Taken

Director: Pierre Morel
 
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0936501/

Review: Has a little mood whiplash when it focuses on the villains' enterprise but otherwise holds up as a refreshingly straight forward and stripped down piece of action.

Watch it if: You can handle Liam Neeson's confusing American accent.

And if you liked: The Raid, Ronin

Pitch Perfect

Director: Jason Moore
 
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1981677

Review: Has a few small pacing issues but otherwise holds up as a fun movie that pulls you in and makes you care about its world.

Watch it if: You're not put off by a certain TV show's take on the subject matter.

And if you liked: Drop Dead Gorgeous, Best in Show, Mean Girls, Easy A

Check this out: Pitch Perfect: The Quest for Collegiate A Cappella Glory

The Sessions

Director: Ben Lewin
 
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1866249/

Review: A beautiful portrayal of an unusual subject with heaps of wit and honesty.

Watch it if: You're comfortable with a fair amount of nudity and sexuality.

And if you liked: The Singing Detective

Check this out: On Seeing a Sex Surrogate

Silver Linings Playbook

Director: David O. Russell
 
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658

Review: Some strange camerawork choices but otherwise disarming with its humour and moving in a very genuine and honest way.

Watch it if: You can get past the sickening trailer. It doesn't represent the film well.

And if you liked: The Fighter, Side Effects, As Good as It Gets

Check this out: The Silver Linings Playbook

Iron Man 3

Director: Shane Black
 
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1300854/

Review: A strong and original character based movie with genuine humour and inventive action.

Watch it if: You're interested in these comic book action movies.

And if you liked: Iron Man, The Avengers, Terminator 2: Judgment Day

The Other Guys

Director: Adam McKay
 
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1386588

Review: A few individual funny moments but mostly bogged down by an unsteady pace and a disjointed narrative.

Watch it if: You've already watched all the decent Will Ferrell films.

And if you liked: 21 Jump Street, Step Brothers

Evil Dead (2013)

Director: Fede Alvarez
 
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1288558/

Review: Difficult to engage with for a while but really comes back with a hugely violent and original climactic third act.

Watch it if: You can handle large amounts of gore and violence.

And if you liked: The Evil Dead, Evil Dead II, Drag Me to Hell, The Exorcist

Spring Breakers

Director: Harmony Korine
 
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2101441/

Review: Fairly aimless and meandering but holds up as a pretty bizarre and gorgeous looking exercise in dissonance.

Watch it if: You can handle a lot of nudity and some uncomfortable violence.

And if you liked: Drive, Lost Highway, Saints Row: The Third

Slacker

Director: Richard Linklater
 
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102943

Review: Drags a little in places but mostly holds up as an interesting idea that manages to engage and experiment.

Watch it if: You're happy enough watching a film without a central plot running through it.

And if you liked: Waking Life, My Dinner with Andre, Dazed & Confused

Oblivion

Director: Joseph Kosinski
 
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1483013/
 
Review: Drags a little bit in a few places but otherwise holds up as solid science-fiction with gorgeous and excellently executed production and sound design.
 
Watch it if: You're interested in serious science-fiction driven by ideas.
 
And if you liked: Moon, Silent Running, Prometheus