FILM: 47 Ronin 3D (dir: Carl Rinsch, 2013)

"I think mine is broken."

47 Ronin is a fairly solid retelling of the legendary tale, if somewhat lethargic, murkily shot and presented in mostly unremarkable 3D.   It lacks the demented energy of a late 80s Tsui Hark production, the eye-popping excesses of a Cat III exploitationer and the visual majesty of a Kurosawa, even though the film seems to aspire to all of these but within a 12A certificate.  Set-pieces are hurriedly-realised and surprisingly brief, but the third act belatedly delivers with a well-staged final assault and some genuine character beats.  Flat dialogue does not help, but it is good to see Keanu's relentlessly puzzled expression back on the big screen, Hiroyuki Sanada carries the heroic disgraced samurai leader with real dignity, and Tadanobi Asano and Rinko Kikuchi chew the furniture wonderfully as the boo-hiss villains.  The most intriguing aspect of this film is that Universal chose to throw a mega-blockbuster budget at what might at best be a niche curiosity, especially as the result is rendered somewhat toothless and bloodless in the pursuit of a wide mainstream audience.

FILM: The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty (dir: Ben Stiller, 2013)

"Beautiful things don't ask for attention."

Understated is the key word here, and this modern take on the Walter Mitty short story takes the basic premise and then smartly extrapolates in the opposite direction in Steve Conrad's clever and delightful script.  Ben Stiller and Kristen Wiig give wonderfully low-key and sincere performances to these seemingly small and ordinary characters, and it is a joy watching Stiller's Mitty emerge from his negative-cutting vault to meet with the wider world in extraordinary ways and Wiig's fragile single mother taking the first tentative steps from a broken relationship into a new romance.  Cinematography is glorious throughout, and the well-chosen uplifting indie-rock soundtrack makes the middle-age-crisis angle play wider, even if giving the film the feel of a high-end consumer product commercial at times.  As Mitty's wild flights of fancy (allowing the filmmakers to play with a variety of genres successfully) give way to the wonders of the real world, the beautifully focused-down ending makes this a wonderfully life-affirming tale that for the most part avoids the saccharine and heavy-handed approach of a Forrest Gump for something more universal and identifiable for the audience,

FILM: Frozen 3D (dirs: Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee, 2013)

"Glad I caught you."

The Tangled formula is repeated winningly here, making Frozen easily one of the best Disneys of the modern era.  The film mixes the best of classic and contemporary, with a whip-smart script and tight plotting that provides many genuine moments of both drama and humour.  Idina Menzel and the enjoyable Broadway-styled songs lend a very Wicked feel, with the occasional but forgivable whiff of High School Musical cheese.  The characters, both human and non-human - Sven the Reindeer and Olaf the Snowman are instant classics - are well-played and effective, and both design and animation are dazzling, especially in 3D.   Frozen is an immensely enjoyable film that plays well to a broad audience and keeps Disney well up in the ranks of modern animation.

FILM: The Harry Hill Movie (dir: Steve Bendelack, 2013)

"To be honest, I fell asleep just after you did.  It's a miracle we're still alive."

If The Goodies TV show back in the 1970s had been turned into a movie, it would have probably looked much like The Harry Hill Movie...but with laughs.  Quite simply, this is a baffling film to watch, less surreal than just peculiar.  Both star and director are clearly much better suited to the television (i.e. shorter-form) format, as the whole Harry Hill concept and brand of humour simply are too quirky and small-scale to translate effectively to the big screen, which is a shame.  Hill comes across as naïve and likable, Julie Walters replays her usual old-lady schtick, and Abu the puppet hamster (voiced well by Johnny Vegas) is surprisingly engaging, but apart from a couple of inspired moments - The Magic Numbers running a B&B, walking brains replaying the raptors-in-the-kitchen sequence from Jurassic Park - there is little to hold the interest even for its mercifully-short running time.

FILM: Anchorman 2 The Legend Continues (dir: Adam McKay, 2013)

"What's MTV?"
"I think it's a venereal disease."

This sequel to the laugh-out-loud cult classic thankfully does not disappoint.  Although played out on a wider canvas and perhaps more scattershot than the original, Anchorman 2 has a higher hit-rate and is more consistent, in spite of a woefully-misjudged extended lighthouse/shark/blindness episode in the final third. The core team play off each other with ease and great humour, with Carell's Brick stealing every scene and providing many of the laugh-out-loud moments.  Christina Applegate gets disappointingly little comedy to do here, and even Kristin Wiig's female-Brick character underwhelms, but James Marsden is spot-on as Burgandy's younger competition.  Anchorman 2 is easily one of the year's most enjoyable comedies and continues the legend admirably.

FILM: Saving Mr Banks (dir: John Lee Hancock, 2013)

"...and there you shall stay until you learn the art of subtlety."

Saving Mr Banks is a worthy, solid and frequently charming if ultimately inconsequential film that charts the interesting if slight tale of the Mary Poppins author's clash with Hollywood and Walt Disney.  Juxtaposing Travers' Australian outback childhood with the L.A. tales of adapting the book for the classic Disney film becomes an increasingly obvious and predictable exercise, all leading inexorably to a inevitable reveal and conclusion.  Hanks is on fine form as a rather soft version of Disney the man, and likewise Thompson gives a precise and well-drawn performance as Travers, even if she tends to come across as an eccentric Englishwoman to make her character a bit more likable.  In smaller roles, Paul Giamatti is wonderful as Travers' driver, Ruth Wilson does a lot with little as the outback housewife, and Colin Farrell is sincere if at times melodramatic as the author's imaginative but dissolute father.  This is a well-made, well-meaning film that spins a reasonably entertaining yarn out of somewhat slight material.

FILM: The Hobbit - The Desolation Of Smaug IMAX 3D (dir: Peter Jackson, 2013)

"Why are there dwarves coming out of our toilet?"

