Brilliant. Best review I have ever read (so that's about 2 in my whole lifetime), now I don't need to watch the film.

Yeah, I can't live up to that I'm afraid:

New Moon
(De-loused in the Emo-torium.)

The second in the trilogy of four (or five - they might 'Hallows the last book), starts with Edward, the implausibly-haired vegetarian vampire, dumping his one true love Bella after his brother almost eats her. You, I and the rest of the world will be able to tell that this is 'for her own good' but Bella, being the emo icon she is, decides to mope. And mope she does. For the entire film. Unable to function without her slo-mo beau, Bella turns to reckless behaviour and the company of her suddenly incredibly buff 16 year-old friend Jacob. Who turns out to be a werewolf therefore allowing him to take off his shirt more readily than Matthew McConnahey at the sight of a pair of bongos. Then Michael Sheen appears, and then he goes and I am sad.

If you hadn't already twigged at seeing Robert Pattinson's unutterably hilarious slow motion, first appearance in the film, with his Zoolander 'Blue Steel' facial expression firmly in place, you will quickly realise that Chris Weitz has the measure of his audience: Gone is most of the interesting cinematography, any sense of urgency of plot or character development, replaced with much mooning and an almost complete lack of irony. I say almost because, in a neat twist, there is plently of gratuiotus flesh on show, all of it male; At one point Jacob sacrifices his entire T-shirt to dab ineffectually at a slight wound (and show off his smokin' guns), and his mates take any apportunity to run around with their shirts off. Eventually some plot occurs; Bella is whisked to Italy and comes across the Volturi, the ruling class/enforcers of the vamp world, at which point it becomes fun for the rest of us. Michael Sheen is fantastic as Aro, camping it up with the perfect amount of knowing. This comes as such a welcome relief from the utter, leaden seriousness of the rest of the cast I almost cheered. All too soon though the film moves on and we're left with the sighs of teenaged girls at the romance of it all and the desperate hope from the rest of us that something will happen in the next film.

This is a faithful adaptation that will have its fans melting with sighs and the rest of us melting into giggles. Avoid unless you can, with a straight face, say that it is the most romantic film you've ever seen. 2/5 (5/5 if you're female and born in the nineties)

The Wire on the brain...

This is bizarre. In just about every film I've watched in the last 10 days - new, old, cable and well, just random - have a whole bunch of The Wire cast hidden away in them. Tell me if you've spotted them...

Wonderful World - Matthew Broderick's roommate is Omar Little. He does a very unconvincing Senegalese accent which is part street, part rasta, part Indian and part Xiangxi region Chinese.

Hackers (cable) - the young black cop trying to catch AJ and that gimp (sick boy) is none other than a young Bunk. Pretty funny to see that NOTHING has changed from haircut to clothes.

Serendipity (cable) - when John Cusack and Jeremy Piven go into a Housing office, they ask a clerk for details about Kate Beckinsale. The clerk is none other than Bubbles' dentally challenged vein-pumper, Johnny who ODs in Colvin's drug sanctuary.

Public Enemies - One of Depp's gang members is played by Herc and his lawyer, a very annoyingly dramatic Irish Judge Daniel Phelan (who gives McNulty all the wire tap authorizations). Interestingly, after a shoot out, an extra who is meant to be dead, gets up and crawls partly out of shot, ass-first, while Depp's car gets away. Did anyone else catch this? Great film by the way. Thank God Mann redeemed himself after the Miami Vice tripe.

I have yet to watch Next Day Air, but guess who's in a lead role with Scrubs' Turk - yup - Avon Barksdale. Which other films are Wire peeps getting in on?

The Invention of Lying

While I think its great that Ricky Gervais has done good in the hood and taken America by storm, I wish Hollywood producers would stop stooping below him bum every five minutes and turn the resulting scooped poop into a movie. I only got through five minutes of the one where he sees and hears dead people before I flung the DVD off my balcony.

While TIOL starts out funnily and actually makes some clever observations about the inherent human charateristic of lying, the joke loses steam within 15 minutes and Gervais' seemingly throwaway stand up routine-turned-into-a-putrefyingly-boring-movie starts to make your eyes, ears and comedy control centre, bleed. What will probably make this worse for you is if you imagine him, Jerry Seinfeld style, doing the stand up as it plays out in front of you. Exactly- part of its funny, but the rest of it would never um stand up in front of a live audience so please America, stop stooping and scooping. Even the best dog owners sometimes leave nature's fruit to its own devices...Gervais is having the last laugh thinking - these twats are actually buying this shit. Mark my words, he will say it in one of several autobiographies before he dies.

