Captain America

Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) volunteers to take part in an experimental programme that turns him into a super hero - Captain America.

A classic super hero movie that relies on a winning recipe. Nevertheless, it's a roller coaster ride of adrenaline-fuelled fun that gets particularly good towards the end when it clearly sets itself up for The Avengers which sadly, will probably be rubbish.




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Pineapple Express

A process server and his drug dealer go on the run from hitmen and a corrupt police officer when he accidentally witnesses a murder.

The chemistry between Seth Rogen and James Franco works - well. And this has to be Franco's one finest hours. He shines as the hippy drug dealing Saul Silver. We're taken on a ride as Rogen and Franco haplessly try to escape their pursuers while mostly high as kites.

While there are only a few laugh out loud moments the movie is HIGHLY enjoyable. Easy to watch. And the running gag which involves their indestructible friend 'Red' (Danny McBride) is really funny.

Overall a fun movie to watch especially at 4:20

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The Book Of Eli

A post-apocalyptic world in which a lone man fights his way across American in order to protect a sacred book.

Denzel Washington is easy to watch. As loner, Eli, trudging across a violent America he cuts an enigmatic figure in a Mad Max world. The book of Eli wanders along and for the first part of the movie the viewer is not sure where the story is going to go. It's not until Gary Oldman as the evil Carnegie - ruler of a shanty town - gets involved that the story takes a very interesting turn. It's a stick-with-it movie with a nice twist in the tail ending. Our only criticism would be the ending drags on a bit.

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The Men who Stare at Goats

Journalist Bob Wilton (Ewan McGregor) reporting in Iraq -to impress his estranged wife - may just have stumbled on the story of a lifetime when he meets Lyn Cassady (George Clooney) who claims to be a former member of the U.S army's First Earth Battalion. A 1980s unit that employed paranormal powers in their missions. ie: Men who can stare at goats till their hearts stop.

Based on Jon Ronson's book, it's a satirical comedy in the style of the Coen brothers.
Tagged with the title that that 'more of this is true than you realise' you are led into a story of hippie soldiers, psychic spies, Jedi warrior all quite endearingly woven together with off-the-wall characters. A list actors with some terrific moments, the film meanders but ultimately never reaches a satisfactory conclusion. The kind of movie that leaves you scratching your head. However, if you get the chance - read the script because then you'll see how funny this film really is.
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Best line: It's ok, you can "attack" me...
What's with the quotation fingers? It's like saying I'm only capable of ironic attacking or something.

The Proposal 2009

Pushy boss, Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock), forces her young assistant, Andrew Paxton (Ryan Reynolds) to marry her in order to avoid being deported to Canada.

Only one of the Saturday Night Bright team watched this movie because only one of them is a Sandra Bullock fan! That apart, this movie script is sadly, formulaic. It's all been done before right down to the confession at the altar and inevitable chase to the airport. There are some very funny moments mostly provided by the adorable Betty White who plays Andrew's Grandma Annie and the scenery is very nice! But mostly it's just another romcom with the usual predictable happy ending.

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Thank you for Smoking

Satirical comedy about tobacco lobbyist, Nick Naylor (Aaron Eckhart) who spins on behalf of cigarettes while at the same time tries to be a role model for his young son.

Okay. So the protagonist lobby's on behalf of people that cause 1200 deaths a day, so we hate him - right? Er. No. Somehow we are drawn into liking this morally, reprehensible character. He's slick. Has an answer for everything and ties his opposition up in knots. But he also has a point. It's not a good point. But it's still a point. Education starts at home and everyone should be educated enough to make up their own minds as to whether they smoke or not. This movie is brave and witty. Satirical and sentimental. But hey. Don't take our word for it. Make up your own mind.

Best line in the movie: ' That's the beauty of argument, if you argue correctly, you're never wrong.'

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The Informant

The U.S government investigate price-fxing in an agricultural business giant based on evidence given by their star witness, company vice president Mark Whitacre (Matt Damon).

It's set in the 70s, no, 90s. 70s? 90s? Oh, wait. It's set in the 90s and filmed like it's in the 70s with a warm glow. Ah, hence the Marvin Hamlisch score.
Our protagonist conducts a narrative throughout the movie. Factoids that occupy his mind and ours, too. He is unbalanced, yet likeable. Is he a good guy? Yes. Mostly. Does he tell the truth? Sometimes. Is he playing out his role as if he's in a Hollywood movie? Definitely. He even calls himself '0014' - twice as smart as 007. As we follow Whitacre's role in bringing down his company from the inside we find ourselves engaged yet slightly confused. But how refreshing to find a movie that made us think and kept us thinking long after it had finished. And how does a polar bear know his nose is black, anyway?

