This Thursday sees the opening of four new films, all of which have at least one Oscar nomination to its name.

The first is Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, nominated for three Oscars including Best Actor (Johnny Depp). This dark and devilish delight revolves around a happily married man who is jailed for a crime he did not commit. When he leaves prison, he seeks his revenge by luring his enemies to his barber shop where a sharp shaving knife awaits them...

Also opening is The Kite Runner, an absolutely beautiful and touching drama that's adapted from the bestselling novel by Khaled Hosseini. It tells the tale of two friends who are inextricably bound together, regardless of time and geography. Spanning continents and historical events, The Kite Runner is nominated for Best Score.

Our third Oscar nominee is Away From Her, another beautiful drama about a woman who is losing her memory to Alzheimer's and her husband who loves her so deeply that he is willing to sacrifice anything for her happiness. Actress Julie Christie is nominated for Best Actress.

Finally there's Gone Baby Gone, a well-crafted crime drama by actor-turned-director Ben Affleck, about two private detectives whose investigation into the kidnapping of a little girl takes complete and unexpected turns. Amy Ryan's unforgettable performance as the girl's mother won her a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination.

Between these four films, there are seven Oscar nominations altogether — one Oscar nomination for every day of the week. So make it a point to catch them.

Till next week, enjoy.

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Best Motion Picture (Comedy or Musical) and Best Actor, Golden Globe Awards
Best Director Award, National Board of Review, USA
Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, Best Youth Actor Awards, Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards
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Tim Burton has done it again. The Prince of Dark Films has created another weird fairytale that combines his innocent child-like imagination with his hardened adult understanding of how cruel the world can be. The result is a dark and devilish delight recently won the Golden Globe award for Best Picture (Musical or Comedy).

Adapting gay composer Stephen Sondheim's musical Sweeney Todd onto film, Tim injects his very own brand of psychological neurosis and paranoia into the proceedings, making the film more bloody and disturbing than any of its stage incarnations. Even if you end up hating every single one of its characters, you can't help but be entertained.

Johnny Depp (who has acted in five other Tim Burton's films) plays the titular role of Sweeney Todd, a happily married man who is falsely accused of a crime and sentenced to 15 years of imprisonment. When he is released, Sweeney returns to his hometown to seek vengeance.

Unfortunately, his blood-thirst is not limited to just those who offend him, but extends to almost anyone who steps into his barber shop and sits down on his barber chair. With his sharp gleaming shaving knife, Sweeney does his worst...

Audacious, inspired and mercilessly dark, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is the perfect counter-musical for anyone who can't stand The Sound of Music, Mary Poppins, Chitty-Chitty Bang Bang and all the other typically bright and happy musicals the world has seen. If you've ever gazed at Emily the Strange images with a certain morbid fascination, Tim Burton definitely wants you for his audience.

Best Young Actor, Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards
Best Original Score, Satellite Awards

When Afghan-born novelist Khaled Hosseini published his first novel The Kite Runner in 2003, no one expected it to sell millions and touch the lives of so many people. But the story of a friendship that spans 22 years struck an unexpected chord among readers from Japan to India to Africa, turning it a bona fide worldwide bestseller.

Now it's been made into a beautiful movie by Marc Foster (Finding Neverland). And although it is not quite as vivid and haunting as the book, it is still a notable achievement in filmmaking that deserves to be seen and appreciated.

Beginning in Afghanistan before the Soviet invasion, the story centres on Amir the privileged son of an intellectual, and Hassan the servant boy. Neglected by his father, Amir turns to Hassan for companionship and emotional support. The boys spend many lazy days together, indulging in their favorite pastime — kite-fighting.

Then one day, an older bully catches Hassan and rapes the poor boy. Too scared to do anything, Amir hides in the shadows and watches helplessly as the excruciating event unfolds. Consequently, Amir feels so guilt-ridden over his own inaction that he stops being best friends with Hassan. When the Russians invade their city, Amir's family pack up and flee to America, leaving Hassan and his family behind.

But over the next two decades, Amir could never forget his double betrayal of his best friend and quietly hopes for a chance to make it right...

