Classic Friday : A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984) 9/10

Starring : Robert Englund, Heather Langenkamp, John Saxon, Ronee Blakley
Director : Wes Craven
Running Time : 92 mins

The folk who live on Elm Street start to get very concerned when a series of killings, targeted at the young teenagers in the area, start to escalate. What's more, they bear the uncanny mark of a serial killer who had operated in the area years earlier - but he's supposed to be dead, so is it the work of a copy cat, or is Fred Krueger (Englund) still alive and killing?

This is one of the best horror films of all time. Although it spawned one or two pretty bad sequels, especially part two, this remains an original and well thought through scary movie from the guy who went on to give us the Scream series. Freddy Kruger is an original villain who still has the power to frighten viewers to this day, and thankfully in the original his sense of humour never steered over into the ridiculous.

You’ll like this if you liked : Friday The 13th

Prom Night (2008) 6/10

Starring : Brittany Snow, Scott Porter, Jessica Stroup, Dana Davis, Johnathon Schaech
Director : Nelson McCormick
Running Time : 90 mins

Years after her parents were murdered by her infatuated teacher Richard Fenton (Schaech), Donna (Snow) plans on attending her senior prom, but unfortunately for her this is the same night that Fenton escapes from prison and journeys to the hotel where the prom is taking place to finish off the job he began years earlier and finally make her his.

Even though this movie is only 90 minutes, it felt a lot longer. The last half an hour felt incredibly dragged out, and by the time it gets to this point I didn't really care. The deaths were predictable, what with most of the victims actually going up to the room that the killer was hiding in, and any sympathy for the victims had completely disappeared by the time the less than genius level murderer struck for the last time. I mean, killing some one in bed next to you when you're not even fast asleep yet? Come on!

You’ll like this if you liked : I Still Know What You Did Last Summer

Southland Tales (2006) 7/10

Starring : Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Seann William Scott, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Justin Timberlake
Director : Richard Kelly
Running Time : 145 mins

Three years after a nuclear attack on Texas, America is in a state of disarray with a totalitarian government controlling the country with an iron grip and a zero tolerance approach to crime. Movie star Boxer Santaros (Johnson), once an aspiring politician but now suffering from memory loss, starts filming a movie based on a dream he had and, as he tries to get his memory back, he soon realises that his dream may be far more real than he first thought and may in fact be related to a tear in the fabric of time.

When you think of The Rock, the word pretension rarely springs to mind, but this movie really was the most pretentious movie I've seen in a long time. It isn't the fault of the actors, who steer this overly long vehicle of Richard Kelly's towards it's long overdue conclusion, and the story is reasonable enough though a little disjointed, it just feels like Kelly is trying to ram as much nonsense into his viewers faces as possible in the time he has. Don't get me wrong, it is enjoyable in parts, it's just the parts between those parts that spoil it.

You’ll like this if you liked : The Nines

The Ten (2007) 8/10

Starring : Paul Rudd, Famke Janssen, Jessica Alba, Adam Brody, Rob Corddry, Kerri Kenney-Silver, Ken Marino, Gretchen Mol, Oliver Platt, Winona Ryder, Liev Schreiber, Justin Theroux
Director : David Wain
Running Time : 97 mins

Jeff Reigert (Rudd) presents ten different stories, each one based on one of the Ten Commandments, ranging from a man (Brody) who is declared a God because he survived a fall from a plane without a parachute, to a woman (Ryder) who steals a ventriloquist's dummy that she's fallen in love with.

This is a very entertaining series of vignettes which are so silly you just have to laugh at them. There are a lot of cameos from some big comedy stars as well as some less likely stars, and the whole set up sort of reminded me of Amazon Women On The Moon. Paul Rudd works well in the lead, with writer Ken Marino making some funny appearances himself. Look out for the coveting sketch with Liev Schreiber, it's very entertaining.

You’ll like this if you liked : Idiocracy

Whale Rider (2002) 8/10

Starring : Keisha Castle-Hughes, Rawiri Paratene, Vicky Haughton, Cliff Curtis
Director : Niki Caro
Running Time : 98 mins

When Paikea (Castle-Hughes) is born into a family descended from a long line of Maori male warrior leaders, her grandfather Koro (Paratene) is instantly disappointed, so Paikea is forced to lead her life constantly trying to prove to her grandfather that she is worthy of he heritage and will prove herself to be a great leader in spite of being a girl.

