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

Limitless (2011) 7/10

Starring : Bradley Cooper, Anna Friel, Abbie Cornish, Robert De Niro
Director : Neil Burger
Running Time : 98 mins

Unemployed writer Eddie Morra (Cooper) finds a stash of drugs when his friend is murdered that allows him to use 100 per cent of his brain power, but as he discovers just what kind of a man he can be if he used his full potential, others hear about the drug and will stop at nothing to acquire its power.

Cooper manages to make this movie about using your potential interesting from start to finish, even though a lot of what happens in the movie is predictable. His change from being a useless slacker into an intelligent hard working man about town is fun to watch, and the supporting cast in most part manage to keep the action alive throughout.

You’ll like this if you liked : Minority Report

The Girl Who Played With Fire (2009) 6/10

Starring : Michael Nyqvist, Noomi Rapace
Director : Daniel Alfredson
Running Time : 125 mins

As Mikael Blomkvist (Nyqvist) investigates a sex trafficking ring through which some high ranking officials have been abusing young girls, two of his researchers are murdered and his acquaintance Lisbeth Salander (Rapace) is framed for their deaths. As Lisbeth is forced to go on the run from the authorities, Mikael races against time to clear her name and find out who is trying to keep the sex trafficking ring a secret…

Probably the best thing about this movie is that we learn a little more about the background of the character of Lisbeth. There’s a lot going on in this movie as we are taken in two directions by Blomkvist and Salander, and go deeper into the criminal world of sex trafficking. Fans of the original will enjoy this second instalment, though it doesn’t have quite the appeal of the first.

You’ll like this if you liked : Run Lola Run

Season Of The Witch (2011) 7/10

Starring : Nicolas Cage, Ron Perlman, Stephen Campbell Moore, Claire Foy
Director : Dominic Sena
Running Time : 95 mins

Disgraced 14th Century knights Behmen von Bleibruck (Cage) and his comrade Felson (Perlman) return to their homeland to find the country overrun with the Black Plague, and the church deciding that the source of the plague is witchcraft. As punishment for their desertion they are charged to deliver a young girl named Anna (Foy) to a remote monastery in order that a specific religious rite can be enacted to destroy the plague.

Why these English Crusaders have American accents is beyond me. Even the English actors are putting on a yankee twang. Despite the Americanization of this movie, it is still an action filled drama that tells the story of the plague, and how the church reacted to it, in an interesting and provocative way.

You’ll like this if you liked : Constantine

The Wolfman (2010) 7/10

Starring : Benicio Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt
Director : Joe Johnston
Running Time : 120 mins

Shakespearean actor Lawrence Talbot (Del Toro) returns from America to his ancestral English home when he is given the news from his brothers’ fiancée Gwen Conliffe (Blunt) that his brother has vanished. As he investigates, Talbot discovers that a strange creature has been attacking nearby villagers and may have been responsible for his brothers’ disappearance.

I’d heard some pretty bad things about this reworking of the classic horror story, but I actually thought it was pretty good. Some of the twists were predictable, but the pacing was good and the action, though sometimes a little hammy, was well done and fun to watch, especially the werewolf transformation scenes.

You’ll like this if you liked : From Hell

Paul (2011) 8/10

Starring : Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Seth Rogen, Kristen Wiig
Director : Greg Mottola
Running Time : 99 mins

British sci-fi fans Graeme Willy (Pegg) and Clive Gollings (Frost) decide to take the trip of a life time to Roswell, New Mexico in the United States. There they run into an alien that calls himself Paul (Rogen) who has been living in a government facility for the last sixty years, little realising he was being held captive. Now he’s excaped and, with the help of Graeme and Clive, hopes to try to make his way back to his home planet.

I really enjoyed this latest movie from Pegg and Frost. Granted, it wasn’t as good or original as Shawn Of The Dead or Hot Fuzz, but it still has all the energy and good humour that you’d expect from this pair. Rogen maked an interesting addition to the team as the voice of alien Paul, and his laid back voice and personality are perfect in the role.

