A-TEAM, THE (13MVL,117 min) - A solid 7! Entertaining and respectful remake of the classic '80's TV series. Action-packed, corny non-stop fun-filled adventure! Like: The Losers
AGORA (13PV, 124 min) - A satisfactory 6! A strong lead performance and lavish historical recreation of Rome override unfocused script in this religious morality epic. Like: Rome (TV)
ANTICHRIST (18LVS, 110 min) - A satisfactory 6! Beautiful cinematography and strong performances underpin this highly controversial, gruesome and harrowing arthouse-horror. Like: Salo
AVATAR (13MLV, 170 min) An excellent 8! - Cameron's 3D Sci -Fi visual extravaganza delivers on entertainment with a multi-layered story and contrasting themes. Like: Dances with Wolves, Dune
BACK-UP PLAN, THE (13SLM, 102 min) - A terrible 2! A formulaic, predictable "romcom" that lacks chemistry, laughs and good taste. Like: Trust the Man
BAD LIEUTENANT, THE (16DLSV, 120 min) - A third-rate 3! Herzog's crime drama send-up is purposefully bad and rather pointless, featuring an over-the-top Nicolas Cage as a hedonistic hunchback and part-time bad cop. Like: Bad Lieutenant
BOYS ARE BACK, THE (10LM, 102 min) - A solid 7! Top-notch performances in this honest, heartwarming, coming-of-age family drama about a father and his boys as they deal with loss, abandonment and responsibility. Like: Driving Lessons
BROKEN EMBRACES (16SNL, 129 min) - A solid 7! Top-notch performances from the ensemble, beautiful visuals and some captivating emotional drama smooth over flaws in the story. Like: Volver
BROOKLYN'S FINEST (16DNLSV, 130 min) - A satisfactory 6! Intense, gritty yet clichéd crime thriller set in Brooklyn with solid performances from an underrated cast. Like: Pride & Glory
CATS & DOGS: THE REVENGE OF KITTY GALORE (PG, 82 min) - A flimsy 4! Poor writing dulls the laughs in this dumb "pets with celebrity voices" sequel. Like: Cats & Dogs
CHLOE (16LNS, 97 min) - A satisfactory 6! An all-star cast and fine director turn in a thought-provoking and smoldering love triangle erotic thriller with a twist. Like: Elegy
CREATION (13M, 106 min) - A satisfactory 6! This sluggish Charles Darwin biopic is buoyed by fine cinematography and good lead performances from Bettany and Connelly. Like: Darwin (TV)
DEATH AT A FUNERAL (13L, 90 min) - A flat 5! A solid ensemble cast, an amusing premise and a faithful remake, yet this crude black comedy still falls short of the original. Like: Death at a Funeral
DIARY OF A WIMPY KID (PG, 91 min) A satisfactory 6! Enjoyable coming-of-age preteen school days family comedy laced with nostalgia, angst and situations for all ages. Like: About a Boy
DISTRICT 13: ULTIMATUM (13LV, 100 min) - A satisfactory 6! This sequel features the same explosive, entertaining parkour action, which made the original so fun. Like: District 13
DORIAN GRAY (16SNVD, 112 min) - A satisfactory 6! This Oscar Wilde adaptation tells the debauched Gothic story of a man led astray, a beautifully filmed period piece, marred by a blank lead performance. Like: The Libertine
EDGE OF DARKNESS (16LV, 115 min) - A flat 5! A dark, swirling, inconsistent and convoluted detective revenge thriller marks the return of Mel Gibson. Like: Max Payne, Taken
EGOLI: THE MOVIE (13LV, 103 min) - A terrible 2! Second-rate production values, lack-lustre drama and a rush job will leave the Egoli faithful with a disappointing farewell to the much-loved TV series. Like: Egoli
ENDGAME (13VM, 107 min) - A satisfactory 6! Solid all-round performances raise the bar in this political drama/thriller detailing the secret talks that led to the end of Apartheid. Like: Catch A Fire
FAUBOURG 36 (13V, 119 min) - A satisfactory 6! Sweet, silly and lightweight musical/comedy drama tribute to French vaudeville. Like: Les Choristes
FOURTH KIND, THE (13LV, 97 min) - A flat 5! Banking on Paranormal Activity's runaway reality success and backed by a few name stars, this dull alien mystery/sci-fi only has a few scares. Like: Quarantine
FURRY VENGEANCE (PG, 92 min) - A third-rate 3! Over-the-top acting, repetitive toilet humour and weak writing make this eco-movie torture if you're not between the ages of 5 and 9. Like: Dr. Doolittle 2
GHOST WRITER (13LV, 125 min) - A solid 7! Polanski concocts an intense Hitchcockian political thriller with fine performances, a suspenseful mystery and great man-on-the-run moments. Like: Vertigo
GOAL! III: TAKING ON THE WORLD (13MS, 92 min) - A terrible 2! Disappointing end to a decent sports drama trilogy. This low budget World Cup football b-movie is weak in all departments and doesn't even focus on Goal! hero, Santiago Munez. Like: Goal II
