Reviews by David Graham

Order by: Date, A–Z

• 
  Straw Dogs (2011)

  Review preview for Straw Dogs

  This new incarnation won't linger in your head like its predecessor, but it remains a hugely affecting and effective experience.

  Remake sees a couple under siege in an isolated farmhouse.
• 
  Saint (2010)

  Review preview for Saint

  An unashamedly trashy treat.

  After being murdered, bishop St Niklas seeks revenge every 32 years by giving the parents and children a Christmas they will never forget.
• 
  Paranormal Activity 3 (2011)

  Review preview for Paranormal Activity 3

  Nothing more than a moderately effective string of noise-enhanced jolts.

  In 1988, young sisters Katie and Kristi befriend an invisible entity who resides in their home.
• 
  African Cats (2011)

  Review preview for African Cats

  Jackson really does attack his narration with all the relish of a new father indulging his kids at bedtime.

  A documentary following two big cat families through the hardships of life in the wild.
• 
  In The Realm Of The Senses (1976)

  Review preview for In The Realm Of The Senses

  Despite all the outrageous and mostly un-simulated activity, there is a real sensuality to the couple's contact, as well as a sad undertow to their sadistic influence upon each other.

  A man begins an affair with one of his servants.
• 
  Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark (2010)

  Review preview for Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark

  The film's biggest disappointment is that it just isn't very scary.

  A girl starts to hear voices in the hidden basement of a mansion her father is restoring.
• 
  Shark Night 3D (2011)

  Review preview for Shark Night 3D

  Smart enough in the right places and dumb enough in others to be a worthwhile waste of your time.

  A group of holidaymakers find their trip a private lake has rather more bite than they were looking for.
• 
  Red White & Blue (2010)

  Review preview for Red White & Blue

  This isn't just blood and guts mayhem; this is about the mental repercussions of bodily violence.

  A damaged woman strikes up a tentative bond with an Iraq veteran in this psychological horror.
• 
  What's Your Number? (2011)

  Review preview for What's Your Number?

  Mylod doles out cliche after cliche - drinks and debauchery in clubs, waking up with Mr Wrong - but never injects enough warmth or humor into proceedings to keep them fresh.

  A woman revisits her past 20 boyfriends to see if she's lost Mr Right.
• 
  Melancholia (2011)

  Review preview for Melancholia

  An occasionally fascinating but generally alienating study of clinical depression and reactionary panic.

  Two sisters' relationship is examined as a planet threatens to bring about the apocalypse.
• 
  Kidnapped (2010)

  Review preview for Kidnapped

  A lethal little stab at a well-worn template.

  Criminals subject a family to a night of terror.
• 
  Kes (1969)

  Review preview for Kes

  Kes is one of those films that's perhaps dwarfed by its reputation; it's a deeply personal and humble little film at its core.

  A young, English working-class boy spends his free time caring for and training his pet falcon.
• 
  The Change-Up (2011)

  Review preview for The Change-Up

  It's an unbridled pleasure to see Bateman off the leash for once.

  A harried husband and father finds himself in the body of his freewheeling, promiscuous best friend.
• 
  Friends With Benefits (2011)

  Review preview for Friends With Benefits

  It's the sort of film that couples should enjoy equally; there's serious eye candy whatever your preference, and the film's energy and good humour is infectious.

  Two ambitious young people find that sleeping together with no emotional complications is trickier than they anticipated.
• 
  A Lonely Place To Die (2011)

  Review preview for A Lonely Place To Die

  A thoroughly thrilling and unpretentious little flick that takes its genre by the scruff of the neck and drags it kicking and screaming through Scotland's menacing undergrowth.

  Mountain climbers become caught up in a game of cat and mouse after discovering a kidnapped girl buried in the wilderness.
• 
  Jane Eyre (2011)

  Review preview for Jane Eyre

  This is one of the most visually ravishing period dramas ever.

  A neglected young woman struggles to assert herself in 19th century England, finding love in the process.
• 
  King Of New York (1990)

  Review preview for King Of New York

  Overall, King Of New York is distinguished from similarly themed films by its willingness to embrace the gangster genre's exploitative nature; it's as shallow as a puddle but it's riveting viewing all the same.