The Informant

While slightly exhausting at its ridiculous stretch of over the acceptible amount of time that I should concentrate on any one person talking let alone a kazillion, this film is pretty good goddamn fun. Matt Damon keeps earning my respect even though I can never hear his name again without doing the South Park impression and wetting myself (even when alone in public places).

Next Day Air

Intensely poo film. Pointless, lame, a bad copy of the wire, lock stock and something that's trying to be clever with too much ham and cheese for it to be kosher. Did you like what I did there? Far too violent to be funny and too little plot, cleverness or laughs to watch. Even the DVD should be avoided - its that bad.

And saw the trailer for Fame - guess what? Another wire peep in there - the man-woman mum of that dude who topped himself but didn't in jail - she one scary lady man-thing dude.

V for Vendetta

I wasn't all that fussed at seeing the film but seen it I have and I have to (possibly for the first time) come down closer to the Govi* side of the fence than the Jonnyboy side: (If you can't be bothered to go back and check out the discussion Jon thought it was a morally muddled mishmash masquerading as a message movie (2/10), but Gov held that it was an eminently entertaining entrance into an extra-universal England(3.75/5).)

I'd just say that, having no great expectations, I was pleasantly entertained for 2 hours and haven't thought further on any themes raised - having read the debate I'd have to agree that the film does not delve as deeply as it could (and possibly should) into its themes of oppression, fascism, torture and vigilantism but this didn't bother me at the time (possibly as I'd switched my brain off). The acting is fine, though Natalie Portman's accent does waver alarmingly between Dick van Dyke and Catherine Zeta Jones and Weaving is lucky to be behind a mask. The visuals are adequate but, with some directorial flair, could have been great; just see 300, Sin City, et al. I think some of Jon's qualms about V's actions should be answered by the fact that he is an anti-hero of sorts who (I thought) was bordering on insane (who tortures someone to 'free them from fear'?). If this wasn't brought across, though then that's the film-maker's fault.

I also like to think the buildings were as empty as the Fight Club 'Where is my mind?' buildings, it being midnight.

Anyway worth a look if you can't be bothered with 1984 which is, let's face it, a bit of a downer. 3/5

Why the Phantom Menace sucked so bad. (in 7 parts).

Funny and insightful, although the narrator's serial killer schtick is unnecessary.

'Go ooooooooooooooon son! 'Ave it!' he says pumping his fists in some sort of pub-drunk, chavvy sort of manner. Awesome!

Avatar

I'm not going to ruin this for anyone by getting into the finer points of why I didn't like this film, but there is so bloody much of it to like that I'd say try and avoid the hype, don't read anything about it and just get stuck in. In 3-D its awesome (not as good as 'Meatballs' though) but Im going to watch it again because without the specs it seems the visual experience might be more superlative in terms of colour - if that's possible. Also having the cinema full and buzzing like when I went to see Star Wars Episode 3 and Batman Begins was awesome (i only wish SW E3 were as good).

Warnings - there's nothing you haven't seen here before in terms of storyline, but what drives Avatar home as a winning cinema 'event' other than the CGI and the mega million dollars flung at this, is the staggering magnitude with which the ride, the scenery, the emotion and the relativity of time are all melded into one edge-of-your-seat, hair-tingling, slap-in-the-face, action/sci-fi/tribal/apocalyptic/love story experience.

I loved this film - so much so that Jyoti had to restrain me as I shouted expletives at the bad guys and jolted in my seat like Keanu Reeves receiving a Juijitsu 7.0 upload in The Matrix. Awesome film - and I'm glad James Cameron is restraining himself in the ka-ching department by leaving a reminder that there's a sequel on the way - er not. Expect a Bad Boys II version in 2011.

All in all - bit Jurassic Park, bit Terminator-he-never-made, bit Lion King, lots of fibre optic trees and more Dances With Wolves than Last Samurai in a GM infested rainforest, and you're there. And how can you deny loving the gravitas and authority the Grand Dame of Sci-Fi and anthropology (remember Gorillas in The Mist? I had a bit part...) Sigourney Weaver brings to the show. When she's in a sci-fi movie, I believe anything she says!

Sadly she does not use the word bitch in this joint. *sigh*

Do it.

