FILM: Dumb And Dumber To (dirs: Bobby and Peter Farrelly, 2014)

"No need to apologise."

Some critics need to lighten up, and this is a film that needs to be seen with an up-for-it audience: Dumb And Dumber To is one of the funniest if daftest films of the year.  In spite of the twenty-years gap, this sequel is literally more of the same.  Very American Pie in its humour, the gags very much follow the template of the original and come thick and fast, and with Daniels's wonderful slapstick and Carrey's undimmed impeccable timing most of the gags work.  It is relentlessly childish and unsophisticated - like its lead duo - but on that level it is also hugely entertaining.

FILM: Night At The Museum - Secret Of The Tomb (dir: Shawn Levy, 2014)

"Thank you, dangly bells!"

This third and concluding entry in the Night At The Museum trilogy is surprisingly thoughtful, entertaining, well-written and poignant (the latter not just because of Robin Williams), and it is certainly more fun than the self-consciously bloated second film.  There is actually a solid premise to the story, the London locations give it interest, and Dan Stevens is a riot as Lancelot.  There are apt references to the series' (limited) mythology, the regulars (such as Steve Coogan and Owen Wilson) are fine, although Rebel Wilson and Ricky Gervais remain an acquired taste, and even Ben Stiller doubling up as a Neanderthal (an idea that sounds like a bad Adam Sandler movie) is tolerably entertaining.  Whilst it offers little new, Secret Of The Tomb is a proper and entertaining ending to a pleasant series.

FILM: The Hobbit - The Battle Of The Five Armies D-BOX 3D (dir: Peter Jackson, 2014)

"I'm not a warrior - I'm a hobbit!"

It does what it says on the (title-changed) tin - five armies battle - and it does it most effectively.  Whilst The Desolation of Smaug ended not so much on a cliffhanger as crowd-baiting expectation, the final part of the film trilogy picks up where its predecessor left off, and interestingly in retrospect it might have been more effective to have seen through Smaug's attack on Lake Town fully at the end of the previous film.  All the characters are given a suitable airing, Martin Freeman's work should not be underestimated here, and there is fine work from Evangeline Lily, Aidan Turner and Richard Armitage.  It is a relatively lean film with good momentum, and it is thankfully bereft of a more-farewells-than-Frank-Sinatra ending, which links to the Rings trilogy beautifully.  For all its good work, The Hobbit films will never quite stand up against the Rings trilogy, but this final Hobbit film rounds off the series very successfully.

FILM: The Imitation Game (dir: Morten Tyldum, 2014)

"Thank you."
"You're welcome."

As a biopic and period piece, The Imitation Game shines with quality from start to finish.  Cumberbatch is impeccable to watch in the lead role, but there are also excellently-delivered character roles for Mark Strong, Keira Knightley, Charles Dance and Matthew Goode.  Alexandre Desplat's score is occasionally a little too whimsical for what is ultimately an intellectual thriller, but the whole film is lushly shot and the period settings lavishly recreated.  The pace is a little too stately at times, but overall this a fascinating and significant story told beautifully.

FILM: Paddington (dir: Paul King, 2014)

"Ketchup the Bear?"

This movie version of Paddington is utterly, utterly charming.  It has a lovely balance of real-life London and rose-tinted middle-class cosiness that makes it a very comfortably appealing film to watch.  Hugh Bonneville is at wonderful 2012-level of dry humour, and whilst Nicole Kidman veers perilously close to being miscast as the villain of the piece she is not too detrimental overall.  The bear himself is beautifully realised and convincing as an actual character, and the voice replacement of Colin Firth with the younger Ben Whishaw does indeed prove a wise move.  In fact, the bear carries a lot of Bean/Hulot-style slapstick so effectively that this lovely family film is hugely energetic fun and a real treat.

FILM: The Hunger Games - Mockingjay Part 1 (dir: Francis Lawrence, 2014)

"It takes ten times longer to pull yourself back together than it does for you to fall apart."

Right from the start, Mockingjay Part1 presents a very different tone from its predecessors: bleak, sombre, shattered.  The traumatised Katniss finds herself no longer a symbolic figurehead of rebellion but increasingly its actual leader, discovering the true horror of President Snow's dictatorship.  Apart from the tonal difference, this entry also places a range of characters in interesting and unexpected places, and finally Josh Hutcherson's Peeta is given something interesting to work with, leading to a genuinely shocking late moment in a film that already pushes the limits of a 12A/YA feature.  Jennifer Lawrence's terrific acting ability still elevates the material but this should not be taken for granted, as she owns the character and dominates the screen with genuine credibility.  The smaller-scale action set-pieces are well-staged and work in their own right, but this Part 1 will obviously sit well next to the upcoming finale.

FILM: Interstellar (dir: Christopher Nolan, 2014)

"....but very efficient."

The grand slow-burn promo campaign raised real expectations for Interstellar, and for the most part it delivers.  Matthew McConaughey undoubtedly carries this eco-friendly 2001, providing the everyman point of view with as consummately watchable performance.  The film takes its Earth-bound time to set up its premise with a reasonable near-future grounding, and soars when the space exploration part takes flight.  As expected, the film is visually and aurally stunning, the challenges of space and time are interestingly conveyed in thought and narrative terms, but it is over-long and the final sequence ion the story proves a bit hard to swallow.  Nevertheless, Interstellar is ambitious, imaginative and very well executed overall.

