The Ides of March (2011)

An idealistic staffer for a new presidential candidate gets a crash course on dirty politics during his stint on the campaign trail.

A biting, but not very original look at US election politics is mainly watchable for its first-rate cast and good direction.

Maltin**: "Purported inside look at backroom politics covers awfully familiar ground and offers no real surprises; with a cast of this caliber it's easy to take but still doesn't add up to much."

I Kill Giants (2017)

Barbara Thorson struggles through life by escaping into a fantasy life of magic and monsters.

Wonderfully stirring tale of friendship and loss, embedded in child's fantasy world, convinces in all departments, especially with Madison Wolfe's powerful performance.

Spooks: The Greater Good (2015)

When a terrorist escapes custody during a routine handover, Will Holloway must team with disgraced MI5 Intelligence Chief Harry Pearce to track him down before an imminent terrorist attack on London.

Atmospheric and suspenseful thriller with a very contrived, complex plot which is hard to follow.

Contagion (2011)

Healthcare professionals, government officials and everyday people find themselves in the midst of a worldwide epidemic as the CDC works to find a cure.

Realistic, grand-scale and star-cast catastrophe movie manages to keep multiple stories and locations  seamlessly in line with the major plot; however, the matter-of-fact approach underplays the doom of a pandemic.

Maltin***: "Pulse-pounding account...Scott Z. Burns' screenplay is scary  because it's all so credible. Soderbergh handles the material in utterly straightforward fashion; there's no poetry here."

RoboCop (2014)

In 2028 Detroit, when a man - a loving husband, father and good cop - is critically injured in the line of duty, the multinational conglomerate OmniCorp sees their chance for a part-man, part-robot police officer.

Not bad as a well-made sci-fi actioner, but lacking any of the original's biting satire and humor.

Maltin**: "Slick but hollow remake...Brazilian director Padilha's U.S. debut confirms that he can stage action scenes, but someone should have improved the superficial and humorless screenplay."