If you saw the trailer for Inside Man at the cinemas earlier this year, you could be forgiven for thinking that a lot of talented actors had gone commercial due to dwindling box-office clout, and decided to do a conventional Hollywood bank robbery thriller. (And after Flightplan, that scenario is very believable for Jodie Foster!). The trailer was very conventional (deep voice-over, big bangs), and the film seemed to come out of nowhere, which is usually a bad sign.That trailer does not do justice to Inside Man. Its one of those rare movies that feeds your intellect as well as your desire for thrills and action. It revolves around a Wall Street heist, involving the criminals, their hostages, two New York detectives, a SWAT team boss, the wealthy boss of the bank, and his powerbroker employee. Giving you any more plot information would just spoil the movie - it's best to experience the twists and rides as they happen. With talent like Foster, Washington, Dafoe, Owen and Chiwetel Ejiofor, you know that the script must have something going for it. And while it's not a conventional Spike Lee joint (an inconsistent high-profile director if there ever was one), there are elements of his usual themes if you look carefully.(Just one handy hint: listen to the opening monologue carefully, as it provides a clue to one of the puzzles in the latter half of the movie.)

Okay. Ill admit it. I went to more than one Run DMC concert in my youth and I know that Dr Dre isn't a bloke who works at the Canberra Hospital. So I can sort of follow the dialogue in Hustle and Flow, this semester's movie for all you homies in the hood. Hustle and Flow is about a rapper who has one last shot to make it big. So, in other words, it's just like all rap movies. Rapper DJay (Howard) is approaching the realisation that life isn't going to grant him his wish of being the next rap god when he hears that his idol, rap superstar Skinny Black (Ludacris), is heading to his area. If he can get Skinny's attention things could be different. So time to hustle! DJay throws together the hustle of all hustles to grab Skinny's attention and become, as Cypress Hill would say, a rockstar who lives large with fast cars and caviar, etc. etc. Does DJay make it? Well 'homes grab your bomber jacket, pull on the beanie, put on some bling and head down with your homies to our hood to find out...Goofs: Continuity: When DJay gets dressed to meet Skinny Black his hair is in curls (before he wears the gold chain). Later when he walks out the door, his hair is straightened out and combed back. Ooops!