Time Traveller: The girl who leapt through time (時をかける少女) (2010)

The girl who leapt through time is the title of far too many novels, manga, anime, and live action films that feel like remakes, sequels, and adaptations all at the same time.

This 2010 entry thankfully IS different though. Watch it for the side-plot where the time travelling protag and her friends learn to make short films, and wait for the recognition of filmmaking as memory and thwarted desire to hit you square in the eyes.

Read my full review at Fridae, first published on 15 December 2010.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the dawn treader (2010)

It's Michael Apted's turn to helm a Chronicles of Narnia film.

The series has had a troubled history, its installments veering between wholesale adaptation of CS Lewis's annoying Christian proselytism and a pure CGI action fest.

Apted thankfully makes the film an adventure story for children.

Read my full review at Fridae, first published on 8 December 2010.

Box! (ボックス) (2010)

Box! is Rocky in a Japanese high school.

It's a sports film for people whose only introduction to boxing is Rocky, apparently made by a director whose only introduction to boxy is also Rocky.

Read my full review at Fridae, first published on 8 December 2010.

My soul to take (2010)

More of a warm-up to Scream 4 for Wes Craven, this horror flick treads territory that is familiar and safe to the director and his following.

If you watch this, you can play a party game called “Identify which Wes Craven movie this scary moment or trope comes from”.

Or you can view this as a mid-career summary project of an excellent genre director.

Read my full review at Fridae, first published on 1 December 2010.

Skyline (2010)

This dreadfully boring alien invasion flick is still worth watching - precisely because it's really hard to make an alien invasion flick boring.

What's more, it's a labour of love. The invasion scenario is meticulously plotted (and approved by military historians, no doubt), the specialist alien troop designs are fascinating.

The film just doesn't come together but if you're military geek, you might want to take the chance.

Read my full review at Fridae, first published on 1 December 2010.