Movie Reviews and Articles at Review Maze

Academy Awards 2012: Oscar Winners and Nominees Trivia - 2012's Academy Awards were quite interesting. A few things happened for the first time and some records were broken. Find them here.

War Horse (2011): Of Men and Horses - What films is Spielberg making 40 years after Duel, which we've recently reviewed? As it often happens with his creations, War Horse is about a war. But there is something new this time.

Duel (1971): One of Steven Spielberg's Less Popular Jewels - If you wonder how it has all started for Steven Spielberg, 1971's TV movie Duel is a good entry point. Two vehicles and a road are enough for suspenseful entertainment.

Haywire (2011): A Watchable Film with Wasted Potential - What to expect from Steven Soderbergh's latest film: a haywire, something better or just another average motion picture?

Murder on the Orient Express (1974): Agatha Christie's Mystery - Albert Finney was a good Hercule Poirot according to Agatha Christie. Is this actually true and is Sidney Lumet's film worth seeing? Read and you will find...

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011): Nothing Is Impossible - Tom Cruise is Ethan Hunt again in the fourth instalment of Mission: Impossible series. Is it better than the previous films? Maybe not so much but it's offering "more" for sure.

Contraband (2012): Unsurprising Action Thriller Movie - Contraband is the newest Mark Wahlberg film. Action. Thriller. Mark Wahlberg. I suppose these say it all. Well, add Kate Beckinsale if you want.

Friends with Benefits (2011) vs. No Strings Attached (2011) - Two comedies exploring similar concepts are fighting for your appreciation. The "white swan" Natalie Portman vs. the "black swan" Mila Kunis. The pop star Justin Timberlake vs. the enormously popular Ashton Kutcher. Who is going to win?

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011): An Old School Cold War Spy Drama - If you wonder what could be the successor of a "vampire" movie, here is the answer. A "spy" film. But don't expect a "Bond" movie from Tomas Alfredson. It's rather the opposite.

Moneyball (2011): Change the Rules of the Game to Be Competitive - Movies about sporting activities are not always very interesting and having enough appeal to the broad audience. Does Moneyball fit in this category or it is something special?

Play Misty for Me (1971): Suspense and Efficient Acting - Is Clint Eastwood's directorial debut as good as his recent works or is it just a beginner's movie? Find our thoughts on it here.

When Fall Movies Are Too Happy or Too Dark What Are the Alternatives? - A guest article discussing some alternatives to the fall season movies. Check it if you are one of those people that have not been satisfied with the Hollywood productions this autumn.

Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949): A Gem in Black and White - Do you want to see Sir Alec Guinness multiplied eight times? Do you love dark humour? If you want to experience a timeless black and white comedy Kind Hearts and Coronets is precisely for you.

The Change-Up (2011): Another Mediocre Comedy - The Change-Up is the next in a line of indifferent comedy films released this year. It's occasionally funny and it sports a couple of pretty ladies in its cast but this is pretty much everything it has to offer.

Horrible Bosses (2011): Not Horrible but a Mediocre Movie - Horrible Bosses has its funny moments but are they enough to see it? The title of this review says it all so whether you are going to see it depends on your spare time and money.

In Time (2011): Only the Poor Die Young - Is Justin Timberlake as good an actor as he is a musician? Andrew Niccol's new feature In Time gives Justin a chance to prove he's a worthy performer in that area too.

The Adventures of Tintin (2011): A New Challenge for Spielberg - Steven Spielberg in the realm of animation. How does he cope with the new challenge and is The Adventures of Tintin worth seeing?

Le locataire (1976) / The Tenant: Paranoid Roman Polanski - Is The Tenant up to the high standard of the previous Polanski's movie Chinatown or it is a step (or two) backward for the director? Find out what we think about it.

Crazy, Stupid, Love. (2011): Enjoyable, if not the Most Believable - Is Crazy, Stupid, Love. one of the better comedies this year? Is it just stupid or there are also portions of crazy love? Check this review out!

Midnight in Paris (2011): Not Woody Allen's Best but Beautiful to Watch - The latest Woody Allen film is executed in his usual style so there are not big surprises. Still, if you want to be prepared in advance for some of the pleasures the movie has to offer, do not miss our review.

The Breakfast Club (1985): No Breakfast, Just Talking (Club) - If you haven't seen this influential 1980s teen film, stop by and read our article to find out whether it's your favorite kind of movie.

