Tortured (2008) 6/10

Starring : Cole Hauser, Laurence Fishburne, James Cromwell, Emmanuelle Chriqui, James Denton, Jon Cryer, Kevin Pollak
Director : Nolan H Lebovitz
Running Time : 108 mins

A man calling himself Jimmy Vaughn (Hauser) is tasked by his drug lord bosses to torture an accountant named Archie Green (Fishburne) who is suspected of stealing money from his bosses. The trouble is Jimmy is actually Kevin Cole, an undercover FBI agent who is now faced with having to follow inhuman orders so as not to compromise his cover.

This movie so badly wants to be Reservoir Dogs but falls short of the mark by a country mile. I’m not saying it’s terrible; it’s just that it’s been done before and in more capable hands. Hauser and Fishburne – pretty much the focus of the movie – are okay, but some of the stuff is a little hokey, like Hauser screaming in his sleep and his therapy sessions with Kevin Pollak, who is possibly the most judgemental therapist ever, but there are some elements that would make this an okay movie to watch on a Sunday night.

You’ll like this if you liked : Thick As Thieves

Don Jon (2013) 8/10

Starring : Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore
Director : Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Running Time : 91 mins

Jon Martello (Levitt) is a womaniser and is addicted to porn, but when he meets Barbara Sugarman (Johansson) he put his womanising ways aside to pursue a meaningful relationship with her, but he doesn’t want to give up his porn watching habit. When she catches him masturbating, she is disgusted and breaks up with him, so now Jon has to find a way to wither wean himself off porn or face the fact that he can never be happy with a real life woman.

This is a funny movie that surprisingly seems to take the side of Levitt over Johansson, most noticeably in the scene where she says it is embarrassing to be seen with him buying cleaning products. In some ways Levitt’s character is quite a modern man, but his views on women are pure Neanderthal from beginning to end. Fans of Levitt’s work in Women In Trouble and Elektra Luxx will love this, his directorial debut.

You’ll like this if you liked : Elektra Luxx

Jesus Henry Christ (2012) 8/10

Starring : Toni Collette, Michael Sheen, Jason Spevack, Samantha Weinstein, Frank Moore
Director : Dennis Lee
Running Time : 91 mins

Henry James Herman (Spevack) is something of a child genius, in spite or because of his unorthodox upbringing by his feminist mother Patricia (Colette). On his tenth birthday, he receives a box from his grandfather Stan (Moore) containing the truth behind his birth – that he was the product of a sperm donor – so he sets out to find more information about his father.

I didn’t expect much from this little known comedy-drama, but was pleasantly surprised by the dark humour it contained, specifically in the performances of the child actors and the approach of their characters to finding their true parentage. There are some cruelly funny moments, mostly in the opening scenes where we learn what happened to Collette’s family, and the negative attitudes of many of the characters, combined with their odd outlooks on life, make this a very watchable film.

You’ll like this if you liked : The Way, Way Back

12 Years A Slave (2013) 8/10

Starring : Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano, Garret Dillahunt, Paul Giamatti, Scoot McNairy, Lupita Nyong’o, Adepero Oduye, Sarah Paulson, Brad Pitt, Michael Kenneth Williams, Alfre Woodard
Director : Steve McQueen
Running Time : 135 mins

It’s 1841, and Solomon Northup (Ejiofor) is a free black man living in New York with his family. One day he is abducted and sold into slavery, where he discovers just how terrible the life of a slave can be and spends more than a decade keeping his head down to avoid punishment while still trying to keep his dignity.

Ejiofor can pretty much turn his hand to anything, so this was bound to be a well-acted movie. Filled with cameos (mostly from white actors, with very few well-known black actors making appearances), this biopic of the life of a man abducted into slavery is hard to watch and filled with violent imagery that will stick with you long after you’ve finished watching. The racism portrayed in this movie is a reality that many Americans had to live with during the 19th century, and although this is a partially fictionalised version of Northup’s biography it is no more important that people can learn from the mistakes of the past (though without being felt to blame for what other people did many years ago).

