Mr. P's Film and DVD Review Blog

FILM: Journey 2 - The Mysterious Island 3D (dir: Brad Peyton, 2012)

2012-02-05T16:34:00.000Z

"That's completely insane!"
"Exactly."

Journey 2 is an efficient, fast-paced and utterly daft crowd-pleaser aimed at the very young end of the market, for which it works very well. This film uses full-on and pin-sharp live-action 3D, with a script that gambols along merrily and recklessly like a puppy aiming to please, and enough PG-flavoured moments of peril and Disney/Walden family-moralising to maintain some dramatic interest. Effects are large scale and generally well executed - the money is up there on the screen throughout - and Dwayne Johnson is in relentless charm and likeability mode. Overall, Journey 2 is enjoyable in a mild, pleasant and undemanding way. And where else are you likely to see Michael Caine and The Rock riding giant bumble-bees, or the ex-wrestler suddenly delivering a rendition of What A Wonderful World with mini-ukulele as accompaniment?

FILM: Jack and Jill (dir: Dennis Dugan, 2012)

2012-02-05T16:22:00.000Z

"This must never be seen....by anyone...."

Adam Sandler's brand of juvenile comedy is an acquired taste at the best of times, but this leftover from the US holiday season set around Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Year is very hard work to sit through. Adam Sandler in drag is no Dustin Hoffman or even Robin Williams (but thankfully one step above Martin Lawrence), and it is a shame that Sandler gives a good performance as the brother but is a car-crash as the twin sister. Katie Holmes does little with nothing, the kids are acceptable (especially the little boy who sellotapes random items to himself), only a small portion of the gags - mostly physical ones - are funny (and at times some are quite crass and offensive), and the narrative has about as much traction as a runaway bus on ice. Stars pointlessly cameo, but Al Pacino's presence is beyond comprehension in this bewilderingly weak film.

FILM: Chronicle (dir: Josh Trank, 2012)

2012-02-01T21:27:00.001Z

"Classy!"

Chronicle more than lives up to its terrific trailer, which only hinted at the superb entertainment offered by this film from start to finish. It is driven by three immensely energetic, fresh and amiable lead performances, a tight screenplay and remarkably assured direction throughout. The shift to an increasingly darker tone is handled very well, drama and humour are very effectively balanced, and - punching far above its budget - delivers a powerful climax. It is ultimately a slight and simple movie, but Chronicle is hugely entertaining and very enjoyable.

FILM: The Grey (dir: Joe Carnahan, 2012)

2012-01-29T18:01:00.000Z

"They're everywhere...."

The Grey is an unexpected gem. Although the story is nothing new - oil-drillers in Alaska's plane crashes, survivors battle the icy elements and wolves - Joe Carnahan's excellent direction means that the film is relentlessly gripping and brutal, and Liam Neeson gives a truly wonderful performance as the haunted group leader who rediscovers the will to live. Sound design is superb, putting the audience right in the middle of the action with the characters, complemented by Marc Streitenfeld's thoughtful music score. The plane disaster is brief but terrifying, made stronger by focusing on Neeson's character's experience rather than spectacle, and the immediate aftermath is harrowingly shot in emotionally harsh close-ups, but indeed all the set-pieces are very strongly handled. The Grey is grim, shocking, absorbing and bleakly beautiful.

FILM: Like Crazy (dir: Drake Doremus, 2012)

2012-01-29T17:48:00.000Z

"It does its job."

Like Crazy is a very straightforward trans-Atlantic idealised Hollywood romance - he designs furniture in L.A., she works for a London magazine - of which the trailer told almost all of the story and holds no surprises whatsoever. The film is basically a two-hander, and it is to the credit of Felicity Jones and Anton Yelchin (two strong young performers) that they give the couple credibility and some charm, in spite of the romance's increasing naivete and narrative silliness. The unfussy direction and use of improvisation both help to give the film a reasonably natural feel, but the film overall, whilst pleasant and undemanding, does not really go anywhere.

FILM: The Descendants (dir: Alexander Payne, 2012)

2012-01-28T18:18:00.000Z

"Paradise can go f**k itself."

Directed and co-written by Alexander Payne, The Descendants is nowhere near as good as Sideways. The cast is very strong - the younger members surprisingly so - and Clooney wrings out a solid, understated and sincere (though hardly award-winning) performance from a script that often feels under-written in a move to avoid playing up to the predictable soap-opera melodramatics of the story. The critics may be raving about this film, but it is only really the performances that maintain some interest.

FILM: Underworld Awakening 3D (dirs: Mans Marlind and Bjorn Strand, 2012)

2012-01-22T18:19:00.000Z

"I'm not good with feelings."

The Underworld franchise has always come across as the Resident Evil series' slightly-simpler cousin, but this fourth entry marks some slight improvement. The opening capture/escape is lively, design is effective, the action is full-blooded if - as usual - over-reliant on variably-successful CGI, the final multi-character-smackdown works and direction is well-handled and maintains interest visually. Kate Beckinsale gives 100% in a focused if one-note performance, and there is good Brit support from Charles Dance, Stephen Rea and also Theo James making a surprisingly confident move up to the big screen. The difficulty lies with the relentlessly-predictable plot trajectory, thus giving the viewer little with which to engage emotionally; there is no real sense of threat, danger or true thrills that come off the screen, and it really is a case of 'sit and watch the movie' as it unfolds. Nevertheless, this is a well-made genre offering with some ambitious ideas, some well-staged action and a clear determination to raise the bar for the franchise.

FILM: J. Edgar (dir: Clint Eastwood, 2012)

2012-01-22T17:48:00.000Z

"You see, we have to give our protagonist a bit of mystery."

In telling the story of 'the world's most powerful man', J. Edgar treads a well-worn path and provides no real new insights beyond the general public image of the man. Eastwood's direction is as assured and slightly chilly as expected, but the juxtaposing of time frames and main characters at different stages of their lives and stories is handled well. DiCaprio adds another strong and convincing performance to his CV, Armie Hammer charms and finds surprising light touches of humour as Hoover's lifelong close companion (in spite of off-puttingly poor old-age prosthetics), and Naomi Watts does nice work in a vacuously-written role as Hoover's secretary. By attempting to cover as many touchstones in the career and 20th Century American history, the film feels somewhat cluttered and perhaps over-long, but J. Edgar remains a well-made, solid if perhaps unremarkable look at one of last century's most public yet enigmatic figures.

FILM: The Artist (dir: Michel Havanavicius, 2012)

2012-01-15T18:41:00.000Z

"BANG!"

Watching The Artist is like being hugged warmly for one hundred minutes. The film successfully treads a fine line between old silent-movie tropes and a respectful modern sensibility, telling its story of the shift from silent film to the talkies against the backdrop of the late-1920s and early 1930s. An almost-completely silent but scored film in itself, The Artist tells archetypal universal stories of romance, the old versus the new and stardom's rise-and-fall which still resonate today in an utterly enchanting and engaging way. Writer/director Havanavicius crafts a clever and delightful tale, with some deft and creative filmic touches and brilliant interweaving of his central romantic tale with American and movie history. Jean Dujardin gives a stunningly charismatic performance as fading silent star George Valentin, with Berenice Bejo delightful as the appropriately-named 'Peppy' Miller, and the amazing John Goodman and James Cromwell seem natural fits for the silent screen. It was interesting to note that the audience was still and captivated throughout, a consequence of a silent movie that demands attention, in salutary contrast with a lot of modern blockbusters. Cynics might say that the film is schmaltzy and predictable, but The Artist uses those old-fashioned qualities in a wonderful, beautifully-crafted and winningly-played way from start to finish.

FILM: War Horse (dir: Steven Spielberg, 2012)

2012-01-15T18:18:00.000Z

"It is good to be proud when you've done something good."

In War Horse, Spielberg takes a largely faithful adaptation of the source material involving at its heart a simple boy-and-his-horse tale and translates it into a beautiful old-fashioned epic on screen. The director's sheer confidence and visionary control makes the film seem effortless, yet it presents many wonderful flourishes and ideas that make even the most straightforward of scenes so enjoyable to watch. The film allows the characters a true gentleness for the period in which they live that the stage version cannot allow, giving both the rural Devon folk and the military an engaging humanity. Performances are universally strong, cinematography is gorgeous, design is triumphant, and even a fussy John Williams score underpins scenes effectively for the most part. The sheer scope and weight of real-world scenarios and major events are effectively balanced with the small-scale simple emotional heart of the story - another Spielberg trademark - making War Horse a wonderful cinematic experience.

FILM: Shame (dir: Steve McQueen, 2012)

2012-01-15T18:01:00.000Z

"It was....interesting...."

More art than heart, is Shame really that daring? The collision of sex-compulsive order-obsessive brother and emotionally-wayward sister follows an inevitable trajectory, with some remarkably jarring character leaps along the way, but the real interest in this film lies in the on-screen delivery and performances. Michael Fassbender proves an excellent choice as the shark-like Brandon (Patrick Bateman without the chainsaw) showing real honesty and precision, even though it is hard to find much sympathy for such an affluent and successful character living the high life in NYC. Likewise, Carey Mulligan gives Sissy a contrasting rawness that gives their increasing clashes some poignancy. McQueen gives the film a careful and deliberate look, favouring lengthy takes which mostly work in favour of his very able cast but which occasionally become too languorous. It is this obvious yet potent clash of intellect and emotion - echoing the main character's conflict - which makes Shame ultimately interesting rather than remarkable but it is a fine achievement overall.

FILM: The Darkest Hour 3D (dir: Chris Gorak, 2012)

2012-01-15T17:23:00.001Z

"So, what do you actually do?"

The Darkest Hour's main redeeming feature is the interesting and impressive use of Moscow as a backdrop to what is essentially The War Of The Worlds with a slasher template in which the kills - although impressively swift and exciting in the first wave attack - are all the same. There is some good effects work on display, but the reveal of the creatures towards the end is surprisingly weak. In spite of occasional tension derived from the 'invisible' aliens, bolstered immensely by a strong Tyler Bates score, most of the running time is quite a dull plod, largely owing to uninteresting and shallow characters saddled with stretches of banal dialogue and join-the-dots plotting and exposition. The 3D post-conversion is mostly satisfactory with a good sense of depth and space conveyed, especially in the exteriors. The Darkest Hour is not as weak as Skyline, but this sound idea could have been saved by stronger writing.

FILM: The Iron Lady (dir: Phyllida Lloyd, 2012)

2012-01-09T20:10:00.000Z

"Now, shall I be Mother?"

Released in The King's Speech slot, The Iron Lady is a surprisingly melancholy and brutal look at the cruelty and loneliness of old age, and the fact that it focuses on the life of Margaret Thatcher serves simply to juxtapose onset senility with the life story of the woman who became one of the most powerful people in the world at her peak. It is uncomfortable to watch the frail elderly character portrayed this sadly in her own lifetime, yet this is probably the best part of Meryl Streep's truly remarkable performance, giving the currently aged ex-Prime Minister a sense of dignity, warmth and despair that evokes sympathy rather than pity. The film is stuffed with great British character-actor performances, notably Jim Broadbent and Harry Lloyd as the older and younger incarnations of Denis Thatcher, and the broad historical canvas of the second half of the twentieth century is effectively re-created. The writing is occasionally naive, but the constantly shifting time-structure is interesting and Lloyd handles her actors and overall direction much better than seen in Mamma Mia! Forget the politics - The Iron Lady is a remarkably-played look at the life of a singular woman from the optimism of youth to the sadness of her twilight years.

FILM: Goon (dir: Michael Dowse, 2012)

2012-01-09T19:48:00.000Z

"I'm not winning anything!"
"That's because it's a jukebox, Jerry."

Sneaked out in the post-festive lull, Goon almost works, but it has a bit of an identity crisis which means that is not wholly successful as a sports movie or a comedy or a drama, but it has elements of all three which are very entertaining. At the centre of the film is an immensely engaging and heartfelt performance from Seann William Scott as Doug Glatt, the dumb-as-a-doornail bouncer who finds a career as a 'goon', essentially a hired thug on the Canadian ice hockey circuit, and there are many other effectively reliable performers in support, including Jay Baruchel (who co-wrote and produced), Eugene Levy and Liev Screiber. It has been marketed as an American Pie-style comedy, and the film' early attempts at low-brow humour and gratuitous comedy-violence jar significantly with the terrific dramatic storylines being played out, and the film improves considerably as it progresses towards its (literally) bone-crunching final showdown. If Goon had the courage to play it straight from the outset, it would have been an unusual and sincere character tale - as it is, the film does entertain but flows uncertainly.

FILM: Mission Impossible - Ghost Protocol (dir: Brad Bird, 2011)

2011-12-29T18:40:00.000Z

"How could that work?"

