In Gerry, two young men (Matt Damon and Casey Affleck) wander beautiful, barren, and surreal landscapes, gradually growing more and more lost. This film from Gus Van Sant (director of Drugstore Cowboy and Good Will Hunting) has no story, hardly any dialogue, and even less in the way of "action" or "events". Yet the movie is by turns maddening and hypnotic; although few people will agree on which are the maddening scenes and which are the hypnotic ones, you will certainly leave Gerry with one or more stunning images in your head. In fact, it's probably more pleasurable to remember than it is to sit through. Committed performances, flashes of dark humour, and a smattering of visual effects give the movie some shape, but the more you just surrender to the emptiness of the landscape, the more rewarding Gerry will be. --Bret Fetzer

Why did Hollywood think it was a good idea to take Get Carter--Mike Hodges' classic 1971 study in gangster psychology--transplant the setting from decaying Tyneside to a present-day American metropolis, neuter the screenplay so that precious little of the original's acerbic humour and subtlety remain, and assign the lead role of Jack Carter, memorably taken by Michael Caine in the original, to Sylvester Stallone? No amount of Rocky-cum-Rambo routines can convince you that he's remotely inside the character, even though here Carter's psychotic side has been airbrushed out as he seeks revenge for the murder of his brother and rape of his niece.

Miranda Richardson is a wearily sympathetic Gloria, and Rachel Leigh Cook a not-too-bratish Doreen (is this actually used as an American name?). Mickey Rourke looks suitably wasted as loutish businessman Cyrus; Alan Cumming is an annoyingly smug computer whizz Kinnear (wouldn't you have pulled the trigger?), while Michael Caine loses all credibility for his cameo appearance as Cliff Brumby. Did he really need the cash?

On the DVD: Get Carter on disc is a classy but lifeless production. Extras include the theatrical trailer, cast and crew details, and six deleted scenes which are too brief to be more than off-cuts. Three spoken and nine subtitled languages are provided, and there's director Stephen Kay's pithy running commentary to enjoy. Even he, however, often sounds at a loss to explain just why the film was made. Thank goodness the original movie is also available on DVD. --Richard Whitehouse

Homeless Henry's luck changes when he begins work for a married couple. Soon he is involved with insurance fraud and finally murder...

A man who collects debts and retribution for third parties decides it's time for personal service when his brother is killed. Soon he is involved in the violent world of his own hometown... A remake of the 1971 film.