You’ll like this if you liked : Django Unchained

Superman & Batman : Apocalypse (2010) 7/10

Starring : Kevin Conroy, Tim Daly, Summer Glau, Andre Braugher, Susan Eisenberg
Director : Lauren Montgomery
Running Time : 79 mins

Batman (Conroy) finds a mysterious alien girl named Kara (Glau) who turns out to be related to Superman (Daly). She is soon whisked off to Paradise Island by Wonder Woman (Eisenberg) who tries to teach her how to use her new-found powers, but when Darkseid (Braugher) attacks he kidnaps Kara and takes her to Apokolips, where Kara decides she wants to stay.

I loved the simple animation in this direct-to-video movie, and this actually felt like there was a storyline and not just a series of random fight scenes. Granted, there were a lot of fight scenes, but they felt like they were there for a reason and not just for spectacle. All in all this is a pretty decent adaptation.

You’ll like this if you liked : Wonder Woman

The Wolverine (2013) 8/10

Starring : Hugh Jackman, Tao Okamoto, Rila Fukushima, Hioryuki Sanada, Svetlana Khodchenkova
Director : James Mangold
Running Time :127 mins

On a trip to Japan, Wolverine (Jackman) visits an old dying friend who has asked to see him, but when Wolverine realises that the man wants to take away his healing factor - basically leaving him mortal for the first time in his life - he refuses, not wanting to inflict what he sees as a curse on anyone else. But his powers are somehow taken away by a woman known as Viper (Khodchenkova), and Wolverine is forced into protecting Mariko (Okamoto), the grand-daughter of his old friend without any real powers other than his claws.

In spite of a pretty long runtime, this film moves along at such a fast pace that you don’t even notice the time passing. There is plenty of action, and we get to see a new side of ole Wolvie that gives him a bit more depth in the movie world. Yukio wasn’t as fun as she is in the comics, and Mariko actually had a bit more personality than in the comics where she is pretty one-dimensional, so overall they evened each other out, making this a nice addition to the X-Men canon.

You’ll like this if you liked : X-Men Origins - Wolverine

The Place Beyond The Pines (2012) 7/10

Starring : Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, Eva Mendez, Rose Byrne, Ray Liotta
Director : Derek Cianfrance
Running Time : 141 mins

Motorcycle stuntman Luke Glanton (Gosling) decides to quit his job and eventually becomes a bank robber in order to provide for his son, but when he is killed by police officer Avery Cross (Cooper) the repercussions lead Avery to consider using the information he has about his corrupt precinct to gain himself a position as assistant district attorney. These interactions between Luke and Avery lead their respective sons into a friendship that Avery does not approve of, especially when Luke’s son discover that Avery killed his father.

This is an interesting story that tries to show how the actions of one person can have repercussions on the lives of those that follow. There’s a bit of a shock about an hour in to the movie, and when Bradley Cooper shows up things get a little slow – mainly because the story changes focus so drastically – but all in all this is an entertaining and though provoking piece that doesn’t try to make anyone seem redeemable but instead makes them feel real.

You’ll like this if you liked : End Of Watch

Planes (2013) 6/10

Starring : Dane Cook, Stacy Keach, Brad Garrett, Teri Hatcher, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Priyanka Chopra, John Cleese, Cedric The Entertainer, Carlos Alazraqui
Director : Klay Hall
Running Time : 92 mins

A crop duster called Dusty Crophopper (Cook) dreams of being a racing plane, so with the reluctant backing of his friends he enters a qualifying race and comes in fifth, meaning he gains a place in the famous Wings Across The World racing competition. Unfortunately, Dusty has one failing that could cost him dearly – he is afraid of heights.

There was something a little lacking and more than a little desperate about this Pixar movie - the reason being it is not a Pixar movie! The characters weren’t particularly interesting, and the plot was so obvious – a plane that’s scared of heights – that I groaned when Dusty first revealed his fears, that this could have been a complete flop, but there’s still a lot of energy here, and the animation is enjoyable to watch, but this was basically Cars 3 with wings.