FILM: Nativity 3 - Dude, Where's My Donkey? (dir: Debbie Isitt, 2014)

"This whole school seems to centre on Mr Poppy and that stupid donkey!"

From a simple charming first entry, the Nativity series now seems to rival Saw in that appears annually and is a genuine horror.  This third entry is perhaps marginally better overall than the the previous one, but the frantic story makes even less sense, the increasingly sinister Mr Poppy is even more irritating, and the stalwart British TV cast (Catherine Tate, Martin Clunes, Celia Imrie) have so little with which to work that it is painful.  One particular musical number (out of a singularly workmanlike bunch) that gathers a number of low-level TV faces as 'the family' is probably the most excruciating thing you will see/hear in the cinema this year.  Little children love these films, but not even Christmas can save this one.

VOD: Seance The Summoning (dir: Alex Wright, 2012)

"Dare to play."

This very-low-budget horror takes four old-looking students to the local mortuary to try to prove or disprove that one of them is a medium, with the unfortunate side-effect of a demon possession as a result.  A couple of narrative surprises just about maintain interest in this weakly-shot enterprise that benefits from two manically spirited performances (Bobby Campo and Nazneen Contractor) and two puzzlingly bizarre ones (Devon Ogden and Chris Olivero).  It all amounts to very little overall.

FILM: Nightcrawler (dir: Dan Gilroy, 2014)

"Why you pursue something is equally as important as what you pursue."

It does not take long for you to realise that Nightcrawler is something special.  More than just an easy modern media satire, the beautifully-controlled script, glorious cinematography and pin-sharp performances and direction keep the viewer hooked right to the end.  The backdrop of a neon-soaked night-time LA (reminiscent of Drive) is wonderfully shot, reflecting the darkness and hyper-reality of the chase for accident-news footage.  Jake Gyllenhaal gives possibly his career-best performance, more than ably supported by Riz Ahmed, Bill Paxton and a stellar Rene Russo, and Dan Gilroy handles the small and large narrative moments with aplomb.  Nightcrawler is an absorbing, demanding and immensely satisfying film to watch. 

FILM: The Babadook (dir: Jennifer Kent, 2014)

"It doesn't work unless you see me."

Mis-sold as a horror, The Babadook is a terrific (mostly) two-hander psychological thriller.  Completed in a race against budget, the focus remains firmly on the increasingly world-weary and dislocated mother and her troubled six-year-old son, with two quite remarkable performances by Essie Davis and Noah Wiseman.  Director Jennifer Kent creates a claustrophobic theatrical feel with inventive and creative direction throughout, creating a film that lingers after viewing.

FILM: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IMAX 3D (dir: Jonathan Liebesman, 2014)

"So they're aliens?"
"No.  That's stupid."

In spite of the early American reviews, this is a serviceable if unremarkable reboot for this bizarre franchise.  As a big dumb spectacle based on a children's comic, the movie offers nothing more than that, with reasonable big set pieces and simplistic characterisations (Megan Fox provides an appropriate April O'Neil and William Fichtner makes for an acceptable baddie).  Of course the plot and script are both silly, but what else do you expect?  This is a kids' film about teenage...mutant...ninja...turtles...!

FILM: '71 (dir: Yann Demange, 2014)

"You're just a piece of meat to them.  Piece of meat."

This is clearly Jack O'Connell's year as here he gives a second excellent lead performance following Starred Up.   As befitting the subject matter (the early 70s troubles in Northern Ireland), this a brutal and unflinching film that is very challenging to watch.  The constant sense of menace is palpable, created by a raft of top-notch performances, some harrowing moments that are powerful, unexpected and shocking, and on-the-fly and immediate camerawork that is presented in uncomfortably drab underlit 70s documentary style.  The balance between the personal and emotional dramas and the political positionings of both the British and Irish elements are played out with reasonable intelligence to service the thriller plot, the film is paced perfectly, and the emotional heft of O'Connell's young soldier abandoned in 'enemy' territory makes '71 utterly compelling and affecting.

FILM: The Maze Runner (dir: Wes Ball, 2014)

 "...but not a lot going on upstairs..."

Thankfully sidestepping the soppy romantic elements of its competitors, The Maze Runner is the latest YA novel adaptation/budding franchise that is essentially The Lord Of The Flies with yet another totally improbable USP in its titular maze.  The material is extremely thin, but the cast is very earnest (with standouts a natural Thomas Brodie-Sangster and wholly committed lead Dylan O'Brien), the tone is surprisingly and satisfyingly grim for a 12A certificate film that is quite happy to kill off seemingly central characters, and the director creates a handful of well-mounted action sequences.  For a low/mid-budget film, the scale and polish is mostly very effective, even if the monstrous Grievers seem like Starship Troopers knock-offs.  There is a somewhat perfunctory and unconvincing explanation for the whole thing at the end that mostly serves to set up the inevitable sequel, but in spite of its flaws, this is one of the less bloated and more watchable entries in the YA field of recent times.

FILM: Life After Beth (dir: Jeff Baena, 2014)

"Crazy things happen."

