1. A Single Man  7.5/10

Stars: Colin Firth, Julianne Moore

A good movie adaptation of a Christopher Isherwood novel with great acting by Firth, Moore and the supporting cast. Some quite moving moments in an interesting and quite emotive storyline. Glad I watched this one,

2. The Glenn Miller Story  9/10

Stars: James Stewart and June Allyson

This beautiful movie traces the career of jazz big band leader Glenn Miller. It’s a well-acted depiction of the life of a brilliant musician (Stewart) and his relationships with those around him. Allyson is excellent as his wife and muse.

3. Philadelphia  8.5/10

Stars: Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington

Hanks gives one of his best performances as the AIDS sufferer who is suing his employers for unfair dismissal and Washington gives a strong performance as the homophobic lawyer who represents him,

4. Stars Wars Episode I The Phantom Menace  6/10

Stars: Liam Neeson and Ewan McGregor

This start of the Star Wars story had potential but didn’t meet the expectations despite excellent performances by McGregor and Neeson.  The usual George Lucas bells and whistles but not quite up to the standard of the first three movies. JarJar Binks ranks as my most annoying movie character ever.

5 Stars Wars Episode II The Attack of the Clones 5.5/10

Stars: Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christensen and Natalie Portman

While the relationship between Padme (Portman) and Anakin (Christensen) is important to the development of the Star Wars saga, it is unfortunate that it detracted from what could have been a really good plot. Too much time was spent on this relationship and I found myself wanting a bit more Lucasfilms action.

6 Star Wars Episode III Revenge of the Sith 6/10

Stars: Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christensen and Natalie Portman

This movie , which explores Anakin Skywalker’s  (Christensen) journey to the dark side, dragged a little though it achieved its purpose of explaining how the events of the original Star Wars movies came to be.

7  Stars Wars Episode IV A New Hope 8.5/10

Stars: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher

This movie, the first of the Star Wars movies to be made, has everything. A strong cast and great visual effects, plus well-staged action with the right amount of humour make it an enjoyable viewing experience. This is one of the classics of the sci-fi genre.

8. Stars Wars Episode V The Empire Strikes Back 8.5/10

Stars: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher

Another excellent film with the perfect balance of action and humour. There is no doubt in my mind that the original movies in this saga are great additions to the science fiction genre and this is a really good installment in the saga.

9. Stars Wars Episode VI Return of the Jedi 8/10

Stars: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher

This movie brings the saga to a gripping conclusion as the good versus evil battle reaches its inevitable end. Though not, in my opinion, quite as good as episodes IV and V, this is still a great movie.

SIDENOTE re the Star Wars saga: There is some debate as to whether is it better to watch them in story order or the order in which they were made.  In my opinion, it is better to do the latter, as this means you get the weaker ones out of the way first and have the good ones to end with.  A marathon in the order in which they were made may leave you wishing it would hurry up and end by the time you reach the 6th movie (Revenge of the Sith).

10. Hyde Park on Hudson 5/10

Stars: Bill Murray and Laura Linney

This movie was slow-moving and I felt it was a poor attempt to cash in on the interest in George VI after the great success of The King’s Speech. I didn’t feel any connection with the characters, though the scenery was quite beautiful.

11. Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd  1/10

Stars: Derek Richardson and Eric Christian Olsen

Even allowing for the fact that I am not a huge fan of comedies, this movie was just awful.  It had predictable attempts at humour but it was not funny. I feel that this is a perfect example of why sequels in the comedy genre should not be made.

12. In and Out 6.5/10

Stars: Kevin Kline, Tom Selleck and Joan Cusack

An entertaining movie about a teacher (Kline) coming to terms with his sexuality. A strong performance by the leads and a good script make the movie enjoyable and entertaining viewing.

13. The Art of Getting By  6.5/10

Stars: Freddie Highmore and Emma Roberts

Quite a good movie in the coming of age sub-genre with Highmore giving a strong performance as the intelligent teenage who lacks focus and has managed to achieve academic success at school with minimal effort.

14. Diminished Capacity  7/10

Stars: Matthew Broderick and Alan Alda

A moving story of a journalist with memory loss (Broderick) who spends time with his uncle (Alda) who is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. The cast is great and the movie kept me interested to the end.

