The Genius Club – 2006 – Timothy A. Chey

An intellectual thriller, debatably, about the greatest American brains gathered together to play a game with a nuke-wielding sociopath in order to save humanity, or at least the US. It does, however, deal with a lot of contemporary issues, while the “ostriches” of this world bury their heads in the sand. Brian Murray

After Sex – 2007 – Eric Amadio

After sex comes the seriousness, or comedy, or fighting or reality. This is a low budget comedy that uses sex, or the moments afterward, to focus on the relationships of eight different couples. Cliched at times it’s a reasonable diet of light entertainment with potential and some minor laughs. Entertaining.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona – 2008 – Woody Allen

An unconvincing and largely unfunny comedy, if only Woody Allen would stop and be content with the canon of work he has created. It was good when it was in New York, sometimes it was great - Bullets Over Broadway. But a muse doesn’t make a movie, even if she is drop dead gorgeous. JJ

Alice in the Cities – 1974 – Wim Wenders

A charming and effortless road movie which sees the eponymous Alice, a nine-year-old girl, entrusted to a bewildered German journalist returning home from the US after an unsuccessful assignment. The pair have a lovely on-screen relationship and Wender’s fascination for trains, planes and monorails is marvellous. JJ

Che: Part One – 2008 – Steven Soderbergh

The first in a two part biopic based on Ernesto Guevara’s writings, this is possibly the most tedious film you’ll see in 2009. Dull, overwrought and intractable it’s as if Soderbergh is punishing the audience for tacitly accepting Che as a fashion icon emblazoned on a million white T-Shirts. JJ

Body of Lies – 2008 – Ridley Scott

Two CIA operatives (Russell Crowe and Leonardo DiCaprio) create an elaborate proxy terrorist organisation to ensnare a Bin-Laden like terror chief blowing up Europe. This is what the movie should have been entirely about, instead this subplot gets lost in a bombastic and muddled action thriller, that Scott get’s half right. JJ

Taken – 2008 – Pierre Morel

Liam Neeson is a dad on a mission to save his teenage daughter who is befriended by a cute French man, kidnapped by greasy haired Albanians, sold to a devious but polite capitalist and auctioned as a sex slave to gluttonous Arabs. Everyone in Paris speaks English; Liam Neeson kicks ass, just not so good at sprinting. JJ

The Savages – 2007 – Tamara Jenkins

When Lenny Savage’s wife dies, he is thrust upon his two wayward, screwed up children. By then the family has grown apart and resentment is all that remains in this tragi-comedy. However, his kids, played excellently by Philip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney are forced to overcome their resentment and finally start living like adults. JJ

Eagle Eye – 2008 – D.J. Caruso

Blend in 2001: A Space Odyssey, Terminator, and The Man Who Knew Too Much and you get the biggest lie Hollywood’s ever produced from the director and actor of Disturbia. The problem is they take themselves too seriously, or else it would be fun to watch! Omid Nikfarjam

Shake Hands with the Devil – 2007 – Roger Spottiswoode

Forget about Hotel Rwanda and Shooting Dogs. This documentary about the Rwandan killing fields, one of the most appalling chapters in modern history, contains some very disturbing images. If one’s ever shed tears over some stupid Bollywood movie, they should be ashamed of themselves. Omid Nikfarjam