Life After Beth is not quite up there with Shaun Of The Dead or Zombieland, but it comes close.  Writer/director Baena gives the film a lo-fi/indie vibe from the outset which helps to ground the film immensely in the opening stages, aided by an admirably straight and sincere performance from Dane DeHaan as the grieving boyfriend whose girlfriend makes a surprise and initially seemingly-normal reappearance.  The supporting cast is absolutely terrific to watch, especially John C. Reilly and Molly Shannon as Beth's parents.  The standout, however, is Parks and Recreation's Aubrey Plaza, who handles Beth's steady and remarkable transformation as the film progresses with tremendous bravado and conviction.  With little concern for explaining the returning dead and a slightly scattershot approach to narrative, the film instead focuses on the sweet but strong central romance, giving Life After Beth genuine heart and an appealing sense of daftness that is very enjoyable.

FILM: Gone Girl (dir: David Fincher, 2014)

"That's marriage."

All the elements of the recent Fincher formula - precise direction, top-notch actors, an absorbing story, a superb soundscape by Reznor and Ross - are present and correct which go towards making Gone Girl another absolute winner.  That is not to belittle the director's incredible skill, as his intelligence and care are evident from the first frames to the very last, and Gone Girl is an immensely impressive achievement.  Affleck gives a terrific and credible portrayal of the husband, if just occasionally underplaying, and Pike gives remarkably detailed and controlled character work as the wife, both of them providing and responding to the regular small but powerful narrative grenades that drive the story with aplomb.  Also of note are very strong supporting performances from Carrie Coon as Affleck's twin sister and Kim Dickens as the lead detective on the disappearance case.  The story is nothing new, nor are the comments on the media, manipulation and gender politics, but the film is a consistently engrossing puzzle - complete with moments of real shock and gloriously dark humour - that both entertains and engages the brain over its long runtime.

FILM: What We Did On Our Holiday (dirs: Guy Jenkin and Andy Hamilton, 2014)

"I like being sick.  It's like being a fountain."

At the start, What We Did... feels very much like the creators' TV hit Outnumbered, with its beleaguered parents and wittily knowing children, with a successfully gentle comedic vibe.  Once the major plot device is employed (which is shamelessly signposted by a incredibly blatant use of Chekhov's Gun in the first minute of the film), the film then spins off into significantly darker, more bizarre and even occasionally near-offensive territory, adding a surprising bite to the second half.  Tennant and Pike are effortlessly watchable as the battling parents, Billy Connolly charms as the grandfather (with some surprisingly touching moments with his eldest granddaughter), and Amelia Bullmore has a standout comedic meltdown episode in a shop, captured in full glory on YouTube (the pumpkin moment is a comedy classic).  The ending falls back into more expected and positive feelgood territory, but the film has enough interesting ideas to make it just about stand out in the domestic comedy field.

FILM: The Equalizer (dir: Antoine Fuqua, 2014)

"If you play with the rain, you have to deal with the mud."

This re-teaming of Fuqua and Washington is undoubtedly well-made, gorgeously lensed (all dawn/dusk and neon-washed nights) and is superbly edited.  However, for an action film, it is extraordinarily ponderous, with an extremely simple story stretched achingly over more than two hours.  Denzel Washington gives a stoic and wonderfully-controlled central performance, and Chloe Moretz does well with little screen time to bookend the story.  The brief bursts of action are well-staged and effective, but the overall crawling pace makes the film worthy and great-looking but a little unengaging.

FILM: Pride (dir Matthew Warchus, 2014)

 "Dai!  Your gays have arrived!"

Pride certainly follows in the tradition of great British comedy-dramas such as The Full Monty, Brassed Off and even Billy Elliot, but it takes a typical mix of culture clash, political background and bittersweet human situations into unusually heartfelt and entertaining territory.  Taking the true story of gay activists supporting the striking miners in the mid-80s and then putting each group into each other's territories provides the expected (at times predictable)dramatic and comedic elements, but the writing and performances here elevate the material considerably.  After a somewhat strident and tub-thumping tone in the opening scenes, once the human story threads take over - and Pride is remarkably rich in this respect - the film settles into something both heartwarming and consistently engaging.  At times, some of the harsher issues are inevitably glossed over in the need for creating an entertainment package, but both the older cast - notably Imelda Staunton (barnstorming) Bill Nighy (immensely dignified), Paddy Considine (sincere) - and the younger cast - Joe Gilgun (genuine), George MacKay (immensely sympathetic) - give the film huge warmth and credibility.

FILM: The Riot Club (dir: Lone Scherfig, 2014)

"...and carpe some f**king diem!"

Laura Wade's adaptation of her stage play Posh is genuinely interesting for the fact that such a relentlessly predictable film packs a reasonable punch.  Every stereotyped prejudice you might have about privilege is laid bare and fulfilled, and the film does absolutely nothing to assuage those ideas or generate any sympathy for the characters, building to an appalling crescendo that descends into genuinely shocking violence, which in turn positions the audience to feel nothing but anger towards these hedonistic young men.  Mostly set in Morse-style beautifully-shot Oxford, the cast is uniformly strong and invest the film with the necessary swagger and bile that has real consequences for those outside the 'Riot' group.  The ending is about as cinematically unsurprising as it gets, but juxtaposes music and visuals to good effect.  It was, however, fascinating to note the buzz of outrage in the audience as the final shot cut to black, which amply demonstrated the impact of an otherwise average film.

FILM: The Giver (dir: Phillip Noyce, 2014)

"They made sameness."