Tom Cruise is back with a bang, as the fourth Mission: Impossible movie sees him at the top of his game and giving 100% to this movie which at one point seemed destined never to happen and which was never likely to be this much fun. Made secure by an exceptionally tight and effectively-constructed script, Brad Bird finds the balance between light-hearted caper and serious action which made the original 1960s series a success. Right from the opening jailbreak, the action set-pieces are spectacular and at times dementedly enjoyable, and - as is acknowledged in the film itself - there is a real sense of 'team' at play here. Simon Pegg is good fun but also shows he can handle the serious moments, and the addition of the excellent Jeremy Renner sees Cruise visibly raise his acting game. The plot is light, but it carries through the whole film effectively, and the film is beautifully shot in strongly-used globetrotting locations both day and night. Ghost Protocol definitely puts Cruise and the franchise back on track - a fifth entry in the series can now be looked forward to optimistically.

FILM: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (dir: David Fincher, 2011)

2011-12-29T18:25:00.001Z

"....actions have consequences."

The Scandinavian lit-hit and David Fincher's film-making seem the perfect match: chilly, cerebral and utterly absorbing. This lengthy adaptation is more straightforward and less flashy than some of Fincher's efforts, making it more Inspector Morse than Seven, but the director's grip on the viewer never falters, the interesting (and often British) cast is excellent - Craig and Rooney utterly inhabit their already-iconic roles and their on-screen relationship works well - plus the mystery at the heart of the tale unfolds carefully and effectively. The Swedish backdrop across the seasons is beautifully shot, and Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross provide yet another superb soundscape. It can still be argued that Salander's abuse sub-plot is unnecessary and its removal would not detract from the central investigative tale (and if Salander had been male, Hollywood would not have gone near it), but overall Fincher delivers another strong, fascinating and satisfying tale.

FILM: Sherlock Holmes - A Game Of Shadows (dir: Guy Ritchie, 2011)

2011-12-18T19:06:00.000Z

"I don't want anything with a mind of its own bobbing about between my legs!"

Quite simply, the success of the new Sherlock Holmes movies rests on the inspired pairing of Robert Downey Jnr and Jude Law, both excellent actors whose laddish chemistry but pin-sharp timing is even tighter and more effective in this second movie and both provide much to enjoy. The sequel's brisk romp around Europe has a broader scope this time round and hardly draws breath; if one scene is weak, no matter, the movie soon moves on. Jared Harris gives a strong, coolly insane performance as Moriarty, although his threat works better as a personal vendetta than as a genuine powerful arch-villain, his manipulation of Governments coming across as narratively lightweight. The rest of the cast get little to do, although Stephen Fry steals every scene as Sherlock's brother. Never the tidiest of directors, Guy Ritchie delivers more of the same, with some lively set-pieces and the conceit of visualising Holmes's thought processes proving interesting but which defuse the momentum of every action sequence. The last scene plays one final and funny visual trick, leaving the audience in no doubt that this latest incarnation of Holmes is one that we want to see more of.

FILM: New Year's Eve (dir: Garry Marshall, 2011)

2011-12-18T18:44:00.001Z

"Where is your charm school? Guantanamo?"

Like the traditional Christmas selection box, inevitably, New Year's Eve has bits you really enjoy, others that are acceptable and some that you would like to get rid of at the earliest opportunity. Like Valentine's Day, here is fun to be had in the ensemble cast celeb-spotting, and some fare considerably better than others: De Niro is effective, the Michelle Pfeiffer/Zac Efron story hits the mark surprisingly well thanks to their game performances, and Halle Berry manages to remind us that she deserves another great role, but the rest are saddled with limp dialogue and such underdeveloped scenarios that even the best have little they can do (and the 'teenagers' strand is unwatchable). What the film gets right in abundance is the over-expectant over-the-top fake USA Dec 31st stereotype, yet Lea Michele's sincere rendition of Auld Lang Syne is well worth the wait. The film has more endings than The Return Of The King, but the amusing credits bloopers are good value, although they cleverly leave you feeling as if you enjoyed the film much more than is the actual case. So, what next? My money's on Thanksgiving....

FILM: Hugo 3D (dir: Martin Scorsese, 2011)

2011-12-11T21:42:00.000Z

"Thank you for the movie today. It was a gift."

If you love cinema, you will love Hugo with all your heart. Give Scorsese and long-time associates Robert Richardson (cinematography) and Thelma Schoonmaker (editor) the 3D toybox and a massive re-creation of the Gare du Nord as a set, and James Cameron was right: this is possibly the most stunning use of 3D seen in recent times, allied to an utterly enchanting tale of loss and discovery, tied in cleverly with the story of one of the original pioneers of film. Hugo is consistently staggeringly beautiful, from the gorgeously detailed sets to the extraordinary camera movements, all carried along by a charming Howard Shore score and numerous wonderful performances from both young and old actors alike. The scenes of early cinema resonate beautifully with the modern filming techniques on display, and the whole film's nods to the Silent Era and European film (even the station's recurring character vignettes feel like Tati) are crafted lovingly. A little narrative clumsiness creeps in later in the film, and Sacha Baron Cohen's Station Inspector feels forced at times (although the characterisation ultimately works in context), but these are very minor complaints; in Hugo, Scorsese provides one of the most emotionally and cinematically complete films of this year which is, quite simply, an utter joy to watch.

FILM: Puss In Boots 3D (dir: Chris Miller, 2011)

2011-12-11T21:18:00.000Z

"Show him the golden eggs!"

For a movie that spins off from an exhausted franchise, Puss In Boots holds many pleasant surprises. The film gives the Shrek series' Puss a sound Spanish-flavoured backstory that stands alone from the parent films, but cleverly uses the same fairy-tale world to tell a straightforward story of revenge with some neat takes on Jack and Jill, Humpty Dumpty and the Jack and the Beanstalk tales in particular. This is an enjoyable children's animated adventure with a good grown-up sensibility in its script and film-making - and as is usual with Dreamworks Animations, there is some bold and adventurous use of 3D. Antonio Banderas clearly makes this film work as the title voice, with Salma Hayek providing an excellent foil as the somewhat obvious rival/love interest Kitty SoftPaws. This film is neither essential nor necessary, but it is generally good entertainment in its own right.

FILM: The Thing (dir: Matthijs van Heijningen Jr., 2011)

2011-12-04T18:40:00.000Z

"You're not here to think."

This prequel needed to be an amazing film in order to come close to John Carpenter's 1982 classic, and whilst it is moderately successfully, its weaknesses stem from not only the weight of expectation but also from its own shortcomings. There are commendable aspects on display: the creature's awakening and first attack are promising; leads Joel Edgerton and Mary Elizabeth Winstead do good work throughout; efforts to dovetail with details of forthcoming events are pleasing; and there is some good body horror on display (even if it is not as groundbreaking as it was back in the 80s, and the CGI is not too unpalatable). The paranoia/horror-from-within angle kicks in rather late, but when it does, it lifts the film considerably from the straightforward monster-movie that is the first half. This version lacks the gravitas of the original's small band of seasoned character actors, and the dialogue is nowhere near as sharp here. There are many moments where the easy shock is used and tension is frittered away instead of making audience and characters suffer more, an obvious example being the substitute for the classic 'blood test' scene which, although a good idea, is less dynamic and considerably less nerve-shredding, and the movie's ending is vague rather than open. The Thing 2011 is at best adequate, and it has some effective moments and ideas, ending up as an appropriate if slightly underwhelming companion piece to a movie classic.

FILM: Happy Feet Two 3D (dir: George Miller, 2011)

2011-12-04T18:19:00.000Z

"Today is a victory for defeat."

It was inevitable that a sequel to the immensely enjoyable Happy Feet would be made (in spite of its extraordinary penguin-mental-breakdown section), but Happy Feet Two shows that the concept has nowhere else to go. The first movie was not only successful solely because of dancing/singing penguins but also benefitted from a focussed emotional journey for the charming central character. Here, a number of subsidiary characters are given more screen time (and to its credit, an expansive starry voice cast does sterling work), themes and narrative wander arbitrarily, and the attempt to make Will The Krill an appealing comedy character like Ice Age's Scrat is k(r)illed by excruciating puns. The 80s pop catalogue is plundered randomly- indeed, the whole movie feels less organic than the original - and whilst the baby penguins are cute, and the 3D/digital animation is never less than breathtaking, Happy Feet Two creates a disappointing lack of engagement in terms of emotion, comedy and general entertainment.

DVD: Saint (Sint) (dir: Dick Maas, 2010)

2011-11-27T18:51:00.003Z

"What else rhymes with 'luck'?"

At last, a seasonal slasher to rival Silent Night, Deadly Night! Dick Maas (Amsterdamned, The Lift) writes and directs this gleefully old-school Dutch horror which unashamedly plunders John Carpenter's early back catalogue (notably The Fog and Halloween), plays it straight and is a lot of fun. As the old evil Saint Nicholas returns with his helpers to kidnap and terrorise whenever a full moon rises on December 5th, festively snowy Amsterdam is the setting for a policeman to take revenge on his family being killed by 'Santa' in the 1960s, joined by the hapless student Frank, an enjoyable lead performance by Egbert Jan Weeber. With four deliriously-realised set pieces (the rooftop chase is a highlight) and some well-executed gore, Saint is an utterly daft and very enjoyable yuletide romp for horror fans.

DVD: Rare Exports - A Christmas Tale (dir: Jalmari Helander, 2010)

2011-11-27T18:23:00.000Z

"That's the message of Christmas!"

This curious little Finnish film has lots of ambition, telling the story of an archaeological dig that unearths the entombed ancient 'bad' Santa in the run-up to Christmas in an isolated outpost. The film builds slowly and carefully, and it is very precisely plotted which pays off beautifully in the latter stages in a manner of an old Twilight Zone episode. At its heart is a bleak and honest single-parent father-son relationship that is well-played and evokes Spielberg, which is put to the test as the strange events unfold. Like Troll Hunter, legend is extrapolated into fact, and the action builds to an unexpectedly large-scale climax and a clever coda. Rare Exports is a small film that is well-made and presents an unusual and interesting festive tale.

FILM: 50/50 (dir: Jonathan Levine, 2011)

2011-11-26T20:27:00.000Z

"Makes you kind of a d*ck."
"Is that, like, a medical term?"

The shortcut reviews of 50/50 claim it is a 'cancer comedy', but the humour is only one aspect of this wonderful film. By turns harrowing, heartbreaking, joyous and - yes - very funny, the film is just as concerned with the young man who develops a rare form of spinal cancer as it is with the people around him. 50/50 is without doubt Joseph Gordon-Levitt's film (amazingly a short-notice replacement), giving yet another immensely credible and considered performance that marks him out as one of the very best actors of his generation, yet there are many fine performances on display to enjoy: Seth Rogen underplays beautifully and offers fine support as the best friend, Anjelica Huston (curiously underused here) does the Shirley MacLaine-mother-role most effectively, Anna Kendrick is delightful as the naive care worker, and even Bryce Dallas-Howard as the girlfriend's initially seemingly-overplayed characterisation makes perfect sense as her character arc develops. There is a tendency to resort to cliche at times, which is perhaps unavoidable in the life-threatening-illness genre, from the insipid indie-styled soundtrack to predictable visuals (the close-up chemo drip with a rainy window pane in the background is a standout), but the characters at no point feel false or forced. Inspired by the writer's own true story and his friendship with Rogen, 50/50 takes the viewer on quite an emotional journey and provides much to admire all round.

FILM: The Twilight Saga - Breaking Dawn Part 1 (dir: Bill Condon, 2011)

2011-11-26T19:55:00.000Z

"You have to accept what it is."

With its core cast intact, the Twilight franchise enters the home straight and finally grows up...a little. As the saga's story breaks new territory with the wedding, the honeymoon and Bella's accelerated pregnancy, Bill Condon's direction is reliably assured (and even manages to get in a nice Bride of Frankenstein reference), but unfortunately the combination of a relentlessly soporific soundtrack and a heavy-handed script (which could use some serious editing) robs the film of much of its potential dramatic tension, leaving a lot of flat melodrama in its wake. Some of the humour works well - Jacob's reaction to Bella's female baby-name suggestion is priceless - but there are also many unintended laughs as well. Pattinson and Lautner remain adequate in their limited roles, but this time out Pattinson shows some genuine moments of tenderness in the relationship with Bella, and Lautner manages more than merely looking puzzled. The surprising revelation in Breaking Dawn Part 1 is Kristen Stewart, who - from the outset - gives a less restrained and more mature performance which makes Bella a much more engaging character than in the previous films. Nevertheless, the final showdown comes across well, and the infamous birth scene is handled effectively, but overall this installment is a step back from the action and darker tone which made Eclipse more enjoyable for non-fans. A thought to consider: as directors, would Bill Condon's style have been more suited to the original Twilight film, and Catherine Hardwicke to Breaking Dawn Part 1?

FILM: Arthur Christmas 3D (dir: Sarah Smith, 2011)

2011-11-12T19:18:00.000Z

"You bring a genuine aura of seasonal positivity."