This is a simple tale, told in a very powerful way with a stunning performance from Castle-Hughes in the lead role. She manages to convey a sublime innocence whilst still feeling spiritual and wise. Paratene as the grandfather is suitably mean and seemingly unloving, with Cliff "Uncle Bully" Curtis making an appearance as the young girl's father

You’ll like this if you liked : Rabbit-Proof Fence

Racing Stripes (2005) 7/10

Starring : Frankie Muniz, Mandy Moore, Michael Clarke Duncan, Bruce Greenwood, Hayden Panettiere
Director : Frederik Du Chau
Running Time : 98 mins

Accidentally abandoned by his circus family, Stripes (Muniz) is a zebra who grew up thinking he would one day become a race horse. Living on a farm with his animal friends, he soon convinces his young owner, Channing Walsh (Panettiere), to try to enter him into an important race so he can prove to the other horses that he is just as good as them.

This is a nice enough movie, but it suffers from being extremely predictable. The voice cast breathe life into the animal actors and keep their performances largely light and fluffy, whilst the human actors try desperately to keep the movie from devolving into sentimental slush. Worth watching if you're young or young at heart.

You’ll like this if you liked : Babe

The Edge Of Love (2008) 6/10

Starring : Keira Knightley, Sienna Miller, Cillian Murphy, Matthew Rhys
Director : John Maybury
Running Time : 107 mins

Welsh poet Dylan Thomas (Rhys) finds his life made complicated when his ex-lover Vera Phillips (Knightley) turns back up in his life. Following their separation prior to World War II, Dylan has now married Caitlin (Miller), but she and Vera become solid friends, a situation that Dylan seems to relish, but when Vera marries a soldier named William Killick (Murphy), Dylan becomes noticeably riled by his intrusion upon their small group.

This was a long winded way of some director getting Knightley and Miller into a bath together. The plot is confusing if you try to read too much into it, but if you like either of the leading ladies or just soft core lesbianism, then you might actually enjoy this movie to some degree.

You’ll like this if you liked : Miss Potter

Jimmy Neutron : Boy Genius (2001) 8/10

Starring : Debi Derryberry, Patrick Stewart, Martin Short
Director : John A Davis
Running Time : 79 mins

Child genius Jimmy Neutron (Derryberry) has invented a communication satellite from odds and ends around his home, and the message he sends out alerts an alien race of human exist. When he wakes up the next morning, he finds that his parents have disappeared, having been abducted - along with all the other grownups in Retroville - by the Yookians, lead by the evil King Goobot (Stewart)!

This is a nice little animation for both children and grownups alike. There are plenty of explosions and silly jokes that will keep children entertained, whilst the underlying adult mentality of the animators and writers comes through at odd moments to give chucklesome humour to the parents forced to watch this by their kids.

You’ll like this if you liked : Chicken Little

Charlie Bartlett (2007) 8/10

Starring : Anton Yelchin, Hope Davis, Robert Downey Jr, Kat Dennings
Director : Jon Poll
Running Time : 97 mins

Charlie Bartlett (Yelchin) has been kicked out of every private school he's ever attended, so as a last resort his mother Marilyn (Davis) enrols him in a regular high school. Once there he is faced with bullies and the fact that he doesn't fit in, so he resorts to selling his ritilin medication to the pupils as a way of getting them to like him.

This is a very witty movie that uses the talents of Downey and Davis to help make it into something special. Yelchin puts in an amiable performance as the eponymous hero who uses his wits and cunning to make friends and influence people into bettering themselves. This is a great little movie that is sure to become something of a cult classic in a few years

You’ll like this if you liked : American Beauty

Step Up (2006) 6/10

Starring : Channing Tatum, Jenna Dewan, Damaine Radcliff, De'Shawn Washington, Mario, Drew Sidora, Rachel Griffiths
Director : Anne Fletcher
Running Time : 104 mins

Perpetual trouble maker Tyler Gage (Tatum) gets sentenced to community service at the local dance school after causing some property damage. Once there, working with the school janitor, Tyler starts to help out dance student Nora Clark (Dewan) whose dance partner has been injured, and soon the two start to get to know each other as Tyler tries to get into the school as a student and Nora tries to help him perfect his dance moves.