In many respects, The Giver seems to be yet another Young Adult adaptation off the conveyor belt, this one leaning more towards Divergent and its dully compliant society and character factions than the more action-orientated stylings of The Hunger Games.  Yet it very quickly becomes apparent that something odd for the genre is afoot:  a surprisingly heavyweight cast - Streep, Bridges, Holmes - provides some gravitas (albeit in somewhat unchallenging roles); the black-and-white/colour limited-worlds conceits from Pleasantville are used to striking effect from the outset; and some strong plot beats for a YA film present themselves, such as the on-screen killing of a baby and potential execution of a teen.  In the lead, standard pretty-boy protagonist Jonas is played well by Australian Brenton Thwaites, who manages to react to his voyage of historical and emotional discovery to reasonably good effect, particularly in the early stages and even when Idiot Plot increasingly takes over in the Third Act.  Whilst not a great or groundbreaking film overall, the least that The Giver achieves is to make you leave the cinema thinking about how much there is to appreciate in our mad and wonderful world.

FILM: The Hundred-Foot Journey (dir: Lasse Hallstrom, 2014)

CELEBRATING 5 YEARS OF BLOGGING - HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

"Twinkle, twinkle....so what?"

The film starts off as a typical Lasse Hallstrom confection - a light, picaresque, whimsical offering of little consequence - but slowly a film with more bite and depth begins to emerge, which the director handles very effectively.  The commercial attraction is the on-screen sparring of two mighty actors in Helen Mirren and Om Puri, and on that level the film and the actors deliver extremely well, but the revelation is Manish Dayal as the rising chef son Hassan with a wonderfully detailed and sympathetic performance.  A.R. Rahman also contributes a winning score that bridges both typical Indian and European-style film scores to great effect.  Once the film moves past throwaway racial stereotyping and the effects of racism impinge strongly on the characters, the film truly steps up a notch and quality shines through.

FILM: The Guest (dir: Adam Wingard, 2014)

REVIEW No. 500!

"OK.  Awesome!"

Adam Wingard and screenwriter Simon Barrett follow You're Next with another cracking crowd-pleasing (not-so) guilty pleasure.  Narrative, direction and soundtrack all are tinged with 80s-retro to terrific effect, but there is a very clear contemporary delivery here, especially with the breathtakingly fast and smart action sequences.  Wingard's direction and use of camera is confident and in control, Steve Moore's synth-led score echoes the best of Carpenter (the film even has a loose Halloween setting), and a transformed Dan Stevens gives an absolutely mesmerising central performance, both in the quieter moments where he manipulates the family into which he has insinuated himself and the striking action beats.  The very knowing final shots raise a wry smile on which to end a hugely enjoyable popcorn movie.

FILM: The BoxTrolls 3D (dirs: Graham Annable and Anthony Stacchi, 2014)

"The unspeakable has just happened!  We must speak of it immediately!"

The BoxTrolls is a refreshing animated film: the colour palette is dour and gloomy, the stop-motion animation is sublimely fluid, and the 3D is used reasonably subtly and does not try to fling everything at the audience.  Some quirky British voice talent gives the film an edge, and there is some lovely design - Cheesebridge is a gloriously designed town that mixes Dickens with Mittel-Europe, and the BoxTrolls' underground lair is a delight.  Whilst the obligatory musical number is quite awful, and the BoxTrolls themselves are only one step away from the Minions, overall the movie has enough design and story interest to make it stand out from the current CG crowd.

FILM: Sex Tape (dir: Jake Kasdan, 2014)

"Fetch!"

Sex Tape is one of those movies which bears little relation to real people, real lives or real situations but exists to milk comedy from a one-idea set-up....and thus proves to be quite a chore when the comedy doesn't really happen.  Once again, Cameron Diaz and Jason Segel make a strong on-screen couple, and they try to charm the heck out the material which is frequently vapid and occasionally desperate.  The sequence with Jason Segel being attacked by a dog is probably the highlight, but sadly there is little else here to really engage.

FILM: Let's Be Cops (dir: Luke Greenfield, 2014)

"You get what you pay for."

Like its title, Let's Be Cops is a simple and undemanding movie, which is generally entertaining.  The script is efficient and effective, targeted very clearly at the level of the teenage male audience, which bowls along by the solid and very amiable buddy teaming of  Jake Johnson and Damon Wayans Jr who both do enjoyable comedic work both individually and as a duo.  As another example of the male-mid-life-crisis movie now hitting 30-year-olds - and inevitably our two male leads are immature and ineffectual in their daily lives - this movie scores points by almost being a credible scenario, and the more serious turn taken towards the end provides a nice contrast with the knockabout early scenes.  It's not quite another Jump Street, but Let's Be Cops delivers straightforward fun.

FILM: Lucy IMAX (dir: Luc Besson, 2014)

"Thank you for sharing."

Lucy is a (deliberate?) welcome throwback to Luc Besson's early hits (even boasting an Eric Serra soundtrack, which is effective but sadly not as memorable as previous work), and this mix of Nikita with Limitless and The Lawnmower Man for the most part succeeds in being very entertaining.  For a long time, the frenetic, neon-soaked action is terrific, but in its later stages the film becomes increasingly less real-world grounded and resorts to odd CGI and what feels like an uncertain scramble for some kind of resolution.  Indeed the Malick/Matrix/2001 ending (which all happens rather suddenly) will be divisive, seen either as bold and brave or a peculiar mis-step.  The film's strengths are, unsurprisingly, Scarlett Johansson and Morgan Freeman, who both give the material gravitas and credibility even as it becomes increasingly sillier, and Amr Waked does some nice work as the utterly bemused French police inspector caught up in Lucy's antics.  The film itself adds disappointingly little to what was seen in the trailer, but for at least the first half Lucy is an entertaining return to what audiences loved about Luc Besson movies.