Largely thanks to James McAvoy's quite brilliant voicework and the accompanying animation of the awkward, naive and joyous title character, Arthur Christmas is an absolute delight from start to finish. It starts off at a blistering pace, and the story flits betweeen quite demented silliness and touching moments with confidence and spirit. Nods to other movies come thick and fast, including the wonderful visual conceit of Santa's latest sleigh resembling a cross between Star Trek's Enterprise and the ships from Independence Day. The 3D is used to convey a terrific sense of space and scale, and visually the film is frequently beautiful. It was interesting to note that adults in the audience were laughing more than the children, and this was probably largely owing to the fully-realised screenplay and the sheer pace of the story. Arthur Christmas is packed with ideas, inventively realised and hugely enjoyable.

FILM: Immortals 3D (dir: Tarsem Singh, 2011)

2011-11-12T19:02:00.001Z

"Witness Hell!"

Immortals is very clearly a Tarsem Singh film - at times it does look like the cast of 300 has wandered into the more out-there scenes in The Cell - and as a result it is visually interesting, dramatically flat (it lurches rather than flows) and remarkably tedious. Delivery of dialogue is generally painfully low-key in spite of a number of good performances: Mickey Rourke has real presence as the bad guy; Frieda Pinto provides rare and surprising moments of warmth; Stephen Dorff, Luke Evans, Kellan Lutz and Joseph Morgan provide more-than-adequate support; and Henry Cavill is a stoic and committed lead. Thankfully, the film delivers a lively (and squelchy) final showdown, but Immortals is definitely a case of artistry over entertainment.

FILM: In Time (Dir: Andrew Niccol, 2011)

2011-11-06T21:12:00.000Z

"Was I going too fast?"
"Not fast enough."

In a reverse Logan's Run conceit, the core narrative idea that everyone stops ageing at 25 but have to earn or buy time is simple but works well, providing in-built tension through numerous countdowns and the giving-taking of time to stay alive. However, this is tied to a timely anti-capitalist metaphor which - whilst uncomfortable and thought-provoking - proves a little too fuzzy, as Niccol's controlled style provides beautifully-composed shots but smooths out any real edge, particularly with respect to the antagonists. Timberlake and Seyfried both do a lot of good work in this movie, but there are also noteworthy performances by Cillian Murphy, Olivia Wilde and - shaking off his sit-com day-job's one-note turn - Johnny Galecki showing what a nuanced actor he can be. Craig Armstrong provides a glorious soundtrack (that at times wonderfully echoes Vangelis's Blade Runner score), and there are some good (if brief) action sequences amongst the somewhat stagey duologue scenes. In Time is generally worthy, well-made and entertaining, but it lacks the spark to let it really take off.

FILM: Tower Heist (dir: Brett Ratner, 2011)

2011-11-06T20:51:00.000Z

"The maid's gone rogue!"

Unusually for a vehicle with such big stars, Tower Heist came in under the radar and turns out to be a fairly entertaining if rather underwhelming comedy. For two-thirds of its running time, Tower Heist proves inconsistent, with occasionally successful humour and achieving varying levels of piquing audience interest, but the actual heist has many wonderfully daft and ridiculous moments with a bold and successful final pay-off. The eclectic cast gels well, with Stiller playing a good 'straight man' and Murphy almost being let off the leash and showing flashes of his old style. At its heart, Tower Height seems to want to be a joyous 1960s-style crime-comedy caper, but director Ratner and the script both lack the lightness of touch and the consistent flow that the film would need to achieve that.

FILM: Contagion (dir: Steven Soderbergh, 2011)

2011-11-06T20:40:00.000Z

"Blogging is not writing - it's graffiti with punctuation."

Contagion takes the well-worn pandemic scenario and presents it in a cool, compelling and matter-of-fact way, taking the viewer on a hard-hitting and credible journey pieced together from a variety of angles. Director Soderbergh (at times seeming to channel Fincher) deftly juxtaposes the growing global medical and social crises with the way it isolates everyone from individuals' fear of others to the lonely task of the scientists trying to find a solution, making the developing story both frightening and heartbreaking. The starry ensemble cast is uniformly great, making Contagion a relentlessly grim but wonderfully-executed movie.

FILM: The Adventures of Tintin - The Secret of The Unicorn 3D (dir: Steven Spielberg, 2011)

2011-10-27T20:08:00.000+01:00

"I'd rather you kept your trousers on, if it's all the same to you."

Perhaps the best aspect of this 2011 take on Tintin is that it is pitched as a resolutely old-fashioned rollicking adventure, whose only real concession to modern audiences is the huge-scale frantic action sequences. The film creates a visually rich and detailed world of its own, retaining the charm and simplicity of Herge's style and making it a very easy film to watch and to enjoy. The problems of movement and weight for the mo-capped characters are largely overcome, and the delightful performances - Bell, Craig, Pegg and Frost, Serkis - actually shine through the pixels. There is some truly staggering virtual cinematography on display supported by the excellent use of 3D, in particular the low-level shots in the early pickpocket chase and the inventive pirate ship attack, and a number of match transitions are handled creatively. John Williams is clearly having fun with his eclectic score, and Spielberg demonstrates again that he is a master craftsman in yet another cinematic field. As well as a few Spielbergian trademarks along the way, there is even a nice visual reference to Jaws (think Tintin's trademark haircut). The Adventures of Tintin feels very different to the majority of recent CG-animations, as did Pixar's The Incredibles, and as a result provides enchanting and quite innocent entertainment.

FILM: Paranormal Activity 3 (dirs: Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman, 2011)

2011-10-27T19:49:00.000+01:00

"When are you gonna stop taping us?"

The silliest of franchises - the cinematic equivalent of paying to watch your kitchen and someone popping up and shouting 'BOO!' every twenty minutes - reaches its third (annual) installment and scores the biggest horror opening ever in the USA. Apart from a self-conscious near-contemporary prologue to bring in the two supernaturally-hounded sisters and set up the VHS-taped found-footage conceit, this film is set in 1988 and attempts to show what happened in their childhood that led up to numbers 1 and 2. In its favour, Paranormal Activity 3 is more playful and slightly less clinical than its predecessors, and the scarce subsidiary characters are better served, but this film follows the franchise's own conventions and visual/aural language to the letter and therefore does little to either shock or surprise. The last ten minutes, however - in a desperate attempt to explain the series - is an extraordinary grab-bag of Blair Witch, Poltergeist and Halloween 6, which not only undermines the sisters' stories in the previous two films but also shows how ridiculous the concept has become.

DVD: Tucker and Dale vs Evil (dir: Eli Craig, 2011)

2011-10-26T14:25:00.001+01:00

"We have had a doozie of a day!"

This may have gone straight to DVD in the UK and shot quickly and cheaply, but Tucker and Dale vs Evil is made and performed with real attention and love of the genre. It is a delightfully daft story of misrepresentations and misinterpretations that unwittingly pits two hillbillies (wonderfully played by Tyler Labine and the ever-brilliant Alan Tudyk) against vacationing college kids in an escalating and deadly battle which neither of the parties realise is completely unnecessary. Tucker and Dale is one of the best-written and best-realised double-acts of recent times, the script is mostly cleverly-constructed and very wry (co-written by director Eli Craig), and amongst the general humour are a couple of genuine laugh-out-loud moments (the woodchipper scene is simply comedy genius). The low budget clearly shows in the limited locations and the sometimes flat TV-style shooting, and the final act does not quite hit the heights of the rest of the film, but Tucker and Dale... is well-crafted, hugely enjoyable and very entertaining.

FILM: Real Steel (dir: Shawn Levy, 2011)

2011-10-19T22:06:00.000+01:00

"People wanted more carnage, more show."

Real Steel is an awkward collision of the boxing, mecha, melodrama and road movie genres, and its increasingly ridiculous narrative plods relentlessly towards its inevitable ending, yet it somehow manages to be genuinely entertaining. The direction is lively and frequently interesting, both cinematography and design are quite wonderful throughout, and the film benefits greatly from its three core performers: Hugh Jackman gives one of his best performances as genial loser ex-boxer Charlie; his estranged 11-year-old son is portrayed through an immensely watchable performance by Dakota Goyo, who never becomes irritating or saccharine and whose relationship with Charlie is beautifully played; and Evangeline Lilly provides nicely-detailed support in the improbable role of gym-owning (although no-one else is ever seeen there) robot-fixer love-interest. At the end of the day, it is a futuristic Rocky-with-robots, but the mo-capped robot action is excellent and provides some real spectacle In spite of this futuristic twist, and the considerable amount of high-quality work on display, Real Steel ultimately cannot quite shake off the limitations of its over-familiar story beats.

FILM: The Three Musketeers 3D (dir: Paul W.S. Anderson, 2011)

2011-10-15T17:46:00.002+01:00

"Satisfied?"
"Immensely."

This latest take on The Three Musketeers is huge, daft fun. This mash-up of scriptwriters Andrew Davies (the historical drama) and Alex Litvak (the action elements) defies the odds by providing a cracking romp that is big on fun, spectacle and crowd-pleasing entertainment of the kind that has mostly eluded the Pirates Of The Caribbean movies. The much-vaunted steam-punk additions only really come into play in the final act, providing an exciting airship-on-airship battle reminiscent of the nebula confrontation in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and subsequent rooftop swordfight. Shot in genuine 3D, the stunning historical locations come to life beautifully and the action scenes use the effect thoughtfully and vividly. The cast are clearly enjoying themselves and this comes off the screen well, from the easy-going camaraderie of the main trio to Orlando Bloom's unusual villainous turn - in particular, Matthew Macfadyen (Athos) and Milla Jovovich (the duplicitous Milady) are a delight to watch - and even the rather dull Logan Lerman comes to life in the fight scenes. The film skitters along at a fairly breathless pace, and it is all completely insubstantial and utterly silly, but The Three Musketeers 3D is very well made and performed and could turn out to be 2011's guilty pleasure.

FILM: Footloose (dir: Craig Brewer, 2011)

2011-10-15T17:28:00.000+01:00

"That was smooth!"

Footloose 2011 is surprisingly close to the 1984 original and therefore survives the re-make process well, with original scribe Dean Pitchford back as co-writer this time. There are inevitable updates, and narrative tweaks are made to improve the flow, but this is a very faithful adaptation that will not upset fans of the first take - even the hit songs and key sequences are mostly intact and used cleverly. The classic teenagers vs. elders story is indestructible (and irresistible), but for a film that is pitched at a slightly younger audience this time round, there are still moments that are quite jarring: Ariel's break-up with Chuck is still physical and harsh yet slightly softened here, but there is an horrific tonal jolt in the prologue and a fight sequence at the end is quite violent. Performances are good all-round, from the reliable Dennis Quaid as the town preacher to Kenny Wormald as Ren - no Kevin Bacon, but he makes the character less intense and more grounded. The weak link in the 1984 version - Lori Singer's bland reading of Ariel - is fixed by a finely-pitched performance from Julianne Hough. The narrative drive remains utterly predictable, but this is a well-made and effective updating that raises nostalgic smiles all the way and provides solid if unremarkable entertainment.

FILM: Johnny English Reborn (dir: Oliver Parker, 2011)

2011-10-08T21:37:00.001+01:00

"I'm a trained agent. I don't leak."

The Johnny English sequel is straightforward, innocuous and pleasantly entertaining, and it is better-made and slicker than the original. Like Atkinson's Bean movies, the material is lightweight and the comedy is patchy, but when it hits the mark it is very funny. Rowan Atkinson inhabits the character well and demonstrates his Tati-like timing and physical wit, Dominic West clearly enjoys his panto-villain role, and there is some quite delightful work from the 'straight' characters, notably Gillian Anderson as English's ice-cool boss, Rosamund Pike as an unconvincingly shoehorned-in love-interest and Daniel Kaluuya as Agent Tucker, English's naive young partner. The set-ups mostly lead to exactly where you expect, but there is one totally unexpected and hilarious use of a big 1970s ballad that works very well. There is nothing new on offer here, but Johnny English Reborn is well-made, enjoyably daft and benefits from a solid story on which the silliness hangs.

FILM: The Lion King 3D (dirs: Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff, 1994/2011)

2011-10-08T21:15:00.000+01:00

"Everything the light touches is our kingdom."

The opportunity to see The Lion King in the cinema again gives a real chance to re-discover why it has become one of Disney's most successful and popular films. Like the other films from the late-80s/early80s when Disney Animation got back its mojo (The Little Mermaid, Beauty And The Beast, Aladdin), The Lion King features bold and ambitiously beautiful animation, a classically powerful score (Hans Zimmer) and great songs (Elton John and Tim Rice), a wonderfully-crafted script and story, and recognisable characters, life situations and relationships which offer something to everyone in the audience - and The Lion King may well be the best of them all, drawing on the best of Disney's Gold and Silver Ages' animated movies to create its timeless appeal but adding unpatronising contemporary elements. The 3D rendering is mostly simple, sympathetic and effective, adding impressive depth rather than creating redundant effects which adds to the whole experience. This 3D version does not improve an already-terrific film, but it simply creates a wonderful cinematic viewing experience.

FILM: Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark (dir: Troy Nixey, 2011)

2011-10-08T20:51:00.000+01:00

"I know. I made silly."

