WEEKEND PIC July 4 - 6 2008

Your Guide To The Weekend Movies

1. HANCOCK (fantasy drama with Will Smith, Charlize Theron, Jason Bateman and Eddie Marsan) Rated * * 1/2 (out of 4): 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, pictured)

2. 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)

3. THE BANK JOB (crime thriller with Jason Stratham, Saffron Burrows, Daniel Mays and James Faulkner) Rated: * * * (3 stars): You probably haven't seen Stratham in a more serious and more complicated role. Here, he plays a bank vault raider who also has to take on the mob and the Government. (Reviewed below)

4. 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)

5. 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)

6. GET SMART (comedy with Steve Carrell, Anne Hathaway, Dwayne Johnson, Terence Stamp and Alan Arkin) Rated * * * (3 stars): This updated remake of the Sixties TV series is actually smart in a dumb way, or vice-versa. Whatever, you do get a few laughs, some eye-popping moments with Hathaway and a generally good time. (Reviewed below)

7. THE INCREDIBLE HULK (fantasy adventure with Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, William Hurt and Tim Blake Nelson) Rated: * * * (3 stars): This summer's second Marvel Comics adaptation is not quite as engaging as "Iron Man" but there is enough action and plot to satisfy fans. (Reviewed below)

8. MADE OF HONOUR (romantic comedy with Patrick Dempsey, Michelle Monaghan, Kevin McKidd, Kathleen Quinlan and Sydney Pollack) Rating: * * (2 stars): Weak and tepid rom com that is neither romantic nor funny. Somewhat like 'My Best Friend's Wedding' without the charm of Julia Roberts. (Reviewed below).