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

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

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

Sophie’s Choice -1982 – Alan J. Pakula

If there was one scene in a movie that would encourage me to watch it over and over, it’s the scene whereby Sophie’s forced to make her most difficult choice – sad and painful, but extremely watchable. You’ve never seen Meryl Streep, who won an Oscar for her lead role, so beautifully perfect. Omid Nikfarjam

Happiness – 1998 – Todd Solondz

If anything Solondz portrays the pursuit of happiness as a poisoned chalice. The themes are often grimacing and make for difficult viewing; pedophilia, sexual gratification, anomie. Some memorable individual performances and scenes but Solondz shies away from tackling the fall out and disappointments of trying to capture something as elusive as happiness. JJ

Zombie Strippers! – 2008 – Jay Lee

Ping pong balls and flesh-eating strippers led by the infamous Jenna Jameson; that should be enough not to watch it. It opens with a humourous polemic against George Bush, misleading you into thinking that it’s going to be good, but ultimately ends up as a cloaked soft-porn movie. Brian Murray

Knocked Up – 2007 – Judd Apatow

An implausible matching between Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl. He dumps his junk in her, doesn’t remember it and low and behold she’s up the duff. They try to be the good parents and continue to fall in and out of love for the rest of the movie. Full of it. Brian Murray

The Lookout – 2007 – Scott Frank

High school jock Chris Pratt (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) suffers memory loss and loses two of his best friends after ploughing his car into a combine harvester. Wracked with guilt and self pity his life is worthless. Redemption comes from an unlikely source. At best a supermarket ready meal type of movie. JJ

In Bruges – 2008 – Martin McDonagh

Two Irish hit men waiting for the call that will tell them about their next job; turns out it’s no ordinary job. Very funny and witty and bitter, In Bruges is about friendship and sticking to principles. Oh, just in case you don’t know, “fucking Bruges is in Belgium!” Omid Nikfarjam

Some great lines in this black comedy that kick political correctness in the nuts. Good to see Colin Farrell act within his expertise and avoid Hollywood temptations, that’s if they even come knocking any more. I think Martin McDonagh will outweigh and outlast Guy Ritchie if he continues with this form. JJ