With Guillermo del Toro as co-producer and co-writer featured heavily in the promotion, this version of Don't Be Afraid... feels surprisingly and oddly bland and underwritten overall. All the ingredients are fine - good direction, rich visuals, effective CG creatures, strong design, a well-executed Marco Beltrami soundtrack, eerily spacious sound design - yet it never really rises above its old-fashioned TV-movie melodrama roots. Katie Holmes and Guy Pearce are excellent actors and both give good, credible performances here but have little to actually do and little with which to work. This is a good-looking film that does well with its budget, but it leaves little impression.

FILM: Red State (dir: Kevin Smith, 2011)

2011-10-02T21:28:00.000+01:00

"I don't want to die!"
"You did already."

After waiting a long time for Red State to finally see the light of day, it turns out to be a rather odd, challenging and interesting film. Kevin Smith can still completely draw in the audience (he can cleverly loosen up with a couple of sparks of humour before whiplashing the viewer back to harsh ground on more than one occasion), and the casting is superlative with many strong performances (especially Michael Parks as the shockingly convincing fundamentalist, and the magnificent John Goodman) but all this is slightly undermined by the relatively thin narrative material and lack of anything really new to say. As always with Smith, there are pay-offs that make the build-ups worth the wait, especially towards the end and notably the wicked humour on display in Goodman's superlative de-brief session. This is not Kevin Smith's 'horror' film, more a progressively bizarre mix of Porky's at the outset, then Hostel and finally the siege genre, which demonstrates Smith's engaging inventiveness, addressing of confrontational themes and wit with varying degrees of success.

FILM: Shark Night 3D (dir: David R. Ellis, 2011)

2011-10-02T21:06:00.000+01:00

"Someone's got to raise the bar!"

As director, David R. Ellis is a good fit to the material, and to his credit he gives the film a reasonably fresh and youthful feel. Shark Night 3D makes no pretence about what it is, dispensing with the inevitable Jaws comparison in its opening sequence by re-enacting that film's opening sequence in a cut-down version in broad daylight. Plot, dialogue, performances (by the alumni of various US TV shows) and CGI are all pure B-movie cheese (think The Asylum with a budget and a modicum of talent), but it is all done with a degree of conviction that makes it quite enjoyable. 3D is particularly good in the underwater sequences, and the attacks by a variety of sharks are lively. It is surprisingly light on actual threat and gore, but is does have many instances of not so much Idiot Plot as Stark Raving Bonkers Plot. There are some serious themes afoot and briefly addressed (out-of-towners vs locals, snuff media), but for the most part this is an upmarket cabin-in-the-woods slasher with sharks instead of a masked maniac.

FILM: Abduction (dir: John Singleton, 2011)

2011-10-02T20:51:00.000+01:00

"You don't trust me?"
"You murdered my parents!"

Is Abduction the birth of a new sub-genre - the action thriller written for tweenage girls? This clear targeting of the Lautner-friendly audience has to be kept in mind throughout watching this film, else the silly plotting and weak (slowly-delivered) dialogue verges on parody far too closely and sometimes crosses that line. John Singleton is a curious choice for director, but he demonstrates his usual cinematic eye in ordinary locations. After a disturbingly flat opening quarter-of-an-hour, things pick up considerably with the attack on the family home, but nothing after that really hits the mark. Lautner is shaping up to be the new Paul Walker on this evidence - well-meaning, easy on the eye, weak on delivery but an amiable screen presence. Abduction is action-lite, but that does not excuse the lame pacing and shoddy dialogue. One fact is also true: no-one gets 'abducted'!

FILM: Warrior (dir: Gavin O'Connor, 2011)

2011-09-25T21:08:00.001+01:00

"You gotta better shot at starting a boyband."

The story - two estranged brothers destined to battle each other for $5 million in the ultimate MMA tournament - should not work, but Warrior is a a clever and very powerful piece of entertainment. The film sets itself up as a world apart from the standard sports movie by giving more characterisation (between father and son) in the opening scene than most movies manage in their entire running time. Whilst the lead characters lack the colour and vivacity of The Fighter clan, they make up for it with sensitivity and heart: Nick Nolte as the recovering alcoholic father is given a role which showcases just what a fine actor he is, Joel Edgerton makes a good job of the least interesting role as the son who gave up on the family to lead a seemingly straightforward life (as a physics teacher!), and Tom Hardy is phenomenal as the angry, damaged powerhouse who cannot relate to either his father or brother. Motivations work, the parallel stories build effectively, and the fight scenes are filmed with extraordinary energy. The entire final act - the progressive cage battles of the 16 contestants at the showdown in Atlanta - is overwhelmingly tense and at times almost unbearable to watch, which is a testament to how affecting the story is told. Terrific direction and wonderful performances make Warrior a genuine and unmissable surprise.

FILM: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (dir: Thomas Alfredson, 2011)

2011-09-25T20:47:00.001+01:00

"That was a great time, George."
"It was the War, Connie!"

Remarkably, this adaptation of le Carre's Cold War classic is almost too good, the remarkable artistry from every department so dazzling that it threatens to distance the viewer from the terrific storytelling. Alfredson creates another bleak and starkly beautiful film, hooking the audience with unreliable half-information and unfinished conversations from (largely) emotionally closed-off men and providing the viewers with the same journey as George Smiley, brought out of retirement to identify the mole at the heart of MI6. Every frame is beautifully composed, the design work is gorgeous and Alberto Iglesias provides another sumptuous silky music score. The acting is simply sublime: Oldman is outstanding, but there is whole raft of excellent performances throughout, notably from Mark Strong, Kathy Burke, Tom Hardy, Benedict Cumberbatch and the remarkable John Hurt. This is an exquisite film which is both demanding and very rewarding.

FILM: crazy, stupid, love. (dirs: Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, 2011).

2011-09-25T19:49:00.000+01:00

"I am actually begging you to stop this!"

When you look at the roster of acting talent on offer, it is astonishing how dull this movie is. The script is so thin, even poor Kevin Bacon is unable to wring anything out of it. The drama is shallow, the comedy almost entirely inhabits tumbleweed territory and the big narrative 'surprise' towards the end is instantly given away by the casting (what physical trait is shared by Julianne Moore and Emma Stone?) The only truly bright spot in this slightly seedy, weak and unconvincing movie is the wonderfully-timed delivery by Liza Lapira as Stone's friend.

FILM: Friends With Benefits (dir: Will Gluck, 2011)

2011-09-11T17:58:00.001+01:00

REVIEW No. 200!

"Time to update your fairytale, baby."

Although the sexual aspect of the film, is significant, Friends With Benefits is more romantic-comedy or even sit-com in its stylings. The two leads both inhabit that fantasy realm of rom-coms - affluent, pretty, great jobs, amazing apartments - and it is fortunate that not only do Timberlake and Kunis have the comic ability to carry off the film but also work together extremely well as they are both on-screen for most of the running time. The two actors fare less well in scenes where they are merely required to rattle off carefully-scripted rapid-firequips, but when given time and room to breathe emotionally they genuinely shine. Thankfully, the second half develops sufficient bite to sustain interest, leading to a standard but well set-up finale that ultimately leads nowhere. There are plenty of good lines and a lot of ground (and dialogue) covered in this generally warm, attractive, well-played and satisfactory film.

FILM: Colombiana (dir: Olivier Megaton, 2011)

2011-09-11T17:42:00.000+01:00

"You'll thank me later."

Colombiana looks terrific, its lush and expansive location visuals mostly bathed in a warm golden sunshine glow, contrasting with the cooler interiors. Oliver Megaton directs like Michael Mann on steroids, with impressive coverage on some sequences. Co-writer/producer Luc Besson's fingerprints are all over this film in terms of characters, relationships, motivations and even the ending, and whilst the film is generally well-executed, the over-familiarity means there is little to surprise. The superb Zoe Saldana rises above the material in a strong and controlled central performance, but there is also some good supporting work, notably from Lennie James as the pursuing detective. Colombiana is a slick, glossy thriller that provides reasonable entertainment but little else.

FILM: The Troll Hunter (dir: Andre Ovredal, 2011)

2011-09-10T21:03:00.000+01:00

"Are you nuts?"

The Troll Hunter is easily one of the best examples of the found-footage genre: enjoyable, fun and engaging. The clean, grounded narrative has great momentum throughout, its credibility enhanced immeasurably by three energetically naive performances by the college students who become embroiled with Norway's lone troll hunter, a gritty and hard-bitten performance that gives the film gravitas in the same way that Robert Shaw gave to Jaws. The spectacular grand-scale vistas provide a believable backdrop for the fantasy elements - these trolls are huge - and the escalating encounters are cleverly shot with a level of camerawork that winningly conforms to the found-footage conceit and also demonstrates a strong degree of creativity and professionalism. The mix of humour, documentary, tragedy and fantasy is for the most part convincingly handled, making this movie a strong piece of film-making and which renders the proposed American remake utterly redundant.

FILM: Kill List (dir: Ben Wheatley, 2011)

2011-09-07T18:40:00.000+01:00

"Sometimes, God's love is hard to swallow."
"Not as hard as a dinner plate."

Kill List is 98% magnificent. This is a dark, disturbing and brutal film, both emotionally and physically - there were walkouts at this screening - which is exploited fully by the audaciously-controlled use of sound and editing, caustic dialogue and characterisation, utterly extraordinary performances (especially by Neil Maskell and MyAnna Buring as the lovingly self-destructive central couple) and a narrative that frequently leaves the viewer dreadfully unsettled as to where is it going along the way. The only problem - and it is a big one - is that if you are a genre fan, one early event immediately gives away where the film is ultimately heading, indeed leading to a disappointingly generic ending and final 'shock' twist. Nevertheless, Kill List is a fantastic piece of film-making on every level, which is challenging, demanding and superbly executed.

FILM: Apollo 18 (dir: Gonzalez Lopez-Gallego, 2011)

2011-09-07T18:12:00.000+01:00

"Something's not right."

Apollo 18 is a standard found-footage movie - the conventions of the genre are now firmly in place - but it does have some merits. This is Blair Witch in Space rather than Paranormal Activity on the Moon, as its initially interesting but increasingly daft and unconvincing premise unfolds more as a character piece than shocker. The cast play it admirably straight and performances are generally strong, together with good use of the confines of space vehicles and light/dark on the lunar surface. The technical treatment of the footage is good and direction and editing are generally well-handled, making the found-footage conceit work well, and there are a couple of good shock moments. The fundamental problem with this style of movie is that it inevitably comes across as cheap-looking, there is a lot of non-action and dull scenes, and there is an overall sense that the narrative and the film as a whole simply underwhelm, and whilst Apollo 18 is undoubtedly an above-average example of the genre, it still does not actually do very much over its running time.

FILM: Fright Night 3D (dir: Craig Gillespie, 2011)

2011-09-04T18:18:00.000+01:00

"That is fiction. This is real."

Fright Night is an intelligent remake that respects the original but uses it as a springboard to make an effective contemporary horror film. It is very attractively shot, and it uses 3D in a mostly natural way, with only a couple of unnecessary and jarringly obvious digital blood-spurts at the audience. The daftness of the tale uses popular vampire mythology (old and new) to entertaining effect without labouring the point, and there is a well-handled mix of humour and horror from beginning to end. The film is blessed with superb casting: Anton Yelchin gives Charley Brewster a grounded innocence which works better as the film progresses and he faces up to the harsh truth of what is happening; David Tennant has a ball hamming it up in the role of Peter Vincent but is saved by his usual expert timing of delivery; and Toni Collette and Imogen Poots provide strong if limited support as Charley's mother and girlfriend. The film belongs to a very in-form Colin Farrell, giving Jerry the vampire a truly dark, dangerous and ruthless demeanour that fills the screen in every scene. In terms of horror, there is little that is truly edge-of-your-seat, but overall Fright Night is well-written, beautifully-crafted and entertains throughout.

FILM: The Art Of Getting By (dir: Gavin Wiesen, 2011)

2011-09-04T17:58:00.000+01:00

"How can you call yourself a painter if you don't paint?"

If you are an angst-ridden teenage art student, this film will probably seem 'like, totally awesome'. Otherwise, this vacuous and limply-drawn tale of a misanthropic teen who not only finds a friend and falls in love is a real test of patience. Freddie Highmore gives a disappointingly bland reading of a dull role, whilst Emma Roberts again shows an engaging stillness on-screen. There is a strong adult supporting cast including Rita Wilson, Blair Underwood and an unrecognisable Alicia Silverstone all in insignificantly-written character roles, and there is some nice work by Michael Angarano as ex-student artist Dustin. The passage of time through the college year is handled nicely, but in the final act any remaining semblance of credibility is thrown out in a mad dash for an inappropriate punch-the-air happy ending. The Art Of Getting By clearly has its heart in the right place, but it lacks depth in its rather flimsy treatment of the characters and issues.

DVD: Hatchet II (dirt: Adam Green, 2011)

2011-09-04T17:39:00.000+01:00

"You mean, like a Jason Vorhees or something?"

