Scream 4 (2011) 7/10

Starring : Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette
Director : Wes Craven
Running Time : 107 mins

Ten years after the last of the infamous Woodsboro murders, Sidney Prescott (Campbell) returns home on the final leg of her book tour, promoting a self-help book she’s been working on as a result of her murderous experiences. Unfortunately her return sparks the return of the ghostface killer, and the entire town is in danger.

Everyone will be comparing this to the original trilogy, and rightfully so. It’s good, but not as good as the originals. Imagine if someone came along and made Back To The Future 4? It’s a nice idea, but ultimately unnecessary. Scream 4 doesn’t actually ruin the series, but I did feel that a ten years later follow up was just a way of making more money.

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

Outlander (2008) 7/10

Starring : Jim Caviezel, Sophia Myles, Jack Huston, John Hurt, Ron Perlman
Director : Howard McCain
Running Time : 116 mins

Humanoid alien Kainan (Caviezel) crash lands his vessel on Earth in the year 709 AD. There he encounters a tribe of Vikings who he enlists the help of to fight and destroy an vengeful man-eating alien predator that has been chasing him through space and wants him dead.

This movie is an interesting idea, but I can’t help feeling that it’s been done before. I might be wrong, but I’m convinced I’ve seen something similar to this made in recent years. Even so, it is an action packed thrill-fest that manages to perfectly balance the futuristic alien horror with the period Viking action, with Jim Caviezel perfectly cast as the alien outsider.

You’ll like this if you liked : Beowulf

Red Riding Hood (2011) 6/10

Starring : Amanda Seyfried, Gary Oldman, Billy Burke, Shiloh Fernandez, Max Irons
Director : Catherine Hardwicke
Running Time : 100 mins

Valerie (Seyfried) is in love with a young man named Peter (Fernandez), but her parents have already arranged for her marry another gentlemen, the well to do Henry (Irons). So the young lovers plan to run away, that is until Valerie hears the news that her older sister has been killed by what the villagers believe to be a werewolf, and what’s more they believe that the wolf is one of the villagers.

I thought this was going to be completely rubbish – instead it was jut okay. Seyfried pretty much puts no personality into the role, which is a shame because she was great in Mean Girls, but thankfully the supporting cast – including the always brilliant Gary Oldman – manage to save this otherwise mediocre effort.

You’ll like this if you liked : Blood And Chocolate

Surrogates (2009) 8/10

Starring : Bruce Willis, Radha Mitchell, Rosamund Pike, James Cromwell, Ving Rhames
Director : Jonathan Mostow
Running Time : 89 mins

In a futuristic world where humans live in isolation and instead send out surrogate robots to live their lives for them, FBI agent Tom Greer (Willis) is forced to leave his home for the first time in years to investigate the first murder that has occurred in this supposed Utopia in fourteen years. The victim has been using a device that fries the brain of both the surrogate and the user, and might spell the end of surrogacy if the perpetrator isn’t tracked down and stopped.

This is an intriguing futuristic sci-fi thriller much in the vein of I, Robot. Willis plays the FBI agent with an interesting balance between the two versions of himself, managing to appear distant and disconnected when he’s the robot, yet angry and overly emotional when he is human. This movie is a must for all sci-fi fans, and fans of thrillers might enjoy it too.

You’ll like this if you liked : I, Robot

Rio (2011) 8/10

Starring : Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway, George Lopez, Leslie Mann
Director : Carlos Saldanha
Running Time : 92 mins

Domesticated macaw Blu (Eisenberg) lives in a book shop with his owner Linda (Mann) who has been his best friend for fifteen years. When Linda discovers that Blu is the last male of his species, she is convinced to bring him to Rio de Janeiro so he can mate with Jewel (Hathaway), the last female, but the two macaws are soon stolen by smugglers. When they manage to escape, with a combination of Jewel’s street smarts and Blu’s uselessness, the two are forced to fend for themselves.

This cute movie relies heavily on the relationship between the two macaws – one having been spoilt by its owner, the other having to grow up in the wild. This counterpoint makes for a great character-based comedy that kids and adults alike will appreciate, and the idea of a bird that doesn’t know how to fly is inspired.

You’ll like this if you liked : Madagascar Escape 2 Africa

Going The Distance (2010) 7/10

Starring : Drew Barrymore, Justin Long, Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis, Christina Applegate, Ron Livingston
Director : Nanette Burstein
Running Time : 103 mins

Erin (Barrymore) and Garrett (Long) meet one night after Garrett has been dumped by his long term girlfriend, and they have what they think will be a one night stand. Garrett isn’t ready for a new relationship and Erin only has six weeks left of her internship before she heads back to San Francisco, so everything seems ideal until they fall for each other and are forced to face facts – either try out a coast to coast relationship of break up...

