FILM: Little Fockers (dir: Paul Weitz, 2010)

"Mmm...jet-skiing monks.....!"

The third outing for the Fockers franchise is more of the same: slick, efficient and lazily comfortable. It is fortunate that these films have such an accomplished core cast, whose effortless screen presence counteracts frequently flat dialogue and a rather low laugh count. By targeting a wide audience demographic, the more adult-themed humour sits uncomfortably alongside the slapstick and jokes involving bodily functions for the younger element. Most of the best jokes are in the trailer, but the extended Jaws pastiche ("Get out of the ball-pit!") and nice turns by Jessica Alba and Laura Dern show more of the potential energy that the film needed (and which the early cut lacked sorely , apparently) . Hoffman and Streisand appear to be shoehorned clumsily into the narrative, and the main story of the Focker family and Owen Wilson's ongoing infatuation with Stiller's wife simply retreads old ground. Stiller has said that he has "an idea" for a fourth installment which - if it happens - is unlikely to deviate from this cosy formula on this evidence.

DVD: A Christmas Carol (dir: Robert Zemeckis, 2009)

"You don't believe in me..."

Disney's festive offering for 2009 was a literal and uninspired CG-3D take on the Dickens classic, with added aerial swoops and carriage chases for that extra dimension. In fact, the film is so utterly designed for the 3D experience that the 2D version on DVD is really quite dull and unengaging, a remarkable feat for such a fantastic tale. Voice work is generally good, with particular nods to Colin Firth and Gary Oldman. Dickensian London and the Thomas Kincade-style countryside settings cannot but fail to look good, and the advances in CG technique are clear to see in use of lighting and shadow especially. But like Beowulf and The Polar Express before it, this version of A Christmas Carol exists in that Zemeckis netherworld between cartoon and reality, and whilst the ambition is laudable and may well be another stepping stone on the road to completely photorealistic CGI, the viewer is constantly reminded of the overwhelming question: why not just make a decent live-action version?

FILM: Tron Legacy 3D (dir: Joseph Kosinski, 2010)

"What does this User deserve?"

Tron was such a curiosity when it came out in 1982, which was a visual and conceptual treat in spite of the uneveness of its writing, and it could be argued that it almost single-handedly paved the way for all of the CG blockbusters that we have today, such was its impact on many of today's leading film-makers. To have a genuine sequel 28 years later was surprising although perhaps not entirely unexpected, given the developments made in CG, technology and 3D. Using the conceit of Flynn's grown-up son entering the world of 'The Grid' enables a lot of hurried 're-imagining' of key scenes and ideas from the original, without really adding much that is new. Jeff Bridges is good value as always playing the older Flynn and the digitally de-aged Clu, and Garrett Hedlund plays well as son Sam (even if seeming a little old for the spoiled-rich-kid routine at times). The film does look shiny, but the drained and relentlessly gloomy colour-palette becomes tiresome, lacking the pop of the original film's quaintly simple graphics, and as a result the 3D effect is frequently - and surprisingly - underwhelming. Daft Punk's score is superb, easily embracing the new and the retro (think John Carpenter meets Eric Serra at their peak). The somewhat predictable ending is well-played and nicely handled, but rather like Tron Legacy as a whole, it is somewhat disappointingly functional rather than exciting.

FILM: The Chronicles Of Narnia - The Voyage of the Dawn Treader 3D (dir: Michael Apted, 2010)

"I see you're still talking nonsense, the two of you!"

The third Narnia movie does achieve its aims of bringing back the 'magic' (to a large extent) as well as a reasonable stab at a focus on C.S. Lewis's core values (faith, belief, family). It is a significant improvement on the previous outing (The Chronicles Of Narnia: Four Kids Standing A Field), and the sea-faring exploits provide a welcome new settings and the capacity for some good, if fleeting, action scenes. The film improves considerably as it goes along, from an alarmingly shaky start to a rip-roaring final half-hour that generates surprising tension and emotion. As in the previous instalments, Skandar Keynes continues to show promise as Edmund, Georgie Henley is frequently unwatchable as Lucy, Ben Barnes is irredeemably wet as Caspian, and newcomer to the franchise Will Poulter gives an effective if one-note performance as horrible cousin Eustace. Michael Apted conjures some rich visuals and the post-conversion 3D is one of the better examples. The problem with this franchise is that full-length movies highlight the thinness of the source novels in terms of narrative and characterisation, and if the soft US opening weekend does spell the end of this troubled cinematic series, Dawn Treader does at least provide a fitting climax to the trilogy so far and as a light fantasy movie provides solid entertainment.

FILM: Monsters (dir: Gareth Edwards, 2010)

"Doesn't that bother you, that you need something bad to happen to profit from it?"
"You mean, like a doctor?"

Monsters has generated a lot of positive buzz and strong word-of-mouth, and it all turns out to be fully justified. The slow-burn, authentic approach allows the characters to breathe and develop and for the film to display some wonderfully-composed visuals by director Edwards. The sparse, melancholic score by Jon Hopkins adds real depth to this micro-budget film, and FX shots are used sparingly and to terrific effect. The film is anchored by two superb and finely-nuanced contrasting performances by Whitney Able and Scoot McNairy, who are on-screen for almost all of the running time. The ending may not please the Friday-night-popcorn-crowd, but in keeping with the rest of the film, it rings true emotionally. Monsters is a genuine triumph.