The Desolation Of Smaug kicks off with a much greater sense of threat and urgency (in both editing and narrative) than the first Hobbit film, and maintains and builds on that throughout, making this second film a much more engaging experience.  This is a Jackson film in which all the pieces fall into place - stunning design, great score, hugely ambitious and effective set pieces (the spiders and the barrels sequences are top-notch), a not-unbearable high-fantasy script, fantastic action but with some well-placed humour, confident direction - all building to an ambitious and huge-scale finale with a glorious cliffhanger for the final installment.  The Elves work - Legolas is still handy in a fight (his CG-action avatar still occasionally rather cartoon-like), and Tauriel is a welcome feisty addition; Richard Armitage and Aidan Turner have more to work with and do so very effectively, the remaining dwarves still background players; Martin Freeman remains perfectly cast and delivers completely; the Orcs are relentlessly, graphically and too-easily disposable; and the crowning glory - Smaug is terrific, both in Cumberbatch's voicing and the impressive realisation on-screen.  As the film started, it really did not feel like a year since the first film; the final film in a year's time cannot come soon enough.

FILM: The Butler (dir: Lee Daniels, 2013)

"I don't think God meant for people not to have a family."

This Oscar-baiting trot through the recent decades of American racial history through the eyes of a (frequently conveniently-fictionalised) true story of a White House butler certainly packs an historical an emotional punch.  This is Daniels' most considered and controlled film so far, yet there are still moments when the directer resorts to melodrama that softens the impact of even the film's strongest scenes, not helped by an often generically twee music score.  There are a number of great performances, including Oprah's character journey as the wife, and Gaines' son, but carrying it all is the towering Forest Whitaker, always a heartfelt and quiet (if underused) actor who here is superb in a performance of true dignity and sincerity.  Even if at times too preachy and a rather blunt instrument, the relationships and issues on display make The Butler a strong - but not perfect - movie experience.

FILM: The Hunger Games Catching Fire IMAX (dir: Francis Lawrence, 2013)

"Such bravery.  Such spirit.   Such contempt. "

Hunger Games 2 is a strong, serious and well-made film, which certainly puts the Twilight movies in the shade.  Here, the extra cash allocated enables some impressive and expansive world-building.  There is an impressive and relentless feel of bleakness and fear, which serves the central character's growing horror at the dystopian society shown well.  The casting of Jennifer Lawrence is key, an instinctively detailed actress who navigates the soapier sections effectively, Hutcherson raises his game this time out, and Donald Sutherland gives a wonderfully cruel turn.  The film bears its long running time very well, the only real criticism being that the plot mechanics make this sequel a virtual narrative re-run of the first film but with harsher content.  Nevertheless, Catching Fire sets up the next episode extremely well, but let us hope that the double-dip finale maintains the quality.

FILM: The Counsellor (dir: Ridley Scott, 2013)

"Don't you think that's a little cold?"
"I think that the truth has no temperature."

The Counsellor is an adult thriller that (unusually) starts with and shows the consequences of making a wrong choice rather than showing the actions leading up to it.  Ridley Scott shows yet again that he can take any genre and make it look stunning on the big screen, and the five leads - Fassbender, Bardem, Cruz, Diaz and Pitt - are all as watchable as ever and act the heck out of the material.  The actors are clearly relishing this dialogue-driven movie, thus providing the movie's strength and ultimately highlighting its main weakness.  Much has been made of The Counsellor being Cormac McCarthy's first original screenplay, but unfortunately the dialogue is theatrically-stilted, the main theme (greed) is hammered home while others (notably sex and women) feel underformed, and the plot mechanics grind along with little subtlety.  Nevertheless, Fassbender creates a compelling performance of a man whose life falls apart, and Cameron Diaz gets one of those rare roles that allow her to show her ability to great effect, Daniel Pemberton's score is a pleasing marriage of John Barry and Hans Zimmer's styles, and the 'catfish' story provides one of the funniest scenes of the year.

FILM: Captain Phillips (dir: Paul Greengrass, 2013)

"They are not here to fish."

To say this film is a compelling viewing experience would be an understatement.  The (recent) real event of the eponymous captain's cargo vessel being taken by Somali pirates is to some extent given a literal join-the-dots and slightly airbrushed Hollywood treatment, but the real power here comes from Greengrass's trademark fusion of rapid-fire editing, shaky-cam and true cinematic eye which all combine to give the film an almost relentless sense of urgency and/or tension.  Hanks is excellent, building character through tiny early details and never fails to find anything but real emotional truth throughout (which makes the final scenes quite harrowingly raw to watch), but credit is also due to Barkhad Abdi's considered but tough performance as the pirate 'captain'.  For all concerned to create such a nail-biting film out of very familiar material is a terrific achievement and is one which has real impact on the big screen.

FILM: Gravity 3D IMAX (dir: Alfonso Cuaron, 2013)

"Trust me, it's a hell of a story."

Gravity is a remarkable film.  A familiar story (essentially a cross between Apollo 13 and the space station section of Armageddon) is brought to the screen using cutting edge visual technology, extremely well-controlled direction and editing (from lengthy single takes to dazzling flash-cut effects sequences) with powerful performances and well-written dialogue.  The film switches with ease from elegiac images of beauty and terror to genuinely white-knuckle action sequences, making it 'one hell of a ride'.  Clooney is Clooney in a role that fits him perfectly and is delivered with well-considered ease, and Bullock shows terrific range and depth, a remarkable feat considering she spent most of the time acting against nothing in a green-screen cube.  3D and IMAX are the optimum way to watch, with stunning visuals of planet Earth and space that goes on forever, but it is ultimately the bigger themes of hope, survival and humanity that make Gravity so compelling, and this true fusion of heart and technology makes for an immersive and compelling movie experience. 

DVD: V/H/S/2 (dirs: Gareth Evans, Eduardo Sanchez et al, 2013)

"Are you seeing weird stuff?  Like people who look dead?"

This sequel multi-story tale is stronger than the original collection.  The framing story, whilst hardly credible or weighty, works more effectively than the first film's haphazard equivalent, and the tales themselves are more watchable and better written/acted overall.  The best of the bunch is Gareth Evans's tale of a literal descent into cult Hell, the increasingly madness well realised on the screen in both style and content.  There is a lot of surprisingly effective P.O.V work across the stories, notably the zombies-in-the-park segment, but the low-fi VHS-stylings really add little overall.  As a concept, the modern-day portmanteau approach gives much-needed variety of content, but sharper writing and better execution would still benefit this burgeoning franchise.