  A drug lord aiming for redemption sparks a mob war.
• 
  Apollo 18 (2011)

  Review preview for Apollo 18

  An undeniable technical achievement.

  'Found footage' reveals the truth about why NASA never returned to the Moon.
• 
  The Woman (2011)

  Review preview for The Woman

  Horror film of the year so far, and likely to be one of the most memorable and celebrated of the coming decade.

  A successful country lawyer captures and attempts to 'civilise' a woman he finds in the woods.
• 
  Page Eight (2011)

  Review preview for Page Eight

  The intrigue feels under-cooked and the subject matter is yesterday's news, robbing an admirably action-free mystery of much of its impact.

  An MI5 agent becomes embroiled in intrigue after the death of his boss.
• 
  The Skin I Live In (2011)

  Review preview for The Skin I Live In

  Almodóvar's trademark narrative divergence is in full effect but he keeps a delicious sense of control over his fabulously grotesque concoction.

  A brilliant but troubled plastic surgeon tries to create the perfect woman.
• 
  Conan The Barbarian (2011)

  Review preview for Conan The Barbarian

  Fans of this type of fare will find plenty to like, but the final article remains a bit of a missed opportunity, never quite climbing the spectacular heights the character deserves.

  The legendary Cimmerian warrior battles to save the land where he lives from an encroaching evil force.
• 
  The New York Ripper (1982)

  Review preview for The New York Ripper

  Lucio Fulci's audaciously sleazoid slasher is designed to provoke as much outrage as possible, but it also just about cuts it as a classically-styled giallo thriller.

  The surviving victim of a serial killer becomes embroiled in a dangerous game of cat and mouse.
• 
  The Dead Undead (2010)

  Review preview for The Dead Undead

  The film becomes one long anti-climax

  A group of youths get caught up in a war between vampires and zombies.
• 
  Savage Streets (1984)

  Review preview for Savage Streets

  Danny Steinmann throws enough subversive wit and exploitation action into the plot to keep you reasonably engaged even when he's putting you on edge with despicable misogyny.

  A teenager seeks revenge on thugs who raped her sister.
• 
  Horrible Bosses (2011)

  Review preview for Horrible Bosses

  Jennifer Aniston is an absolute revelation, burning up the screen in her sleaziest and possibly funniest performance to date.

  Three friends conspire to murder their awful bosses when they realize they are standing in the way of their happiness.
• 
  Let Us Be Golden (2011)

  Review preview for Let Us Be Golden

  Given how well they've already done, the notion of 'making it' seems a bit moot for this lot.

  Three acts. Three sounds. Three attitudes. One goal – a career in music.
• 
  The Pack (2010)

  Review preview for The Pack

  Everything from the appearance of the creatures to the often surprisingly visceral gore is shot in quite a straightforward way, which somehow gets under your skin.

  A woman finds herself caught up in ritual sacrifice.
• 
  Hobo With A Shotgun (2011)

  Review preview for Hobo With A Shotgun

  The sort of movie that Rob Zombie should have made by now and will no doubt wish he had.

  A hobo hops from a train with dreams of a fresh life in a new city, but instead finds himself trapped in an urban hell.
• 
  Obsession (1976)

  Review preview for Obsession

  Aided by richly layered performances from his leads De Palma wrings real emotion and drama from what could have been a deeply silly caper.

  A businessman hit by tragedy becomes obsessed with the past.
• 
  By Day And By Night (2009)

  Review preview for By Day And By Night

  It's a powerful concept that isn't really done full justice.

  Gattaca meets THX1138 meets Blade Runner...
• 
  The Funhouse (1981)

  Review preview for The Funhouse

  The Funhouse is a cult classic that has languished in obscurity for far too long.

  Four friends find themselves in peril after deciding to spend the night inside a carnival house of horrors.
• 
  The Caller (2010)

  Review preview for The Caller

  Despite appealing leads and the subtle creepiness of the escalating phone-calls, director Matthew Parkhill can't make the pieces fit, leaving the audience hanging in frustration rather than in suspense.

  When the past comes calling, don't pick up the phone...
• 
  The Last Circus (2010)

  Review preview for The Last Circus

  The Last Circus is worth a watch for the unbridled imagination on display but ultimately it falls apart as much as its main protagonist.