After the slick efficiency of Frozen, Adam Green returns to the land of the low-budget slasher with an inevitable sequel. Following on directly from the end of the first film, the character of Marybeth is here taken over by the wonderful Danielle Harris and genre giant Tony Todd gets an expanded central role, both actors doing their best with long scenes of very thin dialogue. The structure remains the same: a strong opening gore gag (with a good flashback expansion of Victor Crowley's backstory), forty minutes of extremely slow set-up, then a final half-hour of outrageous (but well-handled) comedy gore that picks off the cast one by one (and sometimes in pairs!). Although touted as old-school American horror, the Hatchet films have much less plot than many of the original 80s slashers. Hatchet II is a watchable, better film than the original, but its weaknesses do not make it a strong example of the genre.

FILM: The Skin I Live In (dir: Pedro Almodovar, 2011)

2011-08-30T18:59:00.001+01:00

"The things a madman's love can do!"

The Skin I Live In may bring to mind Eyes Without A Face and the cool control of classic Hitchcock and Cronenberg, but this film is unmistakably Almodovar and one of his best. It is sumptuously filmed, seductively smooth and leads the viewer calmly through its audacious, shocking and smart narrative, so that even the most outrageous plot twists become acceptable. Almodovar's key themes - family, identity, gender, the bearer of the look - are interwoven seamlessly in this fascinating and bizarre tale, even if the issues raised are ultimately placed to service another of the director's tragic melodramatic outcomes. Performances are terrific across the board, with Banderas proving that he is still capable of so much more than Hollywood children's fodder. The Skin I Live In suits Almodovar perfectly, and he delivers a beautifully-constructed film that delivers real horror in an understated and exquisite manner.

FILM: Conan The Barbarian 3D (dir: Marcus Nispel, 2011)

2011-08-28T20:37:00.001+01:00

"Conan? That's it?"

Nispel's latest workman-like re-imagining does little to add to the 80s sword-and-sorcery efforts - it is more gritty, less camp and less cartoonish - and it certainly ticks all the genre boxes, with plenty of digital squelch and blood for today's audience. This is a painfully simple revenge tale which consequently holds no narrative surprises, coupled with very basic characters, yet it merrily zips along from one set piece to the next leading to a berserk showdown at the end. Jason Mamoa gives the title character imposing physicality and glowers a lot, and Stephen Lang and Rose McGowan are passable as one-dimensional baddies. There is some excellent location shooting and design, and the soundscape is created to very good effect, including a suitably epic score by Tyler Bates that throws in the soaring heavenly choirs and the orchestral kitchen sink. However, this film displays some of the most uneven post-3D-conversion work since The Green Hornet, which can be distractingly disappointing at times. Conan The Barbarian 2011 is lively and well-mounted but ultimately does little that is new or truly engaging.

FILM: One Day (dir: Lone Scherfig, 2011)

2011-08-28T20:15:00.000+01:00

"That's a very serious face. You're not having a wee, are you?"

Scherfig's follow-up to the excellent An Education is as pleasing visually but is a considerably shallower affair. The novel's conceit of revisiting the same day each year over twenty years works surprisingly well on screen - an one of the simple pleasures of the film is the varied appearances of the animated datelines - and the short, episodic nature of the narrative gives the otherwise thin material some drive. Jim Sturgess gives a terrific performance as Dexter and handles his character's arc extremely well, but Anne Hathaway seems mis-cast as Emma and her work varies wildly from scene to scene (and not just the accent). The dialogue in the early scenes is insufferably smug and self-consciously witty, but the film does gain more emotional sensibility as it progresses. One Day is a cynically female-targeted film - all men are wrecks who rely on women, Sturgess gets his shirt off a lot - and lacks real depth and conviction overall.

FILM: Final Destination 5 3D (dir: Steven Quayle, 2011)

2011-08-28T19:57:00.001+01:00

"I'm surprised I'm here at all."

Thanks to the power of box office, The Final Destination proved to be not so conclusive after all, and this fifth entry is a big improvement on its predecessor. 3D is used very effectively, from the typical poke-you-in-the-eye gags to the creation of considerable and purposefully-used depth in the excellent opening set-piece set on a suspension bridge. This movie has two main strengths: a script which treads a very fine line between knowing awareness of the franchise and taking the events seriously, plus the strongest ensemble cast since the first sequel, with Nicholas D'Agosto making an assured and sympathetic lead. The Final Destination franchise is in danger of becoming the new Saw, in which the audience is only waiting for the next outrageous death, but here there is a good mix of sudden shocks and suspensefully drawn-out tension. The new kill-or-be-killed narrative twist is a positive move if played out rather late in the film, and the way that this movie finds its place in the franchise mythos as a whole is done in a very clever and satisfying way. As a fifth installment, it may not hit the heights of Fast & Furious 5, but Final Destination 5 is a solid and entertaining formula horror.

FILM: The Guard (dir: John Michael McDonagh, 2011)

2011-08-24T18:18:00.000+01:00

"This is better than f**king Christmas!"

If you 'get' this style of film, you will know within the first couple of minutes that you are going to love The Guard. Apt comparisons have been made to In Bruges and Father Ted, and writer/director McDonagh has indeed nailed the maniacal boredom and resignation to everyday life on display here, but the tone is more Twin Peaks than Hot Fuzz. A lot of 'fish out of water' and 'mismatched cops' cliches are utilised, but with the characters' knowing and self-deprecating dialogue and dead-pan delivery, the players and the unfolding story remain interesting throughout. Brendan Gleeson strides through this movie as Garda officer Gerry Boyle with incredible strength and wit, matched by an impeccably-delivered turn by Don Cheadle as the visiting FBI agent and Mark Strong clearly relishing his role as a world-weary drug dealer. Even the piquant sub-plot featuring Boyle's cancer-stricken mother (played by the superb Fionnula Flanagan) is handled with great honesty rather than sentimentality. The Guard is a clever, exquisitely-handled and beautifully-performed film that is truly satisfying and maintains its high quality throughout.

FILM: Spy Kids: All The Time In The World in 4D (dir: Robert Rodriguez, 2011)

2011-08-24T18:01:00.000+01:00

"Our stepmother's a SPY?"
"Impossible. She's not cool enough."

It is remarkable that Rodriguez continues to extend the Spy Kids franchise, and this quasi-reboot prolongs it for another round. For a long time, the script of Spy Kids 4 is so anodyne that it leaves little impression, until plot overload kicks in for the finale. As always, the Spy Kids films work best when they acknowledge that they are nothing more than live-action cartoons, and there are a couple of nice sight and sound gags here, together with some useful and interesting (3D) design. The original 'kids' are here looking much older, and the new generation (the stepchildren) appear to improve as the film progresses. Jessica Alba and Joel McHale are bland parental leads, whilst Ricky Gervais provides a little bite as the talking dog. The dialogue contains more clunky time-related puns than could be squeezed into a 1960s Batman episode, meaningless to the target audience but irritating for the adult viewer. There is a reason why the scratch-'n'-sniff '4D Aroma-Scope' gimmick has never caught on: it simply doesn't work, and apart from a couple of the 'sweets' smells on the card provided for viewing this film, the weak and similar scents simply distract from watching the film. This is another harmless, colourful and innocuous entry in the Spy Kids series that - box office permitting - will simply run and run.

FILM: The Inbetweeners Movie (dir: Ben Palmer, 2011)

2011-08-17T19:03:00.002+01:00

"How's this for a wet look, then?"

The Inbetweeners Movie is adequately entertaining, getting by on the goodwill built up over the three TV series for its four main characters, whilst sadly failing to avoid some of the usual pitfalls of the transition from TV to big screen. It does have good typical gross-out and embarrassing moments and serves the main characters well, but very little actually happens over the course of the film, suggesting that the screenplay was perhaps a little rushed to capitalise on the TV version's peaking success and to use the ageing and increasingly successful actors whilst they can still play the characters with some conviction. Indeed, The Inbetweeners Movie feels more like a TV special than a movie, as it adds very little that is cinematic to the experience, and it does retain the show's almost gentle regard for the characters. Neil is undoubtedly a superb comic and acting creation; Joe Thomas as Simon remains the best performer overall; Will is actually allowed a little character development; and James Buckley gives Jay some very nice character moments, most notably when trying to muscle in on an older, 'cooler' gang. The four female counterparts that the lads encounter are all played excellently, giving the boys' character 'arcs' more strength. It is a shame that the movie simply peters out rather than giving a strong ending. Just as the four women in Sex and the City are supposed to represent four aspects of the typical woman, the four characters in The Inbetweeners could act similarly as representing the archetypal male Sixth Form student, and whilst the movie does not serve any real additional purpose to the satisfying TV finale, it is passable Summer holiday entertainment, and it does finally unite these four disparate friends with a one purposeful final message: appreciate what is right there in front you.

FILM: Cowboys & Aliens (dir: Jon Favreau, 2011)

2011-08-17T18:28:00.001+01:00

"I told you not to call her that."

Whilst last year's True Grit remake was able to sell itself on being an authentic and iconic film property with the direction by the Coen Brothers thrown in for good measure, this comic-book-inspired Alien franchise/spaghetti Western/abduction mash-up was always going to be a tougher sell to the mass market, as its soft U.S. opening showed. Indeed, the fact that there is much more Western than Sci-Fi on screen may make the movie a challenging experience for younger viewers, but therein lies the movie's strength. The Western elements are established very effectively, with good-looking design, wonderful hard-bitten performances by Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford as amnesiac 'stranger' and town leader respectively (with notable character work by Clancy Brown and Sam Rockwell) and Favreau's usual strong direction and attention to detail. The action beats are brief but enjoyable, and the violence is very direct for the 12A rating, yet the whole affair feels strangely low-key and small-scale. The script is tight and well-structured, if a little clinical in terms of plot progression. Cowboys & Aliens as a concept is of course utterly daft, but on its own terms, this movie is solidly entertaining and to a reasonable extent delivers on the ideas it offers.

FILM: The Devil's Double (dir: Lee Tamahori, 2011)

2011-08-15T20:31:00.000+01:00

"I will never let you go. I will never let you go, mmm? I love you too much."

This remarkable tale of the House of Hussein in late 80s Iraq, shown through Saddam's son Uday (with his Scarface-style descent into excess and madness) and his enforced body double, gives director Tamahori possibly his best film to date. The conceit of having Dominic Cooper play both lead characters works fantastically, with two excellent individual performances by Cooper and the interaction between the two contrasting characters utterly convincing and showing remarkable nuance (only a couple of poor head-paste shots in one scene stick out), with many excellent supporting performances on show throughout. The beautiful cinematography is mostly bathed in a sumptuous golden tint, a bleached palette introduced for scenes in which the atrocities occur. Christian Henson provides the film with an intriguing score which augments many scenes effectively. There are moments which truly shock, but there is an overall feeling that the film merely touches the surface - the arcs of both of Cooper's characters are complementary and well-handled, but the film sadly fails to deliver an explicitly strong pay-off that both the movie and the audience deserve. Nevertheless, this is a strong, interesting and bold film, elevated by Dominic Cooper's superb and challenging work.

FILM: The Smurfs 3D (dir: Raja Gosnell, 2011)

2011-08-15T20:04:00.000+01:00

"What do you get if you cross a Smurf with a cow?"
"Blue cheese."

With a storyline reminiscent of Enchanted, the Smurfs are transported from their village (charmingly realised in the opening scenes) to New York in this predictable but gently entertaining adventure. The movie is well shot and effectively directed, and the integration of CG Smurfs and live-action works very well throughout. 3D looks fantastic in the city scenes but is inessential. Hank Azaria delivers a mildly-evil Gargamel, and Neil Patrick Harris and Jayma Mays use their comedic experience well as the couple who look after the Smurfs - Harris's reaction on finding the Smurfs still in his flat the morning after their arrival is priceless. Even if the relentless replacing of words with 'smurf' rapidly becomes annoying, The Smurfs is harmless, simple, well-made and shows some real thought has been put into it.

FILM: Horrid Henry The Movie in 3D (dir: Nick Moore, 2011)

2011-08-15T19:01:00.000+01:00

"Don't even think about laughing."

From the hit series of books and TV shows, Horrid Henry The Movie stretches the concept woefully over an hour-and-a-half. The C-List Brit-comedians adult cast mug shamelessly in hysterical panto style (with Richard E. Grant and Rebecca Front emerging relatively unscathed, as Angelica Huston's interesting Scottish accent wanders), whilst most of the child actors - apart from a relentlessly spirited but irritating Theo Stevenson as Henry - are generally weak. The meagre script criminally forgets to be funny - the only real response from the children in the audience came when Henry picks his nose and flicks it at the audience - and even the use of Glee-style musical numbers is abandoned after the first half-hour. The excellent 3D - a first for a UK live-action children's film - is a surprising positive aspect in this disappointing movie, which completely pales in comparison with the Diary Of A Wimpy Kid films.

FILM: Rise of the Planet of the Apes (dir: Rupert Wyatt, 2011)

2011-08-11T18:54:00.001+01:00

"Hold on.....What the -?"