Drive (2011): An Action Movie for Film Buffs by Nicolas Winding Refn - It does not happen so often an action film to be appreciated properly by non-action movie fans. In the case of Drive though, it seems Nicolas Winding Refn has made a tough task like this possible.

Izak's Choice (Les Mains) & The Red Thread (Fil Rouge) by Luc Plissonneau - Could shorts be as profound and entertaining as feature-length movies? Read about two short films created by the French writer and director Luc Plissonneau.

Star Wars Blu-ray Release Puts George Lucas Closer to Darth Vader / Anakin Skywalker - Thoughts on George Lucas' endless editing of the original Star Wars films. Pray with us to the God of movies for termination of this craze.

Source Code (2011): Cyclic but Hardly Boring - If you've liked Duncan Jones's previous movie Moon do not miss our opinion about his new feature. If you haven't seen Moon, correct the omission with Source Code.

Say Anything... (1989): A Distraction with Potential - It's another romantic comedy but don't say anything before you've acquainted yourself with our review.

Cowboys & Aliens (2011): Alienated Old Wild West - Is it possible for cowboys and aliens to share a common ground or screen? Find out if Jon Favreau has managed to achieve this unusual goal.

Star Wars: The Prequel Trilogy Blu-ray Warm-up Reviews - Short reviews of the 3 films comprising the Star Wars prequel trilogy: The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith.

Star Wars: The Original Trilogy Blu-ray Warm-up Reviews - Short reviews of the 3 movies comprising the original Star Wars trilogy: A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) - Teaser or More? - Is Captain America just another teaser for the Marvel's feature The Avengers coming out in 2012 or it is a fully legitimate movie on its own...

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) - The extremely popular series about the gifted teenage magician is coming to an end. Is the last portion of the decade-long Harry Potter saga worthier than its predecessors?

It's a Wonderful Life (1946): Is It a Wonderful Movie? - It's a film about a man having a good heart and unrealized dreams. There's a "bad" guy too. But are these enough to make it an excellent movie?

Almost Famous (2000): Almost Great - A young boy receives a chance to fulfil his dream of being a rock music journalist. But is it always good when your dreams come true?

The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981): Not Fully Engaging - Are Jack Nicholson and Jessica Lange enough to make a movie great or at least good? Well, not this time.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) - Bigger, Louder, Messier - The newest 3D flick is here. But is Transformers: Dark of the Moon all about 3D and visuals or there is more substance in it deserving your attention?

Super 8 (2011): J.J. Abrams' Love Letter to Filmmaking - Is J.J. Abrams' Super 8 the new E.T. or it is a childhood fantasy? Maybe it's close to both of them but is it a good sci-fi effort in the first place...

Sliding Doors (1998): Avoid Big Expectations to Enjoy It - Read our opinion about this sympathetic movie starring Gwyneth Paltrow and find out whether it would be a suitable choice for you.

Priest (2011): An Action Sci-Fi Movie You Can Safely Skip - The title says it all but if you are a fan of the genres and want to see another recent movie with forced 3D, you can still read our review of Priest.

Metropolis (1927): Highly Influential Sci-Fi Masterpiece - If you are a fan of science-fiction movies and you haven't seen Fritz Lang's Metropolis yet, do not skip our review. And if you are a general film addict, do not miss it either cause this movie is among the most influential masterpieces of cinema.

Metropolis (1927): Highly Influential Sci-Fi Masterpiece, Part II - Continuation of our Metropolis review. Read about the film's impact, influence, original ideas, social elements and restored prints' enhancements.

Thor (2011): Not Just a Teaser but an Entertaining Movie - Is Kenneth Branagh's Thor better than expected? Yes, it is. Read our review of the freshly released Marvel feature.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010) - Harry Potter has often been boring and this new episode is not an exception. It reaches new heights of boredom but there is still one last hope...

Mary and Max (2009): A Profound and Beautiful Film - Is Mary and Max just another drop in the flow of animations coming out so often during the last years or it is something special and worthy of your attention? Read our opinion of Adam Elliot's first animated full feature.

Maria Full of Grace (2004): ...And a Portion of Disgrace - If you want to see a movie about dope, is Maria Full of Grace the right one to choose? Is there anything disturbing in the film or it is an easy pick?

Sucker Punch (2011): A Blow in Your Eyes and Ears - Does Sucker Punch suck or rock? Is it a good punch or a weak blow? Read our review of Zack Snyder's filled up with hot chicks in tight outfits latest cinematic effort.