FILM: Deliver Us From Evil (dir: Scott Derrickson, 2014)

"Do you think she's single?"

This marriage of police procedural and possession genres is faithful to both but does not quite gel convincingly.  The frequently very noisy soundtrack cannot disguise the thinness of the writing here, which makes the film a very long haul to watch, and it is shot like a poor man's Seven (rainy, glum and lots of torchlight), but the film does manage to pull off one hugely effective shock-shot about half-way through.  Eric Bana and Joel McHale actually work well on screen as the hardbitten NYPD duo (even if they are not the sharpest or most efficient pair on the force), creating a hint of reality - on which the film purports to be based - amongst the supernatural nonsense and soapy home-life theatrics.  As the various plot strands come together awkwardly for the big exorcism finale, ultimately, Deliver Us From Evil is an earnest but rather long-winded affair.

FILM: Into The Storm (dir: Steven Quale, 2014)

"That's why tripods were invented."

The main reasons for seeing any disaster movie are the effects and the destruction they wreak, and on these fronts Into The Storm absolutely delivers for its ($50 million) budget.  The central father/son relationship veers perilously close to The Day After Tomorrow, and for the most part there is an attempt to treat the tornadoes with a more somewhat realistic approach that the obvious touchstone of Twister.  However, there are distracting inconsistencies on two levels that undermine the overall effectiveness of the film: the first-person strategy - at times  hugely effective in placing the audience right in the action - sits awkwardly with more generic disaster movie tropes, and tonally the film lurches all over the place (in a short space of time early on, the film lurches from family drama to Jackass to cheesy promo video to teen romance, for example), where clearly - with a script fix - a more grounded and consistent approach would have been very successful here.  As with most disaster movies, the actual characters make very little impression, but the sheer power of the effects (both CGI and exemplary sound) creates interest.

FILM: The Expendables 3 (dir: Patrick Hughes, 2014)

"This is the happiest day of my life!"

Thankfully better than the first sequel, The Expendables 3 is an utterly simplistic generic action potboiler, with a very straightforward and basic narrative (every story beat holds no surprise whatsoever) and a handful of well-staged set pieces. What may have been a cynical marketing strategy to bring the series down to 12A/PG-13 level is not as damaging as, say, in the Die Hard franchise, although the end result plays more like the A-Team movie that Hollywood's recent actual attempt failed to be.  There are some saving graces: Antonio Banderas is a delight, Mel Gibson shows he can still deliver as a convincing bad guy, and of the new younger Expendables Kellan Lutz and Ronda Rousey make a reasonable impression.  Overall, this is efficient, passably entertaining but utterly undemanding fare.

FILM: The Inbetweeners 2 (dir: Damon Beesley and Iain Morris, 2014)

"Wait.....I'm thinking......"

The Inbetweeners sequel is very much more of the same, but with a slightly stronger script than the original movie.  Boasting a couple of spectacularly memorable gross-out set pieces and lots of good ideas, this time round there seems less uninteresting filler and a deliberate focus on what made the TV series work consistently: the relationship between the four lads.   The easy-going relationship between the actors/characters makes it very easy to watch these amiable idiots, and the whole enterprise lacks the cynicism of the similar American Pie franchise.  Emily Berrington makes a strong addition as Will's junior school friend, and it is good to see the return of ongoing characters from the first film as well as appearances from the parents and Mr Gilbert from the TV show.  This unexpected and amusing further entry in the Inbetweeners canon certainly does not sully the legacy and - like the first movie - also would serve as a positive send -off unless box-office, sorry, 'pressure from the fans', dictates a third film....

FILM: Guardians Of the Galaxy IMAX 3D (dir: James Gunn, 2014)

"What are you doing?"

Marvel's latest is a glorious way to wallow in epic daft space-opera for a couple of hours.  Gunn's quirky and off-kilter directorial style together with his brilliant handling of character and throwaway humour all remain intact, making this a lavish, ambitious, colourful and hugely enjoyable romp.  Indeed, the film opens with unexpectedly strong and well-handled emotional beats that inspire confidence from the outset and which is maintained throughout.  The comedy genius of Chris Pratt is a superb piece of casting as Peter 'Star-Lord' Quill, centring the film with genuinely joyful swagger and strength, Groot and Rocket are winning characters realised wonderfully on screen, and Zoe Saldana and (an almost unrecognisable) Karen Gillan flesh out their characters strongly.  The links to the MCU work effectively but Guardians expands the existing scope considerably and with great success.  The main triumph of the film is establishing its space-hopping expanded universe so naturally and effectively (as well as its relatively unknown band of likeable rogues) that the film is easy to engage with and extremely entertaining.  (Be warned: the now-traditional credits scene - right at the very end of the credit roll - is inessential and bizarrely unexpected!)

DVD: Cheap Thrills (dir: E.M. Katz, 2014)

"What are you waiting for?"