This is a reasonably likeable comedy drama that, unfortunately, doesn’t really go anywhere. It starts with the couple getting together, being quite happy, then thinking “Hmm, long distance is bad”, then getting back together anyway. Even though this basically starts and ends in much the same way, it is still an enjoyable rom-com that would be ideal for a quiet night in with a loved one.

You’ll like this if you liked : Knocked Up

The Roommate (2011) 5/10

Starring : Leighton Meester, Minka Kelly, Cam Gigandet
Director : Christian E Christiansen
Running Time : 92 mins

When college freshman Sara Matthews (Kelly) moves from Iowa to Los Angeles to study fashion design, she thinks everything is going to be perfect, but when strange things start happening to anyone even remotely close to her, she starts to suspect that there might be something wrong with her roommate Rebecca (Meester).

This movie just wasn’t what it made itself out to be. I thought it was going to be an incredibly tense psychological thriller filled with twists, turns, and jumpy moments. Instead this terrible teen movie – which classes itself as a sort of remake of Single White Female – delivered nothing but bad scripting and disappointment.

You’ll like this if you liked : Swimfan

Leaves Of Grass (2009) 7/10

Starring : Edward Norton, Richard Dreyfuss, Susan Sarandon, Keri Russell, Tim Blake Nelson
Director : Tim Blake Nelson
Running Time : 100 mins

University lecturer Bill Kincaid (Norton) goes back to his home town in Oklahoma when he hears his identical twin brother Brady (Norton) has been murdered. He soon discovers that his brother is still alive and has hatched a plan to use their similarity in order to use him as an alibi while he goes off to kill rival drug dealer Pug Rothbaum (Dreyfuss).

This is a well-structured and pretty clever black comedy that manages to balance violence with coincidence almost perfectly. Norton plays both twins with great ability, making each of them distinct from the other, and the set up to how they finally get caught out on the murder of Rothbaum is very subtly put into place.

You’ll like this if you liked : A Simple Plan

The Mechanic (2011) 6/10

Starring : Jason Statham, Ben Foster, Tony Goldwyn, Donald Sutherland
Director : Simon West
Running Time : 84 mins

Assassin for hire Arthur Bishop (Statham) seeks revenge when his close friend and mentor Harry McKenna (Sutherland) is murdered. He sets out on a mission of vengeance against those who killed him, and finds himself aided by Steve McKenna (Foster), Harry’s son, who wants to learn Arthur’s trade as an assassin and avenge his father’s death.

No matter how many good actors you put in a movie, the balance is always tipped into the negative when you cast Jason Statham in the lead role. Sutherland is good for what little of the film he is in, and Foster always puts in a sterling performance, but Statham manages to transform this from a movie with great potential into a standard British crime caper.

You’ll like this if you liked : Transporter 2

Lesbian Vampire Killers (2009) 6/10

Starring : Mathew Horne, James Corden, Paul McGann
Director : Phil Claydon
Running Time : 83 mins

When Jimmy (Horne) is dumped by his cheating girlfriend, and Fletch (Corden) is sacked from his job as a children’s entertainer, they decide that what their life needs is an adventure and head to a random location for a camping holiday. Fate chooses the small town of Cragwich, where they meet a troupe of Swedish hotties in a camper van. Unfortunately, the town holds an evil curse that dictates that every woman on their eighteenth birthday will turn into a lesbian vampire…

This movie desperately feels like it is trying to be another Shaun Of The Dead. The problem is that Edgar Wright was not involved in any way, and Corden and Horne aren’t really that funny. This is almost like watching a badly made modern Carry On film, and the two mains guys just feel like they’re trying too hard and failing badly.

You’ll like this if you liked : Doghouse

Furry Vengeance (2010) 4/10

Starring : Brendan Fraser, Brooke Shields, Ricky Garcia
Director : Roger Kumble
Running Time : 92 mins

Real estate developer Dan Sanders (Fraser) and his family find their lives turned upside when the new housing subdivision he is helping to develop is invaded by the local wildlife, who are protesting about the destruction of their woodland homes.

Young children and those who are easily amused will find this movie funny. Fraser gets beaten up by the animals left right and centre, but that’s about where the humour ends. This is supposed to be aimed at kids, yet apparently it’s funny to try and kill someone via carbon monoxide poisoning! I’m not sure if this is the most responsible of movies, even in spite of its ecological morals...