This is a very predictable teen drama which doesn't even try to disguise the story's obvious plot turns. Tatum plays the hip-hop white guy, which seems to be an odd choice of actor, who hangs out in the hood with his homeys, whilst Dewan plays the spoilt student who learns to love him. Clearly this is a poorly executed rehash of Fletcher's Save The Last Dance with the races almost reversed but the characters remaining too similar to make this stand out from the crowd.

You’ll like this if you liked : Save The Last Dance

Classic Friday : Bowfinger (1999) 10/10

Starring : Steve Martin, Eddie Murphy, Heather Graham, Christine Baranski, Terence Stamp
Director : Frank Oz
Running Time : 93 mins

Unsuccesful director Bobby Bowfinger (Martin) wants the opportunity to make a classic movie, but he can't convince Hollywood superstar Kit Ramsey (Murphy) to star in the movie. So, with the help of a motley crew of terrible actors, bad film makers and Kit's nerdy brother Jiff (Murphy), Bowfinger begins to follow Kit around, filming him secretly and getting the cast to perform with him without his knowledge.

This is probably the last great movie by Steve Martin or Eddie Murphy. They are truly in their element here, with Martin playing the manipulative schemer and Murphy his unwitting sidekick. There are some great comedy moments that, once seen, are completely unforgettable, and Frank Oz brings his unique comic timing to the fore, accomplishing a comedy masterpiece that everyone will enjoy.

You’ll like this if you liked : The Last Shot

Sugarhouse (2007) 5/10

Starring : Steven Mackintosh, Ashley Walters, Andy Serkis
Director : Gary Love
Running Time : 88 mins

Tom (Mackintosh) is a middle-class businessman who meets D (Walters) in a cafe in the hope of purchasing a gun, but when it turns out that the gun was stolen from Hoodwink (Serkis), a gangster who is worried the gun can be traced to his involvement in a murder, things start to get very confusing and violent.

Andy Serkis's acting here really spoils what could have been an interesting, though simple, gangster movie. Mackintosh and Walters are both playing stereotypes, but manage to not fall into the usual traps of the characters, even though Walters is pretty annoying, but Serkis's overly violent criminal character is almost laughable, and the ending is as predictable as the apparent twist in the tale

You’ll like this if you liked : Snatch

Transporter 3 (2008) 6/10

Starring : Jason Statham, Natalya Rudakova, Francois Berleand, Robert Knepper
Director : Olivier Megaton
Running Time : 99 mins

Frank Martin (Statham) is once again hired to deliver a special package, this time it comes in the form of Valentina (Rudakova), the kidnapped daughter of a powerful Ukranian whose contacts make life difficult for Frank as he travels from Marseilles to Odessa to deliver Valentina to his bosses.

Now, there are over the top action movies, and then there are Jason Statham action movies. This movie's action sequences are so beyond a joke it's distracting, and it soon becomes difficult to follow any plot through this mish mash of shootings, car crashes and explosions. Still, people who liked the previous instalments might get a kick out of this.

You’ll like this if you liked : Revolver

Big Fat Liar (2002) 7/10

Starring : Frankie Muniz, Paul Giamatti, Amanda Bynes, Amanda Detmer, Lee Majors, Donald Adeosun Faison
Director : Shawn Levy
Running Time : 84 mins

Jason Shepherd (Muniz) is a compulsive liar who finds himself to be the ultimate boy who cried wolf when Hollywood producer Marty Wolf (Giamatti) steals his short story entitled Big Fat Liar and uses it to make a Blockbuster movie. In order to prove that he really did write the story, he and his friend Kaylee (Bynes) travel to California to find the cheating producer and get him to come clean about his latest script.

This isn't a very clever movie, but it does have enough light chuckles to keep it entertaining. Giamatti is the stand out star as the Hollywood producer who gets the Home Alone treatment and is ritually humiliated by Muniz and Bynes in order to get him to admit his crimes to Muniz's parents.

You’ll like this if you liked : Home Alone

The Shaggy Dog (2006) 7/10

Starring : Tim Allen, Robert Downey Jr, Kristin Davis, Danny Glover, Spencer Breslin, Jane Curtin, Zena Grey
Director : Brian Robbins
Running Time : 94 mins

Workaholic deputy district attorney Dave Douglas (Allen) is bitten by a 300 year old sheep dog that has escaped from a genetics lab and soon finds himself slowly taking on the characteristics of the elderly pup. As he transforms back and forth into a dog himself, the DA finds himself the target of Dr Kozak (Downey), a scientist who wants to use the dog's DNA as a sort of fountain of youth formula, whilst also having to contend with his disappointed wife (Davis) who thinks he wants to leave her.