You’ll like this if you liked : Fanboys

Open Season 2 (2008) 6/10

Starring : Joel McHale, Mike Epps, Jane Krakowski, Billy Connolly, Crispin Glover, Cody Cameron
Director : David I Stern
Running Time : 74 mins

Just when he’s about to get married to Giselle (Krakowski), the doe of his dreams, Elliot the deer (McHale) gets distracted when Mr Weenie (Cameron) is apparently kidnapped. With the help of Boog the bear (Epps) and a whole host of other woodland creatures, Elliot sets out to rescue the poor unfortunate dog.

This sequel to the reasonably popular 2006 original suffers badly from not having the original voice cast. The absence of Ashton Kutcher and Martin Lawrence is noticeable, especially as Epps sounds nothing like Lawrence, but the simple plot of the gang trying to rescue their friend is mildly entertaining and will easily amuse small children.

You’ll like this if you liked : Over The Hedge

Battle Los Angeles (2011) 5/10

Starring : Aaron Eckhart, Michelle Rodriguez, Bridget Moynahan
Director : Jonathan Liebesman
Running Time : 111 mins

On the day that he is due to retire from the marines, Michael Nantz () is reassigned to a new platoon that are being sent to investigate some mysterious meteors that have entered the Earth’s atmosphere. They have been reported as slowing down as they are about to hit the surface, and strange aliens have emerged from them and started to kill anyone they come across.

This action movie was, in my opinion, pretty disappointing. A reasonably imaginative premise is almost completely ruined by focussing on the All-American military forces rather than the aliens, which would have been much more interesting, and going in the usual direction that American action movies do. The characters were one-dimensional, and Aaron Eckhart in the lead role of an action movie just felt wrong to me.

You’ll like this if you liked : Armageddon

Prince Of Persia : The Sands Of Time (2010) 7/10

Starring : Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton, Ben Kingsley
Director : Mike Newell
Running Time : 116 mins

Adopted Prince Dastan (Gyllenhaal) and Princess Tamina (Arterton) are forced to join forces despite their initial enmity to stop the forces of evil from possessing the power of an ancient dagger that is capable of controlling The Sands Of Time – a Godlike power that allows any who possess it to control time itself.

Yet another computer game gets adapted for the big screen, but at least this one is at least slightly entertaining. There is a semblance of a plot that manages to encompass the action, but it is the action alone that makes this a fun filled family movie. Very young kids might not like this very much, but fans of movies like The Mummy will appreciate the mythical feel of this film.

You’ll like this if you liked : The Mummy Returns

Hall Pass (2011) 7/10

Starring : Owen Wilson, Jason Sudeikis, Jenna Fischer, Christina Applegate, Stephen Merchant
Director : Bobby & Peter Farrelly
Running Time : 105 mins

Rick Mills (Wilson) and Fred Searing (Sudeikis) are two married men who miss their single lives so, realizing this, their wives Maggie (Fischer) and Grace (Applegate) agree to give them a hall pass, allowing them one week in which they can whatever they like and not suffer any of the consequences.

The Farrelly Brothers are back on form with this gross out comedy filled with the kind of humour you would expect from the makers of There’s Something About Mary and Dumb And Dumber. There are some very funny scenes interspersed throughout the movie, and probably the funniest thing is that the two friend’s first instinct isn’t to go looking for women but to just do what they like to do, like playing golf and eating and drinking too much at bars.

You’ll like this if you liked : The Heartbreak Kid

True Grit (2010) 7/10

Starring : Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, Hailee Steinfeld
Director : Ethan & Joel Coen
Running Time : 111 mins

Following the murder of her father, stubborn 14-year old Mattie Ross (Steinfeld) enlists the aid of Texas Ranger Rooster Cogburn (Bridges) to track down his killer. Unusually for Cogburn, young Mattie insists on accompanying him on the journey, wanting to see the face of the man who killed her father and see him confess before he dies.

Fans of Westerns will enjoy this remake of the 1969 John Wayne classic. Bridges is perfect as the drunken Cogburn, while Steinfeld’s angry young Mattie Ross resonates on the screen, stealing the thunder of many of the other actors involved. Her characters anger primarily drives the action in this slow paced revenge movie which sadly doesn’t have any of the humour of the original, but thanks to a sterling supporting cast the slow pacing and lack of humour is barely noticeable.