Of all the big movies of Summer 2011, Rise of the Planet of the Apes stands head-and-shoulders above the general sea of lame comedies, exhausted franchises and mediocre super-heroes - and to say that is a complete surprise. It was interesting to observe how the indifference to the announcement of the project and the first bland trailer gave way to sudden interest at the much sharper second trailer, and the resulting film ultimately exceeds all expectations. Rupert Wyatt may not have seemed an obvious directorial choice for this project, but he controls the developing story superbly, from the seamless moving forward of time to the carefully-controlled and often imaginative use of camera. The film is packed throughout with wonderful moments, from big-scale rich visuals to small character details. James Franco makes an excellent lead, proving that with the right direction and focus he can deliver, John Lithgow is touching as his Alzheimer's-afflicted father, with solid support from the rest of the (human) cast with their limited roles. The trump card is the fact that this is Caesar's story from start to finish, and the audience is able to invest in this emotionally not only because of another stunning mo-cap performance by Andy Serkis and the mostly-seamless CGI, but also because of the skillful script that tells his story from infancy which treads a fine line between his 'human' and simian development. There are a couple of nicely-placed nods to the original film, but Rise of... has its own style and a clear contemporary take on the mythos. Stay in your seat for a rather obvious sequel-setting scene after the main closing credits, and a second film will be most welcome if it maintains the standard of this entertaining, intelligent and well-realised movie.

DVD: Super (dir: James Gunn, 2011)

2011-08-11T18:00:00.000+01:00

"You don't see them getting bored in comic books."
"That's what happens between the panels."

It is easy to see why this low-budget project attracted such a top-notch cast, as writer/director James Gunn takes another genre and gives it his own bizarre, leftfield and irresistible take. The 'culture of speed' that Gunn created on set -borne out of budget-constrained necessity but also of his own creative approach - plus the guerrilla-style visuals give the film tremendous energy and impact. Timing means that most viewers will see this following Kick-Ass and make inevitable comparisons, but whereas Kick-Ass revelled in its stylised comic-book sheen, Super is determinedly grounded, in spite of its weird-out moments (such as Frank's brain literally touched by the finger of God, voiced by Rob Zombie!). As a result, this very human (and adult) take on super-hero conventions provides superbly relatable characters and abundant humour - the riff on Superman's costume-change is perfect, for example. There has been criticism of the level of violence presented, but its explicitness merely highlights appropriately that the actions presented have real-world physical consequences. Rainn Wilson gives a staggeringly heartfelt and hilarious performance as Frank/The Crimson Bolt, Ellen Page is a joy as his desperate manic side-kick wanabee Boltie, Liv Tyler is a revelation as Frank's estranged wife and Kevin Bacon delivers yet another great character performance (not forgetting an unrecognisable Nathan Fillion as The Holy Avenger!). The uber-violence escalates into a Grand Guignol finale, but the film's closing scenes are utterly beautiful and heartbreaking, highlighting the true heart and humanity that make Super such a wonderful film.

DVD: Battle Of Los Angeles (dir: Mark Atkins, 2011)

2011-08-11T17:31:00.000+01:00

"Guess we found out what we're dealing with, huh?"

Battle Of Los Angeles is another redundant mockbuster from The Asylum, but even by their standards this is a weak entry. The template here is clearly Independence Day rather than Battle: Los Angeles, and whilst the very low-end CGI scuppers the big visual shots of the mother spaceship, some simpler effects of the small fighter ships attacks are integrated reasonably well. A well-developed music score injects some energy, but a very weak script and dull pacing of its dialogue weaken the film overall. This movie's blast-from-the-past actors feature Nia Peeples (TV's Fame) and Kel Mitchell (of Kenan and Kel!), who do their best with the limited opportunities available here. Lacking the daft fun of the studio's monster mash-ups, Battle Of Los Angeles comes across as cheap, unnecessary and uninteresting to watch.

FILM: Super 8 (dir: JJ Abrams, 2011)

2011-08-09T22:21:00.000+01:00

"Production values!"

That Super 8 is a love-letter to early Spielberg is without question. This is no slavish homage, however; by taking the simplicity of storytelling and emotional clarity of those movies such as E.T. and Close Encounters, Abrams has fashioned a film that deftly marries shocks with sweetness, innocence with experience and an honest exploration of themes such as grief, friendship and coming-of-age. The end of the 70s is lovingly created (Heart of Glass sounds brilliant on a Walkman, even if the equipment has to be explained for the modern audience!) and provides a setting for the children's adventures that would not quite ring as true in contemporary times. Although the first half is more credible and convincing than the later stages of the movie, the gang of children have a joy, openness and energy that runs through the film, with Joel Courtney and Elle Fanning in particular giving performances of pleasing strength and depth. Trademark lens flares make an appearance, and Abrams has created another movie with real characters, heart and spectacle - if nothing else, the extraordinary train wreck that sets events in motion (rather like the aeroplane crash that opened Lost) is worth the price of admission. By eschewing 3D and producing a non-franchise Summer movie, Super 8 shows how going back to the basics of commercial film are all that are needed - when done as well as this - to entertain successfully.

FILM: The First Avenger - Captain America 3D (dir: Joe Johnston, 2011)

2011-08-09T21:32:00.000+01:00

"I'm Captain America!"
"I beg your pardon?"

Marvel's latest addition to its Avengers set-up cycle thankfully slots into its universe organically, reaping the benefit of its wonderfully-realised 1940s setting and using clever bookends to position its lead in the modern era as well. Chris Evans gives a remarkably humble performance as Steve Rogers on his journey from (rather spookily-created) weakling to vacuous celebrity to super-soldier, Tommy Lee Jones gets all the best lines and delivers them with his trademark dry sarcasm, Dominic Cooper works well as Stark Snr and - in yet another male-dominated superhero movie - Hayley Atwell proves to be a strong presence, forging a nicely-played Top Gun-style McGillis/Cruise relationship with Evans. 3D is used well to provide an effective sense of huge scale, with the story's comic pulp origins being mined stylistically to good purpose throughout. Joe Johnston's direction is assured, but - like his last film, The Wolfman - the whole enterprise would benefit from a little more pace and energy to truly engage emotionally and pack more punch.

FILM: Mister Popper's Penguins (dir: Mark Waters, 2011)

2011-08-09T21:10:00.000+01:00

"There's nothing wrong with a man who recycles."

Alarm bells ring in the opening scenes, as Jim Carrey falls quickly into his dated manic gurning schtick, but do not be put off - what follows is a simple, sweet children's entertainment, sustained by three main elements: cute comedy penguins, a performance by Jim Carrey that showcases both his comic timing and genuine dramatic ability, and strong direction by Mark Walters which gives the film just sufficient edge to the general fluffiness (which he achieved similarly with The Spiderwick Chronicles). The wintry New York backdrop is beautifully shot (if slightly misplaced for a movie released at the height of Summer), and the unsurprising unfolding of events pass by fairly breezily. Mister Popper's Penguins is also (justifiably) the first film that I can remember to bear a BBFC warning for 'flatulence jokes'!

FILM: Horrible Bosses (dir: Seth Gordon, 2011)

2011-07-24T20:50:00.001+01:00

"Goddammit, I feel like a moron!"
"You ARE a moron!"

Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis and Jason Bateman have good chemistry as the bosses-harrassed trio of friends in this lightweight comedy which, like Bad Teacher, flirts with the audience but never quite goes far enough to have real impact. Day and Sudeikis give good comedy value with limited characters, but Bateman gives the much more finely-detailed and interesting performance of the leads. The three 'villains' - Colin Farrell, Kevin Spacey and Jennifer Aniston - are all terrific and clearly relish playing with their images and provide the more unpleasantly funny comic moments in the film, although Aniston's predatory nymphomaniac-in-the-workplace positioning is uncomfortable from both gender points of view. The plotting is well thought out, although the female characters get very short shrift, and even the sequel set-up feels unforced. Horrible Bosses comes nowhere near the hilarity of The Hangover Part 2 or Bridemaids, but it does offer some effective set-ups and pay-offs with plenty of entertaining moments along the way.

FILM: Beginners (dir: Mike Mills, 2011)

2011-07-24T20:31:00.000+01:00

"I don't feel like screaming."
"You will."

Mike Mills wrote and directed this film, which lends it an air of intimacy and painstaking craft. The key relationships explored in the film vary considerably: the central father-son relationship is deftly handled and juxtaposes the father's joyous coming out and subsequent succumbing to cancer (a hugely dignified performance by Christopher Plummer) with the broken emotional legacy of both parents on their son's passage through life (a dour and introspective but nicely observed turn from Ewan McGregor), but McGregor's burgeoning affair with French actress Anna (Melanie Laurent) challenges belief by being one of those stereotypical relationships that only seem to exist in movies, with inevitable stilted and theatrical exchanges that undercut the credibility of some scenes. As an examination of grief, the film packs quite a punch, especially in its near-silent opening sequence, but its other overt themes of communication and identity are often laboured. Beginners is a mildly interesting tale, supported by some good performance work, and falls somewhere between being a chore to endure and a thoughtful consideration of life, love and family.

FILM: Cars 2 3D (dirs: John Lassetter, Brad Lewis, 2011)

2011-07-24T19:54:00.000+01:00

"Embrace your inner lemon!"

The original Cars movie remains probably Pixar's least loved production (relatively speaking), which for any viewer but the very young never overcame its fundamental flaw that its characters - talking cars - unjustifiably inhabited the very human world. In this sequel, the action quotient is ramped up considerably which produces a livelier experience, but the very specific adherence to 1960s spy movies tropes would seem alien to the film's intended target audience, even if their use is very successful. This peculiar mash-up of Speed Racer and Johnny English relies more on plot mechanics than emotion to engage, and even then at times it offers little more than brightly-coloured objects zipping around the screen (note to editor: flash-cutting and 3D are not necessarily good companions). The 3D is mostly stunning - the Tokyo airport sequence stands out and the cityscapes are gloriously detailed - and Michael Giacchino provides another wittily appropriate score. Cars 2 overall lacks the charm and sincerity of the first film, but it is nevertheless a dynamic and well-crafted animation.

FILM: Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 2 3D (dir: David Yates, 2011)

2011-07-18T21:09:00.000+01:00

"That went well!"

For a children's blockbuster movie, Deathly Hallows Part 2 is utterly remarkable in its tone, a war movie with a sustained sense of dread, despair and pain that at times makes Platoon seem positively sunny. This grand send-off is easily the best and most cinematic film in the franchise since Cuaron's third entry, Prisoner of Azkaban. The level of care and attention to detail lavished on the production makes it a complete visual and aural treat. Alexandre Desplat delivers a fine score, yet the use of frequent (near) silence is also used to create genuine moments of tension and tragedy. The 3D conversion is sympathetic and carefully done, and the sheer epic sweep of the visuals gives Hogwarts and the battle scenes a sense of scale that some of the movies sometimes lack. In the inevitable attempt to give virtually every character his/her moment in this finale, some get barely a look in, but Ralph Fiennes finally gets to really let loose with Voldemort, Alan Rickman gives Snape's back-story the depth it needs, and the three leads again demonstrate how far they have come since Philosopher's Stone. This is an emotionally uncompromising film, in which any last vestiges of childhood and innocence for the characters and the audience are literally blown apart before our eyes. The argument over 'one movie too short, two movies too long' for the final book adaptation still lingers, and this is very much a 'second half', but Deathly Hallows Part 2 is a fine achievement - a stark, beautifully bleak and emotionally direct film - and a fitting end to the series.

FILM: The Tree Of Life (dir:Terrence Malick, 2011)

2011-07-09T17:39:00.000+01:00

"I want to know what you are."

The Tree Of Life may have been awarded the Palme D'Or, but it does not take long to see why this film has so completely divided audiences and critics - indeed, six people walked out in the first half-hour of the screening I attended. This film has all of Malick's trademarks but pushes them as far as possible: 2001: A Space Odyssey via David Lynch, Koyaanisqatsi via Wong-Kar Wai. At heart, the idea is simple - juxtapose images and scenes of child/adult, man/nature, permanence/transience and spiritual/human in order to examine the human condition and man's place in the universe - and the patchwork of visuals and timeframes is artfully constructed, leading to (with a lot of viewer patience) an interesting semi-resolution. Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain as the central couple are solid but have little to do beyond the one-dimensional 1950s character requirements, and the three young actors playing their children are wonderfully grounded and credible. This is a ponderous film that takes the viewer out of everyday time and space completely, yet it is rarely dreary; it does occasionally veer into moments of self-parody (especially some of the earnest questioning voice-overs), but then it can often be powerful and beautiful, whether in the epic scale of the birth and death of the universe or in small-scale family moments. Like most of Malick's output, The Tree Of Life is intriguing, demanding, poetically stunning in its audio-visual construction, but neither wholly successful nor emotionally engaging overall.

FILM: Larry Crowne (dir: Tom Hanks, 2011)

2011-07-04T19:56:00.000+01:00

"Are you clairvoyant?"
"No, I'm Steve Dibiasi!"

