Film Review: Argo

Argo. Rated M (coarse language, mature themes and violence). 120 minutes. Directed by Ben Affleck. Screenplay by Chris Terrio.

Verdict: Ben Affleck delivers an outstanding edge-of-your seat ride.

When Iranian revolutionaries stormed the Embassy of the United States of America in the Iranian capital Tehran in November 1979, the world watched the hostage drama unfold over 444 days before the 52 American hostages were finally released. What was unknown at the time, was that as the embassy was being stormed, six Americans escaped and sought safety in other places – notably in the home of the Canadian ambassador Ken Taylor (Victor Garber).

Film Review: Paranormal Activity 4

Paranormal Activity 4. Rated M (horror theme, violence and coarse language). 88 minutes. Directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman. Screenplay by Christopher Landon.

Verdict: It’s probably the last gasp for the Paranormal Activity franchise as it takes on Rosemary’s Baby – and loses.

The ghost of The Blair Witch Project (1999) has haunted just about every offering from independent filmmakers playing around with projects from the psychological horror genre. Famous for, among other achievements, cutting tyro filmmakers loose from big budgets and motion picture studio funding, Blair Witch made the ‘found footage’ and wobbly, jump cut, hand-held camera work its signature and raked in more than $250 million at the box office.

Film Review: Killing Them Softly

Killing Them Softly. Rated MA 15+ (strong violence, drug use, sexual references and coarse language). 97 minutes. Written and directed byAndrew Dominik. Based on the novel Cogan's Trade by George Higgins.

Verdict: Andrew Dominik takes on the gangster genre and wins with this audacious take on contemporary American crime and poverty.

Dominik (Chopper, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford) reunited with the star of Jesse James – Brad Pitt – works wonders in the bleak, poverty-stricken film about consequences. In this case, the consequences of a robbery carried out by Scoot McNairy’s fragile Frankie (pictured) and Ben Mendelsohn’s deluded Russell – a couple of inexperienced young hopefuls who aspire to a better life.

Film Review: Taken 2

Taken 2. Rated M (violence). 92 minutes. Directed by Olivier Megaton. Screenplay by Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen.

Verdict: Guns, guns and more guns star in this toxic little sideshow of brutally stark propaganda about whose family means more.

What ends up being most interesting about this morally bankrupt little piece of work is the extent to which one can chart the collapse of Hollywood’s moral and cultural codes by the collapse of Liam Neeson’s career as an actor. The man who brought us the extraordinarily thoughtful, considered and culturally relevant characters of Oskar Schindler (Schindler’s List), Michael Collins (Michael Collins) and Alfred Kinsey (Kinsey) has been reduced to a vengeful, shoot-em-up action hero – and the result is as gruesome as it is tiresome. If there was ever to be the moment to mourn the passing of the well-made, meaningful, epic human drama, then this toxic little sideshow is it.