january
highs sweet sixteen  From director Ken Loach comes this exceptional tour force. In the tradition of gritty British true-to-life dramas it dissects the dark side of urban living and brilliantly penetrates the world of a troubled youth ... (more) transporter An exciting and thrilling fast-paced action adventure for action buffs and superb entertainment for anyone looking for breathtaking action sequences ... (more) trapped Director Luis Mandoki delivers great suspense and spectacular drama ... (more) reign of fire The imagination of the audience is fuelled up with this intensely breathtaking futuristic action-adventure that has the world dominated by fierce dragons … (more) ghost ship Good old-fashioned horror and high seas adventure merge effectively …(more) frida Director Julie Taymor - who gave us the invigorating 'Titus' - explores the world of renowned Mexican artist Frida Kahlo …(more)        one hour photo Written and directed by Mark Romanek, the narrative is captivating and intriguing, offering super insight into the human psyche… (more) the dangerous lives of altar boys An absolutely brilliant exploration of teenage rebellion and sexual awakening (more)
lows tadpole Like its title, this ridiculous comedy remains small and insignificant, never growing into a frog that could turn into a prince … promised land Director Jason Xenopolous fries the Afrikaner in this locally made adaptation of Karel Schoeman's award-winning novel 'Na die geliefde land' The sometimes overbearing style impedes the narrative, casting the emphasis on form instead of content. What could have offered insight or understanding, rubs salt into a cliched-driven narrative that smacks of self indulgence.  …(go behind the scenes)

february
highs punch drunk love Paul Thomas Anderson dazzled his fans with the quirky 'Magnolia'. Now he brings us this extraordinary romantic comedy, hypnotising the audience with a haunting soundtrack than hits hard with startling sound effects, waking the audience out of a dreamstate and reminding them that there is a reality beyond the fantasy, and magic above the mundaneness …(more) antwone fisher Denzel Washington's directorial debut is a brilliantly insightful reflection of the black culture Hollywood so desperately tends to ignore …(more)  about schmidt Director Alexander Payne gives us a remarkable portrait of a lonely man, with Jack Nicholson in top form as a retired man who is desperate to find something meaningful in his thoroughly unimpressive life ..(more) nowhere in africa Nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Film, writer-director Caroline Link's adaptation of Stefanie Zwieg's autobiographical novel is a sumptuous feast, brilliantly capturing the anguish of a German-Jewish family who are forced to leave their protected. Read the Interview with Caroline Link, click here
lows auto focus Paul Schrader successfully explored the world of male prostitution in 'American Gigolo'; and sexual anxiety in 'Cat People'. His latest effort delves into the life of an ordinary man, who is seduced by fame and becomes addicted to pornography. It is a murky affair and leaves a bad taste in the mouth … investigating sex Alan Rudolph delivers a boring exploration of sexuality … solaris Oscar winning director Steven Soderbergh dapples in science-fiction and gets hopelessly lost in space. Soderbergh's version is no milestone and is nothing more than artistic masturbation disguised as intellectual cinema..(more)

march
highs catch me if you can In sharp contrast to the futuristic world of 'Minority Report', Steven Spielberg takes us back to the 1960s with this charming drama …(more)  rabbit-proof fence An astounding cinematic experience telling the heart rendering true story of three aboriginal girls forcibly removed from their outback families .. this remarkable independent film rings true to home and was directed with astounding visual flair by Australian-born director Phillip Noyce … 8 mile Director Curtis Hanson knows how to tell a story. Following his superb noir-thriller L.A.Confidential, he went on to direct the brilliant Wonder Boys, clearly showing his compassion for the characters who inhabit his fictional reality …
lows gangs of new york  It is a powerful film; driven by a solid - but flawed - dramatic narrative; political freedom, personal escape and emotional release are severely challenged by a syrupy romantic subplot; the excessive voice over narration becomes preachy and overloads the audience with information; and the violence is unnecessary in its graphic execution. This clearly makes for spectacular cinema, but never reaches the astounding proportions of other epical masterpieces… (more) god is african  Set in post-apartheid South Africa and marking the directing debut of Akin Omotoso, it is not an easy film to watch. Omotoso banters the audience with a strong, politically flavoured narrative, never allowing the characters to surface. Issues of race, oppression, discrimination and corruption dominate the film. The film becomes an issue and fails to engage with its propaganda tactics.

