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A thriller that centers on Isabella El-Ibrahimi, the American wife of Egyptian-born chemical engineer Anwar El-Ibrahimi, who disappears on a flight from South Africa to Washington. Isabella desperately tries to track her husband down, while a CIA analyst at a secret detention facility outside the U.S. is forced to question his assignment as he becomes party to the man's unorthodox interrogation.

There seems to have been a spate of politically driven movies especially regarding the middle-east conflict and similar matters. It's to be expected I guess with the current climate, it is after all what is on peoples' minds.

Movies such as Babel, Syriana and even Constant Gardener come to mind as they all deal with conflicts.

Extraordinary rendition and irregular rendition are terms used to describe the apprehension and extrajudicial transfer of a person from one state to another and the term 'torture by proxy' is used by some critics to describe situations in which the U.S. has purportedly transferred suspected terrorists to countries known to employ harsh interrogation techniques that may rise to the level of torture. SOURCE

Scary eh? Basically you can be taken from anywhere to anywhere without ANYONE knowing about it.

Rendition tells a story, some may say an almost real story of an Egyptian man seized by the US government for no apparent reason..his case is very similar to the real life case of Khalid El-Masri who went through a similar experience due to one different letter (Al-Masri vs El-Masri).

The characters are strong, especially Omar Metwally as El-Ibrahimi, you can almost feel what he's going through.

Supporting are Reese Witherspoon and Jake Gyllenhaal.

The movie does make you think, is it ever right to torture another human being? Is what the US considers anti-terrorist action fair and just?

Do human rights matter when it comes to saving thousands of lives?

These are questioned that may be raised in your mind when watching this movie, to me that's a good sign..it means it's provocative and it touches on some fairly sensitive points.

The flow is good and the camera work is absolutely stunning, it's beautifully filmed. The soundtrack goes along with the movie well.

The only flaws I would say are the lack in character development of Mrs El-Ibrahimi and the agent played by Gyllenhaal. You never really get to understand these characters or find out who they are.

Even so it's worth a watch, I give it a strong 7/10.

The love of a woman, given reluctantly, saves a man from addiction and self-destruction. Traces the life of Johnny Cash from his boyhood, with loss of a brother and of his father's affection, to 1968 when his outlaw side and his unhappiness give way to the twin triumphs of his concert at Folsom Prison and June Carter's acceptance of his marriage proposal. Along the way there's his first composition, first recording, first marriage, daughters, being smitten with June, divorce, pills and booze, an empty life, and the Carter family's nursing him back to health. June eases Johnny out of a ring of fire.

Well after the storm this movie made at the Oscars, I thought I had to watch it. I passed it by originally not being a great fan of the gravelly sound of the man in black, Johnny Cash. More my Dad's kind of generation, although he was a greater fan of people like Bruce Springsteen and Pink Floyd.

It does seem to be the season for music biopics and I have to say I am much more of a Ray Charles fan (loved his biopic!). Someone asked me if there was any others I'd like to see..I'd have to say Bob Marley would attract my interest the most!

Johnny Cash and June Carter (Later June Carter Cash) the subjects of the film and their tumultuous relationship.

Captured beautifully by Reese Witherspoon and Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny and June.

Reese really did deserve to win the Oscar, actually it was an amazing performance by both of them, they really gave their everything.

I always found Joaquin underrated, overshadowed by his rock n roll bratpack brother River Phoenix who sadly died from a drug overdose.

The film is interesting for both the fans of Cash and like me the casual observers, it's well put together, well paced, emotionally absorbing, fantastically acted and the score is great (all songs in the movie were actually performed by Joaquin and Reese, amazing eh?).

Definately worth watching, gives you an insight into the great mans life..and his problems. You'll probably here a few songs you recognise!

Give it a try.

I'd give it a strong 8/10.