This micro-budget production plays like a stage production for the most part, and as a result the claustrophobia and tight-as-a-drum scripting makes it a hugely engaging piece.  Playing it straight and as realistically as possible, the deeply dark humour and escalating stakes for a hapless pair following the whims of a bored rich couple who set increasingly extreme (and financially rewarding) dares maintains an air of authenticity and places the scenario firmly in the real world, making the social and financial satire bite effectively.  The acting and direction are relentlessly strong,  and this is a clear example of how a tight budget can focus a production on excelling in the areas that really matter.

FILM: The Purge - Anarchy (dir: James DeMonaco, 2014)

"Tonight we will write our message in blood."

The Purge - Anarchy is the best John Carpenter film that John Carpenter never made.  If last year's home-invasion original was Assault on Precinct 13, the sequel touches on Escape From New York as the premise of Purge Night is expanded to follow an unsurprisingly mis-matched band of people stranded outside on the night when all crime becomes legal.  Where this sequel scores is the mix of melancholy and uneasy threat (reminiscent at times of Monsters) with relentless and visceral action allied to a script that is spare, taut and very well-crafted.  Frank Grillo is great in a well-deserved lead, and credit is due to Carmen Ejogo as his female civilian foil.  Tension is maintained from the outset, the retro synth-led score is terrific and some surprises are introduced successfully along the way.  Although widened out to the city and beyond, it appears that few people actually partake in the purging, but this is mostly a consequence of the very effective maintaining of focus on this limited band of people and their story.  Anarchy shows that this is the little franchise that could, and a proposed third entry will need to work very hard to maintain this level of quality and entertainment.

FILM: Earth To Echo (dir: Dave Green, 214)

"Did your phone barf yet?"

It has taken some time for the found-footage genre to hit the children's market, and although Earth To Echo uses every cliché in the book of that style, its hyperactive approach and two likeable leads (a third is quite weak, and a girl is shoehorned in to very little purpose other than widening the demographic) makes it reasonably successful.  Idiot Plot is pushed to the limit with bemusing results, especially as the action takes place over one night, but special effects are used sparingly yet effectively to have impact and to keep the film reasonably grounded under the circumstances.  It shamelessly cribs from E.T. (and Chronicle, and The Blair Witch Project, and so on....), but overall Earth To Echo passable fare for the younger audience.

FILM: Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes 3D (dir: Matt Reeves, 2014)

"They're talking apes!  With big-ass spears!"

Just as Rise Of... was an unexpectedly high-quality re-boot, Dawn Of... raises the bar and delivers an absolutely terrific film.  As a big Studio Summer tent-pole, this is an extraordinarily brave, thoughtful and emotionally-engaging movie.  One of the master-strokes is positioning the viewer to the apes' point of view right from the start, which provides some thought-provoking responses to situations and divides audience loyalties between the human survivors and the apes.  The physical creations of the apes' woodland home and the nature-ravaged city are wonderful, and Weta's CGI/mo-cap creature creations are (almost without exception) phenomenal and can be seen as another leap forward in the craft.  Serkis (as Caesar) and Kebbell (as war-mongering ape Koba) are able to give real and hugely effective performances, and the humans (Jason Clartke, Gary Oldman, Keri Russell, Kodi Smit-McPhee) do fine work in a largely sombre, meditative and occasionally surprisingly brutal story.  Matt Reeves repeats the combination of control and creativity he showed as director of Let Me In to great effect, and Michael Giacchino pulls off yet another wonderful score.  Dawn Of... is easily one of the strongest films of 2014 and proves to be an immensely satisfying film to watch.

FILM: Boyhood (dir: Richard Linklater, 2014)

"Life doesn't give you bumpers."

Linklater always excels at handling character and relationships, and Boyhood is one of his very best.   As a viewer, it is necessary to remind oneself occasionally that this is not a documentary, so overwhelmingly convincing is the USP of watching Ellar Coltrane as Mason Jnr grow up over a dozen years (alongside Linklater's own daughter as Mason's older sister) with terrific supporting character performances led by Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette as the estranged parents, who also handle their roles development over time superbly.  The movie's biggest gamble - the casting of the likeable Coltrane and investing in his development over the years - pays off beautifully, as the audience initially basks in the glow of a nostalgic (but not perfect) childhood before the harsh reality of spousal abuse hits home in a sudden shocking scene, and the ensuing awkward teenage years are negotiated honestly and with thoughtfulness.  A couple of early scenes feel somewhat staged, perhaps owing to the lead's very young age, but the director does not spoon-feed the audience, allowing the transitions of passage of time from year to year to flow naturally on-screen, marked by the simple reality of physical and fashion changes.  The soundtrack aptly reflects the changing 2000s and the whole lo-fi faux-indie middle-class experience reflected here, but the successful characterisations drive this hugely engaging movie. The film acts as a pertinent and thought-provoking reminder of the impact of adults on children's lives and the inherent potential of every child.  For the adults, Arquette's final pay-off is something of a brutal slap-in-the-face, but for teenagers Boyhood is a massively reassuring and optimistic film.

FILM: Transformers - Age Of Extinction IMAX 3D (dir: Michael Bay, 2014)

"You think you were born.  No.  You were built."

