Westcoast Movies

Katherine Heigl is fast becoming the face of Hollywood 's romantic-comedy scene. Killers once again sees her reprise the lead role as the socially awkward beauty who finds love where and when she least expects it. Staring alongside Ashton Kutcher the two's married life takes a twist when Spencer's (Kutcher) past as a government-hired spy catches up with him. Soon everyone they encounter is part of an elaborate plot to kill them with a multi-million bounty on their heads.

With action scenes as realistic as those in an early James Bond film and the gun wielding husband and wife duo still looking as good as they did at the start of the movie, Killers should not to be taken too seriously.

Supporting roles by Tom Selleck as Jen's (Heigl) straight-laced, over protective father and Catherine O'Hara as her household alcoholic mother had cinema goers chuckling with laughter from start to finish.

by Tegan Read

A Nightmare on Elm Street is a story about Freddy Krueger; a serial-killing maniac with blades over his fingers who goes around killing teens in their dreams. A dubious premise if there ever was one, yet in 1984 Wes Craven and Robert Englund truly made it into a terrifying experience.

Two decades, eight sequels and a new Freddy Krueger later, the franchise has managed to sink to new lows.

Although Jackie Earle Haley (The Watchmen) does a decent job playing Freddie, he has little support from the rest of the cast, who are not believable in the slightest.

Wes Craven's influence is sorely missed, and Michael Bay (as the producer) results in your expected bright lights and loud noises, but little else.

by Nic Ingram

According to Dave "Hughesy" Hughes Peter Helliar's been off having a baby following the curtains closing on Rove - well... he's been working on his baby anyway. Peter Helliar writes and stars in the latest Aussie low-budget, big-screen romantic comedy hit-flick, I Love You Too.

Jim (Brendan Cowell) and Blake (Peter Helliar) are unlucky in love, big-kid types of fellas where one night stands are the norm.

Then one day Jim meets Alice, and years later Jim risks losing Alice as she decides to head back to England - unless Jim learns to grow up, and tell Alice he loves her.

Peter Helliar is predictable in a light-hearted, fun film.

by Caroline Baxter

Clash of the Titans, starring Hollywood's actor-of-the-moment Sam Worthington in the lead role of Perseus, is the Greek mythical tale of war between man and the gods with demi-god Perseus, mortal son of Zues, on his conquests to battle Medusa and the Kraken monster in effort to save mankind.

It's nice to see an epic tale that doesn't have to be three hours long just to be epic however Sam Worthington's Aussie accent is more than distracting at times, with the overuse of computer animation and cheesy one-liners also letting the films grandiosity down a little. Enjoyable to watch, but that's about it.

by Caroline Baxter

The Spy Next Door is Jackie Chan's latest offering, and unfortunately it really fails to deliver. Chan plays Bob Ho, an undercover agent from China on loan to America. While on the case, he falls in love with the girl next door but must prove his worth to her children. Before long, the bad guys are after Bob, the girl and her kids and it is up to him to save the day.

The plot is simple and ineffective, and Chan's once famous action scenes now look sad and forced. While the kids may find this mildly amusing it is definitely not worth going to the movies for. Your best bet would be to wait for this to come out on Foxtel and taking your kids to see How to Train Your Pet Dragon instead.

by Nic Ingram

Dear John is a film about sons and their fathers. About mothers. About a man and a woman. A film about friends, and enemies. About troubled times, parties and horses - but most of all Dear John is a film about love.

For the guys who think this chick-flick sounding film isn't for them don't be surprised if John's relationship with his father wrenches your heartstrings, even if John's relationship with his love interest, Savannah does not.

Dear John is a truly heartwarming tale about life's most important relationships. Reviewer tip: Bring the tissues.

by Caroline Baxter

The Hurt Locker is intense. If you don't like sitting on the edge of your seat wondering what is happening next, this is not the film for you.

The Hurt Locker is set in Iraq in the middle of the U.S. war on terror and follows a team of specialist bomb disposal officers.

Cinematically the film is beautiful yet disturbing with gritty imagery and such a believable storyline it makes you question whether the film is a documentary style re-enactment of real-life events.

Actor Jeremy Renner is marvelous as Senior Sergeant William James, the new leader of the bomb disposal squad following the death of the previous tactician played by Australian Guy Pearce.

Not new to working on war genre films, Director / Producer Kathryn Bigelow is deserving of the Academy Award nomination for Best Achievement in Directing - the film being nominated for nine Academy Awards in total.

It's amazing when a film actually moves and affects you, and The Hurt Locker certainly does that.

by Caroline Baxter