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The Sentinel

Peter Garrison (Michael Douglas) is a secret service agent and personal bodyguard to the First Lady of the United States, Sarah Ballentine (Kim Basinger) with whom he is having an affair. He finds himself embroiled in an investigation to an assassin plot against the President. Each agent is ordered to take a polygraph test and, because he has to hide his affair with the First Lady, he fails. Thus finding himself an unwitting suspect for providing information to the would-be assassins.

Rotten Tomatoes reviews this as a film as boring as watching ink dry on a U.N Treaty. Well stuff them. This actually wasn't that bad. Although it was slightly worrying that when looking at the DVD and seeing that the film starred Michael Douglas, Kiefer Sutherland and Eva Longoria...but somehow we'd never heard of it. Nevertheless, it was a good story, kept our attention and watching an OAP (Michael Douglas) beat up half of the U.S Secret Service was entertaining if not a little amusing. Watch but don't expect a classic.

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Role Models

Danny (Paul Rudd) and Wheeler (Seann Williams Scott), two guys in their 30s, work for an energy drink company. But Danny feels stuck -- as if his life is going nowhere. Desperate to do something he proposes to his girlfriend who promptly turns him down and then breaks up with him. Danny snaps and gets into a fight with a tow trucker, dragging Wheeler into the melee, and both guys end up in court. It's either jail or community service. They opt for the latter which means that they have to join a Big Brother programme. Can these two guys ever become role models?

After a slow and somewhat disjointed start, this movie actually turns out pretty good. It's not ground breaking and it follows the typical Hollywood formula but it's fun and has a damn good ending.

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Yes Man

Life for Carl Allen (Jim Carrey) is going nowhere until he enrolls on a personal development programme based on a simple idea "say yes to everything." Suddenly life becomes perfect -- for awhile, anyway.

We liked it but we didn't love it. It's a ton better than a lot of other movies we've watched and there are moments that are really hilarious. Sometimes Jim Carrey's gurning gets a bit old, but then who else could possibly do that as good as him? The very best character in this movie is Norman (Rhys Darby) Carl's nerdy boss. He steals every scene he's in. Come to think of it this isn't a bad movie at all, the story line was just not strong enough. However, we'd watch it again.

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Jackie Chan's First Strike

Jackie Chan takes part in a sting operation on an international spy ring. But when one of them gets away he is chases him, and a missing nuclear warhead, to Australia.

We had this 1990's Jackie Chan movie sitting on our shelves gathering dust and had never watched it. So this weekend we decided to give it a view. It's only 88 minutes long but it's packed lots of action and the obligatory fight scenes Jackie is so famous for. In these depressing times when all everyone talks about is the economy and swine flu you can always reply on Jackie Chan to entertain and make you forget your problems.

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Quantum of Solace

Bond and "M" discover an international network of power and corruption. After an assassination attempt on "M" all roads appear to lead to a shady character called Dominic Greene(Mathieu Amalric). Greene, a developer of Eco friendly technology, is helping General Medrano stage a coup in exchange for a piece of barren Bolivian land. Only Bond assisted by his latest beautiful side-kick Camille(Olga Kurylenko), stand in Greene's way.

Daniel Craig reprises his role in this latest of the James Bond franchise. This James Bond seems hard and callous. He wouldn't take candy from a baby he'd shoot it in the head. We understand where his bitterness has come from (the death of Vesper in Casino Royale) but sometimes this Bond just seems a bit too nasty. But having said that it is a great movie and in many ways perhaps this edgier Bond is more appropriate for the times we live in.

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Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Famed archaeologist Dr Henry "Indiana" Jones is called back into action when he becomes entangled in a Soviet plot to uncover the secret behind the Crystal Skulls.

Rewind to 1981 when Indiana Jones burst onto the cinema screens and blew the cobwebs out of the movie business. Fast forward to 2008 and "Indy" is back. The movie business has moved on but Indiana Jones hasn't. BUT that isn't a bad thing because Indiana Jones has everything we've come to know and love from this movie franchise. Creepy crawlies, plunging waterfalls, death defying action scenes that are so ludicrous and yet so much fun to watch we don't care. Okay, there's perhaps too much CGI and the storyline is flimsy but we can't help but marvel at the intricate openings to doors and caves and the way Indiana drops over monumental waterfalls and still manages to keep his hat on. This movie is fast paced action and good, clean family fun. And when Indy's fedora blows to the feet of his son "Mutt" (played by Shia LeBeouf) we wonder if he will take up the mantle. We hope so.

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