Govi*

PS - ok ok I cant resist (vague spoiler alert) - what the f*** is Giovanni Ribisi doing in this role? They may as well have cast Seth Green or Gary Coleman or someone in pampers to really sell the badness of this role to us. Jesus.

And why-oh-why couldn't they invest a teensy weensy bit of time in the ritualism? Why on EARTH did they have to simply copy/paste Masai/African motifs and rituals so that when we get to some key moments, the gag reflex comes so unpleasantly to life? Arseholes. They were so busy not seeing the woods for the green screen that this ruined what was building up nicely as an alternate-world-type-thing-but-not, entirely for me.

Rebecca (1940-Best Picture by Alfred Hitchcock)

If you haven't seen this film, I suggest you watch it. Aside from the fact that it is a brilliant film account of what happens in Daphne du Maurier's book of the same name, it is a testament to 1940s culture - the inherent male chauvunism, the quaint style of speaking, the colossal mansions that aren't all green screen and the wonderful use of the line 'You must read The Times; there's a thrilling article on what's the matter with English cricket.' There is another about how the leading lady might imagine being proposed to, but I won't spoil it for you. The whole film is worth just this one line.

Chilling without gore, special effects or Korean children burping and jumping out of barnets, Rebecca is a psychological head fuck with all the atmosphere and tension of a good old school film. Try and discount the warp speed talking in the most marrow-up-one's-bum manner and you're in for a refined ride.

Check it one time.

Govi*

I must briefly agree with Gov on Avatar; it is an excellent cinema experience, though I remain unconvinced by the whole 3-D thing and would like to see if it still impresses on the flat. The whole mo-cap, CG thing really works well – now all we need is a decent story to go with it, one that's not gloriously derivative. Unfortunately all those lazy jokes (Smirf-a-hontis, Dances with Smurfs, Fern Gully in Space) do have more than a grain of basis and so I don't see it working on the small screen. Go and see it while you can. 4/5 (that includes a whole star for being in the cinema).

Sherlock Holmes

This is a lot of fun - Downey and Law are excellent, Rachel McAdams is fatally under-written (just present it seems to assure us all that Holmes isn't gay) and Mark Strong glowers convincingly enough. As an introduction to a new series it works perfectly well, it’s not a classic and has followed the Batman example in setting us up for a big sequel that will hopefully allow full reign to the characters now that they don’t have to be introduced. In fact I'd say it's about on a par with X-Men as the first of a 'trilogy', so good but not so good that I'd buy it. 3.5/5

How many extra stars for watching it in an IMAX? I'm booked in to see in tomorrow on a normal cineworld screen but wondering if I'm making a mistake not waiting to go with some guys to the IMAX in London...

I saw it in 2D (3D makes Tizzy want to puke) and can confirm that it looks spanking despite being old-fashioned and that. I would like to see it in 3D however (and if that can be at the IMAX then so much the better) so if anyone wants second helpings in the Herts/London area then count me in.

I certainly can't see IMAX being a waste of time. On further reflection though, I think the 3-D impaired my enjoyment a bit. It added another barrier to absorption in the story as the film shoved a spear in my face or dangled ash in front of the screen. Or my glasses slipped off my obviously very shiny nose.
It's good to hear it's still spanky without the whistles.

Pete and I saw Avatar in IMAX 3-D, and I thought it did an excellent job of making the world have more depth w/o being distracting. In fact, I totally missed the spear/ash thing that King mentioned (although it is entirely possible that I was staring at something in the corner of the screen instead of paying perfect attention--I thought the background and the world itself were fascinating). It did make Pete feel dizzy, though. Plus, with the IMAX, you get these ridiculously large 3-D glasses that are fairly entertaining all by themselves.

Haven't posted on pretty much anything for a while so time for some recaps:

Avatar: liked it a lot. Saw it in 2D, seemed fine to me. Thought they laboured the 'Big imperialists vs little folk' motif a bit much though.

Where the wild things are: Odd. Not really a kids film but not really enough for an adult. But hey its Spike Jonze so it aint exactly gonna be straight forward.

Man on Wire: Oh. My. God. Watch it now. Superb. Man on tightrope between the World Trade Centre towers.

Garden State: Enjoyed. Portman a bit too kooky/annoying but Braff excellent.

The Hangover: Good fun, a bit too goofball and overhyped. It aint the funniest film ever by a long stretch.