This Disney remake gives Tim Allen the chance once again to play a character that is going through a transformation, ala The Santa Clause. This, however, has more comedy value with Allen gradually gaining the abilities of a dog through the first half of the movie. Mainly aimed at young children, this is still a likeable movie for grownups if you ignore the transparent moralisations that leak into the storyline as the movie progresses.

You’ll like this if you liked : The Santa Clause

Charlie's Angels (2000) 6/10

Starring : Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, Lucy Liu, Bill Murray, Sam Rockwell, Tim Curry, Crispin Glover
Director : McG
Running Time : 94 mins

A trio of female private investigators are sent on a mission by their boss to help rescue a kidnapped software engineer, which in turn leads them to a criminal plot to use his valuable software and it's voice recognition systems to overtake every multimillion dollar conglomerate in the world.

This was a pretty weak concept which allowed music video director McG to make a 90 minute music video. The presence of the three leading ladies does little to improve the lacklustre story line, and the Matrix style visuals coupled with Mission Impossible style sequences do nothing to further the plot. Thankfully Bill Murray brings some comedy to this movie, but sadly he was no where to be seen by the time the sequel went into production.

You’ll like this if you liked : Mission : Impossible II

Boogeyman (2005) 6/10

Starring : Barry Watson, Emily Deschanel, Skye McCole Bartusiak, Tory Mussett
Director : Stephen Kay
Running Time : 85 mins

Ever since he was a child and witnessed his father's disappearance, Tim (Watson) has been terrified of closets, so when he is forced to return to his childhood home he decides to try to confront his fears and face the Boogeyman, the monster he believes lives in his closet. There he discovers that his childhood fears were not as unfounded as people had told him, and that the Boogeyman could be very real indeed.

There's a big difference between good pacing and leaving the scares until too late. Here we are given an example of the latter, with the Boogeyman not even making an appearance until the final act. The story is a good idea, and a simple one, but the execution could have been better, though it's possible the makers didn't care so long as it achieved some straight to video sequels.

You’ll like this if you liked : The Messengers

Sinbad : Legend Of The Seven Seas (2003) 7/10

Starring : Brad Pitt, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Michelle Pfeiffer, Joseph Fiennes, Dennis Haysbert
Director : Tim Johnson & Patrick Gilmore
Running Time : 81 mins

Intrepid seafarer Sinbad (Pitt) is promised eternal riches by the evil goddess of chaos, Eris (Pfeiffer), in return for the Book Of Peace which she plans to use to destroy mankind, but when Sinbad is accused of stealing the book and sentenced to death, his friend Prince Proteus covers for him, and Sinbad is forced to go on a mystical journey filled with magic and monsters in order to retrieve the book from Eris to save his friend's life.

Some of the computer animation, specifically the sea creature that appears in the first 10 minutes, looks really cheap, and most viewers would expect more from the studio that brought us Shrek, but overall this is another action packed cartoon that delivers on its promises of amazing action sequences and intriguing storylines on a par with old classics such as Clash Of The Titans and Jason And The Argonauts, although in parts it is a little too sentimental for a Sinbad movie.

You’ll like this if you liked : Hercules

Bangkok Dangerous (2008) 5/10

Starring : Nicolas Cage, Shahkrit Yamnarm, Charlie Young, Panward Hemmanee
Director : The Pang Brothers
Running Time : 99 mins

Joe (Cage) is a hitman sent to Bangkok to execute a number of hits. While there he selects a young lad named Kong (Yamnarm) to do his errands for him and forms an unusual bond with him, through which he starts to show him how his job is done. When Joe also starts a relationship with deaf shopworker, Aom (Hemmanee), he starts to have second thoughts about his career choice, so when confronted with his latest target, the Prime Minister of Thailand, he has to choose between his job and his opinion of himself.

Once again Nicolas Cage proves that he has little or no personality in this waste-of-time remake. His character gives little or no reason to us to sympathise with him, and his last minute change of heart is on a par with Sergeant York. Don't bother with this mediocre effort, it's reined by Cage's bad acting.