FILM: Philomena (dir: Stephen Frears, 2013)

"I'm angry!"
"Must be exhausting."

This poignant autumnal story is an absolute gem.  Based on a true story, the reflection on real-world issues, ranging from the treatment of (Catholic) women falling pregnant out of wedlock years ago to the Reagen administration's shameful handling of AIDS, provides a solid bedrock to this sincere and at times heartbreaking tale of one elderly woman's search for the son she (perhaps) unwillingly gave up for adoption nearly fifty years previously.  Frears's direction is careful and assured, visual compositions are often quite beautiful, and the script is a delight, balancing the mismatched pairing of journalist Sixsmith and Philomena and the deeply personal story beats with aplomb without being saccharine.   That Judi Dench can convey so much without even uttering a word is astonishing (and makes up for the possibly excusable wayward accent) in a potentially award-winning performance, and Coogan shows yet again that he can be a fine actor.  Without a doubt, Philomena is a wonderful treat.

FILM: Jackass Presents Bad Grandpa (dir: Jeff Tremaine, 2013)

"After that, I never ate fishsticks again."

Bad Grandpa changes the usual Jackass formula with a through road-trip narrative that works surprisingly well and with consequently tighter and shorter pranks than the sketch-based previous films and with a notably higher hits-to-misses ratio.  More mildly offensive than outrageously shocking this time out, the pairing of the grandpa and his grandson give the film a curiously innocent charm amongst the expected profanities, bad taste and bodily fluids jokes, with the public's astounded reactions more as a consequence of the surreality of situations that are presented.  Of the many highlights, the stripper night, the adjustable bed, the malfunctioning ride and the diner scenes are all priceless, but the glue that holds is all together is the immensely enjoyable relationship created between Knoxville's grandpa character and young Jackson Nicoll as his grandson Billy.  Bad Grandpa is hardly high art, but it is enormous fun.

FILM: Thor - The Dark World IMAX 3D (dir: Alan Taylor, 2013)

"I have got this completely under control."
"Is that why everything is on fire?"

Marvel's current run of terrific movies continues: the Thor sequel is gloriously entertaining.  The spirits of Jackson, Lucas and Emmerich make their presences felt, but Alan Taylor not only expands on the first film successfully but also gives The Dark World a very grounded feel that is easy for the viewer to buy into.  Hopping between 'realms' and, er, London is handled deftly, with a very economical and slick script enabling real pace and energy.  Indeed, story is king, with some quirky and unexpected narrative choices making for an interesting and compelling experience.  All of the main cast return and without exception are terrific in their roles on screen, with the addition of Christopher Eccleston as an acceptable villain and a superfluous and underwritten 'intern's intern'.  The movie also shows true scope and scale and looks simply fantastic.  As is usual with Marvel, an unexpected cameo is seamless, and Stan Lee's trademark appearance is fun.  The mid-credits teaser plants the MacGuffin that will not doubt be used in future episodes, but this movie is steeped in age-old themes of revenge, family and loyalty that make this particular space fantasy work so well.

FILM: Ender's Game (dir: Gavin Hood, 2013)

"It was a good game.  Thanks."

Gavin Hood certainly makes up for his X-Men Origins: Wolverine movie with this surprisingly serious, effective and enjoyable adaptation of a notoriously difficult novel.  Re-tooling the politically-correct mix of central characters for the tweenage market works well, and Asa Butterfield makes a remarkably good job of portraying Ender's growing militaristic mindset and the emotional extremes of a typical teenage boy.  Another surprise is Harrison Ford, giving one of his more credible and consistent performances.  Unusually, this is a movie that screams out for 3D presentation, but the strong design and eye-catching visuals work well enough in its cinema-released 2D format.  Steve Jablonsky also deserves credit for his ominous and atmospheric score which ranks amongst his best.   Although the film is perhaps somewhat streamlined both morally and narratively, Ender's Game is an unexpectedly thoughtful, grim and well-made movie.

DVD: Curse Of Chucky (dir: Don Mancini, 2013)

"It's a doll.  What's the worst that can happen, huh?"

It is a shame that Curse Of Chucky is bypassing cinemas, as it feels as if it would play well on a big screen with big sound and an audience.  Custodian of the franchise Don Mancini returns with a back-to-basics cat-and-mouse-in-a-house thriller that (almost entirely) eschews the self-referential comedy/self-parody of Bride... and Seed... to good effect.  Mancini's direction is assured and well-controlled, there are some well-staged gore gags, and the whole enterprise is lifted by an extremely strong performance by Fiona Dourif as the lead (the stunt casting of whom gives an extra frisson to the face-offs with her father-voiced Chucky, but which is also fully justified by what is on-screen).  The final half-hour seems to have more endings than The Return Of The King, but there is a very franchise-pleasing post-credits scene.  For a sixth outing of a minor horror franchise, Curse.. is hardly an essential movie but it is considerably better than could be expected.

DVD: I Spit On Your Grave 2 (dir: Steven R. Monroe, 2013)

"You just need to get that on film with a little more style than what's in here."

Monroe's 2010 revisiting of the notorious genre classic at least had the benefit of a narrative that felt organic and effectively structured.  Here, the balance is sadistically wrong, focusing on the protracted (even in the obviously truncated UK cut) and unrelenting degradation that befalls aspiring model Katie, and considerably less on the revenge element.  Even the set-up of innocent victim is replaced in this sequel by sexually punishing a woman for refusing to take off her clothes at a photoshoot.  The film opens in a well-shot non-touristy New York, and the bleak winter scenario is used effectively by Monroe to show that alienation can happen anywhere, but the sex-trafficking angle makes the film play more like an entry into the Hostel series.  There are some good performances from Yahor Bavaroff and Brit Joe Absolom, and Jemma Dallender is frighteningly committed as Katie, especially in the last half hour, but turning the subject matter into a horror franchise is blatantly reprehensible.

