SPLING MOVIES
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HACHIKO: A DOG'S STORY - A solid 7! A simple, old-fashioned family tearjerker about a man and his dog, told without being manipulative or overly sentimental. Like: Marley & Me
HALL PASS - A flat 5! The Farrelly brothers never fail to surprise with their brand of shock humour. While funny in parts, this mix of middle-aged romance and shock jock humour is jarring. Like: The Heartbreak Kid
HALLOWEEN - A satisfactory 6! Rob Zombie's mature prequel loses something by humanising Michael Myers. Like: Halloween, Scream
HALLOWEEN 2- Zombie's sequel lacks the framework of the original Halloween remake, opting for grisly violence instead of Carpenter's clever use of suspense. Like: House of 1000 Corpses
HAMILTONS, THE - A flat 5! Dysfunctional family horror that mixs domestic drama with slasher flick gore. Like: Ginger Snaps
HAMLET 2 - A satisfactory 6! Demented school drama class comedy with off- the- wall Coogan and irreverent South Park influences. Like: Waiting for Guffman
HANCOCK - A satisfactory 6! Great superhero action: Fresh Prince meets Underdog. Inconsistent direction and conflicting themes. Like: The Mask
HANGOVER, THE - A solid 7! Funny characters and a clever script smooth over cracks in the ultimate bachelor comedy movie. Like: Superbad, Very Bad Things
HANGOVER PART II, THE - A solid 7! More of the same debauched bachelor frat comedy in a carbon copy of the original set in Bangkok. Like: The Hangover
HANNA - A solid 7! Excellent direction, visually and stylistically appealing with good performances, but light on substance. Like: The Professional, Nell
HANNAH MONTANA: THE MOVIE - A flat 5! Predictable family music comedy like a Disney episode stretched to 100 min. HM fans won't mind. Like: Crossroads
HANSIE - A satisfactory 6! This bio drama is more about God's forgiveness than sport. Good, but not for everyone. Like: Faith Like Potatoes
HAPPENING, THE - A flat 5! Preachy, on- the- run sci- fi/thriller with flat performances that runs out of steam. Genre fans only. Like: Signs, The Mist
HAPPY- GO- LUCKY - A solid 7! Hawkins shines in lead, while a life- affirming message from Leigh make a happy, yet dysfunctional comedy drama. Like: Secrets & Lies
HARDWIRED - A flimsy 4! A decent cast and great potential are wasted in this Action/Sci- Fi, which relies on subpar CGI. Just doesn't get off the ground. Like: Gene Generation
HARM'S WAY - A flat 5! Middling thriller with mediocre performances from Quinlan and no- name cast. Inconsistent and predictable drama. Like: Misery
HAROLD & KUMAR: ESCAPE FROM GUANTANAMO BAY - A satisfactory 6! Stoner cult duo return in this over-the-top, unPC and funny gross- out adventure. Like: H & K Go to White Castle
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 1 - A solid 7! Beautiful cinematography, a swirling epic fantasy, solid performances and a gripping story, although a little patchy at times. Like: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2 - An excellent 8! A dark, magical and epic adventure, jam-packed with eye-popping visual effects and a talented cast, ends the saga on a high note. Like: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE - An excellent 8! HP has grown up - best yet! Equal balance of teen comedy/mature darkness with fine performances. Like: Order of the Phoenix
HAUNTED ECHOES - A flat 5! Entertaining low budget horror/thriller revenge ghost story starring Sean Young. Like: Mockingbird don't Sing
HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT, THE - A satisfactory 6! Eerie atmosphere and some decent scares improve on abundance of cliches from better horrors. Like: The Others, Donnie Darko
HE WAS A QUIET MAN - A solid 7! A taut, experimental and twisted romance/drama about a frustrated office worker. Like: Office Space, The Apartment
HE'S JUST NOT INTO YOU - A satisfactory 6! Love, Actually meets Sex in the City. Predictable romantic parody is entertaining, but overcrowded. Like: Sex in the City
HEARTBREAK KID, THE - A flat 5! Half- baked remake that doesn't have the comic smarts or class of There's Something About Mary. Like: Along Came Polly
HEAVEN ON EARTH - A satisfactory 6! Bollywood drama about arrange marriage. Magic realism and kitchen sink reality intertwine. Solid performances. Like: Water
HEAVY PETTING - A flat 5! A silly indie comedy based on an unstable love triangle between a boy, a girl and her protective pooch. Like: Dog Gone Love
HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY - A solid 7! A fantastic sequel with stylish direction, imaginative characters, offbeat comedy and pop culture pulp. Like: Hellboy (2004)
HELLO... - A flat 5! Bollywood drama has a top cast, good script/story but average music and film- making. Like: Dil Ne Jise Apna Kaha, Outsourced
HELLO GOODBYE - A satisfactory 6! Cross-cultural curiosity fuels this strangely compelling French "romantic" comedy about middle-age couple who emigrate to Israel. Like: Last Chance Harvey
HENRY POOLE IS HERE - A satisfactory 6! Decent performances give this quirky drama/comedy a bit of heart in this story about faith. Like: Julie Walking Home
HERO WANTED - A flat 5! Gritty, Hollywood revenge action/thriller b- movie with a time shifting plot and decent performances. Like: Death Sentence
HEROES - A satisfactory 6! Entertaining Bollywood musical road trip adventure starring Salman Khan and Preity Zinta. Like: Nanhe Jaisalmer
HEY, HEY IT'S ESTER BLUEBURGER- A flat 5! Awkward Australian mix of tween comedy and coming- of- age drama has potential, but characters are unlikeable. Like: The Clique
HIDDEN HEART - A satisfactory 6! Barnard heart transplant documentary. Fascinating, but long and not absorbing. Like: Life and Times of Ingrid Jonker
HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 3 - A satisfactory 6! Conservative high school bubblegum fantasy musical. Upbeat and fun for target audience. Like: High School Musical 2
HIGHLANDER V: THE SOURCE - A third- rate 3! Sequel's story had potential, but lacks the swordplay, script and special effects of the original. Like: Highlander III
HILLS HAVE EYES 2, THE - A flimsy 4! B- grade standard follow- up to a modern horror classic with less thrills and scares. Like: The Hills Have Eyes 2
HIT & RUN - A flat 5! Decent B- movie horror/thriller. Lacks originality with its "urban legend" stalker plot. Like: I Know What You Did Last Summer
HITCHER, THE - A flat 5! Slick, blood- soaked MTV action version of The Hitcher (1986). Carnage and gore trump horror. Like: Joy Ride
HITMAN - A flat 5! Stylish action/thriller that humanises the cold- blooded Agent 47 into a dark James Bond. Like: The Jackal, The Professional
HOME OF THE BRAVE - A flat 5! Noble intentions ruined by poor script and direction. Like: In The Valley of Elah, Jarhead
HOME OF THE GIANTS - A solid 7! Entertaining, genre- twisting high school crime/sports story elevated by crisp writing and solid acting. Like: Basketball Diaries
HOND SE DINGES - A flimsy 4! Low budget madcap SA crime comedy with stage acting, uneven pacing and predictable setup. Like: Lipstiek Dipstiek, Mr. Bones
HONEY 2 - Spectacular dance sequences are the only thing on offer in this predictable, bland and typical teen dance movie. Like: Honey
HOODWINKED TOO! HOOD VS. EVIL - A flimsy 4! The 3D effects are a plus, but this sequel is unnecessary and lacks the wit and charm of original. Like: Hoodwinked!
HOP - A flimsy 4! Live-action/animated 'expert' Tim Hill delivers a pithy script, feel good formula and a thin 'Easter' story with a charming under-utilised cast. Like: Alvin and the Chipmunks
HORRIBLE BOSSES - A solid 7! A somewhat nasty, somewhat hilarious dark comedy with a fine comedy cast and a sharp story. Like: The Matador
HORTON HEARS A WHO - An excellent 8! A funny, faithful Dr. Seuss adaptation filled with fun and adventure for everyone. Like: Ice Age, The Grinch
HOPEVILLE - No rating! Based on the TV series, this condensed coming-of-age small town drama features a star-studded SA cast in an uplifting film intent on inspiring moral regeneration. Like: Hopeville (TV)
HORSEMEN - A flat 5! Predictable, grim tapestry of better serial killer cat- and- mouse thrillers. Miscast with poor dialogue. Like: Primal Fear, The Flock
HOT ROD - A satisfactory 6! Jackass meets Anchorman in this offbeat '80s story about a wannabe stunt rider. Like: Napoleon Dynamite
HOT TUB TIME MACHINE - A satisfactory 6! This '80s nostalgia blast from the past turns Back to the Future into The Hangover with course language and disgusting comedy. Like: Out Cold
HOTEL FOR DOGS - A flimsy 4! Kids and dog- lovers will be amused, but predictable, contrived family comedy gets boring with a weak plot. Like: Dunston Checks In
HOTTIE AND THE NOTTIE, THE - A terrible 2! Paris Hilton's vanity vehicle version of There's Something About Mary. Loaded with gross- out humour. Like: Pledge This!