In spite of an effort to introduce some different story elements and pull back on the awful comedy, Transformers 4 retains all the triumphs and flaws of the previous outings.  It has to be remembered that this franchise is basically giant robots beating the nuts-and-bolts out of each other to entertain nine-year-old boys, and on that level it succeeds, as the robots are again superbly realised, with the brief addition of the Dinobots as a plot (and merchandising) opportunity, but even then this over-long and meandering film runs out of steam before the end.  Mark Wahlberg is a reliable and reassuring screen presence as always (The Happening aside), and the father-daughter dynamic with Nicola Peltz provides a little more credibility and grounding than Shia LeBoeuf's unlikely relationships in the earlier movies, although as her 'secret' boyfriend Jack Reynor makes very little impression.  The first half is flabby, the story wanders all over the place, characters are intermittently developed (with the disappearance of Sophia Myles for most of the mid-section being very perplexing) and plot-holes and a lack of logic abound, yet there is a real sense of trying to reference the earlier events in the trilogy - especially Dark Of the Moon - and also to move forward.  Maybe there really is nowhere else for these stories to go, but if you want a big noisy visual feast, this franchise at least still delivers on that score.

FILM: How To Train Your Dragon 2 IMAX 3D (dir: Dean Deblois, 2014)

"You just keep doing what you're doing..."

This follow-up to the very enjoyable 2010 movie is every bit as delightful and does what a good sequel does - it moves on (and forwards - five years in fact, with Hiccup now a floppy-fringed older teen) and increases the narrative and emotional stakes considerably to very good purpose.  The voice cast truly delivers; Baruchel is great, and noticeably aided by the ongoing improvements in animated lip-synching/movement on-screen, although Blanchett's accent proves interesting.  The standard and employment of animation, 3D and lighting techniques are all astounding here, and John Powell provides another excellent, soaring score.  That Dreamworks has managed to get this franchise so right is to their credit - we can only hope that they do not Shrek up the third episode.  Dragon 2 is not only a hugely successful sequel, it is also one of the strongest and most enjoyable films of 2014 .

FILM: Tammy (dir: Ben Falcone, 2014)

"I didn't MEAN 'thank you'."
"I didn't MEAN 'you're welcome'."

In this alarming female-cross-generational-road-trip movie scenario in which Susan Sarandon plays Allison Janney's mother and Melissa McCarthy's grandmother (!), Tammy is a very broad generic comedy that relies too much on its star's loud mugging and physicality to drown out some interesting ideas in order to appeal to a mainstream audience.  Sarandon (as expected) relishes the role of the vice-embracing pensioner, McCarthy always works better in the quieter moments, and Kathy Bates scene-steals supremely as the lesbian cousin.  It is a shame that the potentially sweet burgeoning relationship between the reserved Bobby (an excellent Mark Duplass) and Tammy is not given more screen time, as these are the points that the movie really breathes and develops, as the actual comedy set-ups are largely unfocussed and patience-testing, creating an uneasy and underdeveloped relationship between the comedic and dramatic elements that never really gels.

FILM: Mrs Brown's Boys D'Movie (dir: Ben Kellett, 2014)

"I said cheap.  I didn't mean this f**king cheap!"

Bereft of the focus and brisk energy of the studio-bound TV sit-com format, D'Movie is mostly a disappointing drag.  The aspects that work best transfer surprisingly well from the TV incarnation - the fourth-wall breaking, the corpsing, the occasional meta-bits such as the opening that transfers the audience from a set to the 'real' world - but as soon as it moves away from the focus of the family members and tries to be more of a movie, such as an underwhelming opening song-and-dance number, it meets with far less success.  There are a few laughs to be had (though often through mindless offensiveness: Parkinson's, Tourette's, visual impairment, racial and sexuality stereotypes), with far more to like than The Harry Hill Movie, and the cast try hard, but yet again the transfer from one format to another is not truly successful.

FILM: The Fault In Our Stars (dir: Josh Boone, 2014)

"I love it when you talk medical to me."

This is a full-on Love Story for this generation's teenage girls, which tries to give some degree of truth about relationships and illness whilst wrapped up in teenagers talking nonsense and stretching credibility (the Anne Frank house stairs scene, Willem Defoe's unpleasant writer) way too far at times, but these are balanced by some lovely scenes that court teenagedom and impending doom nicely.  The biggest surprise is that Shailene Woodley is out-performed here by Ansel Elgort, who gives a sincere performance of good depth and range, whilst both give a pleasing note of happiness to their doomed relationship.  Laura Dern also delivers strongly as Woodley's anxious but warm-hearted mother.  It is necessarily glossy and idealised to meet its target market, but this film of the hit novel has a little more edge than expected and delivers emotionally at the right places.

FILM: Jersey Boys (dir: Clint Eastwood, 2014)

"If you work hard, everything follows."

Jersey Boys makes the transition from stage to screen effectively for the most part.  Casting is impeccable with a range of strong performances across the main cast, the story proves compelling enough to sustain interest (although a shift from the musical journey to Valli's personal tragedies in the third act is less engaging), and the back catalogue of The Four Seasons is robust and enjoyable.  Eastwood is a smart and solid director, with a very fine line walked between the band's rough Italian 1950s youth and the necessarily unrealistic gloss provided by the musical format.  Skipping over the band's mid-70s resurgence is a disappointment, but Jersey Boys provides an interesting look at the changing musical times and a story worth telling.

FILM: 22 Jump Street (dirs: Phil Lord and Chris Miller, 2014)

"There's a f**king dragon in here!"