You’ll like this if you liked : 3:10 To Yuma

The Adjustment Bureau (2011) 7/10

Starring : Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Michael Kelly
Director : George Nolfi
Running Time : 106 mins

When up and coming politician David Norris (Damon) falls for ballet dancer Elise Sellas (Blunt), he finds that a mysterious group of men are desperately trying to keep them apart. As he digs deeper, Norris discovers that the men work for an organization known as The Adjustment Bureau – an organization that are there to ensure that the correct paths of destiny are walked down and not deviated from, not matter what the cost.

Basically this is a chase movie combined with a love story; Damon and Blunt spend the whole movie running away from the powers that want to keep them apart, all the while driving them closer together. This is actually an interesting story, that poses the question of whether destiny can be changed in the pursuit of true love, but the real question should be concerning which destiny is the true one as the two lead characters seem to be destined to be together as everything actually seems to be throwing them together while the Bureau are forcing their will on them to keep them apart.

You’ll like this if you liked : Minority Report

Balls Out : Gary The Tennis Coach (2009) 7/10

Starring : Seann William Scott, Randy Quaid, Brando Eaton
Director : Danny Leiner
Running Time : 87 mins

Former tennis pro Gary Houseman (Scott) has been living out his life working as a high school janitor, but when he gets the chance to coach a ragtag team of wannabe tennis player, he jumps at the opportunity, eventually leading them to the Nebraska State Championships.

Scott once again manages to steal the limelight in this average comedy where every scene seems to be set up for him to shine whilst the rest of the cast just watch. There aren’t many sports left for the comedy writers of America to lampoon, and tennis isn’t the most obvious one to choose, but there are a few funny moments that make this a fun movie to watch.

You’ll like this if you liked : Dodgeball

Rango (2011) 6/10

Starring : Johnny Depp, Isla Fisher, Timothy Olyphant
Director : Gore Verbinski
Running Time : 108 mins

Much-loved pet chameleon Rango (Depp) spends much of his time pretending he is the hero in various action movies of his own imagining, but following a car accident he finds himself in a wild west town called Dirt where he pretends to be a hero and ends up becoming the towns Sheriff. His first course of action : to find some much needed water to replace the towns dwindling source.

I don’t think kids will enjoy this movie – a chameleon doesn’t seem like the most likely choice for the lead in a children’s movie – bit I might be wrong. I personally thought this was okay, but couldn’t really get into what little story there was. It was almost like someone was trying to make an animated version of The Three Amigos, but with just one Amigo!

You’ll like this if you liked : The Wild

MacGruber (2010) 6/10

Starring : Will Forte, Kristen Wiig, Ryan Phillippe, Val Kilmer
Director : Jorma Taccone
Running Time : 96 mins

When evil criminal Dieter Von Cunth (Kilmer) steals a Russian nuclear warhead, the US military track down and find MacGruber (Forte), an ex-green beret whose wife was murdered by Von Cunth. MacGruber reforms a crack team to track down the criminal, including his long-time friend Vicki St Elmo (Wiig).

What starts off as a seemingly serious action movie soon slides into farce as Will Forte embodies the spirit of MacGyver and parodies him to high heaven. It’s a shame when a perfectly good character from Saturday Night Life unjustly gets a big screen movie adaptation – it’s not always easy to stretch out a 3 minute sketch to 90 minutes – and this is no exception to the rule.

You’ll like this if you liked : Tropic Thunder

Transformers : Revenge Of The Fallen (2009) 6/10

Starring : Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson
Director : Michael Bay
Running Time : 150 mins

Sam Witwicky (LaBeouf) thinks his problems with the Decepticons are over, but little does he realise that they are trying to find him so that they can access some information that has some been imprinted in his mind. Once they have this information, they will use it to destroy the sun!

Although it seems ridiculous to continue to make Transformers movies – I was never really a big fan of the 80s cartoon, though I did have more than a few of the toys – it seems as if the general public can’t get enough of these shape-changing robot aliens and their action packed, though feebly plotted escapades. Fans of the original will probably enjoy this, but if you like a bit of substance in your movies then steer clear.