Black Swan (2010): Commenting a Few Speculations - Have you seen 2010 movie Black Swan? Have you noticed how many discussions it has spawned? This is an article elaborating on a few of the most often speculations in regard to Darren Aronofsky's film.

3D Technology in Cinema: IMAX 3D, RealD 3D, Dolby 3D and XpanD 3D - Overview of the most popular technologies used for 3D projection in cinema theaters: IMAX 3D, Dolby 3D, RealD 3D and XpanD 3D. Get some initial knowledge about the 3D movies "magic".

Gentlemen of Fortune (Dzhentlmeny udachi): Pure 1971 Soviet Fun - A review of 1971's comedy gem of the Soviet cinematography Gentlemen of Fortune. The movie has ranked amongst the highest grossing films in the Soviet Union cinema history and is largely regarded as one of the classic Soviet comedies of all time.

3D Glasses: Passive Polarized Glasses and Active Shutter Glasses - What is the difference between the most popular variations of 3D glasses: passive polarized glasses and active (shutter) glasses? Which ones are used in cinema and which type is used at home?

The Last Seduction (1994) Review: A Flawed Movie You May Still See - A review of 1994's thriller The Last Seduction. What are the film's flaws? Are there any good merits? Is it worth seeing it? Read our review to find answers to these questions.

Oscar Winners at 2011 Academy Awards: Another Year, Another Fail - A review of 2011 Academy Award winners. What do we think about this year's Oscar Winners? Do they deserve the statuettes they've won? Have we predicted an outcome correctly? And has there been anything positive at 2011 Academy Awards' ceremony?

Blazing Saddles: A 1974 Western Comedy with Its Own Style - A review of 1974 satiric Western and Mel Brooks defining comedy Blazing Saddles. Is it still a fresh movie to see and does it have some weak sides? Is it a film suitable only for Mel Brooks fans or it is a good parody on its own? Read the review and see for yourself.

Das Leben der Anderen (2006) / The Lives of Others - Have you ever been interested in the life of people living in an East European socialist country? Have you heard of the surveillance machines these countries have had? Do you want to see a movie exploring dark sides of the past (and maybe the present)? Check our review then.

People with Multiple Oscar Nominations and Not a Single Academy Award - After 9 Oscar nominations, is Roger Deakins going to finally get his long overdue statuette? Are there other people with multiple nominations but not winning the Academy Award even once? Read about Federico Fellini, Alfred Hitchcock and other famous nominees with immense contribution to the history of cinema.

Black Swan (2010): Perfection Meets Nightmare - Is the latest Darren Aronofsky's drama Black Swan similar to his other films? Does Natalie Portman deserve to win an Oscar for her performance? Does the White or the Black Swan win at the end? It's a movie you should see anyway but still you might read our review.

Hotaru no haka (1988) / Grave of the Fireflies - Are you a lover of animated films? Do you like to watch sad movies? If both of your answers are positive, do not miss our Grave of the Fireflies review for you are going to discover the saddest animation ever made.

Academy Award Nominations 2011: Best Animated Feature Oscar Nominees Criticism, Part 1 - Are there any omissions this year? How many animations are usually nominated in Best Animated Feature category? Which were the eligible films for Best Animated Feature nominees in 2011? How does the Academy decide which movies to nominate?

Academy Award Nominations 2011: Best Animated Feature Oscar Nominees Criticism, Part 2 - Pixar domination and Toy Story 3. Dreamworks and How to Train Your Dragon. Which movie is missing then? Reasons for the omission: politics or just bad luck?

The Producers (1968): Mel Brooks' Awesome Directorial Debut Film - The Producers is the film which Mel Brooks has started his series of classic comedies with. What is it all about? Is it a bad taste manifestation or a beginning of something fresh and amazing in the world of movies?

Anatomy of a Murder (1959): Movie and Fans Criticism - What has been so charming about the courtroom drama Anatomy of a Murder? Is the movie realistic and believable? What do the film supporters say? Criticism of their arguments and at the end, read about some good sides of the movie.

Oscar Trivia: Who's the Youngest Oscar Winner or Has Most Oscars Won, Part 1 - Have you ever wondered who has been the youngest Oscar winner ever? Do you know who is the oldest one? What about oldest and youngest Oscar nominees? Find out all of these answers along with some general Academy Awards trivia.

Oscar Trivia: Who's the Youngest Oscar Winner or Has Most Oscars Won, Part 2 - Do you know who has the most Oscars won ever? Or who is the living person with the most Oscar nominations? Read about directors, cinematographers, actresses and actors achievements along with some movie related Oscar trivia.