april
highs moonlight mile From Brad Silberling comes this exceptional tale of disarming honesty and unexpected humour... a story about waking up to life, letting go, and discovering that love comes in the most unexpected circumstances … 28 days later How mankind engineers its destruction, and how the destruction eventually destroys humanity is placed under the spotlight by director Danny Boyle. It is a candid and brutal exploration of a bloodthirsty world that spins out of control when a deadly virus devastates the planet, leaving a handful of survivors to salvage a future from the apocalypse …(more)  daredevil  An exciting and thrilling comic book character, 'The Man Without Fear' burst onto our screens with great excitement. It is dark and captivating journey for the audience…(more)  the core You will believe the impossible after watching this excellent adventure. In the tradition of 'Armageddon' comes this character-driven 'disaster film' that truly takes us where we have never been before. It is a rare example where great entertainment - filled with abundant humour, thrills and drama - provides thought provoking subject matter … (more)  the quiet american Director Phillip Noyce brings us a captivating and enthralling adaptation of Graham Greene's classic story …swim fan A surprising sexy psycho-thriller about obsession …
lows  dreamcatcher Another Stephen King concept bites the dust in this trashy, messy adaptation, where horror, science fiction and the supernatural are hopelessly trapped in a web of absolute nonsense. Spectacular nonsense that is, where nothing makes much sense, and the fluff that passes for entertainment is blown away in a blizzard of pretentious boredom … half past dead Steven Seagal and action fans will favour this glossy celebration of violence and mayhem. It's all there: the ultimate prison, tons of fighting sequences (complete with Matrix-induced flying black coats and kick-ass action), billions of exploding bullets and ammunition, a funky soundtrack, and an overload of shattering glass.

may
highs the rules of attraction It is not how director Roger Avary tells this story by Bret Easton Ellis ('American Psycho'), it is where he takes you. In many ways Avary re-invents cinema with his unique mastery of the film medium, bending all rules and breaking all conventions. Sensitive or conservative viewers will moan and groan at Avary's approach. Film buffs will delight in the remarkable freshness that celebrates the film medium in all its glory, offering a perfect blend of image, music and sound ..(more) matrix reloaded Fasten your seatbelts and upgrade your software for this spectacular high-tech extravaganza! It's a feast for the eye and bombards the intellect with a mesmerising fusion of mythology, philosophy, mathematics, psychology, comic books and theology…(more)  pollock Brilliantly directed by Ed Harris (who makes his directorial debut and stars in the title role) the film is a look back into the life of an extraordinary man. Even if you don't own a Pollock, or know that much about the world of the artist, you owe yourself the pleasure of experiencing this astounding masterpiece…(more) white oleander A women's film that delivers on all levels, particularly great performances by the entire cast. A redeeming journey of self-discovery, based on the acclaimed best-selling novel by Janet Fitch..(more) sex is comedy Sensational French director Catherine Breillat caused an uproar with her candid 'Romance X'. Her latest offering is equally sensational and brilliantly explores the fragile relationship between a director and her cast in shooting a sex scene...narc Writer-director Joe Carnahan gives us a hardcore view of police corruption …(more) rumor of angels A slow paced but ultimately rewarding coming-of-age story with a difference.

june
highs l.i.e Described as a 'coming of age story with an edge', this brilliant independent release is a must see for anyone who enjoy gritty true-to-life dramas (think of the recent 'Bully'). Focusing on the bristling sexuality of a fifteen year old boy in affluent Long Island suburbia, it beautifully casts insight into his relationship with other boys his age, particularly his affection towards his rebellious and boisterous buddy. It brilliantly depicts his shoddy relationship with his father and how this leads to his attraction towards an older man, who happens to be an ex-military official preying on teenage boys. It has a brutal honesty that explores the culture of teenage prostitution and  the shadowy world of child molestation … hulk Acclaimed Oscar-winning filmmaker Ang Lee (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) turns his masterful eye to adapting the classic Marvel Comics character for the big screen.  Setting out to faithfully transfer the Hulk comic book character from four-color paneled page to motion picture screen, Lee combines all the elements of a blockbuster visual effects-intensive Super Hero movie with the brooding romance and tragedy of Universal's classic horror films. …(more)  a man apart From director F.Gary Gray comes this exciting crime drama with Vin Diesel as the head of an anti-narcotics crew in law enforcement who takes on a group of evil druglords …  the life of david gale Remember director Alan Parker's excellent 'Midnight Express'? He now returns to familiar territory with this brilliant suspense-drama … spider An astounding masterpiece from Canadian horror maestro David Cronenberg (The Fly, Crash, Scanners, Naked Lunch). Based on the novel by Patrick McGrath (who also wrote the screenplay), it features brilliant performances by Ralph Fiennes as an insane loner who confronts his madness, with an equally outstanding performance by Miranda Richardson (who plays the roles of his gentle mother, the slutty mistress of his father, and a tyrannical warden).
lows bowling for columbine In this award-winning documentary, producer/writer/director Michael Moore becomes the victim of his subject matter, allowing objective views to be hijacked by his personal onslaught ...tears of the sun A rather tedious and disappointing action-thriller from director Antoine Faqua (Training Day) ...the cats meow This cat should have been drowned and sent straight to video heaven. anger management Fans of Adam Sandler will delight in this ridiculous comedy about a mild tempered man who gets pushed to the limits by anger-management guru Jack Nicholson.


july - december