GOOD HAIR (10ML, 96 min) - A solid 7! Chris Rock presents a light, yet informative and bittersweet comedy documentary on the hair culture of African-American women. Like: Rize
GREEN ZONE (16LV, 113 min) - A satisfactory 6! This competent political thriller and thinking man's actioner gets the green light, courtesy of the Bourne Ultimatum's Matt Damon and Paul Greengrass. Like: Body of Lies
GROWN UPS (10M, 101 min) - A flat 5! A childhood basketball team reunite as adults. Sandler's comedy troupe have a bit of light, dumb holiday fun in the Sun. Like: The Benchwarmers
HELLO GOODBYE (TBA, 99 min) - 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
HOPEVILLE (10M, 91 min) - 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)
HOT TUB TIME MACHINE (16SNLD, 90 min) - A satisfactory 6! This '80s nostalgia blast from the past turns Back to the Future into The Hangover with its brand of course language and rude "teen" comedy. Like: Out Cold
I LOVE YOU PHILLIP MORRIS (16LS, 96min) - A satisfactory 6! A fascinating indie comedy, marked by solid detour performances from Carrey and McGregor about a gay conman and his soul mate. Like: Cable Guy
IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS, THE (13LVM, 120 min) - A flat 5! Psychedelic visuals, a solid cast and an intriguing magical premise lie scattershot in this glorious, yet fascinating mess. Like: The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
INCEPTION (13V, 148 min) - A near-perfect 9! This dark Matrix-type actioner boasts a first-rate cast, breathtaking visuals, clinical direction, a powerful soundtrack and a surreal heist story in the vein of Ocean's Eleven. Like: The Matrix
IRON MAN 2 (10VM, 124 min) - A solid 7! The same winning tongue-in-cheek comic tone is repeated for the unwieldy sequel with a bigger budget, a broader cast and even more subplots. Like: Iron Man
JUST WRIGHT (PG, 100 min) - A flat 5! Formulaic and cliched romantic comedy sports drama. Watchable, only for its fresh spin and charming lead performances from Latifah and Common. Like: Brown Sugar
KILLERS (13 VM, 109 min) - A flimsy 4! No sparkle from a miscast Kutcher and a lack of couple chemistry in this predictable, routine spy "romcom". Like: Mr & Mrs Smith
KING OF FIGHTERS (13V, 90min) - A flimsy 4! Too much talking, not enough action and flat characters make this half-baked video game adaptation dull and unnecessary. Like: Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li
KNIGHT AND DAY (13LV, 110 min) - A satisfactory 6! Cruise and Diaz clear the way with their charming co-lead performances, despite a lack of romantic chemistry in this fresh, light and action-packed thrill ride. Like: The Italian Job
LEGION (16LV, 109 min) - A flat 5! Apocalyptic nativity fantasy meets zombie horror lockdown in this stylish yet inconsistent actioner. Great visuals, diluted performances. Like: Assault on Precinct 13
LETTERS TO JULIET (PG, 104 min) - A solid 7! A lightweight, predictable yet sweet, moving and charming romantic comedy drama set in Tuscany. Like: A Month by the Lake
LIFE, ABOVE ALL (13, 101 min) - No rating! This coming-of-age tearjerker is an honest and compelling adaptation of Chandra's Secrets, an SA drama about a 12-year-old's emotional struggles, spurred by a solid lead performance. Like: Precious
LONDON RIVER (10M, 88 min) - A solid 7! Dark, dreary, intense yet beautiful indie multi-cultural drama set in the days following the train bombings with honest co-lead performances. Like: A Mighty Heart
MAID, THE (16SNL, 96 min) - An excellent 8! A powerful lead performance, a bittersweet script and deft direction make this Chilean drama-turn-thriller engrossing. Like: One Hour Photo
MAO'S LAST DANCER (10M, 114 min) - A solid 7! An uplifting and emotionally-charged biopic powered by passion, conviction and the triumph of the human spirit. Like: Billy Elliot
MARMADUKE (PG, 88 min) - A third-rate 3! Another crass, low-brow family comedy with talking pets. Like: Beverly Hills Chihuahua
MESSENGER, THE (16LV, 113 min) - A solid 7! A humanistic, character-driven war drama with minimalistic direction and solid performances. Like: Stop-Loss
MOTHER AND CHILD (16SLV, 125 min) - A solid 7! Strong writing, insightful direction and fine performances touch on motherhood, family and relationships. Like: 21 Grams, Lovely & Amazing
NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, A (2010) (16VL, 95 min) - A flat 5! A slick, competent and formulaic remake doesn't measure up to scares, performances and creepiness of original. Like: Friday the 13th (2009)
OUR FAMILY WEDDING (PG, 103 min) - A third-rate 3! A name cast and promising culture-clash setup are ruined by a flat, contrived comedy script and racial stereotypes. One or two decent performances. Like: Gringo Wedding