DVD: Silent Night Bloody Night The Homecoming (dir: James Plumb, 2013)

"This?  This is your big surprise?"

...or how to make 78 minutes feel like a very long time indeed.  Packaged as a slick American horror (that it so wants to be), this unofficial remake turns out to be an extremely low-rent Welsh 'movie' that looks like a local amateur dramatics society trying to do a slasher.  Both pacing and delivery are lethargic, which is no helped by some very odd use of camera, poor lighting and unconvincing split-screens and wipes that are best left for home-made holiday presentations.  Even sound and music cannot save the day as both are utilised weakly, and some reasonably realised bloody effects work is not fully successful owing to less-than-tight editing.  Some nods to the genre classics are present, but the final 'Christmas Dinner' scene certainly isn't anywhere near a match for The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.  Cheap and not very cheerful, and decidedly unglamorous and unconvincing, the threat of a sequel at the end is not a promising prospect on this evidence. 

FILM: Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs 2 3D (dirs: Phil Lord and Chris Miller, 2013)

"Where did he get the brown crayon?"

Cloudy...2 certainly delivers on the eye-popping, bright, colourful children's movie front, but it was faced with an uphill struggle to match the joyous daftness of the wonderful original film.  Picking up successfully from the end of the original, a scarily caffeinated whip-fast muddle of story advancement that starts this movie is worrying, but the film soon settles into a very traditional quest/defeat the villain/realise the value of friendship and family tale.  This sequel is basically the Jurassic Park III back-to-the-original-island story (with some very unsubtle lifts from that franchise), and whilst the food puns are groan-inducingly rapid-fire, the narrative lacks the freshness and originality that made the first film so enjoyable.  There is also a rather harsh message for the youngsters - people can lie, use you and stab you in the back - that sours the party a little.  Thankfully, the characters survive intact and provide much of the enjoyment here, but Cloudy...2 is disappointingly nowhere near as lovable or interesting as the first film.

FILM: Turbo 3D (dir: David Soren, 2013)

"Thank you, plucky snail!"

Turbo is a slight but rather sweet children's tale.  There is some lively and ambitious 3D CG animation to enjoy, and the characters are simple but engagingly brought to life.  The race sequences are surprisingly strong, and there is a nice early nod to the Fast & Furious franchise muscle cars.  The snails' 'world' is created thoughtfully, and there is some well-written droll humour - the reactions to one of the snails being snatched by a bird, part of their routine everyday life, are wonderfully accepting.  The story is tight and well-focused, the film has more genuine Pixar-style moments than that studio's own Cars, and it leads to a rousing (if inevitable) finale.  Turbo is not up there with the best children's 3D-CG-animated movies, and the lead character is not particularly nuanced or memorable, but it certainly stands up as an enjoyable children's movie overall.

FILM: Prisoners (dir: Denis Villeneuve, 2013)

"Everything matters."

It starts off with a deer getting shot in a chilly winter wood to a recitation of The Lord's Prayer, and then proceeds to find progressively darker levels of utter bleakness as this familiar but very well-made tale unfolds.  Prisoners is on the surface an odd mix of almost forensically-clinical raw emotion in the style of Atom Egoyan and some tepid torture-porn for the arthouse crowd, but the extended running time enables the stark end-of-year visuals (courtesy of Roger Deakins) and the very deliberate pacing to grip the viewer and for the uniformly high-quality performances to breathe - indeed, for Jackman and Gyllenhaal, this may prove to be some of their finest character work.  The only major flaw is that Gyllenhaal's detective with an outstanding record fails to connect the most two obvious clues that could not be more foregrounded, but overall this is a supremely effective kidnap/thriller and marks Villeneuve as a director to watch.

FILM: Girl Most Likely (dirs: Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini, 2013)

"So......yeah...."

Girl Most Likely looks like it aims to be a quirky screwball comedy and fails dismally on all three counts.  Poor Kristen Wiig tries to wring something - anything - out of the woefully insubstantial material but even with her talent so many lines and scenes tail off into nothing, Annette Bening simply looks lost, Matt Dillon's role is at best ridiculous, and even though Darren Criss makes a reasonable stab at the only vaguely believable character in the whole film he is little more than female-fantasy cougar-totty.  The daftness and lack of credibility of the situations, coupled with resolutely unengaging characters across the board who are hard to warm to, make this a truly bemusing and vapid viewing experience.

FILM: R.I.P.D. 3D (dir: Robert Schwentke, 2013)

"Expected more?"

This potential franchise-starter falls short of the mark and is a rather dispiriting watch.  Its obvious mash-up of Men In Black, The Frighteners, Ghostbusters, Dragnet and many more is not the main problem, as most big Hollywood committee movies are as equally derivative these days;  however, this movie take on R.I.P.D. seems to have no idea what its target audience is, and consequently just about everything - direction, performances, plot, humour, creature design - lack consistency and purpose.  At times the material screams out for a serious, gritty tone to be maintained and at others pure family farce, but instead turns what could have been either an inspired Pirates Of the Caribbean-styled romp or a strong action-fantasy fest into a somewhat uninspired and flat drag.  Ryan Reynolds is charmless and uninteresting - he is no Will Smith - Jeff Bridges replays Rooster Cogburn in dour fashion and is never really allowed to fly, Kevin Bacon is as reliable as ever but his role is underdeveloped, and Mary-Louise Parker is the only real stand-out with enjoyable timing and delivery.  Children in the cinema audience were chuckling quite a lot, but by aiming for safe middle ground, this movie is a disappointingly missed opportunity.

FILM: Insidious Chapter 2 (dir: James Wan, 2013)

"Is there something wrong with daddy, mom?"