Synecdoche New York: completely mental but genius. Am slightly biased as love Charlie Kaufman. If you can stop your brain melting by the end you've done well.

You clearly didn't read my review of Cynic:douche posted in '09 before watching this. Tsk tsk...I'm gutted. Even as a Kaufman fan you are obliged to hate this film.

I can see why loads of people would hate it. It does disappear up its own arse. Still love it though.

Marmite film.

You mean love me or hate me love me or hate me like Miss Demeanour

My Avatar 3D ha'porth woth:

After enduring a significant portion of time watching various shoddy rom-coms in the Cinema and on DVD, i was finally allowed to watch the near three hour magnificence of AVATAR 3D.

I loved it, just a visual treat, especially the wandering through the garden/jungle bits. These were also the times when the 3D effect was the most pleasing. At other times it was like the background and foreground were jumping out at you, but they were still like cardboard cut outs, somehow a lack of depth to them, if that makes any sense.

I haven't seen a film like this for a long time, in the big blockbuster mould that has left me feeling as awestruck as this in a long time.

Wouldn't see it again though....too damn long

More importantly, what is a ha'porth woth?

One of the Na'vi?

Recent Lovefilm rentals in descending order of greatness:

Man on Wire - genius doc/reenactment of the dude who wirewalked between the two towers
City Of God - brutal story of the brazilian gang fights based on a true story
In Bruges - Farrell fucks brush. Seriously though quite good
Garden State - odd. but good.
Blood Diamond - Leo speaking like Marno but to good effect. Hallo Pa
An Inconvenient Truth - one for the environmental nerds. urp
Gran Torino - GET OFF MY LAWN!!
Capote - Philip Seymour Hoffman with a squeaky voice
Frost/Nixon - reenactment of the infamous interviews
Zodiac - serial killer case with downey jr and gyllenhall
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - brad pitt gets younger. sam falls asleep
Kung Fu Panda - jack black good. story, wank.
Bobby - too many stars
Yes Man - no man. read the book instead

To add my comments to Sam's viewings (just for kicks):

Man on Wire - genius doc/reenactment of the dude who wirewalked between the two towers -Yes
City Of God - brutal story of the brazilian gang fights based on a true story Yes but quite possibly one of the best films I've seen - better than the above, not nec more enjoyable though.
In Bruges - Farrell fucks brush. Seriously though quite good Fuckin' Bruge, You're not goin' up there are you? 'Cos no offence but you're elephants.
Garden State - odd. but good. Not that odd, better than good - brilliant. (Not for Ween though - nothing happens)
Blood Diamond - Leo speaking like Marno but to good effect. Hallo Pa Not seen
An Inconvenient Truth - one for the environmental nerds. urp Disturbing
Gran Torino - GET OFF MY LAWN!! n the list
Capote - Philip Seymour Hoffman with a squeaky voice Not seen
Frost/Nixon - reenactment of the infamous interviews Liked
Zodiac - serial killer case with downey jr and gyllenhall Not seen
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - brad pitt gets younger. sam falls asleep Not seen, won't see
Kung Fu Panda - jack black good. story, wank. OK
Bobby - too many stars Not seen
Yes Man - no man. read the book instead Not seen, won't see

In a blatant rip-off of Sam's idea this is my recent LoveFilm viewing list:

The Paleface 2 March 2010 - Classic comedy western, not particularly classic, comic or all that Western.

El Dorado 25 February 2010 - Classic John Wayne Western, worth seeing if only for James Caan's hat.

Adam's Rib 19 February 2010 - Classic b&w comedy; not funny, includes strange interlude for a song at a piano.

Roman Holiday 30 January 2010 - Audrey Hepburn's first big film (won an Oscar), very nice if a touch light.

Avatar - The Last Airbender - Book 2 - Second series of a brilliant Nickelodeon TV series - highly recommended.

Frost/Nixon 5 January 2010 - Great performances, good film.

Lars and the Real Girl 21 December 2009 - A little strange, quite quiet but worth a look.

V For Vendetta 8 December 2009 - Enjoyable if you switch off your brain and watch the fireworks.

Underworld - Rise of the Lycans 24 November 2009 - Utter tripe.

Robot Chicken - Star Wars 19 November 2009 - A ramshackle collection of Star Wars related skits without the charm of A&J.

The Band's Visit 16 November 2009 - Very interesting, lightly comic tale of an arabic band who get lost in Israel. Check it out.

