The TV Addict 

TRANSSIBERIAN
With TRANSSIBERIAN Brad Anderson proves yet again why he remains one of my favorite directors, as well as one of the most interesting and overlooked ones working today. With this movie Anderson continues his habit of taking a particular genre (in this case, a Hitchcock like THE LADY VANISHES train thriller), and cleverly manipulating audience expectations by injecting it with enough inventiveness and deviations that it becomes something much more intelligent and richer. Even if you’re not familiar with the genres he is working in, Anderson never fails to ensure that you are never entirely confident what’s going to happen next – something certainly displayed in this movie. If you do think you know where it’s going, you’re usually going to be wrong. To say anymore would be to ruin the experience, but needless to say TRANSSIBERIAN is the rare thriller that is genuinely smart, providing us with well-developed rich characters whose actions always make sense and a story that earns its tension and thrills with genuine craftsmanship, without ever reducing itself to cheap thrills and tricks. TRANSSIBERIAN proves that if thrillers are handled with genuine respect and dramatic artistry, they can easily be considered one of the best films of the year.
Overall rating: A-

THE REBEL
Martial arts fans unable to wait for Tony Jaa’s next film, should seek out THE REBEL for the similar – but no less astounding – fighting style exhibited here by Johnny Nguyen (who appeared in Jaa’s THE PROTECTOR) and Veronica Ngo. The physical feats displayed here, complimented by excellent choreography, may even dare you to consider if Tony has met his match. What’s more, unlike Jaa’s films, this one features a narrative that isn’t dead on arrival as it seamlessly blends its martial acrobatics with a sturdy and emotionally satisfying narrative centered in 1920’s French occupied/colonized Vietnam. Like the best of martial arts films though you will be eagerly waiting for the next fight scene, you won’t at least be fast forwarding to get there. If you do feel the itch, resist it because you’ll be missing one of the better action films to come along in quite a while.
Overall rating: A-

GET SMART
From the original review: “GET SMART is in many ways your average, typical summer comedy action buddy flick. Story-wise it’s complete fluff, with a paper-thin story featuring loads of underdevelopment and gaping plot holes… but what carried me through the film was the affection it seemed to have for its source of inspiration (even if I felt they could have done a wee bit more), and the spirit of the film itself. I’d be hard pressed to say GET SMART is a great film, but it was an entertaining film that did enough right in terms of its action and comedy, that I found myself willing to turn a blind eye and let myself be pulled along for the ride.”
Overall rating: B-