  Two clowns become embroiled in a tug of war for the heart of an acrobat.
• 
  Stormhouse (2011)

  Review preview for Stormhouse

  Won't set the box office alight but has plenty of atmosphere and imagination to commend it.

  UK horror on a military base.
• 
  King Of Devil's Island (2010)

  Review preview for King Of Devil's Island

  Holst's film takes on a truly tragic tone that some will find too much to handle, but it's a massively engaging effort that should reward those that stick out its hefty running time.

  A group of young inmates fight for their right to freedom.
• 
  The First Grader (2010)

  Review preview for The First Grader

  There is plenty of intriguing historical backdrop to this story, and Chadwick manages to incorporate much of it without losing focus on the very personal subject at the film's centre.

  The story of an 84-year-old Kenyan man's fight for education and equality.
• 
  Between 2 Fires (2010)

  Review preview for Between 2 Fires

  A riveting film with a huge amount of depth and a brilliantly deceptive narrative.

  How far would you go to protect your daughter? Would you become a refugee?
• 
  Mourning For Anna (2010)

  Review preview for Mourning For Anna

  Martin's approach, which skilfully avoids melodrama and keeps a respectful distance from her subject, is complemented by Guylaine Tremblay's finely nuanced central performance.

  A meditative and hypnotic meditation on grief and loss.
• 
  Quality Control (2011)

  Review preview for Quality Control

  Everson's non-technique may hold a harsh mirror up to our implicit involvement in his subject's plight, but his approach quickly becomes disheartening.

  A documentary observing the tedium of work for African Americans in dead end factory jobs.
• 
  Angel And Tony (2010)

  Review preview for Angel And Tony

  That they make such a fascinating pair is down to Delaporte's spare but beautifully observed script, and the brilliantly understated performances by Clotilde Hesme and Gregory Gadebois.

  A touching portrayal of love against the odds.
• 
  The Divide (2011)

  Review preview for The Divide

  The film's strongest suit is, somewhat surprisingly, its rich vein of gallows humour.

  A group of survivors from an unexpected attack on an apartment block hide out together, but discover they can't trust each other.
• 
  Bridesmaids (2011)

  Review preview for Bridesmaids

  Every bit as polished and appealing as its predecessors.

  Despite her best attempts to be a model member of the bridal party, an unlucky-in-love singleton finds herself rapidly becoming the ’maid of dishonour’.
• 
  Arrietty (2010)

  Review preview for Arrietty

  The first thing that will strike you is how absolutely lush it is visually; the pastel landscape is utterly iridescent by day, and star-dusted luminous by night.

  Studio Ghibli's reworking of an English classic about very small people trying to make their way in the world.
• 
  Life In A Day (2011)

  Review preview for Life In A Day

  The cinematic equivalent of coffee table literature.

  Clips of real life from all around the world as experienced on the 24th of July 2010.
• 
  Stake Land (2010)

  Review preview for Stake Land

  Despite its undeniable ambition and good intentions, Stake Land is just too derivative to distinguish itself from its peers.

  A small group of people travel through a post-Apocalyptic America where fundamentalist cultists and deadly vampires make staying alive a constant battle.
• 
  The Hangover: Part II (2011)

  Review preview for The Hangover: Part II

  This could easily have built upon the ragged genius of its predecessor but instead settles for wheeling out the same old tricks.

  After their bachelor party went hilariously wrong, this time the Wolfpack find themselves heading to a wedding in Thailand...
• 
  Diary Of A Wimpy Kid 2 (2011)

  Review preview for Diary Of A Wimpy Kid 2

  Even though it might not seem obvious to discerning adults, lots of care and attention to detail has been lavished upon this film.

  Two brothers have to deal with their parents' attempts to persuade them to be best friends.
• 
  Fire In Babylon (2010)

  Review preview for Fire In Babylon

  The thrilling archival clips and charismatic talking heads alone would make a fabulous documentary in the most traditional sense, but the judicious use of music really brings the film alive.

  A documentary about the golden age of West Indian cricket.
• 
  My Friend From Faro (2008)

  Review preview for My Friend From Faro

  It's the sort of film that doesn't do anything particularly new, or even anything especially well, but it does have a lot of heart and soul.

  Androgynous Mel adopts a new identity based on a charismatic boy she meets, which complicates her tentative romance with a pretty girl.