You’ll like this if you liked : The Punisher

School For Scoundrels (2006) 8/10

Starring : Billy Bob Thornton, Jon Heder, Jacinda Barrett, Luis Guzman, David Cross, Horatio Sanz, Todd Louiso, Sarah Silverman, Michael Clarke Duncan
Director : Todd Phillips
Running Time : 104 mins

Feeling that he isn’t as confident as he wishes he could be, Roger (Heder) is encouraged by his friend Ian (Cross) to enrol in a sort of self help class. This class, taught by the bullying Dr P (Thornton), does succeed in getting Roger to take some action in his life, but Dr P soon decides to interfere and tries to steal away the girl Roger loves, Amanda (Barrett).

This was actually a pretty enjoyable comedy, with some nice moments of humour that didn't go too over the top to make them irritating. Heder is okay as Roger, the put upon traffic warden, but Thornton is outstanding as the beguiling yet bullying Dr P, who makes certain that it's difficult to know when or if to trust his character at all. Plus, there are some interesting cameo performances from Sarah Silverman, who seems to be playing the same character from School Of Rock, and Ben Stiller, who looks like Tom Cruise in Born On The Fourth Of July.

You’ll like this if you liked : Anger Management

Classic Friday : Star Trek II The Wrath Of Khan (1982) 8/10

Starring : William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, Walter Koenig, George Takei, Nichelle Nichols, Paul Winfield, Kirstie Alley, Ricardo Montalban
Director : Nicholas Meyer
Running Time : 109 mins

Captain James T Kirk (Shatner) and his crew are performing routine training procedures when Khan (Montalban), a deadly enemy from their past, re-emerges with his genetically engineered followers and performs a raid upon Regula One, stealing a top secret device known only as Project Genesis.

This is one of the best of the Star Trek movies, and is definitely one of the two most popular along with First Contact. The crew have found a new energy that was often missing from the original series and are able to mock themselves whilst still giving a powerful action packed performance. There is something a bit more grown up about this instalment, what with the solid 15 certificate and the brain eating worms that proved so popular with viewers. A great addition to the series, and the one that helped it last so long, at least until number four.

You’ll like this if you liked : Alien

City Of Ember (2008) 8/10

Starring : Saoirse Ronan, Harry Treadaway, Bill Murray, Tim Robbins, Martin Landau, Mackenzie Crook
Director : Gil Kenan
Running Time : 96 mins

When Lina Mayfleet (Ronan) and Doon Harrow (Treadaway) are given their life time job assignments in the city of Ember, they start to notice that there are some suspicious things going on. As power outages increase, and food supplies start to dwindle, the two youngsters decide to investigate how to resolve the issue, and discover a long forgotten secret that could save their whole city from destruction.

Although very slowly paced, which might mean some kids won't have the patience to sit through the whole movie, this was pretty entertaining and proved to be an adventure filled thrill ride that doesn't talk down to kids and shows that young characters in children’s stories don't have to be comical or unrealistic. This is a good movie that the whole family could enjoy.

You’ll like this if you liked : Logan's Run

Chocolat (2000) 8/10

Starring : Juliette Binoch, Lena Olin, Johnny Depp, Judi Dench, Alfred Molina, Peter Stormare, Carrie-Anne Moss
Director : Lasse Hallstrom
Running Time : 116 mins

Vianne Rocher (Binoche) mysteriously shows up in a small devoutly Catholic French village in the late 1950s and opens up a chocolate shop in the middle of the season of Lent, much to the anger of the mayor, the Comte de Reynaud (Molina), who desperately tries to bad mouth her around town. Unfortunately, the rest of the village folk - particularly the women - don't find the shop so objectionable, and soon start partaking of Mme Rocher's confectionaries.

This is a silly little movie which makes the idea of liking chocolate seem like a mortal sin, with Binoche portrayed in part as the suave devil of the piece, tempting people with her chocolate without even breaking a sweat. Molina is wonderfully understated as the town mayor who fights tooth and nail to prove that his religion is superior to the newly opened chocolate shop, with Olin's battered wife being both maniacally over the top and calmly soothing.

You’ll like this if you liked : Hearts In Atlantis

Teeth (2007) 8/10

Starring : Jess Weixler, John Hensley, Josh Pais, Hale Appleman
Director : Mitchell Lichtenstein
Running Time : 94 mins

Dawn (Weixler) believes in the sanctity of marriage, as such plans on remaining a virgin until she's married, but this life choice also stems from a secret she holds - she has a second set of teeth in a very private place which, when provoked, do everything in their power to protect her from the advances of teenage boys.