Chapter 2 picks up from the original film and runs off in ridiculous directions - some interesting and effective, others just plain bizarre, referencing a whole range of genre glories from Poltergeist to Psycho.  The wheels seem to fall of the plot quite early but, with a lot of forgiving, it miraculously all comes together at the end.  Performances are mostly solid (but won't be troubling the Academy voters next year), although the actors have to battle with largely lacklustre dialogue.  The new generation of viewers will at least be acquainted with a range of possession/haunted house clichés, from Paranormal-style repeated motifs that strain tolerance to old-fashioned nicely-set-up in-camera effects, but there is one superb shock (and shocking) sequence about a third of the way through that demonstrates the real potential here that is generally not displayed elsewhere.  It is all very silly and would barely be tolerable if it had been released for the Halloween season, but Chapter 2 is more interesting than the original, even if the laughter-inducing final scene set-up for the next instalment ends the film on a rather easy-to-dismiss note.

FILM: Rush (dir: Ron Howard, 2013)

"Goes like the clappers!"

Even if the events are well known, Ron Howard has fashioned a gripping and wonderfully-made movie about the rivalry of racedrivers James Hunt and Niki Lauda in the 1970s.  Storytelling is tight and economical, and Howard applies the same energy and drive to both the race-track sequences and dialogue scenes to very good effect, creating a relentless and engaging pace.  Although characters are drawn quite simplistically for movie purposes, there are a number of wonderful performances, but the two leads are exceptional: Chris Hemsworth gives the passionate and impulsive Hunt swagger and enough depth, and Daniel Bruhl gives the uptight, steely Lauda a crucial dose of humanity.  The racing scenes are created superbly, with Lauda's horrifying crash and the insane Japanese season finale quite extraordinary.  Whilst sold as 'The James Hunt Story', it is the clever interweaving of both Hunt and Lauda's stories and points of view that give the movie real strength, and the inevitable final shots of the men themselves are effectively poignant and a fitting pay-off to an immensely successful piece of film-making.

FILM: White House Down (dir: Roland Emmerich, 2013)

"You just killed the Secretary of Defense."
"Well, he wasn't doing a very good job."

White House Down is a better movie than Olympus Has Fallen, but it is not without its problems.  Indeed, the ultimate White House siege movie would fall somewhere between the two, if it could have Roland Emmerich's storytelling sensibility and the consistently gritty approach of Olympus. Nevertheless, White House Down is an utterly preposterous and yet very entertaining ride with what is an obvious Die Hard scenario (which would have been perfect for McClane and his granddaughter).  Channing Tatum is as committed and watchable as ever - see him wield a toaster with menace - especially in the (generally strong) action scenes, and James Woods and Maggie Gyllenhaal do pleasing work.  It is good to see Emmerich applying his usual well-controlled bombast to a rather straight actioner to good effect.  However, there is a significant lack of consistency of tone, which switches dramatically and unjustifiably in an instant, and there is a lot of wry and very funny humour which frequently undermines tension and dramatic weight.  (It can, however, boast one of the most hilarious lines of recent times delivered brilliantly - wait for Donnie The Tour Guide 'clocking' a bad guy).  That such a daft movie can almost recover from jumping the shark (the car chase on the White House lawn) as the stakes keep getting raised is to its credit, but as a piece of popcorn entertainment White House Down passes a couple of hours well.

FILM: About Time (Richard Curtis, 2013)

"I've got plenty of time."

It starts off as another worryingly very-Curtis very-Four Weddings type of film (ridiculous upper-middle-class characters living totally non-credible lives), but quickly About Time develops into something rather wistful and impressively beautiful as a thoughtful meditation on life, family and relationships.    The central time-travel conceit is introduced very quickly and simply, and it is ironic that for a film that has a nonsensical idea that drives the narrative, About Time is probably the Curtis film that shows the most heart, honesty and grounding.  The film packs in a lot of ideas and set-ups - some expected, some far less so - and it is uniformly exquisitely written, directed and performed (even just about getting away with an 'in the dark' restaurant scene).  Domhnall Gleeson proves to be an utterly watchable and superbly precise actor, Rachel McAdams is simply wonderful, Bill Nighy gives one of his most nuanced performances, and even the subsidiary characters hit the target.  The final scenes are emotional belters, and the film ends on a deeply satisfying note, not only validating this lovely film but also life itself, which is quite a feat.

FILM: Riddick IMAX (dir: David Twohy, 2013)

"Where did you get that theory from?  A unicorn's ass?"

Ignoring the bloated space-opera of The Chronicles..., like its title suggests, Riddick is basically a stripped-down back-to-basics Pitch Black 2 that is reasonably enjoyable but falls sort the character development/interest and delicious tension of the original.  There are three distinct acts: the first, how Riddick survives on the planet on which he has been abandoned (with a half-hearted explanation of how he came to be there), and it is to Diesel's credit that he maintains viewer interest; the second, a by-the-numbers Riddick vs. anonymous bounty-hunters; and finally, a moderate re-tread of Pitch Black's night monsters, here summoned by a massive rainstorm.  The mid-low budget is used wisely but not always convincingly, the music score does not impress, and apart some killer one-liners the dialogue is generally quite awful.  Nevertheless, Diesel makes the character of Riddick very watchable, and there are some flashes of real creativity and style which are sadly not sustained.  It is also another Summer of 2013 movie that would have benefited from being shorn of at least twenty minutes (especially in the mid-section) which would have made the film slicker and more dynamic overall.

FILM: Pain & Gain (dir: Michael Bay, 2013)

"For real?"

Pain & Gain plays as a glossy Hollywood teen-boy fantasy, which jars with the fact that it is "unfortunately" based on a true crime story, of which the viewer is regularly reminded.  It is recognisably Michael Bay - the walk-away-from-an-explosion shot, the silhouetted-against-a-sunset shot, more low-angle shots than should be legally allowed - but this utterly preposterous caper is told with energy and verve.  Anthony Mackie, Dwayne Johnson and Mark Wahlberg play it straight and are often hilariously dumb and they are clearly (and infectiously) having a ball, and there is very strong support from Tony Shalhoub, Ed Harris and Rob Corddry.  At times the script could do with some work, but it is all delivered at such breakneck speed that weaker moments of dialogue soon get left behind, although the multiple narrators' voice-overs are a little intrusive.  Steve Jablonsky provides a terrific score, at times very aptly retro-Moroder/Jan Hammer. 
Get past the uber-macho and pro-USA posturing that riddles the film, and you are left with a ridiculous and entertaining caper whose real-life basis nevertheless leaves a somewhat guilty feeling.