Tom Hanks co-wrote Larry Crowne, his second film as director, with Nia Vardalos (My Big Fat Greek Wedding), producing a very average, pleasant, actor-centred and acceptably entertaining script which is raised by the quality of the performances. Hanks is cast perfectly in his Everyman persona - even his character name is bland and unmemorable, so that the nickname he is given shows his journey towards a personality - and his 'final exam' speech hits home superbly. Julia Roberts imbues her predictably-written character (borderline alcoholic, disillusioned community college teacher with a feckless husband) with effective depth and tired regret. Other highlights include George Takei's monstrous lecturer, Gugu Mbatha-Raw lighting up the screen with a very fresh performance as Larry's scooter-buddy Talia, and Rami Malek hilariously stealing every scene in which he appears as fellow student Steve. James Newton Howard provides a mellow, 80s-tinged score which, like the film as a whole, does its job well enough but does little to excite or intrigue.

FILM: Transformers - Dark Of The Moon 3D (dir: Michael Bay, 2011)

2011-06-30T18:02:00.000+01:00

"It's total anarchy around here!"

The third Transformers live-action movie is a curious beast: different yet the same, tonally uneven and a wild mixture of greatness and weakness. As a movie, it is probably overall the most effective of the three, and thankfully a marked improvement on the desperate Revenge Of The Fallen. Structurally, it follows the pattern established by its predecessors, but the plotting here is careful and deliberate (to the point of laborious at times in the first half) which leads to some good pay-off moments later on. The attempts at humour still fall flat too often, but the likes of Shia LaBeouf and the wonderful Alan Tudyk manage to find laughs in limp lines. Indeed, LaBeouf gives another spirited and committed performance, and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley proves to be a more than adequate replacement for Megan Fox in a slightly better-written role. Solid support from actors of the calibre of Frances McDormand and John Malkovich is a help, Leonard Nimoy voices Sentinel Prime to perfection (although leading to a couple of cringeworthy line references to The Wrath Of Khan) and a host of returning faces are welcome for viewers who have followed the series. Steve Jablonsky's score is disappointingly anonymous, but sound design is excellent. Like X-Men: First Class, embedding the story in real historical events (here, the Space Race) gives it strength and makes the conspiracy theory element more valid this time. As the film develops, the question of where the money was spent begins to raise its head, but where Dark Of The Moon really scores is in the bravura final half-hour, when the epic battle scenes in Chicago are a stunningly impressive special effects tour de force, and the true 3D is mostly beautiful. Bay manages the action with much better clarity, purpose and impact here than in the last film, and he pulls off one truly jaw-dropping moment in the incredible skyscraper sequence glimpsed in the trailer. Dark Of The Moon is a curiously uneven slow-burner of a story that builds to a very satisfying finale, one which does wrap up this trilogy effectively should Bay and LaBeouf - as they have already indicated - not return for another outing.

FILM: Bridesmaids (dir: Paul Feig, 2011)

2011-06-22T21:10:00.000+01:00

"I cracked a sheet...in half!"

Bridesmaids is brilliant for three main reasons: it has one of the best-written (and best-delivered) comedy scripts in ages; Kristen Wiig (who also co-wrote) finally gives the fantastic performance that cinema audiences have been waiting for and she carries the film superbly; and the eclectic and often surprising supporting cast (Jon Hamm, Jill Clayburgh, Matt Lucas and a wonderfully-judged character turn by Chris O'Dowd) uniformly delivers superb timing and delivery. Bridesmaids is much more than a female version of The Hangover that the well-constructed trailer suggested: there is a real exploration of both friendship and loneliness that gives the characters and relationships genuine foundations for the laughs and the the pathos. It can be crude and profane at times - witness the astonishing pay-off to the bridal shop scene shown in the trailer - but for the most part the comedy is almost gentle and understated, making the humour that much stronger and more satisfying. The film is consistently funny both verbally and visually, and perhaps the only mis-step is that a couple of the actual bridesmaids ensemble are underwritten as their characters fizzle out, but this is a minor quibble in a film that is so well-acted, well-written and well-directed that it is easily one of the best films of 2011 so far.

FILM: Green Lantern 3D (dir: Martin Campbell, 2011)

2011-06-20T20:19:00.000+01:00

"Have you concluded admiring yourself?"

Of all the recent comic-book adaptations, this movie is probably closest to Leterrier's The Incredible Hulk: well-made, acceptably entertaining but emotionally unengaging. With veteran pros Martin Campbell directing and Stuart Baird editing, the action beats zip along and the space opera elements well handled. Ryan Reynolds puts in one hundred per cent effort and manages to carry the film effectively, although the now clearly-mid-thirties star has to contend with many lines that sound as if they were written for a teenage superhero such as a young Peter Parker. Blake Lively makes an assured love-interest, and Peter Sarsgaard convinces as the earth-bound panto villain. Tim Robbins and Angela Bassett provide solid supporting human roles, and Mark Strong gives a very striking performance as Lantern Sinestro. The CG effects are lavish, even though the design elements often feel like a grab-bag mix of previous sci-fi hits (from the soul-snatching of Final Fantasy-The Spirits Within to the street-level slug-fest from Superman II). The 3D plays well in the space scenes with wonderful depth of field, whilst some of the more mundane everyday situations are crudely converted. The film feels long but the packed plot maintains attention in what is a sound Friday-night popcorn movie overall. Sit through the beautifully-rendered 3D end main credits for a set-up scene for the sequel.

FILM: Stake Land (dir: Jim Mickle, 2011)

2011-06-19T20:57:00.000+01:00

"You boys look like hell."
" S**t happens."

Stake Land is a low-budget gem in the mould of last year's Monsters. The film is much more than a vampiric Zombieland without the laughs, providing a physical and emotional brutality that has strength and integrity throughout the running time. At the film's heart are two superb performances by Nick Damici as Mister and a profoundly open-hearted turn by Connor Paolo as orphaned narrator Martin, whom Mister takes under his wing, with lots of great supporting character work by the wonderful Danielle Harris and an almost-unrecognisable but excellent Kelly McGillis amongst others. The wintry vistas and watery sunlight creates a chill bleakness in the beautifully-shot landscapes as the accidental group travel across plague-ravaged America (which as always has a plentiful supply of petrol, cigarettes and ammunition) to seek refuge in the 'New Eden' of Canada. The feral creatures are effectively and menacingly realised, and cleverly different stages of their mutation provide an escalating level of threat to the travellers. Stake Land is a confident, raw and considered movie that gives a well-established scenario real depth and honesty.

FILM: Bad Teacher (dir: Jake Kasdan, 2011)

2011-06-19T20:33:00.000+01:00

"What the hell was that?"

Not so much bad as mildly naughty, this Cameron Diaz vehicle has moments of daft, lewd greatness which are never sustained or pushed far enough to make this a truly memorable film. The film has a lot of delightful characters and performances on offer, from a charmingly-observed Justin Timberlake to nicely-nuanced fellow teachers Jason Segel and Phyllis Smith and a rip-roaring Lucy Punch as Diaz's obnoxiously good but increasingly deranged nemesis, the delightfully-named Amy Squirrel. The script is thin, the plotting obvious, and Cameron Diaz still relies too much on the smile, the body and the hair, but Bad Teacher is nevertheless a harmless and occasionally amusing lightweight comedy.

DVD: The Loved Ones (dir: Sean Byrne, 2010)

2011-06-19T20:01:00.000+01:00

"Is it finger-lickin' good?"

The director says in a bonus feature interview that he was aiming for Carrie and The Evil Dead with this Australian prom night torture-porn entry, and - to a degree - on a much smaller scale he succeeds. Whilst the film is technically sound, and there are good performances on offer (notably Xavier Samuel as the much-suffering victim and a gloriously unhinged turn from Robin McLeavy as the aggrieved Lola/'Princess'), this is a grim film, with even little black comedy, just calculated unpleasantness throughout as it moves from an impressive study of grief in the first twenty minutes to outright (and often unpredictable and excruciating) sadism. At a scant but challenging 75 minutes long, the film seems to wrap up itself at the hour mark, but finds somewhere potentially interesting to go, only to end too quickly and miss potential development to a more satisfying conclusion. Take away the irritating sub-plot and this becomes a possible stage piece; as a film, it creates the tension and an engaging situation that raises it above weaker entries in the sub-genre.

FILM: Mother's Day (dir: Darren Lynn Bousman, 2011)

2011-06-11T18:29:00.002+01:00

"Every time I turn my head, you make a mess!"

Mother's Day is by turns wonderful and frustrating, a true '..but...' film, e.g. this is occasionally nearly brilliant, but... The first third is terrific: fast-paced and edgy, with the manic unpredictability of the bank-robbing psychos and tight direction creating a real grip on the viewer. However, once the mother (a masterful Rebecca De Mornay) turns up and settles in, the momentum falters and a couple of narrative mis-choices (such as the pathetic nail-gun attack) undermine the seriousness and tension, as increasing daftness sets in and gender issues veer so wildly that it seems like the impending tornado in the movie (which never materialises) has hit the screenplay. Nevertheless, Mother's Day is an effectively old-fashioned home-invasion potboiler with pleasingly unpleasant physical gore effects and a lot of terrific performance work by a talented cast amongst the histrionics (Warren Kole and Shawn Ashmore in particular) . The film does manage to pull off one unique 'punishment' which - as members of the audience started to realise what was about to happen - got a strong and vocal reaction before, during and after its on-screen action!

FILM: Kung Fu Panda 2 3D (dir: Jennifer Yuh, 2011)

2011-06-03T14:28:00.000+01:00

"It's quiet, polite and - quite frankly - does better kung fu!"

Kung Fu Panda 2 is a surprisingly strong children's animation, which raises the bar very effectively from the adequate first film. The film is a technical triumph for DreamWorks Animation, even surpassing How To Train Your Dragon, with stunning CGI throughout and impressive depth of field in its excellent use of 3D. Action/fight sequences are pacily edited and show real imagination in their coverage on screen. The story works well both as a simple good vs. evil adventure quest (with Gary Oldman voicing the convincingly villainous peacock Shen) and as an emotional journey for Jack Black's panda Po as he pieces together his past, shown through wonderfully-realised old-school animated flashbacks. Whereas the original movie felt rather forced, here there is a more measured tone and a stronger overall narrative, with the visual gags well-placed and genuinely funny ("Stealth mode!"). The dream voice cast works effortlessly (Black, Jolie, Hoffman, Chan, Rogen, etc), which - together with the truly cinematic style and cutting of the film - gives Kung Fu Panda 2 a feel of ambition and credibility which lifts it above most sequels.

FILM: X-Men First Class (dir: Matthew Vaughn, 2011)

2011-06-01T16:56:00.000+01:00

"More tea, vicar?"

X-Men First Class seemed a bit of a gamble for the franchise, but it turns out to be a hugely entertaining Summer blockbuster, and it is a considerable improvement on both X-Men The Last Stand and X-Men Origins: Wolverine. The proposed Origins movie featuring Magneto was wisely shelved, as it is the focus on the developing friendship and subsequent estrangement of Xavier and Magneto that makes this film so engaging. Matthew Vaughn rises to the event movie challenge by directing both intimate and huge-scale moments with consistent effectiveness throughout, and Jane Goldman provides yet another warm, witty and intelligent script, which only occasionally lapses into lines of preachy 'mutant' tolerance. The clever 1960s setting is wonderfully realised and utilised (frequent globe-trotting, go-go girls, huge sets, the baddie has a submarine), with the interweaving of real history and the X-Men universe providing a strong and grounding backdrop for the fantasy. The first half feels a little frantic and slightly disjointed as the film travels from one country to another, but this merely puts all the pieces in place for an exciting and well-constructed second half that truly delivers in terms of story and action. James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender deliver terrific performances as the younger Professor X and Magneto, Kevin Bacon shines as the particularly unpleasant villain, and indeed the whole cast works very well, with January Jones and Nicholas Hoult in particular doing some fine character work. X-Men First Class may prove to be a bit drama-heavy for the popcorn crowd, but the film puts the franchise firmly back on track - it will be interesting to see if Fox goes for a follow-up to this film or back to the present-day for the next installment.

FILM: The Hangover Part II (dir: Todd Phillips, 2011)

2011-05-26T20:22:00.001+01:00

"I don't get it! Is this a magic show?"

The Hangover Part II is literally a re-run of the original movie - right down to structure, set-ups and characters - just set in a different location. Nevertheless, this sequel is still very entertaining, as the jokes and situations become cruder, Galifianikis plays peculiar Alan much more convincingly this time and with hilarious detail (including towards the end probably the funniest single sight gag - involving a speedboat - we will see this year), and Ed Helms goes into manic overdrive as this film's bridegroom Stu. The photo-montage which accompanies the end credits easily out-grosses the exact same trick used in the original film.The settings are used to good effect, from inner city seedy squalor to beautiful countryside and coast, but this window dressing does not hide the fact that a considerable amount of the running time feels very familiar indeed.

DVD: I Saw The Devil (dir: Kim Jee-Woon, 2010)

2011-05-22T20:27:00.001+01:00

"You were right. I underestimated you."