The Insider 16 November 2009 - Michael Mann does Erin Brokovich

Let the Right One In 28 October 2009 - Wonderful, Swedish, Cold.

Faster Pussycat Kill...Kill! 22 October 2009 - Lots of boobs, not much plot, acting or characterisation.

I don't do Lovefilm, but I watched Underworld: Rise of the Lycans on Sky Movies tonight and decided that I would review it in real time. Here is the result:

Preconceptions: this will be crap. First two Underworld films were 50% crap and 60% crap in that order. My main memory of the first one is Bill Nighy getting his head sliced in half and the top half sliding off (didn't that also happen at the end of Equilibrium? It should happen in more films). From the second, Kate Beckinsale unzipping her outrageous leather suit before sexy-time with werewolf/vampire man is the scene that sticks fastest in my mind.

A woman is speaking. Someone called Victor is mentioned -€“ Bill Nighy?

Yes, it's Bill Nighy.

A badass werewolf has been bred by Bill Nighy. He proves his toughness by beating up lots of people.

This film is very dark, I'm going to have to turn the lights down.

Bill Nighy is chief vampire. Apparently the werewolves aren't doing as they are told, a few of them a chasing a guy through the woods -€“ how rebellious. Tell a lie, it's a Kate Beckinsale replacement being chased -€“ Rhona Mitra. She's Bill Nighy's daughter. Standard pouty, rebellious heroine. She's been saved by Michael Sheen who appears to be a posh werewolf slave now he's grown up.

Bill Nighy has got freaky contact lenses in which are meant to make him look scary I suppose, but really make him look like he should be in The Prodigy circa 1997.

Hang on, Mitra and Sheen are wrestling naked on a clifftop. Naughty. Sheen has some sort of key. Maybe he is the keymaster and she is the gatekeeper.

Sheen wants to runs away with Mitra. I'm confused, I thought this film was supposed to be about the love story between a vampire and werewolf, but these two are already in love. Story over surely? It's going to descend into a mediocre werewolf-slaying fest fairly soon I'd imagine. Sigh.

Lots of werewolves and slicing and dicing. Still can't really see what is happening though. This is worse than the first two films.

Sheen looks fairly buff for a skinny man, but he's been naughty so here comes the stock torture / punishment scene.

Sheen is now in jail and I'm very bored. It occurs to me that these vampires haven't really done any vampire-y things yet (i.e. sucking blood) -€“ kind of takes away the point of having them around. Sheen is organising a werewolf rebellion, but do I care? Not really.

This has either been one really long night, or there has been a full moon for about a week. Or maybe this story just jumps between full moons?

The werewolves are revolting. Bill Nighy looks well pissed off about it.

Sheen is giving his Mel Gibson 'Braveheart' speech, mercifully shorter than the real thing.

Mitra has literally nothing to do now except mope around the castle. Oh dear, daddy has found out about her bumping uglies with Tony Blair/David Frost. He looks even more pissed off than before -€“ the veins on his head are about to pop. Nighy is doing enough (over)acting for everyone. I wonder which other films have so successfully wasted this much talent in one go.

We seem to be heading to the climax of the film. The film obviously wants us to side with Sheen and Mitra against Nighy, but anyone who has seen the previous two films knows that Nighy and Sheen survive, but Mitra is absent from them, so they are going to have to pull something out of the bag here to surprise me.

Oh, Mitra is up the duff (should I have known about this from the previous films? I think I probably should). Didn't think Nighy could look any more pissed off, but he has proven me wrong.

Now there appears to be some sort of trial going on -€“ strange, as up until now there doesn't seem to have been any organised vampire justice system. Mitra is dead.

Sheen is in a sulk and has run off. Oh and it's another full moon, imagine my surprise.

Now for the big final battle. The werewolves look like they are stop-motion animated. Weird, did they run out of money or something?

Bill Nighy is dead. Wait. What? But...didn't...oh never mind.
Okay, some sort of unexplained resurrection type deal coming up then no doubt...
Ah yes, there he is, looking pretty chipper for someone who just got a sword through his head. Brilliant.

Verdict: see preconceptions.

Brilliant.