Nominated for numerous awards including an Oscar for Best Score, The Kite Runner is a touching tale of friendship that's very well told. Rarely has Hollywood invested time, effort and money into telling non-Western stories, but we're glad they took a chance in this one. Although the box-office performance for this film has not been good, you should not partake in the general audience's indifference. If you're a true connoisseur of cinema, this is the must-see of the week along with Away From Her.

WGC Award Best Feature Film, Writers Guild of Canada
DGC Team Award for Feature Film, Directors Guild of Canada
Audience Award, Portland International Film Festival
Best in World Cinema Audience Award, Sarasota Film Festival
Excellence in Filmmaking Prize, Sedona International Film Festival
Best Actress, Golden Globe Awards
Best Actress Award, National Board of Review USA
Best Actress Award, Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards
Best Actress and Best First Film Awards, New York Film Critics Circle Awards
Best Actress and Best Adapted Screenplay Awards, San Francisco Film Critics Circle
Best Actress and Breakthrough Behind the Camera Awards, Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards
Best Actress Award, Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards
Best Actress Award, Washington DC Area Film Critics Association Awards
Outstanding Performance - Male Actor Award, ACTRA Toronto Awards
New Generation Award, Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards

What is the meaning of love? Many of us have been in (and out of) relationships, but can any one of us say with absolutely certainty that we understand love? Even if we've experienced deep and passionate feelings for someone, does that mean that we know what it's like to be in a long-term marriage — one that spans the decades?

Deep and enduring love is the subject of this beautiful drama about an old couple who have been married for more than 40 years. When the wife (Julie Christie) is stricken with Alzheimer's disease, she starts to forget things. At first, it is the little things like the words "wine" and "kettle".

But soon, she starts to forget the big things — like her husband (Gordon Pinset). She stops recognizing him altogether and starts an affair with another, because she thinks she's still single. But her husband loves her so much that he is willing to forgive her and sacrifice anything for her happiness...

Away From Her is adapted from Alice Munro's short story and directed by the young actress-turned-director Sarah Polley. Veteran actress Julie Christie garnered an Oscar nomination for Best Actress. But the acting honours really should have gone to Gordon Pinset as the suffering husband. His performance is so subtle, so nuanced, that it breaks your heart in ways you may not expect.

There is a line in the film that Gordon delivers, about how the red-hot passion he felt for her when they first got married seem so casual and superficial compared to the profound and indescribable emotions he feels for her after 40 years. One can only wish one is lucky enough to know what he means.

Best Directorial Debut and Best Supporting Actress, National Board of Review, USA
Most Promising Filmmaker, Chicago Film Critics Association Awards
Best New Filmmaker and Best Supporting Actress, Boston Society of Film Critics Awards
Best Supporting Actress, Satellite Awards
Best Supporting Actress Critics Choice Award, Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards
Best Supporting Actress, New York Film Critics Circle Awards
Best Supporting Actress, Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards
Best Supporting Actress, San Francisco Film Critics Circle
Best Supporting Actress, Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards
Best Supporting Actress, Washington DC Area Film Critics Association Awards
Best Supporting Actress, Florida Film Critics Circle Awards
Best Supporting Actress, Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards

Who knew that Ben Affleck — who's long been Mr Tabloid, thanks to his previous romances with Jennifer Garner, J Lo, Gwyneth and others — had it in him to be a great dramatic director? It's almost as surprising as Britney Spears suddenly writing and recording a profound folk album that sounds like Joni Mitchell's.

But that's exactly what Ben has done.

The handsome star has chosen to go behind the camera to direct his younger brother Casey in a gritty crime drama that has already won rave reviews from critics worldwide. Casey and Michelle Monaghan play two romantically-involved detectives who go in search of a kidnapped little girl. They soon uncover things they had never expected — including stunning revelations from those closest to the case...

The great thing about Gone Baby Gone is that it is actually full of puzzles, suspicions and surprises. Just when you think that the mystery is solved, another clue emerges that throws previous theories into the bin. It keeps you guessing right to the very end.

Gone Baby Gone is also boosted by Ben Affleck's decision to use a lot of the local residents of the town where he was shooting to play the small roles. These locals certainly add flavor and authenticity to the drama, which feels very real and alive.

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