FILM: Megamind 3D (dir: Tom McGrath, 2010)

"It can easily be reheated in the microwave of evil!"

If Despicable Me was clearly targeting the younger end of the 3D animation market, then Megamind is definitely not one for the kids. The arch script has an almost Austin Powers vibe, skewering the superhero genre neatly with wry subversion of the conventions, many references to other movies (especially the Superman and Spiderman franchises, as well as nods to other big-budget movies) and even playing with the 3D genre itself (juggling with babies!). An above-average voice cast (with truly considered performances from Will Ferrell and Tina Fey in particular) deliver a script that zips along and is more about raising knowing smiles and laughs-out-loud. 3D design is often stunning, and character arcs are unusually satisfying and effective for this type of film. Although it is not up there with the likes of How To Train Your Dragon or Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs, Megamind is solidly and consistently entertaining, but it doesn't really add much to what Pixar's The Incredibles got so right back in 2004.

FILM: Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 1 (dir: David Yates, 2010)

"It's a long story......"

Deathly Hallows Part 1 is a marked improvement on the last episode, the low-key and dull Half-Blood Prince. This is the Harry Potter film that really shows how far the movie franchise has come since the early days. It is a dark film, but it is the consistently serious tone and performances that keep it engaging throughout, in spite of the episodic nature of the narrative and the tightly-controlled steady pace. Radcliffe, Watson and Grint rise to the challenge equally, with Grint now showing that he is capably equal to the other two leads. The sheer range of locations and situations covered gives this instalment a lot of visual and character opportunities which translate well to the screen, and the emotional and visual bleakness often makes this a film most definitely not suited to the younger end of the audience. Alexandre Desplat provides an excellent score. Deathly Hallows Part 1 is inevitably one long teaser for the finale, but it sets up the big finish in a very satisfying and coherent way - we can only hope that Part 2 will deliver the filmic goods.

DVD: Nativity! (dir: Debbie Isitt, 2009)

"Who can spell me Bethlehem?"

Cute children? Animals? Christmas? Putting all three elements together should make this low-budget Brit comedy unbearable, but Nativity! has a knowing script and winning performances that put it mostly on the right side of entertaining. It splits neatly into three acts: the film opens reasonably grounded in reality, then becomes rather desperate to increase the stakes in the mid-section and ends with the primary school's triumphant performance in the ruined Coventry Cathedral (!) which makes Glee seem like a fly-on-the-wall documentary. It uses the neat trick of contrasting Mr Shakespeare's private school extravaganzas with Mr Madden's more down-to-earth group of children, making this a heartwarming tale of triumph-over-adversity. Marc Wooton provides a bizarrely funny characterisation as Mr Poppy, Madden's sidekick teaching assistant, but it is Martin Freeman's excellent performance as Madden that gives the film its strength and true heart.

FILM: Skyline (dirs: Colin and Greg Strause, 2010)

REVIEW No. 100!

"Is it getting worse?"

It is two out of two for the Strause Brothers following Alien vs Predator: Requiem: terrific trailer, hugely disappointing movie. Skyline is a digital update of War Of the Worlds, with inevitable nods to Independence Day, the Alien franchise, Starship Troopers and Cloverfield. The fundamental problem with the film is the peculiarly dislikable characters who are forced to spout relentlessly appalling dialogue, with which even a capable actor such as top-billed Eric Balfour clearly struggles. There is a lot of genuine D-grade-soap acting in evidence, suggesting that the Strauses are much better at their day job, marshaling special effects rather than actors. A couple of scenes create genuine tension - the first rooftop sequence works particularly well, for example - but curious or uncontrolled shot choices often undermine the intention. For its budget, the effects are good and give the film strong visual appeal. The film does reach a suitably operatic and nihilistic end-point, but this is then followed by a staggering final sequence that is utterly, spectacularly and jaw-droppingly misguided and tops everything else the film has presented to that point. The Strauses are going to get a critical kicking for this film, but it is novice screenwriters Cordes and O'Donnell who are responsible for Skyline's biggest failings.

FILM: RED (dir: Robert Schwentke, 2010)

"Did you VACUUM?"

RED is enormous fun. The film reflects its comic-book origins very carefully, with a nicely-constructed narrative and a witty, breezy script that the actors clearly relish. It treads that very fine line between contemporary and retro stylings in use of camera and superb soundtrack in particular with great success, in a way that Knight & Day failed conspicuously. Bruce Willis seems born to play lead Frank Moses, ably demonstrating what a magnetic screen presence and precise actor he can be, with Mary-Louise Parker providing the strong contemporary 'straight' character to Willis's pensionable agent on the run. Malkovich's comedy turn is spot-on, and the excellent Freeman and Mirren are worthy but slightly under-used in this ensemble. RED is an unashamed fantasy that is slightly-overlong but beautifully played, wonderfully written and extremely entertaining, and credit must be given to director Schwentke for maintaining style and quality consistently.