Alice in Wonderland

Ignore the hype and you'll enjoy this film. I read some critiques that Burton always screws up material that's been done before. Said critic obviously wept when it wasn't Disney's rendition of the film brought to life in Beetlejuice-esque 3-d funness. All in all, the storyline gets off to a shaky start, but kept my attention and I marvelled at how much I enjoyed Burton's take on the tried, tested and quite frankly tiring subject matter. Helena Bonham Carter, since Fight Club, isn't bloody annoying and actually quite awesome. Anne Hathaway has some arm problem and they've made her nose look like mine (which for a pretty girl is bad news). Tweedle Dee and Dum made me laugh like a girl (which for a hairy man like me is only sort of socially acceptable...but in the dark is sort of strange)...
All in all - 3.5/5 - truly awesome fun.

The Lovely Bones
I didn't read anything about this film before going along with Jyoti on our 7th wedding anniversary to watch what I thought was going to be a CGI-tastic film with some storyline dealing with someone's loss and a girl in a funny hat. F*ck me sideways, this film had us so creeped out, afraid, depressed and shocked to within an inch of our lives that I have now been banned for the rest of our marriage from choosing films for anniversaries at random. That notwithstanding, this film seems like its for parents trying to get over the sudden and brutal loss of their kids, but kind of feeds them with all the scary and pant-soiling moments of stalking, murder and contact lens scariness (Tucci) so scrap that first idea. It has a cheesy ending, but is ultimately is a film for I don't know who. Perhaps people who are intrigued by the idea of children being murdered and then hopefully getting some sort of bizarre karmic revenge. I don't know. Weird, scary and terrifying, I recommend you watch this film on its 'should watch' merit but not on your anniversary or if you have kids. 3/5 Those who like seeing directors in their precious cameos or for those happy-happy CGI heavens, this will suffice too.

A salutary lesson in random film-going there. For the future Gov (and particularly when you get round to taking your kids to the cinema) the BBFC website contains a thorough examination of the classification of films. For instance:



(There's much more to it on there.)

This might be a bit much for every time you go but worthwhile if your daughter is 10 and wants to go see 'a film about a girl in a funny hat'.

Noted. Point well made. Still, by age 10 I reckon she's probably bypassed the proxy to her kindle torrent chip anyway so she's going to see what she wants to see despite the BBC's, Uncle King's and Daddy's best efforts. Damn hats. They're all to blame.

Angel-a

Un film du Luc Besson Angel-a is the story of Andre, an inept chancer on the run from his debts in Paris, who rescues a mysterious woman from her suicide attempt and finds her changing his life for the better.

It's not bad; the banter between Jamel Debbouze and Rie Rasmussen is sparky, the B&W photography looks great and there's a certain fascination in Rasmussen's willingness to wear such a very short skirt (she's a fashion model in real life) but ultimately the plot is a little lacking: He's a loser, she's an angel, she solves his problems and makes him look at himself in a new light, they fall in love, The End.

3/5

I really want to know where the beardy Frenchman meets all these skinny, statuesque models...

Green Zone

Chief Warrant Officer Roy Miller (Matt Damon) is in Iraq to track down Saddam's WMD programme. When his third site comes up empty he starts asking questions of the intel and soon it's not only the Iraqi Insurgents he has to worry about.

Wow. This film made me nervous for about 90 minutes (it runs for a total of 115); it's a sign of the immersive nature of a Paul Greengrass movie. As Miller continues to ask difficult questions of his superiors and goes further 'off reservation' in search of answers, the audience gets drawn further into the cluster-cuss the US administration made of post shock and awe Iraq.
Damon is excellent as a patriotic soldier determined to do his duty but unable to let go of his ideals enough to let the issue of a burden of proof slide. Jason Isaacs is serviceably convincing as a hard-nut, special forces antagonist to Damon but I felt that most of that come in the direction and edit rather than his performance (his economical first scene in particular which sees him tip Damon on his ass as leave him in his 'copter's dust is a case in point), Brendan Gleeson does well in his role of Basil Exposition and Greg Kinnear is a suitably slippery political type but Amy Ryan has little to do but sit around looking faintly annoyed and ever so slightly guilty.
It's perhaps inevitable that in trying to make a commercially successful film some of the shades of grey are ironed out; as the film progresses to a climax that is perhaps a little neat, a definite 'bad-guy' emerges; where perhaps there should just be mistakes, there is deliberate wrong-doing and we're left with a satisfied feeling of 'job done'. On the one hand this makes for a great film experience but some might feel that it's a touch too pat. Personally though I think that that's a minor quibble - I'd rather enjoy a well rounded, intense, ribbon-tied action film that provokes thought than a careful dissection of the problems of the region that provides only questions.
In short; if you are up for 'Bourne with politics', a thrilling action-fest with political super-text it's a must see. 4/5

The ending is soooo lame though. And those bizarre random special effects and silly contact lenses thing she does is poo too.