HOUSE BUNNY - A flat 5! Mediocre, formulaic sorority comedy with decent cast and the zany Anna Faris as the ditzy bunny. Like: Sydney White
HOW DO YOU KNOW - A flat 5! A solid turn from Nicholson can't save this slightly amusing and long-winded "romcom" from failing to meet the potential of the talent involved. Like: Spanglish
HOW SHE MOVE - A flat 5! A brave, gritty and energetic dance movie that sticks to the formula. Not for everyone. Like: Stomp the Yard, Step Up
HOW TO LOSE FRIENDS & ALIENATE PEOPLE - A satisfactory 6! Pegg's performance lifts this off- target yet thought- provoking and slapstick comedy romance. Like: Devil Wears Prada
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON - A solid 7! Top- notch animation, amazing 3D thrills, a truly moving father- son story and flying dragons! Like: Lilo & Stitch
HOW TO STEAL 2 MILLION - A satisfactory 6! A dark, moody and gritty SA-made crime drama with a Hollywood story line, a solid ensemble and a film noir gangster sensibility. Like: Retribution
HUMAN CONTRACT, THE - A flat 5! Stylish visuals yet a detached, predictable and familiar "psychological" erotic thriller with unlikable characters. Like: Obsessed
HUNTING PARTY, THE A - satisfactory 6! Fun, surreal and adventurous take on US journalism and revenge in post- war Bosnia with solid cast and decent performances. Like: Charlie Wilson's War
HURT LOCKER, THE - An excellent 8! Bigelow uses handheld cameras to create a taut, realistic atmosphere in this tense, unconventional Iraq war thriller. Like: Platoon
HACHIKO: A DOG'S STORY - A solid 7! A simple, old-fashioned family tearjerker about a man and his dog, told without being manipulative or overly sentimental. Like: Marley & Me
HALL PASS - A flat 5! The Farrelly brothers never fail to surprise with their brand of shock humour. While funny in parts, this mix of middle-aged romance and shock jock humour is jarring. Like: The Heartbreak Kid
HALLOWEEN - A satisfactory 6! Rob Zombie's mature prequel loses something by humanising Michael Myers. Like: Halloween, Scream
HALLOWEEN 2- Zombie's sequel lacks the framework of the original Halloween remake, opting for grisly violence instead of Carpenter's clever use of suspense. Like: House of 1000 Corpses
HAMILTONS, THE - A flat 5! Dysfunctional family horror that mixs domestic drama with slasher flick gore. Like: Ginger Snaps
HAMLET 2 - A satisfactory 6! Demented school drama class comedy with off- the- wall Coogan and irreverent South Park influences. Like: Waiting for Guffman
HANCOCK - A satisfactory 6! Great superhero action: Fresh Prince meets Underdog. Inconsistent direction and conflicting themes. Like: The Mask
HANGOVER, THE - A solid 7! Funny characters and a clever script smooth over cracks in the ultimate bachelor comedy movie. Like: Superbad, Very Bad Things
HANGOVER PART II, THE - A solid 7! More of the same debauched bachelor frat comedy in a carbon copy of the original set in Bangkok. Like: The Hangover
HANNA - A solid 7! Excellent direction, visually and stylistically appealing with good performances, but light on substance. Like: The Professional, Nell
HANNAH MONTANA: THE MOVIE - A flat 5! Predictable family music comedy like a Disney episode stretched to 100 min. HM fans won't mind. Like: Crossroads
HANSIE - A satisfactory 6! This bio drama is more about God's forgiveness than sport. Good, but not for everyone. Like: Faith Like Potatoes
HAPPENING, THE - A flat 5! Preachy, on- the- run sci- fi/thriller with flat performances that runs out of steam. Genre fans only. Like: Signs, The Mist
HAPPY- GO- LUCKY - A solid 7! Hawkins shines in lead, while a life- affirming message from Leigh make a happy, yet dysfunctional comedy drama. Like: Secrets & Lies
HARDWIRED - A flimsy 4! A decent cast and great potential are wasted in this Action/Sci- Fi, which relies on subpar CGI. Just doesn't get off the ground. Like: Gene Generation
HARM'S WAY - A flat 5! Middling thriller with mediocre performances from Quinlan and no- name cast. Inconsistent and predictable drama. Like: Misery
HAROLD & KUMAR: ESCAPE FROM GUANTANAMO BAY - A satisfactory 6! Stoner cult duo return in this over-the-top, unPC and funny gross- out adventure. Like: H & K Go to White Castle
