is the essence of the story immensely powerful, it is also underpinned by a very moving soundtrack, one that further adds to the intensity of the film, making Twice Born a very emotionally challenging cinematic experience.

Combining very solid acting performances with an extremely clever and beautifully executed storyline, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind draws upon very imaginative writing and offers its audience a mind-boggling emotional journey through the mind and memories of a hopeless romantic, skillfully portrayed by Jim Carrey. Although the film does come across as slightly confusing in its early stages, the story does eventually come together rather seamlessly, as all the elements are expertly structured together to create a magnificent final product. The entire cast definitely deserves praise, but the film's outstanding feature is undoubtedly the brilliant editing and overall design, which successfully creates a very memorable viewing experience, one that is intriguing and touching all at the same time. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind can therefore be described as being both intellectually provocative and emotionally satisfying, a combination of qualities that few films can truly relate to.

One could hardly ask for more than to see Al Pacino and Robert De Niro perform together in an engrossing action drama, and Heat definitely provides the thrill that is expected from a film with such a star-studded cast. Along with the two very strong leading performances, this crime drama also puts on display the terrific filmmaking abilities of Michael Mann, who manages to bring a great deal of passion and the feeling of sensation to the genre. The story is rather typical, but the unexpected emphasis on character development lifts the film, as interpersonal relationships are explored in a very compelling way. Although the film is perhaps a bit too long, and as a result feels slightly flat at times, it is carried by tremendous acting and ultimately does offer the audience a very solid ending. Heat succeeds in presenting the duality between the police and the criminals, while also providing the necessary action alongside it, which ultimately does differentiate the film from others in its genre.

When an action film offers an interesting premise along with Liam Neeson as the leading man, one expects nothing short of an exciting and enjoyable experience, and Non-Stop does prove satisfying, even if somewhat nonsensical. In large part, the audience is exposed to great levels of unpredictability and very mysterious circumstances, as an air marshal attempts to save his fellow passengers on a trans-Atlantic flight from a terrorist attack. The film is gripping and thrilling throughout, with plenty of tense moments maintaining the feeling of suspense, however it certainly deserved a much more clever final act, rather than concluding as a conventional action film. Although Liam Neeson does again perform well in a leading action role, one cannot help but argue that the rest of the cast, which included such notable names as Julianne Moore, should have been utilized far better. Overall, Non-Stop comes across as an enthralling action film with a rather ludicrous storyline, which is initially well-developed but unfortunately seems to lack a fitting end.

The fact that the trailer which shows the most entertaining moments can perhaps be considered the film's strongest asset speaks volumes, as Walk of Shame comes across as a failed comedy with a tedious and overfamiliar storyline, one that focuses on a series of mishaps endured by an anchorwoman portrayed Elizabeth Banks. Although amusing at times, offering some funny and quotable lines, the film relies too heavily on its lead actress, as Banks' charm and appeal is what ultimately keeps the audience engaged. Sadly it is a typical and highly generic story told in a non-refreshing way, which hurts the comedic potential of the talented cast that was at the film's disposal. Along with the fact that it unnecessarily relies on an abundance of comedic stereotypes, Walk of Shame fails to produce any real excitement, and can be regarded as nothing more than an unfunny, mediocre and extremely formulaic comedy.

Absurdly funny is perhaps the best way to describe this comedy which successfully embraces its genre role, as Neighbors depicts a somewhat typical comedic clash of two polar opposites, but does so in a refreshing and interesting way, exploring themes of responsibility and immaturity along the way. Although quite outrageous at times, the film does have some unexpected additional layers of complexity which prove beneficial, adding greater depth without hurting its comedic aspects. Surprisingly enough, Rose Byrne stands out from the cast that includes such talents as Zac Efron and Seth Rogen, and her performances is undoubtedly worth praising as she displays great comedic ability. Overall, Neighbors can be described as a highly energetic film which stays true to itself and with a short running time is aware of its limitations, ultimately resulting in a funny comedy that delivers in every way and is definitely worth watching.