This horror story takes a lot from the early Cronenberg movies, with Weixler playing the victim inflicted with a terrible ability that turns her into an unwilling killer. The pacing is wonderfully slow, not allowing the idea if guys getting their willies bitten off get in the way of some great reaction shots and wonderful acting from Weixler herself. There are some moments that will send most guys checking that their little man is still there, but overall the humour of the piece is what won me over.

You’ll like this if you liked : Rabid

Goal! (2005) 6/10

Starring : Kuno Becker, Stephen Dillane, Alessandro Nivola, Anna Friel
Director : Danny Cannon
Running Time : 113 mins

Santiago Munez (Becker) is a gifted Mexican football player living in Los Angeles, but when he is offered the opportunity to play for Newcastle United he soon decides to swap the sunshine of LA for the drizzle of Newcastle.

This movie was okay, and it was very unusual to see it was written by the comedy double act of Ian La Frenais and Dick Clement as there was very little in the way of outright comedy. The simple story, the usual rags to riches tale flipped in reverse by sending someone from the usually rich Los Angeles to the poor working class city of Newcastle was funny in theory, but overall this comes across as a strict coming of age drama whereby Becker is forced to overcome his illness to become a world famous football star. A sequel was made, but as yet the trilogy has not been completed.

You’ll like this if you liked : Fever Pitch

Johnny English (2003) 6/10

Starring : Rowan Atkinson, Natalie Imbruglia, Ben Miller, John Malkovich
Director : Peter Howitt
Running Time : 84 mins

Following the accidental death of every MI7 agent in the United Kingdom, the government are forced to call upon the aid of bumbling agent Johnny English (Atkinson) to help protect the Crown Jewels which are due to go on display. Unfortunately multi millionaire businessman Pascal Sauvage (Malkovich) has come up with a dastardly plan that involves stealing the jewels as part of his plan to take over the world.

Basically this is an extended version of the old Barclaycard adverts that Rowan Atkinson popularised in the late nineties. There's little plot, but plenty of slapstick as Atkinson gets everything wrong in his pursuit of justice. Malkovich does a reasonably convincing French accent as Sauvage, but it's hard to figure out why an actor of his calibre is in such a low budget comedy. There's the typical plot development you'd expect in a basic cop or spy thriller, with English being taken off the case half way through, but this is still worth checking out if you like Atkinson, even though the slapstick humour might grate on some viewers.

You’ll like this if you liked : The Man Who Knew Too Little

Burn After Reading (2008) 7/10

Starring : George Clooney, Frances McDormand, John Malkovich, Tilda Swinton, Brad Pitt, Richard Jenkins
Director : Ethan & Joel Cohen
Running Time : 92 mins

When gym workers Linda Litzke (McDormand) and Chad Feldheimer (Pitt) find what they believe to be a top secret CIA data disc, they decide to try and make some money out of it by selling it back to the government, but even though the disc contains no pertinent informaion, the two soon find their lives taking a downward spiraland their very lives begin to be in danger.

As opposed to most of their films, this Coen Brothers effort is very obvious with its comedy. This black comedy of errors will have some people rolling in the aisles, but others will be too confused about what's going on and who's who to get a chance to so much as crack a smile. If you get the Coen Brothers humour, this is a nice little black comedy, otherwise steer clear.

You’ll like this if you liked : Fargo

Marie Antoinette (2006) 7/10

Starring : Kirsten Dunst, Jason Schwartzman, Judy Davis, Rip Torn, Rose Byrne, Asia Argento, Molly Shannon
Director : Sofia Coppola
Running Time : 116 mins

At the tender age of 14, Austrian princess Marie Antoinette (Dunst) is sent to France to marry King Louis XVI (Schwartzman) in order to bear him an heir, but her young age and her naive sheltered outlook on life soon leads her into trouble, ranging from her disinterest in politics to her disliking of some of the courts courtesans.

Dunst is wonderfully spoilt and girly in this role and comes across perfectly compared to what we know of Marie Antoinette, with the Paris Hilton style dog added as a nice touch. Schwartzman underplays any emotion in his role as Louis XVI, playing perfectly to his character of being disinterested in sex. This isn't Coppola's usual fair, but it is enjoyable and emotional, though it does drag on a little too long in places.