You’ll like this if you liked : Independence Day

No Strings Attached (2011) 7/10

Starring : Natalie Portman, Ashton Kutcher, Kevin Kline, Cary Elwes, Greta Gerwig, Lake Bell
Director : Ivan Reitman
Running Time : 108 mins

Emma Kurtzman (Portman) and Adam Franklin (Kutcher) have bumped into each other frequently over the years since they first met in summer camp at the age of 15, so when Adam discovers that one of his exes is dating his dad, and Emma’s father dies leaving her an emotional pariah, they decide to start up a no-strings-attached, sex-only relationship.

There seem to be a few of these movies around at the moment, what with Friends With Benefits on its way in a few months. The idea for this movie is a simple one that, in many ways, has been done before, but Kutcher and – unusually in a comedy – Portman manage to keep the comedic moments alive while still intermingling dramatic moments.

You’ll like this if you liked : Love & Other Drugs

Youth In Revolt (2009) 7/10

Starring : Michael Cera, Portia Doubleday, Jean Smart, Zach Galifianakis, Steve Buscemi
Director : Miguel Arteta
Running Time : 90 mins

Lonely teenager Nick Twisp (Cera) is forced to go camping with his mother Jean (Smart) and step-father Jerry (Galifianakis) – their idea of camping is staying in a trailer for a few days. There he meets Sheeni Saunders (Doubleday), the girl of his dreams, and Nick decides that if he is going to be able to make a future with Sheeni, he needs to misbehave so that his mum will send him to live with his father George (Buscemi), who happens to live near Sheeni...

This light hearted comedy-drama is actually pretty fun to watch. People who enjoy coming-of-age dramas might enjoy this twist on the tale. Cera is perfect for this underplayed role, managing to play his usual wide-eyed obliviousness to the hilt.

You’ll like this if you liked : Adventureland

I Am Number Four (2011) 4/10

Starring : Alex Pettyfer, Timothy Olyphant, Teresa Palmer, Dianna Agron
Director : DJ Caruso
Running Time : 110 mins

John Smith (Pettyfer) is an alien, forever on the run from bounty hunters that are out to destroy him and his kind. When he moves to a small town in Ohio, he meets and falls in love with a girl called Sarah Hart (Agron), an occurrence that leads him to some life changing decisions…

This movie was pretty weak. The acting was poor, the plot was trite and the visuals were less than amazing. True sci-fi fans will be disappointed by this subpar effort which makes little or no effort to entertain – it’s almost like watching an inverse version of Twilight, but with aliens.

You’ll like this if you liked : Race To Witch Mountain

Yogi Bear (2010) 6/10

Starring : Dan Aykroyd, Justin Timberlake, Anna Faris, Tom Cavanagh
Director : Eric Brevig
Running Time : 81 mins

As Jellystone Park celebrates its 100th Anniversary, park ranger Smith (Cavanagh) receives the disturbing news that the park isn’t make enough money and may be closed at the end of the season. When local bears Yogi (Aykroyd) and Boo Boo (Timberlake) hear that their home may be closed to the public – which will mean no more picnic baskets – they decide to join forces with their historical enemies, the park rangers, and try to save the park.

I didn’t expect this to be brilliant, and it wasn’t. The Warner Brothers style animation hasn’t really improved over the years, and the slim plot was barely noticeable. Casting Tom Cavanagh as Ranger Smith seemed like a half-hearted effort to find someone to match the cartoon character, but Aykroyd and, surprisingly, Timberlake were perfect as Yogi and Boo Boo.

You’ll like this if you liked : Garfield

Just Go With It (2011) 7/10

Starring : Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, Nicole Kidman, Nick Swardson, Brooklyn Decker
Director : Dennis Dugan
Running Time : 112 mins

In order to keep his current girlfriend Palmer (Decker), plastic surgeon Danny Maccabee (Sandler) asks his assistant Katherine Murphy (Aniston) to pretend to be his soon-to-be ex-wife, but when Danny’s girlfriend overhears Katherine getting a phone call from one of her kids, she assumes that the kids are Danny’s and insists on meeting them. One thing leads to another, and they all find themselves on a family holiday in Hawaii where the lies continue to build...

