WEEKEND PIC July 11 - 13 2008

Your Guide To The Weekend Movies

1.HELLBOY 2: THE GOLDEN ARMY (fantasy thriller with Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones and Luke Goss) Rated: * * * (out of 4): If anything, director Guillermo Del Toro is consistent. This sequel provides a nice balance of action, humour, romance and fantasy the likes of which we saw in 'Pan's Labyrinth'. You may want to quibble with the ending though.

2. HANCOCK (fantasy drama with Will Smith, Charlize Theron, Jason Bateman and Eddie Marsan) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): Nice actioner about a 'superhobo' with bad attitude but the film veers into a weird 'origin' story in the second half and throws a spanner into the works. (Reviewed below)

3. WANTED (action thriller with James McAvoy, Angelina Jolie and Morgan Freeman) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): Mind-boggling stunts accompanied by a mindless plot. Of course, with Jolie and McAvoy, this one is a surefire hit at least for this weekend. (Reviewed below)

4. JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH (fantasy adventure with Brendan Fraser, Josh Hutcherson, Anita Briem) Rating * * (2 stars): With its 3D technology, it comes out like a theme park ride without a compelling story that gets us involved. More of a kiddie treat.

5. WAR OF THE DRAGONS (fantasy thriller with Jason Behr, Amanda Brooks and Robert Forster) Rating * * (2 stars): This fantasy mix of Korean and Western folklore is another kiddie stuff with a hodge-potch of everything and nothing. (picture)

6.THE NANNY DIARIES (social comedy with Scarlett Johansson, Laura Linney and Donna Murphy) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): A satirical take on busy modern moms who leave their children to young nannies. Johansson is the main attraction in this 2007 comedy. (Reviewed below)

7. THE SUN ALSO RISES (drama in Mandarin with Jaycee Chan, Jiang Wen, Joan Chen and Zhou Yun) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): An art-movie for those who like wonderful scenery with stories about Red China. The narrative is set in four parts and it can be confusing but worth a watch. (Reviewed below)