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 1 - A solid 7! Beautiful cinematography, a swirling epic fantasy, solid performances and a gripping story, although a little patchy at times. Like: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2 - An excellent 8! A dark, magical and epic adventure, jam-packed with eye-popping visual effects and a talented cast, ends the saga on a high note. Like: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE - An excellent 8! HP has grown up - best yet! Equal balance of teen comedy/mature darkness with fine performances. Like: Order of the Phoenix
HAUNTED ECHOES - A flat 5! Entertaining low budget horror/thriller revenge ghost story starring Sean Young. Like: Mockingbird don't Sing
HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT, THE - A satisfactory 6! Eerie atmosphere and some decent scares improve on abundance of cliches from better horrors. Like: The Others, Donnie Darko
HE WAS A QUIET MAN - A solid 7! A taut, experimental and twisted romance/drama about a frustrated office worker. Like: Office Space, The Apartment
HE'S JUST NOT INTO YOU - A satisfactory 6! Love, Actually meets Sex in the City. Predictable romantic parody is entertaining, but overcrowded. Like: Sex in the City
HEARTBREAK KID, THE - A flat 5! Half- baked remake that doesn't have the comic smarts or class of There's Something About Mary. Like: Along Came Polly
HEAVEN ON EARTH - A satisfactory 6! Bollywood drama about arrange marriage. Magic realism and kitchen sink reality intertwine. Solid performances. Like: Water
HEAVY PETTING - A flat 5! A silly indie comedy based on an unstable love triangle between a boy, a girl and her protective pooch. Like: Dog Gone Love
HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY - A solid 7! A fantastic sequel with stylish direction, imaginative characters, offbeat comedy and pop culture pulp. Like: Hellboy (2004)
HELLO... - A flat 5! Bollywood drama has a top cast, good script/story but average music and film- making. Like: Dil Ne Jise Apna Kaha, Outsourced
HELLO GOODBYE - A satisfactory 6! Cross-cultural curiosity fuels this strangely compelling French "romantic" comedy about middle-age couple who emigrate to Israel. Like: Last Chance Harvey
HENRY POOLE IS HERE - A satisfactory 6! Decent performances give this quirky drama/comedy a bit of heart in this story about faith. Like: Julie Walking Home
HERO WANTED - A flat 5! Gritty, Hollywood revenge action/thriller b- movie with a time shifting plot and decent performances. Like: Death Sentence
HEROES - A satisfactory 6! Entertaining Bollywood musical road trip adventure starring Salman Khan and Preity Zinta. Like: Nanhe Jaisalmer
HEY, HEY IT'S ESTER BLUEBURGER- A flat 5! Awkward Australian mix of tween comedy and coming- of- age drama has potential, but characters are unlikeable. Like: The Clique
HIDDEN HEART - A satisfactory 6! Barnard heart transplant documentary. Fascinating, but long and not absorbing. Like: Life and Times of Ingrid Jonker
HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 3 - A satisfactory 6! Conservative high school bubblegum fantasy musical. Upbeat and fun for target audience. Like: High School Musical 2
HIGHLANDER V: THE SOURCE - A third- rate 3! Sequel's story had potential, but lacks the swordplay, script and special effects of the original. Like: Highlander III
HILLS HAVE EYES 2, THE - A flimsy 4! B- grade standard follow- up to a modern horror classic with less thrills and scares. Like: The Hills Have Eyes 2
HIT & RUN - A flat 5! Decent B- movie horror/thriller. Lacks originality with its "urban legend" stalker plot. Like: I Know What You Did Last Summer
HITCHER, THE - A flat 5! Slick, blood- soaked MTV action version of The Hitcher (1986). Carnage and gore trump horror. Like: Joy Ride
HITMAN - A flat 5! Stylish action/thriller that humanises the cold- blooded Agent 47 into a dark James Bond. Like: The Jackal, The Professional
HOME OF THE BRAVE - A flat 5! Noble intentions ruined by poor script and direction. Like: In The Valley of Elah, Jarhead
HOME OF THE GIANTS - A solid 7! Entertaining, genre- twisting high school crime/sports story elevated by crisp writing and solid acting. Like: Basketball Diaries
HOND SE DINGES - A flimsy 4! Low budget madcap SA crime comedy with stage acting, uneven pacing and predictable setup. Like: Lipstiek Dipstiek, Mr. Bones
HONEY 2 - Spectacular dance sequences are the only thing on offer in this predictable, bland and typical teen dance movie. Like: Honey
HOODWINKED TOO! HOOD VS. EVIL - A flimsy 4! The 3D effects are a plus, but this sequel is unnecessary and lacks the wit and charm of original. Like: Hoodwinked!