You’ll like this if you liked : The Other Boleyn Girl

Hallam Foe (2007) 8/10

Starring : Jamie Bell, Sophia Myles, Ciaran Hinds, Jamie Sives, Maurice Roeves, Ewen Bremner, Claire Forlani
Director : David Mackenzie
Running Time : 91 mins

Hallam Foe (Bell) is a voyeuristic teen who becomes convinced that his step-mother Verity (Forlani) was somehow involved in his real mother's suspicious death. After confronting her, he decides to leave his family behind and journey to Edinburgh where he meets and becomes obsessed with Kate (Myles), a young woman who bears a striking resemblance to his dead mother.

This is a very Freudian drama, which makes twists an turns so sharply it's very hard to predict what will happen next. Bell's character is likeable whilst still remaining a dark and disturbing, something that isn't easy for an actor to pull off, and it's sad to see he went on to make a film like Jumper which really didn't stretch his abilities.

You’ll like this if you liked : Donnie Darko

The Prince And Me (2004) 6/10

Starring : Julia Stiles, Luke Mably, Ben Miller, James Fox, Miranda Richardson
Director : Martha Coolidge
Running Time : 106 mins

After seeing an advert on television claiming that girls in Wisconsin will do anything, Prince Edvard of Denmark (Mably) decides to go there under the pretence of wanting to learn more about America's heartland, but once there he soon realises that the advert wasn't entirely true and that the majority of women there are harder to win over, especially medical student Paige Morgan (Stiles) who he takes an instant liking to.

This is the sort of fare that fans of Freddie Prinze Jr will enjoy. Mably is a hateful character in this movie, and does little to endear himself to the audience other than get a job and get beaten up a lot. Stiles more starts to pity Mably than fall in love with him, but the Florence Nightingale effect must work sometimes, and here we can see it in full effect. Not worth watching unless you like fairy tale movies mascarading as romantic comedy.

You’ll like this if you liked : The Princess Diaries

Classic Friday: Monty Python And The Holy Grail (1975) 8/10

Starring : Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin
Director : Terry Gilliam & Terry Jones
Running Time : 86 mins

A group of brave knights, led by the intrepid King Arthur (Chapman) journey in search of the Holy Grail after Arthur is sent a message from God, but the journey is not a simple one, and Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table meet many an obstacle in their religious quest.

This is the first proper Monty Python movie - not counting And Now For Something Completely Different which was pretty much made to sell the Python's in the States - and the influence of their TV show is clear. The plot is strong and has direction, but the antics are zany, over the top and completely off the wall. From the Black Knight who never gives up the fight, to the slightly biased witch trials, right up to the flesh eating rabbit, this movie has everything a Python fan can expect from the team. A must see!

You’ll like this if you liked : Monty Python's Life Of Brian

Two Brothers (2004) 7/10

Starring : Guy Pearce, Jean-Claude Dreyfus, Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu, Freddie Highmore
Director : Jean-Jacques Annaud
Running Time : 100 mins

In the 1920s a pair of tiger cubs are separated when big game hunter Aidan McRory (Pearce) captures one of them, Kumal, and sells him to the circus. His brother Sangha makes it his mission to rescue his brother, and embarks on a years long search for his long lost sibling throughout the whole of French Indochina and beyond.

This is a cute movie which really takes us into the mind of the tigers without patronising us by dubbing them with human voices. Both as cubs and as fully grown cats, the tigers are beautiful and enchanting and give the viewer a cuddly insight into the life of a tiger. Sadly most of the actors in the movie do little to engage our attention, but who cares when you're watching a movie solely about two tigers?

You’ll like this if you liked : Homeward Bound

Disaster Movie (2008) 1/10

Starring : Matt Lanter, Vanessa Minnillo, Gary "G Thang" Johnson, Nicole Parker, Crista Flanagan, Kimberly Kardashian, Ike Barinholtz, Carmen Electra, Tony Cox
Director : Jason Friedberg & Aaron Seltzer
Running Time : 89 mins

After having a prophetic dream telling him that the world will come to an end on his birthday, Will (Lanter) is terrified to discover that a meteor storm is raining down over his home city, and that the only way to stop this apocalypse is to return a crystal skull to its rightful place.

This was really bad. I thought I'd seen awful movies when I willingly sat down to watch Epic Movie and Meet The Spartans, but this was abysmal. There's basically no plot, the acting is poor, and the premise is barely reflected throughout the movie. There are hundreds of disaster movies that the writers could have chosen from, but what do they choose? Juno? High School Musical? Enchanted? No sign of The Day After Tomorrow or Deep Impact or even Independence Day. This trash has to be stopped, I was once willing to give it a chance, but now I'm going into these movies knowing that they are going to be 100% rubbish.