FILM: You're Next (dir: Adam Wingard, 2013)

"It's just a creaky old house...."

You're Next is good fun for horror fans, but it is not as smart or ground-breaking as the hype or the well-edited trailer suggests.  All the ingredients are there - tight and knowing direction, some beautiful black humour, homages abound (Carpenter, Bunuel, Haneke, etc), a strong Final Girl, great gore gags - and the film has energy, but ultimately it does little that is new or unexpected.  There is entertainment to be had from the subversion of the old cabin-in-the-woods-full-of-dumb-teenagers formula, as supposedly wealthy and educated adults in a sprawling country pile fall into the same Idiot Plot traps in a good mix of 80s slashers and contemporary home-invasions.  Mercifully the bane of modern horror - digital blood and splatter - is conspicuously absent, with frequent and very effective physical gore effects helping to keep some sense of real grounding to events. Adam Wingard and his film may prove to be this generation's equivalent of Raimi and the original The Evil Dead; for seasoned horror fans, it proves to be a strongly-made and entertaining update on familiar territory.

DVD: The ABCs Of Death (various directors, 2013)

"Better a cruel truth than a comfortable delusion."

This is an interesting idea - 26 directors, each creating a very short film on death for a given letter of the alphabet - and inevitably the quality is variable, with a fair balance between good, mediocre and weak entries.  Everyone will have their own favourites, but there are clearly some segments that have more flair and invention than others, although a leading criterion for success does appear to be the quality and ability of the performers on display.  There is fun to be had trying to 'guess the word' for each letter as each short is played out, but even this starts to wear thin over the rather long overall running time.  The international dimension creates interest (and explains some of the more bizarre entries), many pieces display woeful misogyny, a couple definitely cross over the bad taste line, and there is often the feeling that these are extracts from bigger films or ideas.  Nevertheless, The ABCs Of Death is a brave experiment and for the most part an interesting one.

FILM: The Way Way Back (dirs: Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, 2013)

"Cut your own path."

The Way Way Back is an absolute treat.  Directed and written by the writers of The Descendants - compared to which this film is considerably better - this Summer-by-the-sea coming-of-age tale offers little that is new but it is impeccably written, superbly played by an amazing ensemble and quite simply makes you want to applaud at the end.  As fourteen-year-old Duncan, Liam James is wonderfully emotionally sincere, awkward, introverted and at times heartbreaking as he finds himself on the fringes of a broken marriage (his mother showing another pin-sharp performance by Toni Collette, whose new partner is given a terrifically heartless reading by Steve Carell) and the adult world that he cannot yet access.  Salvation comes in the form of a secret job at a local park and his developing friendship with the awesome Sam Rockwell's park attendant, whose whip-smart delivery and joyful character is immensely enjoyable.  Even subsidiary characters are written precisely and played beautifully, such as Allison Janney as their drink-sozzled neighbour who instantly lifts the film from her very first appearance and Maya Rudolph as Rockwell's possible love-interest.  Metaphors are not laboured, direction and cinematography are confident and effective and the simple score works well.  The Way Way Back is a delightful movie, and it is perfectly pitched for late Summer.

FILM: We're The Millers (dir: Rawson Marshall Thurber, 2013)

"F**k off, real-life Flanders!"

Mercifully this drugs-based comedy avoids the stoner angle and gets considerable mileage out of skewering the concept of the classic American family. The comedy is largely consistent in this pacy film which has many well-placed lines and effectively-delivered gags, and which also benefits from a well-managed narrative.   Jason Sudeikis and Jennifer Aniston are seasoned pros at this type of material and both perform well, Emma Roberts is suitably snarky, but the revelation here is Will Poulter's beautifully-played callow youth.  We're The Millers is an unusually well-constructed broad comedy that has sufficient wit and surprising heart to entertain throughout.

DVD: Aftershock (dir: Nicolas Lopez, 2013)

"Next!"

'Eli Roth presents...'...and co-writes, co-produces and effectively stars in this rather weak horror throwback, giving probably the best performance in a roster of unappealing characters and limited characterisations.  There are a couple of effective black-humour gore gags, but the plot mostly staggers uninterestingly from one victim to the next.  The party at which the earthquake hits is clearly studio-bound, but there is some interest to be found in the actual location shooting.  Aftershock also boasts the most staggeringly predictable final shot in memory, confirming that this is not a memorable viewing experience.

DVD: American Mary (dirs: Jen and Sylvia Soska, 2012)

"We just don't torture people like we used to."

American Mary is essentially a contemporary update of the rape-revenge genre with a side order of the body-modification scene.  It has the curious, dislocated feel of a David Lynch movie, creating a scenario on the edge of society but also seemingly self-enclosed, and giving the sense that it is barely touching the edge of the world of body-modification.   As the wronged medical student whose career takes a successful but disturbing turn into the underworld, Katharine Isabelle confidently creates a powerfully dissociated character who is on-screen for almost all of the film.  There are some effective points raised about body image and gender politics, a very fine line is walked between body horror for the gore fans and representing body-mod in a positive way, and even if the pace is at times too deliberate and slow, American Mary is bold and interesting but not necessarily easy to enjoy.

FILM: The Mortal Instruments - City of Bones (dir: Harald Zwart, 2013)

"She looks like her phone number should be on a bathroom wall."