Even though this was a pretty predictable movie, it was still fun to watch. Sandler when he’s not being over the top and stupid is actually okay to watch, and Aniston making things worse for him as he digs deeper into his tissue of lies is entertaining. Worth watching for a romantic night in.

You’ll like this if you liked : I Now Pronounce You Chuck And Larry

The Runaways (2010) 7/10

Starring : Kristen Stewart, Dakota Fanning, Michael Shannon
Director : Floria Sigismondi
Running Time : 107 mins

San Fernando Valley teen Joan Jett (Stewart) decides she wants to form her very own all-girl punk rock band so she takes the idea to a potential manager, Kim Fowley (Shannon), who decides to take on the idea but wants to choose a singer to go with the group. Enter Cherie Currie (Fanning), who Fowley decides to prioritise in the lineup and put centre stage, and that’s when the infighting starts…

This is an interesting movie that perfectly depicts how you’d imagine the formation of Joan Jett and the Runaways to have taken place. The only real problem with this movie is Kristen Stewart who, to be frank, is not a great actress. If the makers of this movie could have got cast members who hadn’t ust finished making a Twilight movie, this might have been even better.

You’ll like this if you liked : Lords Of Dogtown

Street Fighter : The Legend Of Chun-Li (2009) 4/10

Starring : Kristin Kreuk, Neal McDonough, Michael Clarke Duncan
Director : Andrzej Bartkowiak
Running Time : 98 mins

As a child, Chun-Li (Kreuk) witnesses the kidnapping of her father by local crime boss Bison (McDonough). Years later, after her mother has passed away, she makes it her mission to track down Bison and find out what happened to her father, hopefully rescuing him in the process from whatever hell he has been imprisoned in.

This movie was a terrible, stereotypical action movie. Why Hollywood persists in making movies out of computer games that don’t actually have a plot I’ll never know. Kreuk was completely unappealing in the lead role and at no time did I care for her familial losses or for her harrowing situation. Even Michael Clarke Duncan couldn’t rescue this turkey.

You’ll like this if you liked : DOA : Dead Or Alive

Monsters (2010) 6/10

Starring : Scoot McNairy, Whitney Able, Mario Zuniga
Director : Gareth Edwards
Running Time : 94 mins

Years after an alien presence has infected much of Mexican, causing the American government to set up a quarantine of the surrounding area, American photojournalist Andrew Kaulder (McNairy) is asked by tourist Samantha Wynden (Able) to be her escort back to the American border.

I was really looking forward to this movie, that is until I sat down and watched it. Thinking that it looked like an original monster movie that actually focussed on characters rather than bogeymen, and featuring Scoot McNairy who I loved in ‘In Search Of A Midnight Kiss’, I was expecting excellence. Instead I got a mediocre movie that had little or no substance or direction that left me feeling cheated.

You’ll like this if you liked : District 9

Gnomeo And Juliet (2011) 7/10

Starring : James McAvoy, Emily Blunt, Ashley Jensen, Michael Caine
Director : Kelly Ashbury
Running Time : 84 mins

When two next door neighbours declare war on each other, their garden ornaments likewise start something of a feud with each other, resulting in some petty criminal activity involving red and blue paint and a garden well. The series of events that follow cause Gnomeo (McAvoy) and Juliet (Blunt), garden gnomes from apposing gardens, to meet and fall in love…

This is a very cute version of the classic Shakespeare story, which takes a terrible pun and turns it in to a fun kids movie. The voices aren’t exactly imaginative – other than McAvoy, I think the whole cast are just using their own voices – but they manage to make the most English of garden ornaments come to life with some very English accents.

You’ll like this if you liked : Over The Hedge

Morning Glory (2010) 7/10

Starring : Rachel McAdams, Harrison Ford, Diane Keaton
Director : Roger Michell
Running Time : 108 mins

Recently fired TV producer Becky Fuller (McAdams) is desperate to get a new job, so when she is offered the position of producer on the increasingly unpopular day time show, “Daybreak”. When she is then forced to fire one of the hosts, she finds herself desperately trying to secure news reporters Mike Pomeroy (Ford) into the position on the show, a task that is anything but easy when it comes to the egotistical TV veteran…

It’s unusual to see Harrison Ford in a role where he is actually unlikeable, so it was nice to see him trying it out for a change. Ironically this is a likeable light comedy, with Rachel McAdams leading an all-star cast in what many will feel is just another boring rom-com, but others will thoroughly enjoy this thanks to the great acting skills of Keaton and Harrison and the warm presence of McAdams who always makes me smile.