You’ll like this if you liked : Epic Movie

Then She Found Me (2007) 7/10

Starring : Helen Hunt, Colin Firth, Bette Midler, Matthew Broderick
Director : Helen Hunt
Running Time : 93 mins

April Epner (Hunt) is almost forty and wants nothing more than to have a child of her own. When her husband Ben (Broderick) leaves her and her adopted mother dies, her need for a child increases tenfold, but when she meets her biological mother, a chat show host by the name of Bernice Graves (Midler), she starts to think of the relative pros and cons of adoption.

This is a nicely written movie which plays off the characters' neuroses with Woody Allen like style. Hunt's debut as a writer and director is strong and makes for a nice introduction to her potential new career direction. Hopefully she can keep her momentum going, that way her next movie will be stronger and more even with just as good a script.

You’ll like this if you liked : Juno

Calendar Girls (2003) 8/10

Starring : Helen Mirren, Julie Walters, Penelope Wilton, Annette Crosbie
Director : Nigel Cole
Running Time : 103 mins

A group of women, all of whom are members of the North Yorkshire branch of the Women's Institute, decide to create a nude calendar in the hope of raising money for the local hospital to set up a new leukaemia ward after one of their husbands dies from the disease.

There are some comedy gold moments in this movie, ranging from young boys accidentally walking in on the naked old ladies to the reactions of the women's husbands to the news that their spouses are doing a dirty photo shoot, but overall the tone is very subdued and goes for more of a bittersweet feel than one of out and out farce There are some great performances, specifically from leads Mirren and Walters, but the remaining casting of ageing stars put in some great comic turns as the remainder of the Calendar Girls.

You’ll like this if you liked : The Full Monty

The Stickup (2001) 6/10

Starring : James Spader, Leslie Stefanson, David Keith, John Livingston
Director : Rowdy Herrington
Running Time : 92 mins

John Parker (Spader) is a big city cop who quite his job following his partners death in exchange for moving to a small woodland town. There he falls for a nurse, Natalie Wright (Stefanson), and things seem to be going well for him until he finds himself on the run, accused of robbing a bank.

This had a real seventies feel to it, from the story line to the soundtrack. Spader is quite subdued in his performance, going for a sort of Harrison Ford in The Fugitive feel, but this works well and makes it difficult to determine for most of the film whether or not he is guilty of his apparent crimes. An interesting guess-who style thriller which, on the whole, works well but does drag on a little to begin with.

You’ll like this if you liked : First Blood

Nutty Professor II : The Klumps (2000) 6/10

Starring : Eddie Murphy, Janet Jackson, Larry Miller
Director : Peter Segal
Running Time : 102 mins

In a desperate attempt to rid himself of his alter ego, Buddy Love (Murphy), Professor Sherman Klump (Murphy) creates a new formula, but the side effects simply lead to Buddy Love becoming mutated and taking on a separate form to the long suffering professor...

This movie is a lot more crass than the first instalment starring Murphy. The Klump family are in it far more, and their behaviour is even more overboard than previously shown, and there are some very unpleasant scenes involving Larry Miller and a mutant hamster. Fans of Murphy will enjoy this, but if you're looking for a clever comedy like the original with Jerry Lewis then you're going to find yourself out of luck with this.

You’ll like this if you liked : Big Momma's House

The Magdalene Sisters (2002) 8/10

Starring : Geraldine McEwan, Anne-Marie Duff, Nora-Jane Noone, Dorothy Duffy
Director : Peter Mullan
Running Time : 114 mins

A trio of Irish girls, who have all been accused of sin, are sent to the Magdalene Asylum - basically a workhouse run by nuns where apparently fallen omen were sent to clense their sins so they wouldn't be sent to hell. There they are faced with threatening behaviour and violence from the mother superiror, Sister Bridget (McEwan), who won't leave them alone until they fall into line and obey her oppressive rules.

This is a frightening movie, which shows us the terrible truths about behaviour towards young women in the 60s, when they were sent to asylums for getting pregnant or being raped, under the pretence that they were somehow the only ones to blame. There are some very dark scenes, most of which revolve around the girls being paddled or forcibly having their heads shaved, so steer clear if this sort of mental and physical torture is too much for you.

You’ll like this if you liked : Girl, Interrupted