Nosferatu, a Symphony of Horror (1922) or Dracula's Tale - A review of the black and white, silent, classic horror movie from 1922 Nosferatu - the story of Dracula as it has never been told before or after. Is this film really horrific or it is worthy for something else?

La Cabina (1972): A Short, Yet Amazing Movie - Have you ever heard of this 1972's film? It's a Spanish television movie and if you are a cinema lover, do not miss to read our review because La Cabina has a lot of qualities to pleasantly surprise you.

Highest Grossing Movies of All Time - USA vs. Non-USA Charts Comparison - Americans vs. Non-Americans: Who love Harry Potter more? Which part of the world does prefer book-based movies? What about comic-books? Who likes more fantasy and who adores sci-fi films?

Kramer vs. Kramer (1979): A Simple Movie Worth Watching - Is Kramer vs. Kramer a courtroom drama or a human story? What is it famous about? Do you know who is the youngest Oscar nominee ever in a competitive category? You are just a click away from discovering it.

3D Blu-ray Movies: Top 5 Essentials List - Do you own a Blu-ray player? Have you already watched a 3D Blu-ray movie? If you own the necessary 3D equipment, check this list of the top 5 Blu-ray 3D movies currently available on the market.

Tron Legacy (2010): Go See the Latest Tron Movie - Is it worth seeing the latest TRON movie? Read our review and find out why you should go see it although TRON: Legacy has a laughable script.

Star Wars Prequel Trilogy Faults - Read our opinion about Star Wars prequel trilogy and if you feel we have missed some of its faults, feel free to mention an issue or two in the article's comments section.

Prizzi's Honor (1985): A Subtle Parody by John Huston - What do we think of John Huston's Prizzi's Honor? Is it worth seeing the movie or there are better mob films you could choose from?

Harry Potter Movies - Why Are They So Successful? - A hard question for us but maybe an easier one for you. If you think, you have a good explanation about Harry Potter movies success, please, feel welcome to share it with us.

A Bronx Tale (1993): Robert De Niro's Directorial Debut - Is the debut effort of Robert De Niro as a director a strong one? What does A Bronx Tale tell about? Check our review to find out if De Niro's movie is worth seeing.

Star Wars Trilogy: 33 Reasons Why Star Wars Movies Were So Successful - Some reasons about original Star Wars trilogy success. We know there are lots of them out there but we are fans too.

Easy Rider (1969): Not Such an Easy Ride to Take - A review of 1969's cult film Easy Rider. Read our thoughts about this classic counterculture motion picture.

Inception Ending Interpretation - A rare interpretation of the Inception's ending. Is it possible almost the whole movie to have been just a regular dream?

Tootsie (1982): Enjoyable One-Man Show by Dustin Hoffman - A review of 1982 romantic comedy Tootsie. Is it a good motion picture altogether or it is just a Dustin Hoffman's show?

United 93 (2006): Not an Ordinary Everyday Movie - Check our review of United 93 to find out whether this film is suitable for you or not since the movie is not a conventional motion picture.

Inception Ending Interpretations - The Inception movie has produced a lot of ending versions. Read about 6 interpretations of Inception ending and add your own one if it's not listed there.

Buried (2010): Good Idea, Bad Implementation - If Ryan Reynolds buried alive or at least not starring in a comedy movie sounds good to you, check this review.

The Grifters (1990): A Critically Acclaimed Movie You Can Skip - What are the virtues of The Grifters and what are its downsides. Is it worth seeing this movie or it is a probable disappointment? Just read this review to find out.

Clerks. (1994): The Definitive Kevin Smith's Comedy Movie - If you like Kevin Smith's movies but you haven't seen Clerks. yet, go and read this article. If you haven't heard of Kevin Smith but you love good comedies, do not skip it either.

Il piccolo diavolo (1988): Roberto Benigni's Little Devil - A review of an Italian comedy coming from the Academy Award winning actor and director Roberto Benigni. Is it a movie funny enough to be worth of your attention? Check this out.

Head above Water (1996): Is the Movie above Water Too? - Cameron Diaz and Harvey Keitel are deeply sunken in troubles. But is the film falling down with them too?

State of Play (2009): Lots of Twists to Resist - Russell Crowe vs. twist after twist. Who is going to win? Is Crowe capable of saving the movie from so many twisted ambitions?

Midsummer Madness (2007): Charming Funny Craziness - A decent title to watch if you are in a mood for a charming little movie not coming from Hollywood.