I Saw The Devil is an extraordinary South Korean film which challenges in many ways, notably its running time of over two hours and its wonderful juxtaposition of cold beauty and bloody violence. From its visually and musically elegaic opening and the subsequent catalytic killing, Kim Jee-Woon controls camera movements and framing very carefully to confront the viewer with the reality of grief to set up Agent Soo-Hyun on the path of 'true revenge' for the death of his fiancee at the hands of serial killer Kyung-Chul. The length of the film allows a real study of both lead characters, as Soo-Hyun stalks, catches and releases the killer, each time inflicting harsher and more physically extreme punishment. Lee Byung-Hun (seen in G.I. Joe) and Choi Min-Sik (Oldboy) are both superb throughout and carry most of the film either alone or together on-screen. The wonderful score supports the visuals most effectively, and whilst the final act may be a little too Saw-like for some, the final image of the film is truly haunting. I Saw The Devil is a fine example of an Asian film that can use gore with a truly constructive and cinematic sensibility.

FILM: Blitz (dir: Elliott Lester, 2011)

2011-05-21T18:24:00.000+01:00

"You don't have the brains of a chicken, do you?"

Story-wise (serial killer targets cops) there is little that adds to what we have seen in TV shows such as Cracker and Prime Suspect, but here it is done very effectively indeed and with an eye for the big screen, rather like The Long Good Friday achieved thirty years ago. The violence is brutal, the script is amusing, earthy and very well-constructed (even plugging later on what appear to be some early plotholes) with a great pay-off, and the film constantly engages. Although character stereotypes and genre cliches are thrown about with carefree abandon, Statham and Considine give terrific performances as the two mismatched policemen (one gay, one The Stath) and work very well together on-screen, and Aidan Gillan's trademark swagger is used to good effect, creating a real sense of menace whenever he pops up to observe his next victim. London looks good, although it has probably not appeared so empty since 28 Days Later. For this genre of low-budget London-based film, Blitz is very successful, and it would be good to see the characters return in a further movie.

FILM: Diary Of A Wimpy Kid 2 - Rodrick Rules (dir: David Bowers, 2011)

2011-05-21T18:02:00.001+01:00

"I don't know how to make paint!"

This sequel to last year's Wimpy Kid movie is generally delightful - sweet without being saccharine, knowing without being patronising, and above all made and written with a real desire to entertain consistently. The character of young Greg Heffley is styled essentially as a Charlie Brown for the 21st century (also reflected in the soundtrack), brought to life by a fresh and likable performance by Zachary Gordon, which is contrasted effectively by the more cartoon-like stylings of Devon Bostick as his older brother. There is a good hit-rate in the comedy aspect of the film, and the more heartfelt moments feel natural and unforced. For the adults, Greg's parents are recognisably well-meaning and embarrassing to their offspring, and a couple of well-observed pastiches (The Partridge Family and a spoof 80s-horror movie The Foot) are nicely realised. This is a simple, well-written and very enjoyable movie for its main (young) target audience and beyond.

FILM: Pirates Of The Caribbean - On Stranger Tides 3D (dir: Rob Marshall, 2011)

2011-05-18T21:41:00.002+01:00

"I think we've been down this road before, Jack."

The fourth Pirates movie serves its function well as a part-reboot and an attempt to claw back public and critical support after the sprawling confusion of the previous two parts. On Stranger Tides is a very busy, noisy and spirited movie from the outset, with Rob Marshall handling its three main narrative strands effectively (if not equally) and creates good forward momentum that only gets a little shaky in the final act. Although there is humour as expected, the tone is generally serious in both word-heavy script and direction, missing the occasional lightness of touch that Gore Verbinski managed previously. Penelope Cruz, Ian McShane and Geoffrey Rush triumph over often poorly-written lines, all three of them working especially well when paired on-screen with Johnny Depp, whose physical and verbal timing in this role remains a joy to watch. 3D is generally good, especially in the sea-borne scenes, and effects work is impressive, with the London escape chase and the mermaid attack in particular working very well. The melodramatic orchestral soundtrack grinds away relentlessly, even when clearly not needed. The action set-pieces are very well-executed throughout, in spite of the occasional familiarity to scenes in the first film in particular. On Stranger Tides feels overlong at more than two hours and provides few surprises, but in general it provides efficient entertainment overall without ever being great, and it improves considerably on the last two outings for the franchise.

FILM: Attack The Block (dir: Joe Cornish, 2011)

2011-05-14T21:19:00.001+01:00

"Allow it."

The excellent and carefully-structured trailer for Attack The Block generated much buzz and accented the comedic element. It is something of a surprise that not only is the actual film very funny, it is also an extremely effective alien-invasion-horror. Writer/director Joe Cornish creates a snappy, tightly- constructed and energetic movie and gets uniformly excellent performances from a mostly young cast, led by a towering focused turn by John Boyega as gang-leader Moses. Once you get past the unsettlingly joyless racial and authority stereotyping, the film's rather obvious fundamental messages of tolerance, understanding and brotherhood win the day. With characters you genuinely care about, a terrific Chemical Brothers soundtrack and the genuinely creative craft on display, Attack The Block is an exciting, amusing and immensely enjoyable movie that does not disappoint.

FILM: Hanna (dir: Joe Wright, 2011)

2011-05-14T20:47:00.001+01:00

"Hanna, what did your mother die of?"
"Three bullets."

Hanna presents itself as a very peculiar hybrid of action-thriller and art film. The few action beats are superbly handled, but they are marooned amongst unsubtle fairytale motifs and an increasing number of curious, downright bizarre and occasionally laughable script and directorial choices to which bemused eye-rolling becomes a recurring response. Eric Bana and Cate Blanchette give very strong performances as the leads, and Saoirse Ronan is entrancing as Hanna, the genetically-enhanced assassin discovering the world for the first time on her implausibly globe-trotting mission. The soundscape is intriguing but not always appropriate or supportive of the on-screen action, and there is some fine cinematography of the varied snowy, desert and cityscape vistas. Luc Besson understood the fine balance between style and entertainment in Leon and La Femme Nikita; in Hanna, the self-conscious and self-indulgent trappings make the film quite a tedious chore overall.

FILM: Priest 3D (dir: Scott Stewart, 2011)

2011-05-09T17:00:00.000+01:00

"I always preferred the hard way."

In this second pairing of director Stewart and lead actor Bettany, mankind is under attack not from angels but vampires of the nasty variety in this awkward mash-up of Blade and The Matrix. There is quite a lot of violence on show for a 12A certificate film (in the UK), as this is of course fantasy violence, but it is this element of compromise that weakens the film, which has every indication of being tough and uncompromising but which ultimately leaves little lasting impression. The film attracted a good cast, with effective performances from Paul Bettany and Karl Urban, but Cam Gigandet feels mis-cast and Maggie Q is given little to do. The grimy Blade Runner-eque dystopia of Cathedral City is excellently designed, and there is some good vampiric creature work on display, but the harsh desert sunlight and gloomily-lit interiors both frequently neutralise the 3D effect. Probably the most frustrating aspect of Priest 3D is that it ends just as the real finale is about to begin - or is that simply being held over for an optimistic but unlikely possible sequel?

FILM: 13 Assassins (dir: Takashi Miike, 2011)

2011-05-09T16:51:00.001+01:00

"Your samurai brawls are crazy fun!"

One of the joys of the prolific Takashi Miike is you never know which genre and tone he will unleash with each film. 13 Assassins plays the historical setting straight, with the director's trademark excesses here used to service the story in a serious way. It is very much a film of two halves; the steady scene-setting references Kurosawa in its masterful control of both camera and a mostly mature cast in the classic story-telling formation of the band of assassins with the aim of overthrowing the amoral Lord Naritsugu (a wonderfully cool and cruel performance by Goro Inagaki), leading to the extended 'death trap' village sequence where the all-out final confrontation is played out. Even though not all of the assassins' characters feel sufficiently differentiated, the high standard and sheer gravitas of performances gives the relentless fight scenes at the end some genuine emotional impact. The subtitling is frequently stiff and stilted, but to a large extent this could reflect the formality of the samurai. 13 Assassins is one of Takashi Miike's strongest works; whether you bought your ticket for the historical samurai story or the blood-and-guts battles, the director delivers a compelling film on both counts.

FILM: Insidious (dir: James Wan, 2011)

2011-05-01T08:39:00.003+01:00

"When did the voice of reason become the bad guy here?"

This is what Poltergeist would have been if directed by the love-child of Dario Argento and Ingmar Bergman. Insidious is a classic daft low-budget ghost-train ride of a movie, seemingly referencing as many supernatural movies as it can (intentionally or not) from The Haunting through to Drag Me To Hell, even down to the (stunt) casting of Barbara Hershey as the grandmother, nearly thirty years on from The Entity. Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne give capable if occasionally too understated performances as the parents of the 'haunted' boy which centres the film on a more reflective note, contrasted with the GhostFacers-style investigative duo and the expected spiritualist, which is indicative of how the much the tone of the film wanders inconsistently. The washed-out colour palette creates a chilly atmosphere, clearly used to highlight the increasing use of red as the film progresses. The film nevertheless delivers some effective moments - the first jump-scare is a belter - only slightly let down by the obvious lack of budget for the finale. Insidious just about fulfils its purpose, but nothing more.

FILM: Cedar Rapids (dir: Miguel Arteta, 2011)

2011-05-01T08:22:00.003+01:00

REVIEW No. 150!

"Of course, I am talking about my integrity....!"

Cedar Rapids is a delightful film. Having been oddly promoted as a grown-up Porky's, this little indie has so much fine acting acting and writing on display. Ed Helms (Stu in The Hangover) and Anne Heche give terrific performances, and John C Reilly gives the stereotypical 'jerk' character some real emotional depth. The narrative never goes anywhere that is completely unexpected, and the slightly self-conscious scripting and character lurches in the second half are a little unconvincing, but overall the film shows a beautiful balance between humour and pathos and the writing gives the seemingly limited characters real warmth and credibility. The seeming sequel-set-up towards the end is actually played out during the credits, which is some ways is a shame, and it would have been good to revisit these characters again.

FILM: Thor 3D (dir: Kenneth Branagh, 2011)

2011-04-25T17:19:00.002+01:00

"Base, we've got Xena, Jackie Chan, Robin Hood...!"

It looked as if Thor was going to be one of the more problematic Marvel characters to tackle as a solo film, but the end result is one of the most successful of the comic adaptations so far. This is more fantasy than superhero, with an epic feel, some very impressive visualisations (and a generally sound 3D post-conversion) and a knowing but serious take on the source material. Branagh creates the comic-book feel with great use of colour and canted shots, directing briskly from a packed script which uses the different locations and narrative threads very effectively. Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston work very well and give strong contrasting performances as the two brothers, headstrong Thor and manipulative Loki, with Anthony Hopkins ideally cast as their father Odin. On Earth, Natalie Portman gives another effortlessly engaging performance. Great timing and a witty script provide many moments of humour, whilst the theatrically-styled dialogue from the Gods creates effectively weighty drama. Thor is a successful big-scale fantasy blockbuster entertainment that delivers solid fun and entertainment, and also leaves an interesting question about how the character will be part of the 2012 Avengers movie.

FILM: Arthur (dir: Jason Winer, 2011)

2011-04-25T16:52:00.002+01:00

"First your father, then your horse...just when will my testicles ever get a rest?"

It is interesting that this remake of Arthur has been particularly poorly-received in America, the main reason possibly being the replacement of the original's forced and unconvincing kookiness with a consistent streak of melancholy which runs through the 2011 version. Winer's film is does have many funny lines, and if anything it would benefit from more instances of loosening up and running with the sheer abandon of Arthur's lifestyle and his lack of understanding of 'reality'. Brand is actually fine in the lead, more child-like and less alcoholic than Dudley Moore's portrayal. Making Hudson Arthur's female nanny is a very clever move, providing a necessarily different dynamic than Gielgud's more obvious formal butler, and Helen Mirren indeed delivers a couple of film-stealing speeches whilst never reaching the comedic heights of her 1981 counterpart. Greta Gerwig (so much more credible and charming than Liza Minnelli) uncannily channels Zooey Deschanel's Elf performance as Arthur's love-interest, and Jennifer Garner is surprisingly strong and nuanced as the arranged-fiancee Sarah. The deliberate placing of Arthur's Theme does provide a very sweet moment in this pleasant if slightly inessential remake, which nevertheless does manage to improve on the original overall.

DVD: Unstoppable (dir: Tony Scott, 2010)

2011-04-22T18:58:00.002+01:00

"That was ten million pounds of train, Mr Galvin! And this is the sound of me saving your ass!"

Unstoppable delivers a standard runaway-train disaster movie, but with a streamlined and very focused storyline that enables Denzel Washington and Chris Pine to develop a credible mis-matched relationship, reminiscent of Freeman and Pitt in Seven. In spite of the simplicity and generic nature of the narrative, Tony Scott keeps a tight reign on the tension which pays off well in the key moments. It may be 'inspired by true events', but the action inevitably strains credulity more than once; nevertheless, the execution of it is never short of exciting and entertaining.