You’ll like this if you liked : Little Black Book

The Dilemma (2011) 8/10

Starring : Vince Vaughn, Kevin James, Jennifer Connelly, Winona Ryder
Director : Ron Howard
Running Time : 112 mins

Ronny Valentine (Vaughn) and Nick Brannen (James) have been best friends since college, so when Roony sees Nick’s wife Geneva (Ryder) out with another man he is faced with the ultimate dilemma – does he tell his friend, thus potentially ruining the marriage, or does he keep quiet and hope Nick doesn’t find out he knew, thus ruining their friendship?

This movie poses a dilemma that no-one would ever want to be faced with – what to do if you find out the wife of your best friend is cheating on him… What results is a haphazard comedy that more often than not delivers laughs while simultaneously showing the hypocrisy that lies within the relationship itself.

You’ll like this if you liked : Just Go With It

The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus (2009) 8/10

Starring : Christopher Plummer, Lily Cole, Andrew Garfield, Heath Ledger, Tom Waits
Director : Terry Gilliam
Running Time : 118 mins

Doctor Parnassus (Plummer) runs a travelling side show with his daughter, Valentina (Cole). What he hasn’t told her is that on Valentina’s 16th birthday, Parnassus has agreed to trade her soul to the devil, aka Mr Nick (Waits), in return for eternal life. In order to prevent this from happening, Parnassus comes up with a new deal – whoever can seduce five souls in his Imaginarium first wins Valentina as their prize.

It isn’t just the visuals that make this an appealing movie, it is also the performances of all the actors involved, especially relative newcomers Andrew Garfield and Lily Cole. Those who might be wary of Gilliam’s style (personally I disliked Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas) can sit back and relax as, in this case, his manic haphazard visuals actually work.

You’ll like this if you liked : Big Fish

Black Swan (2010) 8/10

Starring : Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel
Director : Darren Aronofsky
Running Time : 108 mins

Nina Sayers (Portman) is a professional ballerina who has just been cast in the lead role for a production of Swan Lake, but although she is perfect for The Swan Queen, with this duel role of both The Swan Queen and The Black Swan she finds she may have competition from Lily (Kunis), a ballerina who is the personification of The Black Swan.

Natalie Portman’s almost schizophrenic portrayal of Nina is a joy to behold. Her character develops throughout the film from a weak and feeble sort of person into one who is more than willing to compete for her heart’s desire, while Mila Kunis manages to play the opposition perfectly – without making us dislike her for what she doing to the protagonists career.

You’ll like this if you liked : Perfume : The Story Of A Murderer

Up In The Air (2009) 8/10

Starring : George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick
Director : Jason Reitman
Running Time : 110 mins

Ryan Bingham (Clooney) works as a corporate down-sizer, travelling across America and helping to streamline businesses so they work more efficiently and can ultimately save money, but when young up-and-comer Natalie Keener (Kendrick) comes up with the innovative idea of introducing video conferencing to his company in order to minimise air travel, Bingham realises that his life so far, including his relationship with fellow frequent flyer Alex Goran (Farmiga), may be on the line.

I really enjoyed this movie, and love the idea of a corporate down-sizer being concerned about his own job being down-sized. Clooney is excellent as the smarmy salesman and Kendrick has the role of the young wannabe down to a tee. Well worth checking out, even though it tends to drag towards the end.

You’ll like this if you liked : Lost In Translation

The Green Hornet (2011) 7/10

Starring : Seth Rogen, Jay Chou, Cameron Diaz, Tom Wilkinson, Christoph Waltz
Director : Michel Gondry
Running Time : 115 mins

Millionaire playboy and publisher of the Los Angeles newspaper “The Daily Sentinel” Britt Reid (Rogen) finds his life completely changed when he and his kung-fu fighting chauffeur Kato (Chou) stop a robbery. Together they decide to take on a new life as crime fighters, with Reid adopting the nom de plume The Green Hornet.