PREDATORS (16LV, 107 min) - A flat 5! Competent as a stand-alone with a promising premise and solid cast, yet lacks novelty, mystery and fear factor of the original. Like: AVP: Alien vs. Predator
PLEASE GIVE (13LNS, 89 min) - A solid 7! Prickly yet insightful slice-of-life comedy drama set in NY apartment block. Entertaining take on social issues backed by solid cast and performances. Like: The Savages
PRINCE OF PERSIA (10V, 114 min) - A satisfactory 6! This dazzling fantasy action-adventure is a non-stop thrill ride from start to finish, borrowing from better films, but not quite matching them. Like: The Mummy
ROBIN HOOD (13V, 140 min) - A satisfactory 6! Scott and Crowe deliver an epic, "factual" and charmless account of the hero behind the legend. Like: Kingdom of Heaven
RUNAWAYS, THE (16DLS, 106 min) - A satisfactory 6! Girl rockers get down-and-dirty in this gritty, formulaic sex, drugs and rock 'n roll biopic. Unlike: Josie & The Pussycats
SALT (16V, 99 min) - A satisfactory 6! This entertaining, popcorn actioner is bolstered by a Jason Bourne scenario as a rogue Russian agent runs amok in the US with Jolie filling in for Jovovich. Like: Murder at 1600, Tomb Raider
SCHUKS TSHABALALA'S SURVIVAL GUIDE TO SOUTH AFRICA (PG LPV, 95 min) - A satisfactory 6! King of Candid Camera, Leon 'Schucks' Schuster returns to his roots with this daring, funny and prank-filled World Cup-themed romp around Cape Town. Like: Oh Schucks...I'm Gatvol!
SERAPHINE (13M, 121 min) - A solid 7! A brilliant lead performance highlights this slow, intense and well-crafted French art biopic. Like: Edvard Munch
SEX AND THE CITY 2 (16LS, 148 min) - A flimsy 4! This bloated, big spending sequel lacks a story line and damages reputations even further without sex or city. Like: Sex and the City
SHE'S OUT OF MY LEAGUE (13SL, 103 min) - A solid 7! Even a few American Pie gutter balls can't stop audiences from rooting for nice guys finishing first in this sweet, funny and charming "romcom" romp. Like: There's Something About Mary
SHIRLEY ADAMS (10M, 92 min) - A satisfactory 6! A solid lead performance makes this gut-wrenching against-all-odds portrait drama about a mother and her disabled son worth watching. Like: Confessions of a Gambler
SHREK FOREVER AFTER 3D (PG V, 92 min) - A satisfactory 6! Melancholic 3D sequel is better than Shrek the Third, but lacks the same happy-go-lucky charm and upbeat soundtrack of the trilogy. Like: Shrek the Third
SORCERER'S APPRENTICE, THE (10V, 110 min) - A satisfactory 6! Fun, entertaining popcorn-popping fantasy action-adventure blockbuster from the director-actor team that brought you National Treasure. Like: Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief
STEP UP 3 (10LM, 106 min) - A flat 5! Energetic dance choreography and dazzling 3D visuals almost make up for poor acting and a predictable story. Like: Step Up 2
STROKE OF LUCK, A (16SNL, 111 min) - A satisfactory 6! Set in Rome, this film captures a snapshot of modern Italy with subtle, heartfelt performances. Great chemistry and a tender story. Like: Welcome to the Sticks
THEMBA: A BOY CALLED HOPE (13M, 105 min) A solid 7! Spirited, coming-of-age drama with great performances,solid productions values and an uplifting message. Like: More Than Just A Game
TOY STORY 3 (PG, 100 min) - A near-perfect 9! Brilliant storytelling, amazing visuals, charming characters and loads of adventure in Pixar's latest triumph. Like: Toy Story 2
TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE, THE (13V, 124 min) - A flimsy 4! While better than New Moon, Eclipse still resembles a TV movie with second-rate CGI, average performances and a soap opera format. Strictly for the fans. Like: Twilight
UNFORGIVING, THE (18VL, 74 min) - No rating! A low budget, no name cast splatter flick inspired by Saw, Hostel and Surveillance. Not for the faint-hearted. Like: Wolf Creek
VAMPIRES SUCK (13LV, 82 min) - A third-rate 3! The makers of Epic Movie, Date Movie and Disaster Movie deliver yet another timely, yet trashy spoof movie based on Twilight and the vampire phenomenon. Like: Meet the Spartans
WHITE RIBBON, THE (13SV, 144 min) - An excellent 8! Bleak pre-WWI black-and-white depiction of a small German town in the throes of mysterious spate of violence. Fine performances, visionary direction and a cautionary tale. Like: Dogville
WORLD'S GREATEST DAD (TBA, 99 min) - A solid 7! An edgy, insightful, original, smart and pitch black adult comedy drama with a refreshing performance from Williams. Like: Rushmore
YOUTH IN REVOLT (16DLNS, 88 min) - A satisfactory 6! Sluggish, dry, off-beat yet charming and fun coming-of-age comedy gives Cera and Doubleday space to shine. Like: Outside Providence
