[Groundhog]

I've watched quite a few movies the past few weeks, after not seeing too many in 2006.

Candyman - 10/10
I first saw this movie when I was around 10 or 11, at home alone, at midnight, and it scared the jeebus out of me. Doesn't have that affect on me anymore, but I still feel this is probably the best horror movie ever made. Has enough slash to satisfy the slasher crowd, and a good enough storyline to satisfy those who like to see more than a guy in a hockey mask hacking teenagers to death.

Gangs of New York - 9/10
Daniel Day Lewis turns in an incredible performance with the Butcher (possibly one of my favourite film characters ever), and takes this movie from about a 6 or 7 to a 9 by himself. That he didn't win an Academy Award for this is... well... not surprising, I guess. Spookily, I'm starting to find that - Titanic aside - I like pretty much every film I've seen Leonardo DiCaprio appear in.

The Lake House - 4/10
Was forced to watch it by the girlfriend, and it might have been a better film if; a) I didn't figure out the "twist/surprise" about 2 minutes in, and; b) they didn't then give us a cop-out ending. That aside, a light-hearted romantic flick that is almost slightly interesting at times. Definately harmless though, and there are worst things you could do with 90 mins.

Borat - 9/10
Wow. Everything I hoped for, and yet there was still so so so much more.

Casino Royale - 8/10
Surprisingly good (for me, at least). I didn't expect to think much of it, but I walked away a believer. The opening sequence is awesome, and despite the length of the film it only seemed like I was in the cinema for like 90 minutes.

A Scanner Darkly - 8.5/10
I thought it was a GREAT adaption of a great book, and even my girlfriend, who has never read the book and has no idea who Philip K. Dick is, really enjoyed it. I was worried the animation would detract from the movie, but it really fitted it perfectly IMO, especially with regard to the scramble suits and the drug effects. The cast selection was also quite good, and matched up pretty well with the image I'd formed in my head of how the characters should look.