This tongue in cheek spoof is actually really enjoyable. Rogan’s slightly pathetic playboy wannabe hero is fun to watch, and Chou’s plays the true brains AND brawn of the operation with laid back appeal. Fans of movies like Kick-Ass and Super will really enjoy this more child-friendly addition to the super hero movie.

You’ll like this if you liked : Super

Tangled (2010) 8/10

Starring : Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi, Donna Murphy, Ron Perlman
Director : Nathan Greno & Byron Howard
Running Time : 93 mins

In Disney's 50th Animated Classic, the evil Mother Gothel (Murphy) kidnaps young Princess Rapunzel (Moore) as a baby. Years later she is living in a tower from which she is never allowed to leave, little knowing that her hair is imbued with magical healing powers. When a charming bandit named Flynn Rider (Levi) scales the tower and enters her room, Rapunzel convinces him to be her guide to the outside world and together they make their escape…

Even though Disney have reverted back to computer animation for their fiftieth classic, this time the story is a vast improvement on recent installments such as The Wild and Chicken Little. Seemingly taking al eaf from Dreamworks, Disney have created a fun adventure for all the family that features memorable characters that you will actually be interested in.

You’ll like this if you liked : Shrek

The Boat That Rocked (2009) 5/10

Starring : Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy, Nick Frost
Director : Richard Curtis
Running Time : 129 mins

In this true story, a group of DJs in 1960s Britain set up a pirate radio station in the middle of the North Sea, much to the anger of authorities. Their aim – to play real music that the youth of Britain want to hear, as an alternative to the government enforced classical music that was all that they allowed to play on the radio.

I didn’t enjoy this movie at all. Normally Richard Curtis movies have some fun character interplay and some witty banter to make you chuckle at least once, but this pretty much had nothing. Fans of Richard Curtis might want to avoid this as it sullies his otherwise good name.

You’ll like this if you liked : High Fidelity

The King’s Speech (2010) 8/10

Starring : Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter
Director : Tom Hooper
Running Time : 119 mins

When the King abdicates, his brother George (Firth) assumes the thrown to become King George VI. Plagued by an uncontrollable stammer and considered to be unfit to rule, George is forced to employ the aid of Lionel Logue Rush), an unorthodox speech therapist who tries to help him with his crippling affliction.

For a movie with such a basic plot, this was a really surprising hit. Firth and Rush are wonderful in the lead roles, and actually make you care about what will happen to a member of the Royal family. For fans of simple period dramas this is a definite must.

You’ll like this if you liked : The Queen

Paper Man (2009) 6/10

Starring : Jeff Daniels, Emma Stone, Lisa Kudrow, Ryan Reynolds
Director : Kieran & Michele Mulroney
Running Time : 107 mins

Richard Dunn (Daniels) – a 40-something man with an imaginary friend called Captain Excellent (Reynolds) - decides, with the encouragement of his wife Claire (Kudrow), to spend some time in seclusion in order to help start his second novel. However, feeling uninspired, he travels into town and meets high school student Abby (Stone), forming an unlikely friendship that helps him finally grow up a little…

Daniels and Stone make a fine pair in this comedy drama. Their interplay on the screen was a real treat, and with Ryan Reynolds thrown in for good measure this underrated movie could have been a real winner. Sadly there isn’t really enough substance to this movie to make it really great.

You’ll like this if you liked : Lars And The Real Girl

127 Hours (2010) 7/10

Starring : James Franco, Amber Tamblyn, Kate Mara
Director : Danny Boyle
Running Time : 93 mins

Whilst on a trip to Moab in Utah, Aron Ralston (Franco) decides to enjoy himself by exploring the wilderness and checking out the canyons and caves in the area, but when he falls into a crevice his arm is trapped under a rock and he spends the next five days trying to survive while figuring out a way to escape from the hole he’s found himself in.

James Franco really makes this movie, which is basically over an hour of a man trying to cut off his own hand. Danny Boyle manages to keep this movie interesting from start to finish, without there being anything close to a lull, but even so it does get to a point when the 127 hours seems more like 200.

You’ll like this if you liked : Into The Wild