Where the Wild Things Are

Young kid has a fertile imagination (demonstrated in a much better fashion in Son of Rambow). Domestic trouble leads him to find an alternate world of beasties and furry ghouls in a wood. Film then explores kid's imaginated alternate reality through domestic strife symbols and some craizee type alternate reality he builds in his mind. All in all - the film fell flat for me and didn't take me along simply because while I'd love to explore another kid's mind (frequently exploring my own) the journey just doesn't hold up because it's limited by his slightly uninteresting premises, rules and silliness. I just found it lame. Some fun moments though, but all in all too shallow to really engage me in a Pan's Labyrinth or Never Ending Story way. Bah humbug. For a better kid's film for grown ups see the one's I've mentioned in this review. For an example of another bad example of this kind of film watch Phoebe in Wonderland. Truly atrocious.
2.5/5

This is true, but as the entire plot was a little tired and I felt that most entertainment could be gleaned from the romance of the photography and the shortness of her skirt, I didn't think I'd need make that point explicitly and went for faint praise instead...

I agree - the film was fun though...

Mary & Max
Dark, touching, bizarre and mildly distressing, this stop motion animation caught my eye on a BBC film review and I had to get hold of it. It tells the story of a young girl in Australia - Mary, who while growing up in a dysfunctional family, starts writing completely randomly to a dumpy and endearing 44 year old Jew called Max in New York. They are both as emotionally damaged as the other which leads to a series of letters and goodies that go back and forth that changes their lives forever. It is hum drum and entertaining, taking its time like treacle dripping down the side of a tin, but I loved every bit of it. Barry Humphries is the narrator and his voice to me elicitis the feeling of cream tea and toast on a cold and rainy day - warm, comforting and with all the notes of the best storyteller grand dad you ever had. I want to adopt Barry Humphries as my bed time story teller.

Aside from the style, characters and stop-motion oeuvre being one of my faves (I blame Morph and Pingu) the storytelling style of Mary and Max reminds me of the way they tell the story in Amelie - its narrative cycles along till you judder over a bizarre image or ironic gem that lingers with you long after the film's over. An ultimately sad story and one that has you wondering how much of the 'based on a strue story' tag should count, it is a heartwarming and enchantingly endearing trip through the correspondence of complete strangers. A must for all who like indie animation cinema choc full of child-like wonder and a sprinkling of life's harsher moments.
4/5

Adam and Joe once asked: "Has Colin Farrell ever made a good fillm?"

The answer to this question is, believe it or not, yes.

That film is In Bruges.

That is all.

I second that JP, that's a cracking film and he is very good in it!

I agree also but would add that he is also in Minority Report which is far from a bad film.

Agreed, although he had a rather small part in that film. He did die well though.

Rosie - I will ignore your sarcasm.

hmmm for once i actually didn't mean to be sarcy but I suppose you can't change a leopards' spots and all that...

Ah so the sarcasm emoticon was a red herring then? In that case you successfully fooled me!

oh I just thought it was an "Yeah man Im cool like you and in your 'liking that film' club" emoticon....

Yeah, to be fair I had no idea what it meant - had to google it.

Hurt Locker

Bloody awesome. Bloody good. Just watch it. But be scared pretty much all the way through the film. To sum up - Cowboy bomb diffuser goes to Baghdad and evokes memories of Full Metal Jacket and Apocalypse now in a less grand, but intense nod to the genre, with even time for some Top Gun quality antics. Do it.

4/5

Nine

This film has all the creative musical equivalents of stories that end 'and then I woke up and it was all a dream...' Considering the human sphincter of actors that Day Lewis has become and hot on the heels of There Will Be Blood, I cannot understand why he would do this film or such an accent so badly (at the beginning we thought he was German). It has truly affected my impression of him and ruined a move watching night.

