This film is long, challenging, relentless and brutal, but The Girl Who Played with Fire comes up a winner in spite of these shortcomings.  Based on a book trilogy by Stieg Larsson, this sequel to The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo provides a new case for its central characters, and fleshes out new dangers with which they have to deal. It’s a mystery thriller with a twisted ending.

Keep your eyes glued to this action film because it zips right along at lightning speed, yet entertains with all its might.  The film is called Kick-Ass, and it does.  With great choreography, keen direction, imaginative acting and a whole lot of violent comedy, if you are a comic action buff it’s probably the best bang for your movie buck.

Although I like the story and acting in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, I also feel that it is extremely violent and sadistic.  The latter I feel destroys some of the entertainment value of the movie. That said, the mystery and suspense are captured very nicely with great camera work and masterful direction.

Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Film, Ajami comes to American theatres with a stark depiction of what culture clash is like in the Middle East.  I liked the film because it gets into the grit of crime, confrontation, discrimination and hatred that can make life a hell. Well acted, directed and presented, Ajami is a must-see for adults.

The mesmerizing crime film A Prophet, in theaters April 9, gets rolling quickly and then settles in to some interesting character development and storytelling all the way through to its twisted ending.  The acting, directing and cinematography are superb, making it a must-see for film buffs, prison drama lovers and filmmaking students. A Prophet was nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Film.

Much like Training Day, Antoine Fuqua’s most creative film, Brooklyn’s Finest grabs you, shakes you around and then drops you off a 10-story building.  Well that’s how it affected me anyway.  I loved the film -- from its cringing beginning to the surprise ending.  If you like films that are gritty and grisly, then this flick should be high on your list to see.

The film Cop Out has so many things going for it, including an hilarious script, a strong cast, and a director who knows how to make their actors give their all.  I really enjoyed the film, and those that like a little slapstick combined with situation comedy should be commenting about it for days.  Although the film is skewed for a male audience, women can enjoy it just as much.

The storyline of The Lovely Bones is extremely chilling. The acting is stellar, and the direction very good for the most part, but  the pacing --  especially during Jackson’s surreal scenes -- slows the film to a crawl at times.  Even though I enjoyed the film for the content, I found myself getting antsy waiting for a resolve.

This twisty crime drama has a lot going for it, including a great cast, intriguing storyline and very good direction. If you like crime stories that get you rooting for the bad guy, then Law Abiding Citizen fits the your movie mold.  I liked the characters in this good guy vs. bad guy vs. good guy movie, and Foxx and Butler are right on the mark.

Bringing a crime legend to the screen takes a good deal of research, good casting and impeccable direction and that all came together for Public Enemies.  Director Michael Man not only captures the essence of John Dillinger in his movie, but that of Baby Face Nelson as well.  Public Enemies is probably Mann’s best, no in my opinion, it is his best film to date.