Insidious (2010)

A family looks to prevent evil spirits from trapping their comatose child in a realm called The Further.

Run-of-the-mill occult thriller may have some good production and a better cast, but is still as predictable and occasionally as most of the other ones. 

Maltin**1/2: "Old-fashioned haunted-house thriller aimed at adults boasts effective scares and a dark, mysterious mood, but it plays as a belated knockoff of POLETRGEIST. Decent B melodrama..."

Rose Byrne

X: First Class (2011)

In 1962, the United States government enlists the help of Mutants with superhuman abilities to stop a malicious dictator who is determined to start World War III.

Typical modern-day superhero extravaganza: great production value and some good bits, but very slow to get started and the heroes' diverse superpowers seem silly and arbitrary.

Maltin**1/2: "Good story tries to cover too much ground and introduces an abundance of characters...but the appeal of Marvel's X-Men remains intact, especially in the solid perforances of McAvoy and Fassbender. Newcomers Lawrence and Hoult score while Bacon seems miscast. A couple of surprise cameos will please series fans."

The Dead Girl (2006)

The clues to a young woman's death come together as the lives of seemingly unrelated people begin to intersect.

Intense, complex and harrowing study of the various lives involved or affected by a horrific crime; direction is speckless and the cast is superb.

Maltin***: "Intriguing if downbeat vignettes are linked by an overall rumination about violence toward women in our society. Writer-director Moncrieff offers her actors a superior showcase, and they're all terrific."

Rose Byrne

Knowing (2009)

A teacher opens a time capsule that has been dug up at his son's elementary school; in it are some chilling predictions -- some that have already occurred and others that are about to -- that lead him to believe his family plays a role in the events that are about to unfold.

Above average end-of-the-world prophesy drama, good in foreboding and atmosphere, but of course with the usual loopholes concerning logic.

On second view I still agree, but I do have a guilty pleasure for doomdsday movies since my childhood.

Maltin**: "Intriguing premise would have made a great Twilight Zone episode, but this New Age doomsday thriller becomes increasingly dour and tedious, with a particularly preposterous finale blending science fiction and biblical prophecy."

Rose Byrne

From my vaults: Rose Byrne

Bio:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose_Byrne