HOP - A flimsy 4! Live-action/animated 'expert' Tim Hill delivers a pithy script, feel good formula and a thin 'Easter' story with a charming under-utilised cast. Like: Alvin and the Chipmunks
HORRIBLE BOSSES - A solid 7! A somewhat nasty, somewhat hilarious dark comedy with a fine comedy cast and a sharp story. Like: The Matador
HORTON HEARS A WHO - An excellent 8! A funny, faithful Dr. Seuss adaptation filled with fun and adventure for everyone. Like: Ice Age, The Grinch
HOPEVILLE - No rating! Based on the TV series, this condensed coming-of-age small town drama features a star-studded SA cast in an uplifting film intent on inspiring moral regeneration. Like: Hopeville (TV)
HORSEMEN - A flat 5! Predictable, grim tapestry of better serial killer cat- and- mouse thrillers. Miscast with poor dialogue. Like: Primal Fear, The Flock
HOT ROD - A satisfactory 6! Jackass meets Anchorman in this offbeat '80s story about a wannabe stunt rider. Like: Napoleon Dynamite
HOT TUB TIME MACHINE - A satisfactory 6! This '80s nostalgia blast from the past turns Back to the Future into The Hangover with course language and disgusting comedy. Like: Out Cold
HOTEL FOR DOGS - A flimsy 4! Kids and dog- lovers will be amused, but predictable, contrived family comedy gets boring with a weak plot. Like: Dunston Checks In
HOTTIE AND THE NOTTIE, THE - A terrible 2! Paris Hilton's vanity vehicle version of There's Something About Mary. Loaded with gross- out humour. Like: Pledge This!
HOUSE BUNNY - A flat 5! Mediocre, formulaic sorority comedy with decent cast and the zany Anna Faris as the ditzy bunny. Like: Sydney White
HOW DO YOU KNOW - A flat 5! A solid turn from Nicholson can't save this slightly amusing and long-winded "romcom" from failing to meet the potential of the talent involved. Like: Spanglish
HOW SHE MOVE - A flat 5! A brave, gritty and energetic dance movie that sticks to the formula. Not for everyone. Like: Stomp the Yard, Step Up
HOW TO LOSE FRIENDS & ALIENATE PEOPLE - A satisfactory 6! Pegg's performance lifts this off- target yet thought- provoking and slapstick comedy romance. Like: Devil Wears Prada
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON - A solid 7! Top- notch animation, amazing 3D thrills, a truly moving father- son story and flying dragons! Like: Lilo & Stitch
HOW TO STEAL 2 MILLION - A satisfactory 6! A dark, moody and gritty SA-made crime drama with a Hollywood story line, a solid ensemble and a film noir gangster sensibility. Like: Retribution
HUMAN CONTRACT, THE - A flat 5! Stylish visuals yet a detached, predictable and familiar "psychological" erotic thriller with unlikable characters. Like: Obsessed
HUNTING PARTY, THE A - satisfactory 6! Fun, surreal and adventurous take on US journalism and revenge in post- war Bosnia with solid cast and decent performances. Like: Charlie Wilson's War
HURT LOCKER, THE - An excellent 8! Bigelow uses handheld cameras to create a taut, realistic atmosphere in this tense, unconventional Iraq war thriller. Like: Platoon
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