This is a lively, daft but competent franchise-starter that is easily one of the strongest post-Twilight Young Adult book adaptations, if that is not damning it with faint praise, and considerably more interesting than recent efforts such as Beautiful Creatures and The Host.  There is a real attempt to create mood and atmosphere, there is some very pleasing design work, and there is a reasonable amount of story development which is often lacking in this genre of film.  The movie pretty much hits its intended female-young-teen audience squarely, with its fashionable Goth-lite stylings, all cheekbones and eyeliner (and that is just the male characters!), and a pleasingly tough and sensible heroine.  As well as Lily Collins making for a strong central character, casting is good - Robert Sheehan stands up well on the big screen, the amazing CCH Pounder is fun as the downstairs neighbour, Jonathan Rhys Meyers chews the scenery villainously, Lena Headey gives the movie an emotional grounding at the start, Aidan Turner's character is a nice twist for Being Human fans - but Jamie Campbell Bower only convinces occasionally as eye-candy love-interest Shadowhunter Jace.  The first half would benefit from more action and less info-dumping, but in general the film just about has enough wit and energy to sustain interest for the spirited everything-but-the-kitchen-sink finale.

FILM: Elysium IMAX (dir: Neill Blomkamp, 2013)

REVIEW No. 400!


"Why can't I go there?"

With expectations sky-high for the follow-up to District 9, Blomkamp delivers for the most part.  The scale and detail of the world-building, both Earthbound and on the Elysium spacestation, are superbly realised both as physical locations and CGI work, which particularly impress in IMAX.  Matt Damon is very strong here in an invested and convincing performance, and Jodie Foster creates a good female counterpoint (in what was written as a male role) as the icy, focused 'protector' of Elysium.  Blomkamp is an excellent director, his incredible planning and filmic vision fully evident in both execution and editing of scenes, especially the visceral action set-pieces.  Disappointment comes with the very simplistic social/political allegory which gives rise to rather thin plotting, but this is compensated for by the sheer energy and drive on display.

FILM: Alan Partridge Alpha Papa (dir: Declan Lowney, 2013)

 

"A year after that was taken, the angels took her."

"Must have been a few of them."

Not only is the Alan Partridge movie true to the TV incarnation, it is also - thankfully - wonderfully funny.  By taking on the Hollywood siege genre and applying it to the relatively mundane settings of Norfolk and North Norfolk Digital Radio (rather like Shaun Of The Dead's take on zombie films), it allows the Partridge character to be his recognisable self as well as enabling some inspired takes on conventions, such as Alan becoming the police/hostage go-between and the car chase at the end.  The regular characters are also wonderful: Felicity Montagu is as always a true delight as Alan's PA Lynn, and although Simon Greenall's Michael gets disappointingly little screen time, what is there is hilarious.  Colm Meaney was cast well as the sacked-DJ hostage-taker, providing an effective mix of menace, pathos and comedy to play against Partridge.  It is however entirely to Steve Coogan's credit that he sustains the character over a whole movie with a confident and nuanced performance that is immensely enjoyable to watch.  There are so many funny lines, visual gags and ridiculous set-ups that keep on coming right to the end that makes Alan Partridge Alpha Papa one of the best comedies of this year.

FILM: Percy Jackson - Sea Of Monsters 3D (dir: Thor Freudenthal, 2013)

"Extreme makeover alert!"

Starting like I Am Number Four and TV's Total Wipeout, and ending like Raiders Of The Lost Ark, this unexpected sequel to 2010's moderate franchise-starter is unashamedly Potter-lite but it certainly aims to be more entertaining than the first film and for the most part succeeds.  There is plenty of story, and Freudenthal wisely keeps things moving briskly from one action set-up to the next, but its necessary simplicity of character and plotting makes it relentlessly predictable and uninvolving.  The CG work is never less than ambitious (although not always quite hitting the mark), and there is an impressive sense of scope for a mid-budget movie, even if Sea Of Monster would have been perhaps a more appropriate subtitle. Logan Lerman remains adequate but bland as the eponymous hero, but the addition of Tyson Smith as Percy's newly-discovered guileless half-brother is welcome, as is a wonderfully-played cameo by the mighty Nathan Fillion.  Overall, Sea Of Monsters is harmless, efficient and will play well with the younger audience.

FILM: 2 Guns (dir: Baltasar Kormákur, 2013)

"You knew that was coming?"
"That is correct."

2 Guns is an astonishingly old-fashioned buddy-thriller, in which everybody repeatedly double-crosses everyone else and all collide predictably at the end.  The narrative holds very little surprise and the material really is very thin.  It is capably directed with some good action/explosions, but what makes the film passably entertaining is the inspired teaming of Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg (Wahlberg's dry delivery is especially humorous) and a strong supporting cast (Edward James Olmos, Bill Paxton, James Marsden and Paula Patton in particular) which gives the film some weight.  The film lags considerably when the two leads are separated, but their chemistry and experience makes their scenes very enjoyable to watch.

FILM: The Lone Ranger IMAX (dir: Gore Verbinski, 2013)

"Fun and education for you, young sir!"

In spite of some American critics, The Lone Ranger turns out to be one of the biggest surprises of this Summer - it is a hugely enjoyable romp from the outset and rarely lets up.  It is significantly better than the third and fourth Pirates movies (from largely the same core creative team) and at times is reminiscent of the style of the recent Sherlock Holmes movies.  Depp and Hammer make a terrific and effective pairing, with Depp's near-Chaplin physical comedic timing and Hammer's tough-guy heroism and real sense of fun playing off each other extremely well.  The glorious wide-open vistas look stunning (especially in IMAX), the effects set-pieces are stunningly staged and realised, and Hans Zimmer's smart and bombastic score is wonderful.  The film is perhaps a little overlong and at times leisurely in its storytelling, but ultimately it deftly combines the necessary origin stories with its own through narrative and all the pieces cement beautifully towards the thrillingly-staged and very impressive climax.  The Lone Ranger is a true Summer popcorn movie - funny, exciting and extremely entertaining.

DVD: The Returned aka Les Revenants (dir: Robin Camillo, 2004)

"Do you know what they're thinking?  I do."

At last, UK viewers get to see the film that inspired the recent fantastic French TV series, and indeed it can be viewed as a very embryonic version of the idea that was fleshed out in the TV version.  There are some very general pre-echoes of characters and set-ups which became much more developed, but this original film is inevitably more self-contained and features more Contagion-like pandemic procedural scenes that posit the event of the dead returning on a much larger scale.  Strong, controlled performances abound, especially by Geraldine Pailhas (a proto-Adele character) and Jonathan Zaccai (her 'returned' partner) as the central couple.  The languid style and use of mood music is familiar, and there are some inspired visual moments, but the relentlessly cold scenarios and performances lack the interconnectedness and underlying menace that made the TV series so compelling. 

