WEEKEND & HOLIDAY PIC: Jan 10 - 13 2008

Your Guide To The Holiday & Weekend Viewing:

1. AMERICAN GANGSTER (crime drama with Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Josh Brolin and Ted Levine) Rated: * * * 1/2 (out of 4): Two Oscar-winning stars, a gripping crime drama about a cop versus a black mobster, and insights into the drugs scene of the 70s. What more can we ask for? That the movie is not censored?

2. RENDITION (drama with Reese Witherspoon, Jake Gyllenhaal and Meryl Streep) Rated * * * (3 stars): A rivetting and thought-provoking political drama about the controversial torture of terror suspects in foreign countries by the CIA. With interesting insights into a terror network. (Reviewed below)

3. THE GAME PLAN (comedy with Dwayne Johnson, Roselyn Sanchez, Kyra Sedgwick and Madison Pettis) Rated: * * * (3 stars): See how a hotshot quarterback the likes of The Rock faces off against a cute Pettis who claims to be his daughter. A well-planned Disney family flick with all the ingredients of feel good fun and games. (Reviewed below)

4. ATONEMENT (romance drama with Keira Knightley, James McAvoy, Romola Garai and Saoirse Ronan) Rated: * * * (3 stars): Adapted from the novel by Ian McEwan, this searing love story is timeless and universal, a romantic tragedy that will tug at your heartstrings. (Reviewed below)

5. NATIONAL TREASURE: BOOK OF SECRETS (adventure with Nicolas Cage, Diane Kruger, Jon Voight & Helen Mirren) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): Like its predecessor, this sequel offers the same rollercoaster ride with a mix of fun and thrills. However, it is somehow devoid of any sense of danger... (Reviewed below)

6. IN THE NAME OF THE KING (sword-and-sorcery fantasy with Jason Stratham, Claire Forlani, Ray Liotta, Ron Perlman, and John Rhys Davies) Rated: * * (2 stars): Adapted from the vidgame, this is a rojak effort with huge helpings borrowed from "Lord Of The Rings" and even "Matrix". Only for sword-fighting fans. (Reviewed below

7. ALIENS VS PREDATOR 2 (Action sequel with Reiko Aylesworth, Steven Pasquale, Gina Holden & David Hornsby) Rating * * (2 stars): Predictable and unavoidable, this vidgame-to-movie franchise is mainly for fans of the game. It gets stupider as it goes along...

8. THE HOUSE aka BANPEESINK (Thai horror with Inthira Chaloenpura) Rated: * 1/2 (1.5 stars): A docudrama-styled psychological thriller about three murders and a haunted house. Few scares but lots of boring repetitive scenes. You've been warned. (Reviewed below)