Star Trek (2009)
J.J. Abrams takes a franchise that had run aground and reboots it with a time-travel sidestep, a flawless young cast and a sense of pace the series had forgotten. The most fun I have had with Star Trek in years. 9/10.
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State of Play (2009)
Kevin Macdonald compresses Paul Abbott's six-hour BBC serial into a two-hour Washington thriller, and the result is a grown-up newspaper picture in the All the President's Men mould, carried by Russell Crowe. 8/10.
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Knowing (2009)
Alex Proyas hands Nicolas Cage a page of numbers that predict the end of the world and plays the whole thing dead straight. Critics balked at the solemnity; I came out rattled in the best way. 8/10.
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Watchman
Watchman, directed by Zack Snyder. Featuring Malin Akerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode. When an ex-superhero is murdered, vigilante Rorschach begins to investigate the murder, leading to a apocalyptical conclusion.
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The International (2009)
Tom Tykwer aims a 1970s paranoia thriller at the banks, with Clive Owen chasing money instead of bombs. The plot strains, but the locations and the Guggenheim set piece earn it. 7/10.
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Mamma Mia - The Movie
Directed by Phyllida Lloyd. With Amanda Seyfried, Stellan Skarsgård, Pierce Brosnan. The story of a bride-to-be trying to find her real father told using hit songs by the popular
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Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
We all love Indiana Jones and the wait for the fourth installment has been years. Is it any good? In a word yes. Is it the best?
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Give a Geek for Christmas
The Geek Squad has crossed from the USA to the UK. Good news for a country that needs more technological independence.
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Market Forces by Richard Morgan: Book Review
I thought the book started slowly, until I realised I was over 100 pages in. So close to today and yet not far from the future of Mad Max.
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