15. Almighty Thor 2/10

Stars: Cody Deal and Richard Grieco

Sadly, this made for TV movie pales into insignificance in comparison with the recent  big screen Marvel movies. Grieco tries hard to be a convincing Loki, but the movie fails to deliver anything of merit.

16. John Sandford’s Certain Prey  5/10

Stars: Mark Harmon and Lola Glaudini

Harmon is good in this adaptation of a John Sandford novel but he always give a good performance as a law enforcement officer. However the adaptation is not that good and the movie drags a little.

17. 50/50   7/10

Stars: Joseph Gordan-Levitt and Seth Rogen

Gordan-Levitt gives a good performance as Adam, a young man who is diagnosed with cancer. Rogen provides support in a strong storyline with a good comedic element as Adam tries to beat the disease.

18. The Hard Way  6/10

Stars: Michael J Fox and James Wood

An action movie star (Fox) follows a seasoned detective (Wood) in order to observe  him and make his characters more believable. A good premise, with Fox being suitably annoying and Wood being suitably annoyed. Not a bad movie.

19. Magic Beyond Words The J K Rowling Story 6/10

Stars: Poppy Montgomery and Emily Holmes

This made-for-tv biopic is a good afternoon’s entertainment. Montgomery gives a strong performance of the single mother who becomes one of Great Britain’s richest women due to the success of her Harry Potter series. I quite enjoyed the journey.

20. A Cinderella Story: Once Upon a Song 6/10

Stars: Lucy Hale and Missi Pyle

An entertaining take on the Cinderella story with an excellent performance by Pyle as the shallow and mean stepmother. Some good musical performances by Lucy Hale made it an enjoyable afternoon’s viewing.

21. Jane Doe: The Wrong Face  6/10

Stars: Lea Thomson and Joe Penny

One of the Jane Doe hallmark telemovies, this has a strong cast and a good storyline.  Thomson gives a solid performance as the housewife who is also a NSA agent.  The balance of family life and undercover work makes the series interesting viewing and this is no exception.

22. Phil Spector  7/10

Stars: Al Pacino and Helen Mirren

The leads give excellent performances in this movie that explores the development of the defence case for the original trial of Spector (Pacino) for the murder of a young woman. Mirren is outstanding as his defence attorney Linda Kenney Baden.

23. The Yards 8/10

Stars Mark Wahlberg and Joaquin Phoenix

This is a really good movie with a strong storyline and an excellent cast.  I was surprised by how good it is and was engrossed from beginning to end. Wahlberg gives an extremely good performance.

24. Panic at Rock Island 1/10

Stars: Grant Bowler and Vince Colosimo

Oh dear! Not sure where to begin with this one. Over-acted, unbelievable and poorly structured.  The star of this movie is Sydney Harbour and the Bridge.  The actors should take it off their CVs.

25. Pitch Perfect 7/10

Stars: Anna Kendrick and Brittany Snow

An entertaining movie about college a capella clubs. Some quite good musical numbers and solid performances by the cast make the movie flow well.

26. Small Town Girl  7.5/10

Stars: Jane Powell, Farley Granger and Ann Miller

A strong cast, a good story line with some excellent musical numbers.  As with all the musicals of the era, the dance sequences are also well-choreographed and polished, and have the hallmarks one expects of Busby Berkeley dance routines.

27. Abduction  5/10

Stars: Taylor Lautner, Lily Collins

This movie has some good moments but is generally predictable in its storyline. The cast does a fairly good job and keep the story moving.  Not a great action movie but also not a bad one.

28. Texas Killing Fields  6/10

Stars: Sam Worthington, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Jessica Chastain

Good performances by Worthington and Morgan though the plot dragged a little in parts.  It was an enjoyable afternoon’s viewing and typical of the crime genre.

29. Jane Doe: The Harder They Fall  6.5/10

Stars: Lea Thomson, Joe Penny

Another in the Jane Doe series of made-for-tv movies, this one was directed by Lea Thomson. Not a bad storyline. Sub-plot involving Agent Doe’s kids was an entertaining addition. Erica Gimpel (from TV show Fame) had a cameo in this movie.

30. Jane Doe: Yes, I Remember It Well   6.5/10

Stars: Stars: Lea Thomson, Joe Penny

As with many of the Jane Doe tv movies , the sub-plot is also interesting with Donna Mill’s shining as Agent Doe’s mother, who is a former CSA agent.  The plot is reasonably good, and quite well-developed.