One does not often come across a film of considerable length that manages to keep the audience engaged at all times, but Walk the Line does so rather effortlessly, as the film successfully captures the chronicles of the legendary country singer Johnny Cash, largely due to the magnificent acting performances that are on display. Although the writing and directing is strong, it is the superior acting abilities of both Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon in the leading roles that define this biopic, as the two actors shine individually while also sharing terrific on screen chemistry. Although the film may not be the most adequate musical tribute to Johnny Cash, it does successfully portray him as a man, capturing his intense and rebellious character, as well as the special bond he shared with his eventual wife June Carter. Walk the Line is a touching and passionate film that succeeds in somewhat exploring the enigma that was Johnny Cash, with perhaps the greatest testament to the film's quality being the fact that love for country music is not needed in order for one to enjoy it.

Although not as emphatic and cynical in its style, In the Loop does in many ways resemble Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece Dr. Strangelove, as its creator Armando Iannucci manages to produce a refreshingly intelligent comedy, that explores the behaviour of American and British political bureaucrats during the Iraq war era, in a witty and often hilarious manner. While Iannucci's trademark mockumentary style of filming adds to the idea of authenticity of the events depicted, the film's outstanding feature is undoubtedly the terrific writing that is based on a very colorful language and presents the audience with great dialogue, as one is exposed to an abundance of sidesplitting one-liners. The film sadly losses some of its momentum towards the end, and the pace eventually begins to undermine the clever writing, yet In the Loop deserves to be recognized as one of the sharpest political satires made in recent years.

Following the success of Ted, Seth Macfarlane's second feature length film proves to be very disappointing, falling short of its singular objective, as A Million Ways to Die in the West lacks the humor and wittiness needed to create a successful comedy. Although it is worth acknowledging that the premise itself is innovative, offering a very original approach, the film comes across as an unsuccessful genre parody, one that has a very limited impact on the viewer. There are some clever moments during the course of the film that showcase Macfarlane's trademark humor, but those are few and far between, and one would expect a slightly more sophisticated approach from the director. Along with being considerably too long for a film of its nature, A Million Ways to Die in the West desperately tries to amuse the audience at all times, but fails miserably, mainly due to the lack of subtlety in its humor, which ultimately results in an ineffective and boring comedy.

Hilarious, often outrageous, but above all thoroughly entertaining, 22 Jump Street manages to recapture all the humor and audacity its successful predecessor had to offer, while also offering some new thrills and unpredictability along the way. The film strikes a unique and clever balance between exploring new comedic ideas and continuing the themes from the first installment, as it maintains its core story but also offers enough twists to create new excitement. Although the storyline is very much similar to the first film, it does seem fresh and original at the same time, which creates a sequel that can be differentiated from others, as the plot is not merely redesigned in an awkward and uninteresting way. But perhaps the film's dominant feature continues to be the strong chemistry between the two leading men, who again combine their talents to create the ultimate comedy team. Overall this comedy sequel stands out due to its ability to embrace the success of the its predecessor, as 22 Jump Street uses the power of repetition to recreate the unique comedic atmosphere, which allows the film to establish a very distinct comedy series.

Along with it being utterly ridiculous in its design and annoyingly historically inaccurate, 300: Rise of an Empire offers far too many unrealistic combat scenes and a distasteful excess of computer generated imagery, resulting in a highly disappointing sequel to its successful predecessor. As one inevitably compares it to the prequel 300, the film come across as far less captivating and exciting, mainly due to the less appealing nature of the leading character. The heavily exaggerated blood effects and unreasonable amounts of slow motion techniques continue to dominate the film, and although very stylistic, these features no longer have the same impact on the viewer as during the first installment. It is worth noting, however, that the storyline itself is well-executed as it cleverly overlaps with the prequel, while the audience is also offered an outstanding performance by Eva Green as the main antagonistic force, which somewhat elevates the film in its quality. But despite certain positive aspects, 300: Rise of an Empire is nonetheless far from reaching the standards of the first film, and can be perceived merely as an unnecessary expansion of its predecessor.