You’ll like this if you liked : Turbo

Killer Elite (2011) 5/10

Starring : Jason Statham, Clive Owen, Robert De Niro, Dominic Purcell, Aden Young, Yvonne Strahovski
Director : Gary McKendry
Running Time : 117 mins

Ex-special ops agent Danny Bryce (Statham) retired from his line of work after killing a man in front of his son, but a year later is called back into action when his mentor Hunter (De Niro) is reported to have been held hostage in Oman, where he is coerced into targeting three former SAS agents in an act of vengeance, but hot on his trail is Spike Logan (Owen) a former agent assigned to protect his own men from attack.

Apparently based on a true story, though made fantastical by the very presence of action star Jason Statham and his ridiculously gravelly voice, this story of one man’s revenge for the death of his sons is blown out of all proportion. The sheikh who requested this act of vengeance is about as convincing as a Pakistan Pete Postlethwaite in The usual Suspects, and from that point on even De Niro has trouble in keeping this movie on the straight and narrow.

You’ll like this if you liked : The Expendables 2

Percy Jackson : Sea Of Monsters (2013) 8/10

Starring : Logan Lerman, Alexandra Daddario, Brandon T Jackson, Douglas Smith, Jake Abel
Director : Thor Freudenthal
Running Time : 107 mins

When they discover that their half-blood hideout is losing its protective barrier, Percy Jackson (Lerman) and his friends embark on a mission to find the Golden Fleece and use it to heal the dying trees surrounding their home, but Luke (Abel), the lightning thief himself, wants the fleece to bring Kronos back from the dead in order to destroy Olympus.

This is an action-packed and entertaining follow up to the 2010 Lightning Thief movie. Quite why it’s taken three years for the sequel is anyone’s guess, but thankfully this was worth it. Unlike many of the other franchise movie series based on popular teen novels, this is in part educational, teaching kids about Greek legend in a fun and accessible way, so here’s hoping it isn’t another three years for the third instalment.

You’ll like this if you liked : Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire

Beasts Of The Southern Wild (2012) 7/10

Starring : Quvenzhane Wallis, Dwight Henry, Levy Easterly
Director : Benh Zeitlin
Running Time : 94 mins

Hushpuppy (Wallis) is a six-year old girl who lives with her sick father Wink (Henry) in a community colloquially known as the bathtub – a fishing community that is in danger of flooding due to the melting polar icecaps and separated from the North by a giant flood barrier. When a storm hits and she is flooded out of her home and her father is hospitalised, she decides to journey in search of her mother.

I was surprised to find that this was a fantasy movie, having thought it was just going to be a simple drama about a girl trying to survive in Americas Deep South. Wallis is cute in the lead role, and manages to make this interesting in spite of her lack of acting experience, but this could have done with a little less predictability and a little more heart.

You’ll like this if you liked : The Road

The Call (2013) 8/10

Starring : Halle Berry, Abigail Breslin, Morris Chestnut, Michael Eklund
Director : Brad Anderson
Running Time : 95 mins

Suffering from PTSD after a particularly harrowing emergency call that left a young girl dead, Jordan Turner (Berry) is forced to relive her nightmare when, during a training exercise, she is placed back on the phones with another young abductee, Casey Weldon (Breslin), who has been snatched a stuffed in the trunk of a car by a killer (Eklund) who seems to have the same MO as the previous abductor.

This is an underrated and entertaining thriller that manages to keep the action going for the full duration of the film. The characters are actually believable and the suspense is handled perfectly, though Berry is a little hammy at times when it comes to her trauma. Breslin is rateable as the kidnap victim, while Eklund is superb as the killer.

You’ll like this if you liked : The Taking Of Pelham 1 2 3

The Art Of War II : Betrayal (2008) 5/10

Starring : Wesley Snipes, Lochlyn Munro, Athena Karkanis
Director : Josef Rusnak
Running Time : 104 mins

Coming out of hiding in order to attend the funeral of an old friend, ex CIA agent Neil Shaw (Snipes) is convinced by an actor turned senatorial candidate (Munro) to help him find the people responsible for trying to blackmail him. It isn’t long before Shaw discovers that the conspiracy goes much further, and pretty soon people start to turn up dead.