Like Bill & Ted and Wayne & Garth before them, Jenko & Schmidt are daft, immature, utterly likable screen characters who give the two Jump Street films an immense sense of warmth which is perhaps even more evident in this sequel.  Thankfully, the writing is strong, with a plethora of genuinely funny verbal/visual/slapstick gags that are maintained throughout (and whilst the self-awareness angle works, the early laboured set-up scene borders on smug rather than funny, but more effective subtlety follows).  Although 22 feels a little more episodic than 21, the through narratives hang together well, enabling a gloriously funny mid-movie reveal which leads to a wonderful reaction scene when Channing Tatum discovers it later in Captain Dickson's ("...like a cube...of ice...") office.  Indeed, Hill and Tatum simply work together so well that they are a joy to watch, Ice Cube is surprisingly fun, and 22 Jump Street is one of the smartest silly movies out there that is hugely entertaining to watch, right down to the myriad 'next case' scenarios in the credits.

FILM: Edge Of Tomorrow 3D (dir: Doug Liman, 2014)

"Do I look like a fresh recruit?"

Edge Of Tomorrow is an immensely enjoyable sci-fi actioner.  Retooling the novel's eighteen-year-old grunt to fit Tom Cruise's combat-averse PR-man Cage does work surprisingly well in context.  Fans of mech, aliens, combat and timey-wimey-stuff will all be very satisfied indeed.  The Starship Troopers meets Groundhog Day comparisons are apt, but Liman keeps the film fresh and dynamic from the word go, with a blistering pace and very kinetic action sequences.  Cruise is excellent, Emily Blunt is a revelation and more than a match on-screen, and the great Bill Paxton plays deadpan humour to perfection.  For genre fans, Edge Of Tomorrow is about as good as mainstream blockbuster cinema gets.

FILM: A Million Ways To Die In The West (dir: Seth MacFarlane, 2014)

"I look like Jane Austen threw up all over me!"

Sadly, this film isn't up there with Ted.  It almost feels like they quickly realised the limitations of the core concept when writing the script and abandoned it, as the gags and invention run out very early, leaving a reliance on the f-word and bodily fluids to tell a basic romantic/revenge story.  Seth MacFarlane directs with some flair, with a great use of classic Western vistas, and he shows surprising charm and vulnerability in the lead role.  Charlize Thron and Amanda Seyfried perform well with a good balance of straight acting and knowing archness, and Neil Patrick Harris delivers his patented nemesis character effectively.  Sadly sidelined, Giovanni Ribisi and Sarah Silverman do great work as the oblivious couple, and a couple of surprise cameos are fun.  Overall, A Million Ways.... is a rather drawn-out affair that provides a few good laughs and with little content that is stretched rather thinly.

FILM: Maleficent 3D (dir: Robert Stromberg, 2014)

"I like you begging.  Do it again!"

Maleficent is, of course, Wicked does Sleeping Beauty (mercifully without the Broadway screeching) on a day-trip to Middle Earth, but it does it all with immense visual richness. It is a mostly straight-faced alternate take on Disney's own animated classic, told this time from the curse-caster's point of view.  Quite simply, this is the Angelina Jolie show - everything else pales into insignificance - and she owns the role and commands the screen with incredible power and presence.  The first act is perhaps too twee and slow, but the final showdown is surprisingly strong and interesting.  Being a fairy tale, Idiot Plot abounds (one wonders exactly over what Maleficent rules, and everyone's lives appear to be on hold for sixteen years until Aurora's fateful birthday).  The target audience is unclear - too frightening for kiddies, too dry for teens, too familiar for adults - but Maleficent is an unusually ambitious and darkly entertaining film from the House of Mouse.

FILM: Tarzan (dir: Reinhard Klooss, 2014)

"It's a jungle, not a pick-up bar!"

The most remarkable thing about this latest animated take on the Tarzan story is very quickly realising that this would have been a worthy tale for a contemporary live-action version.  It is unashamedly Young Adult in the positioning of its two leads, but it is also surprisingly sombre and bombastic, with some strong emotional beats for a PG film.  The photorealistic backgrounds and creature work are very good indeed, and only occasionally the stylised human faces undermine the otherwise terrific mo-cap animation of movement.  Whilst at times the on-screen action owes more to Avatar, Jurassic Park and The Blue Lagoon than Burroughs, this is a daft but refreshingly interesting updating of a very well-worn and limited concept.

FILM: Rio 2 (dir: Carlos Saldanha, 2014)

"Deja vu, Blu."

The sequel inverts the original film's scenario, here starting in Rio but quickly moving to the Amazon.  However, the character-driven action of the first film is replaced here with weak family sit-com, and it even manages to shoe-horn in a Quidditch-like aerial football match, presumably in reference to the 2014 World Cup.  Most of the supporting characters are disappointingly sidelined, even Blu's nemesis, although there can be little real threat from a camp cockatoo antagonist called Nigel who gives an unsubtle rendition of I Will Survive.  Aside from the inventive capoeira turtles, there are very few laughs to be found, but the apparent USP of the franchise (i.e. riotous colour and movement) remains intact.  Even with an inevitable eco-friendly story strand tagged on - which suddenly becomes the focus for the final act - this somewhat uneven and unfocused follow-up will distract the little ones with its pretty moving colours but offers little of substance to everyone else.