Guido Contini (Day Lewis) is a renowned Italian director who is under extreme pressure to produce a 'hit me baby one more time' and the film is his anguish in song about his inability to do so. Aside from seeing some of the most sultry leading ladies (ok Kidman is not sultry, she is more porcelain doll by Chanel) half nekkid and doing the bawdy strip thing (Cruz the runaway winner with the prize for most cradle-worthy and deserving of tears wiped away going to Cottilard) I see no reason to ever watch this film. Judi Dench in stockings and a boa is another. No matter how many wigs you put on the lady, the ill tempered pomegranian beneath still has the ability to chill one's soul. It seems like the Chicago directors wanted to make a quick buck - the sets and costumes are awesome, but the lyrics and storyline are as limp as a dog called Bizkit.

Day Lewis' accent is also like listening to a chariot with square wheels go by. It is distracting, unnatural and very annoying. And with a name like Guido, in the wake of the Godfather how can anything ever turn out well.

Please don't watch this film - unless you have the urge to skip to the songs where the women undress and sing. Except Dame Dench. Her number and the rest of the film deserve to be put behind a screen in a Nazi movie hall as tinder to the rest of this smelly joint.
0.5/5

Shutter Island
Scorcese takes on a genre of horror and twist in the tale that's reminiscent of those pallid 50s and 60s thrillers that have odd lingering dramatic moments. This film is more Hitchcock than Romero and works to great effect. There's nothing new here - with the speed at which the horror scene has taken off in Hollywood- with good and bad effect, this sort of storyline is bound to make you groan by the end of it. But on this one, its the journey more than the destination and well worth a watch if you fancy being scared (only a little) but treated to a superb homage film in the process. Well shot, well paced and evocative of that 'what's really real?' feeling, Shutter Island will have you feeling a tad disorientated and suitably troubled.

3.75/5

Hmm so they're giving Film 2010 to Claudia Winkleman. My first reation was incredulity as she was nowhere on my radar when it comes to film, but as Ross caused much the same reaction when he took over from Barry Norman, I'll reserve judgement...ish.

It's hard to escape the thought that they're heading for light ent. with the show...whether or no this is bad I'm not sure. I didn't watch it anyway (on too late and all my film recs come from Empire/Wittertainment).

Yeah, I can't get excited about this really either. It has been light entertainment ever since Wossy took over and I can't say I watch it that much. I also think Barry Norman is/was a crap film reviewer so I'm also not one of those who bemoan the lack of seriousness in the show.

Alice in Wonderland 3D

Acting: Fine
Story: OK
Costumes: Great
3D: Bloody awful
Overall: Meh

3/5

Just seen Kick-Ass...One word: Awesome!

Aslo just watched Girl with the dragon tattoo which was also great and I shall review at some point.

I couldn't agree more with this verdict.

Take 'The Inbetweeners', add superheroes, a teaspoonful of fight scenes from 'Old Boy' and 'Kill Bill', and a pinch of 'Superbad'. Mix it all together and bake for 2 hours. Mmm, yummy.

Kick Ass

Average teen decides to become a super-hero; gets ass kicked, gains fame by actually saving someone, gets in over his head, is rescued by an 11-year-old girl with a penchant for knives and slicing up bad guys and her Adam West-impersonating dad and then gets in a bit further over his head.

Hopefully by now everyone has an idea what the film's about so I shall relatively briefly say that this is what I wanted from Wanted and what I'd rather watch than Watchmen (sorry). It's fun, bright, frantic, violent, well-acted and sure to piss off The Daily Mail. Jane Goldman has done a great job of adapting the comic and doesn't screw up the ending this time (though it must have been an easier proposition than Stardust). Matthew Vaughan's direction is surprisingly assured, making the leaps from his previous films look easy and making me wonder why he even bothered producing Guy Richie films to start with. The acting is uniformly good; Aaron Johnson manages to make Dave/Kick Ass nuanced and sympathetic and not completely overshadowed by Chloe Moretz's Hit-Girl or Nic Cage's Big Daddy. This is quite an achievement as both these characters are bat-shit crazy (in the words of Empire), and hugely entertaining to watch. Watch out for Cage's Adam West impersonation whilst in the BD suit and any scene with Hit Girl - it's just fun to have an 11 year-old-girl doing most of the swearing and killing. There's also sterling work from Vaughan's go-to bad guy Mark Strong and some almost cameos from our favourite Lock, Stock... actors Dexter Fletcher and Julian Flemyng to watch for. Oh and McLovin'.

In short watch it now. 4.5/5

What Kingol said above. I'd also like to add that Kick Ass has one of the best uses for an Elvis Presley song in any film ever.

Has anyone seen Surveillance? It's pretty damn good. Bill Pullman gives the performance of his life.