You’ll like this if you liked : Dr Dolittle 2

Hop (2011) 7/10

Starring : James Marsden, Russell Brand, Kaley Cuoco, Hank Azaria, Hugh Laurie
Director : Tim Hill
Running Time : 92 mins

EB (Brand) is the son of the Easter Bunny (Laurie) and wants nothing more than to be a drummer instead of following in the family tradition so, running away from his family home on Easter Island, he heads to Hollywood – the city where dreams come true. There he meets Fred O’Hare (Marsden), a twenty-something slacker who will do anything to avoid work, and they reluctantly become friends. But while EB is away, Carlos (Azaria) the Easter chick hatches a plan to overthrow the Easter Bunny business and run it himself.

Primarily this is just a kid’s movie, but there are a few moments that will appeal to adults too. There are some funny moments sprinkled throughout the movie, but the flimsy plot and weakly connected scenes tend to be a bit of a let-down overall. Little kids will love the cute characters and the toilet humour, but might get a bit creeped out by Carlos the Easter chick-bunny.

You’ll like this if you liked : Alvin And The Chipmunks

It’s Kind Of A Funny Story (2010) 8/10

Starring : Keir Gilchrist, Zach Galifianakis, Emma Roberts
Director : Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck
Running Time : 102 mins

Craig Gilner (Gilchrist) is a gifted high school student who thinks that life is just too hard, so decides he might be better off if her were to commit suicide. Realising these thoughts might not be normal, he manages to check himself into an adult psychiatric unit for observation, where he is shown around be fellow patient Bobby (Galifianakis), and he falls for teenage patient Noelle (Roberts).

This is a very interesting, well observed movie that seems to rely on the premise that a teenager that might think he has depression is actually just going through all the normal problems that every teenager in the world might experience. The story is touchingly charming and definitely falls into the feel good category as the character of Craif manages to make a place for himself in the world and finally realises that he shouldn’t try to meet other peoples expectations and instead do what he wants with his life.

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

Aliens In The Attic (2009) 6/10

Starring : Carter Jenkins, Austin Butler, Ashley Boettcher, Robert Hoffman, Ashley Tisdale
Director : John Schultz
Running Time : 86 mins

Tom Pearson (Jenkins) is forced to go on summer vacation with his family to their holiday home in Creek Landing, Michigan. When the television goes on the fritz, he and his cousin Jake (Butler) go up to the roof to try and fix the antenna, only to discover that the house is being invaded by space aliens who have mind-control devices which, thankfully, only work on adults.

Primarily this movie will appeal to young children – the plot (what there is of it) is simple and pretty much doesn’t go anywhere. The only parts of the film that might appeal to anyone else are the mind-control scene where Hoffman’s character is subjected to repeated abuse at the hands of both the aliens and the kids themselves. Steer clear unless you have very young kids that you desperately need to keep amused.

You’ll like this if you liked : Small Soldiers

Sucker Punch (2011) 7/10

Starring : Emily Browning, Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgens, Jamie Chung, Carla Gugino
Director : Zack Snyder
Running Time : 110 mins

A young girl known simply as Babydoll (Browning) is institutionalized into a mental home by her abusive step-father who blames her for the death of her younger sister. As she retreats into a fantasy world where she and her fellow inmates are super tough femme fatales working at a brothel, she comes up with a plan to help her escape – a plan she needs to bring to fruition before she is lobotomized…

Visually this is a very interesting movie, but if you look below the surface this actually becomes even more interesting. Browning wonderfully underplays her role as Babydoll and manages to make what could otherwise have been a very dull movie into one where we are interested in the workings of the protagonists mind and want to know just what her plans are and how she expects to achieve them against what seem to be insurmountable odds.

You’ll like this if you liked : Sin City

Hatchet II (2010) 6/10

Starring : Danielle Harris, Kane Hodder, Tony Todd, Parry Shen
Director : Adam Green
Running Time : 86 mins

Having been the only one to escape from death at the hands of hideously deformed killer Victor Crowley (Hodder), Marybeth Dunston (Harris) returns to Crowley’s Louisiana swamp home with an army of hunters in order to recover the bodies of her dead friends and to put an end to Crowley’s reign of terror once and for all.

I can’t begin to tell you how disappointed I was by this terrible sequel. Hatchet is one of my all-time favourite horror films of recent years, thanks in most part to a fantastic cast and some ridiculously over-the-top violence, but it was also the script that I loved. Imagine my surprise after watching this to realise that Adam Green had written both movies! This almost felt like someone trying to copy his style and failing miserably, an it’s probably harder to take that the original writer is responsible. My advice – watch the original and pretend there isn’t a sequel.

You’ll like this if you liked : Halloween III