I really liked the original movie, but this straight to video sequel had none of the action or fun that made The Art Of War so interesting. Where special effects are used, they look like something you find on the SyFy channels movie of the week, and the supporting cast of nobodies (the only person I recognised other than Snipes was Lochlyn Munro) make this a boring and pointless sequel that doesn’t even make any sense to be part of the series.

You’ll like this if you liked : Shadow Man

Ender’s Game (2013) 8/10

Starring : Asa Butterfield, Hailee Steinfeld, Ben Kingsley, Viola Davis, Abigail Breslin, Harrison Ford
Director : Gavin Hood
Running Time : 114 mins

Highly intelligent and highly unpopular Andrew “Ender” Wiggin (Butterfield) is sent off to Battle School when his trainers see leadership potential in him. He soon proves himself suitable to command a team of his own, and they soon find themselves training to battle a race of aliens called the Formics, whom humanity believe still wish to attack the Earth some 50 years after their last attack.

This is a pretty good first instalment to the Ender series – though there’s still doubt as to whether or not the remaining books will be adapted. Butterfield starts off a little lacklustre in the lead role but really picks up towards the end when he realises what he has been tricked into doing. Fans of space opera and fantasy will enjoy this, as will fans of war movies, but don’t expect any comic relief in this stern and serious kid’s film.

You’ll like this if you liked : The Host

Passion (2012) 7/10

Starring : Rachel McAdams, Noomi Rapace, Karoline Herfurth, Paul Anderson
Director : Brian De Palma
Running Time : 97 mins

Isabelle James (Rapace) is something of a talent in the advertising world, but when she comes up with a great ad campaign for jeans, her boss Christine Stanford (McAdams) takes the credit. Their back-and-forth rivalry begins to escalate, from going behind each other’s backs to publicly humiliating each other, but when Christine is murdered Isabelle becomes the prime suspect, and even she isn’t sure if she killed her or not.

This movie actually does a reasonably good job of building up the tension between the two lead characters before apparently killing one of them off, and De Palma’s style really does a good job of spelling everything out for us while simultaneously tricking us into thinking that certain events that haven’t happened happen. He even uses his Carrie-like split screen part of the way through, but the use of dream sequences makes this a little confusing at times, and by the end I wasn’t entirely sure what had and hadn’t occurred.

You’ll like this if you liked : Chloe

Her (2013) 9/10

Starring : Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Rooney Mara, Olivia Wilde, Chris Pratt, Scarlett Johansson
Director : Spike Jonze
Running Time : 126 mins

Theodore Twombly (Phoenix) is a lonely introverted writer who is struggling to deal with his divorce from his childhood sweetheart Catherine (Mara). When he buys a new operating system for his phone, he finds himself spending a lot of time with the OS, named Samantha (Johansson), and it isn’t long before he develops a sort of relationship with her.

This is an interesting and provocative view of how some people can develop unhealthy attachments with inanimate objects, in this case a computer programme. In a world where people take more stock in what their computers tell them than what they are told by friends, this movie creates a touching perspective on how these apparent artificial intelligences and speaking computer programmes can come across as real people to those who are so lonely as to take solace in the company of anyone who will hear them out. This is a well performed and fascinating movie that manages to be both funny and sad throughout its duration.

You’ll like this if you liked : Ruby Sparks

Secondhand Lions (2003) 7/10

Starring : Michael Caine, Robert Duvall, Haley Joel Osment, Kyra Sedgwick
Director : Tim McCanlies
Running Time : 110 mins

A young boy named Walter (Osment) is sent to live with his great uncles Garth (Caine) and Hub (Duvall) by his mother Mae (Sedgwick) who claims she is going off to work for a couple of months. Walter soon learns that his uncles are suspected of having millions hidden somewhere on their plot of land, and the stories he hears about how they apparently acquired the money span from them robbing a Sheik to them being ex-gangsters who stole the money from Al Capone.

This family movie is at times interesting, but there’s a lot of time spent just meandering along with no real direction. The only real plot line is Walter trying to discover the truth about his uncles – which he eventually does in the end – by the journey towards this discover is at times a little dull. Still, there are some fun moments, and its the eccentricities of the characters that lie at the heart of this film.

You’ll like this if you liked : Holes