FILM: Kick Ass 2 (dir: Jeff Ludlow, 2013)

"Weren't you, like, Big Daddy's Robin?"

Kick Ass 2 is a reasonably straightforward comic adaptation/sequel that tones down some of the comic's more out-there violence but is entertaining.  Whilst obviously lacking the freshness of the first film, the narrative overall feels less whole and organic this time with a reliance more on fan-pleasing moments (not that there is anything wrong with that in itself.  The characters are generally served well and the three leads do a great job - in particular, Chloe Grace Moretz proves to be an extremely capable actress and Aaron Taylor-Johnson gets to show a bit more of a range this time (even though looking alarmingly older in the Dave persona).  The film is fun and there are many enjoyable lines and moments to savour and enjoy, it is well shot/directed and overall entertains solidly.

FILM: The Wolverine 3D (dir: James Mangold, 2013)

"We don't all have claws."

The Wolverine is a much more focused film and story than the wayward X-Men: Origins, and as such it uses its main strength - Hugh Jackman giving 100% - to full advantage.  The opening act is a surprisingly sombre and blatant rain-soaked meditation on mortality, but once the first real action sequence kicks in (and not many funerals can boast the yakuza, parkour, martial arts and mutant action), the film mostly maintains a reasonable balance between fights and character beats.  The Japanese setting is well-used and consistently attractive, and the 3D is largely superfluous but occasionally handled creatively.  Wolverine gets a somewhat sudden and unconvincing new love interest, but the presence of Famke Janssen is very welcome and used well.  The overall style is quite mature and respectfully comic-book, apart from the daft finale that borders on Batman and Robin and Superman III.  The in--closing-credits teaser scene for the next X-Men movie serves as an apt reminder that whilst Wolverine's Japanese holiday was interesting, our appetites have been whetted for the main event to come.

FILM: The World's End (dir: Edgar Wright, 2013)

"It's about togetherness."

The World's End is a much more organic and complete viewing experience than the recent, almost sketch-based (but still very enjoyable) This Is The End, benefiting from a very tight script, even tighter direction and a cast who we have seen grow up together. The standout in this extremely strong ensemble this time is Nick Frost, in both character and action moments.  Indeed, the fight scenes are extremely well-staged (and it even obeys the 45-minutes rule, the point at which the action really kicks off) and the sci-fi elements are spot on.  There are effective nods to the earlier films, and a slew of enjoyable references  - loved the Fawlty Towers gag).  The sense of age and experience is played beautifully here, and there is genuine rage at the unfulfilled promises of life on reaching middle age.  The comedy is lovely, from the daft and deft Airplane!-style exchanges to some wonderfully-staged visual jokes.   Whilst not quite as madly off-kilter as a trilogy closer as Army Of Darkness, The World's End provides a fittingly mature and entertaining conclusion to an uniquely British collaboration.

FILM: Monsters University 3D (dir: Dan Scanlon, 2013)

"Surprise me? I doubt that very much."

 

Another long-gestating Pixar/Disney project finally settles on what initially seems like an odd premise on which to build a children's film  - a prequel set in the university years - but it works surprisingly well by staying true to the characters and building a credible friendship.  A much-younger Mikey prologue not only sets up the franchise's main premise but serves as an excellent way back into the Monsters world and ties in nicely with the first film.  The idealised college design is stunning, and the 3D depth also demonstrates a wealth of detail in numerous background characters and ideas.  The high quality of character movement convinces to the extent that the viewer's focus is more on character than cartoon, and with peerless delivery by Goodman and Crystal, the mix of sincere character beats and genuine funny moments builds effectively as the film progresses, in spite of initial concerns of the missing charm that Boo brought to the original.  Put up against Summer 2013's main animated rival - Despicable Me 2 - Monsters University comes across as the more complete and satisfying film. 

 

FILM: Pacific Rim IMAX 3D (dir: Guillermo del Toro, 2013)

"Fortune favours the brave, dude."

So, del Toro does Michael Bay with a hefty dose of his beloved Lovecraftian creatures in this pure popcorn movie that offers surprisingly little more than that.  Although Pacific Rim is a rare original property in the Summer of 2013, its many influences are clear to be seen, not just from the whole kaiju/Godzilla cycle, but also from anime to Independence Day, and from Top Gun to Thunderbirds (the latter in the wonderfully insane pilot-boarding sequences and impossibly huge hangars).  Indeed, the enormous scale of the visuals is amazingly impressive and the (IMAX) sound mix is thunderous.  The smackdowns are impressive, but the breathless attempts to inject narrative suspense about the creatures' origins and intentions and the bluntly-handled emotional backstories have little weight.  The simplistic characters are nevertheless watchable, and Charlie Hunnam and Idris Elba in particular give strong and engaging performances as the younger/older protagonists, but Rinko Kikuchi as the film's only real female presence barely gets a chance to register. Pacific Rim is ultimately about giant robots beating up giant monsters, and this respect the film truly delivers spectacle and big-screen entertainment, but do not go expecting much else.

DVD: Starship Troopers Invasion (dir: Shinji Aramaki, 2012)

"How can a bug control a starship?"

Sony keep the franchise alive with this fourth 'movie', a fully-CGI mo-capped direct-to-DVD effort that is by no means the worst so far (the woeful Hero Of The Federation will still take some beating on that score) but struggles to be more than mediocre.  The spaceship designs show some pleasing detail, but character animation is more variable and at times awkward.  There is an inevitable upfront influence of the Alien series and anime on the whole visual aesthetic and story moments - the women in particular are pneumatic fetishised objects - but this entry add very little to the overall mythos, relying instead on mostly well-staged but repetitive spaceship-bound bug attacks.  Previous (now promoted) characters give some familiarity, but they are not voiced by the original actors. The DVD transfer is soft, and whilst there is clearly a degree of love and effort put into this production, it is not especially strong or memorable.