Lucy (2014)

Director: Luc Besson
Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Morgan Freeman, Min-sik Choi, Amr Waked
Certificate: 15
Genre: Action, Sci Fi
Awards: None

Luc Besson's latest is a rampant, heart-pumping tale of a woman (Johansson) who unlocks the full capacity of her brain. This is due to a drug that was hidden in Lucy's intestines accidentally leaking. With the drug dealers on her tail, Lucy tries to get to grips with her new power which turns her superhuman.

For a director who is famous for his action with films such as Leon, Taken and Nikita, Lucy does not disappoint as guns blaze, knives twirl and bodies pound into the walls. As Lucy becomes more and more powerful things start to go over the top, yet it just gets more entertaining rather than boring. The ending sequence even draws parallels to films such as The Tree Of Life as the drug takes full effect.

I would say that Lucy is typical of Besson with its blend of action with an engaging story focused on an individual, yet this takes it further as time and the origins of man come into play. Its bold, fast paced and well worth watching.

****Good

Sin City: A Dame To Kill For (2014)

Director: Robert Rodriguez, Frank Miller
Starring: Mickey Rourke, Jessica Alba, Powers Booth, Josh Brolin, Eva Green, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Rosario Dawson, Bruce Willis, Dennis Haysbert, Ray Liotta
Certificate: 18
Genre: Action, Crime, Noir
Awards: None

It has been almost a decade since the original Sin City stunned its way to our screens and people have been asking for more ever since. Sin City was a great film in turns of visuals and the stories complemented the noir mood that was established.

A Dame To Kill For tells three new stories (one from Miller's comics and two originals) with different characters to its predecessor (except Dwight Mcarthy who only feels different due to being played by Brolin rather than Clive Owen) and it seems the best way to review the film is to review each story in turn.

The story the film is named after stars Dwight a few years before the events of Sin City. Dwight is a private investigator who comes across Ava Lorde (Green), an ex he is not too friendly with, who asks for his help. This, of course, leads to a great deal of bloody violence with some recognisable characters such as Manute (Haysbert taking over from the late Michael Clarke Duncan) and Marv (Rourke). The story overall is quite predictable, yet that doesn't stop it from being entertaining. Visually, it is great. Eyes are ripped out and faces are torn open while both Brolin and Green give everything they've got for their characters. However, Owen is still missed as the performances are so different that they feel like different characters.

The second story seems to stick out a bit, having nothing to do with any story from either film. Johnny (Gordon-Levitt) is a cocky gambler who comes to Sin City in order to win everywhere he can. During his parade, he comes across Senator Rourke (Booth) and makes himself a very powerful enemy. Although the story is interesting enough, the promise it shows is never fulfilled and it seems much more could have been done with it.

The final story follows Nancy (Alba) who has fallen into a drunken nightmare since the death of Hartigan (Willis) in the original. Now looking for revenge on Rourke, she too gains the help of Marv and the two take him on in his mansion.

Compare A Dame To Kill For with its predecessor and you are likely to be disappointed, yet it is not a bad film. The visual style is still the real star of the show and it could be argued that it has improved. And there is still calling for more as I for one would like to see more stories.

****Good

Boyhood (2014)

Director: Richard Linklater
Starring: Ellar Coltrane, Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke, Lorelei Linklater
Certificate: 15
Genre: Drama
Awards: Best supporting actress (Arquette)

Boyhood is the story of Mason (Coltrane) a boy who grows up during the 2000s with separated parents and an older sister (Linklater). However, what makes Boyhood different to other films is that it was filmed over 12 years, therefore showing the actors ,and therefore the characters, age before our eyes.

As a story, Boyhood isn't that special as Mason's life doesn't differ that much from the norm, but that's not the point. Linklater aims for reality so he is supposed to be your average kid, and watching him grow up is fascinating. Also this does not mean to say the story is not interesting as it feels like watching yourself on screen.

It could be said that the ageing of the characters could become distracting as it becomes more apparent that these are actors, but that cannot be helped and does not draw away anything from the film. Towards the end, the story begins to falter as it becomes more philosophical with characters saying things the audience already gets from what has been shown and although the film comes to a close, an 18 year old's life does not so becoming so nostalgic is somewhat unrealistic.

Overall, Boyhood was a really interesting and amazing piece of filmmaking that does't just leave the ageing actors as a gimmick but gives the film more heart. It might be too much to ask for a sequel, but I would watch it.

*****Brilliant

Snowpiercer (2013)

Director: Joon-ho Bong
Starring: Chris Evans, Kang-so Song, Tilda Swinton, Ah-sung Ko, Jamie Bell, Octavia Spencer, Jamie Bell, John Hurt, Ed Harris
Certificate: TBC
Genre: Sci-Fi, Action
Awards: None

Snowpiercer has had a very difficult time in regards to distribution: only released in a few USA cinemas while being released on DVD in Spain. Here in the UK, it does not seem to be present at all. This is a shame because Snowpiercer is an incredible film.

In the future, the world has become uninhabitable due to humanity's response to global warming, creating a snowy wasteland. The only life that remains is on the train where the last dregs of humanity reside. The train is sorted in classes so that the richest are at the front and the poorest at the tale.

Curtis (Evans) is a man who has spent the last 17 years at the back of the train and has been planning a revaluation for a long time. As the rebellion begins, Curtis faces loss and betrayal on his way to the front of the train.

Snowpiercer has a collection of great and unique characters that create a world bigger than the cramped train. The film includes so much history of the train that it feels much bigger than it actually is.

The action scenes are reminiscent of 300 with two storming armies meeting with melee weapons while slow motion adds to the style. The performances are also a great factor with Tilda Swinton standing out as a fascist old lady in charge of an army.

If you get the chance to watch this film, I would seize it as it is worth looking out for. There are some plot holes when you reflect upon it afterwards, but while you are watching just enjoy the ride.

****Good

Filth (2013)

Director: Jon S. Baird
Starring: James McAvoy, Jamie Bell, Eddie Marsan, Shauna Macdonald, Jim Broadbent
Certificate: 18
Genre: Crime, Comedy
Awards: None

Based on another novel by Trainspotting writer Irvine Welsh, Filth is also set in Scotland but focuses on the police force, Bruce Robinson (McAvoy) in particular. Bruce is a corrupt, drugged-up and spiteful man who plans to gain the newly available promotion at the station by any means necessary. He sows mistrust through the workforce whilst humiliating them at any chance. Unfortunately, Bruce's slow descent into madness makes his goal harder to achieve.

Filth reminds me a lot of Naked, another british film featuring a mad bearded man who is still likeable despite the fact that he is not that nice a person. Both films show a confidence within the protagonist that is slowly stripped away from them as they become more and more helpless.

Filth is a funny, startling and quite visceral film that benefits immensely from McAvoy's stellar performance. McAvoy makes the film what it is, and what it is is great.

*****Brilliant

Broadway Danny Rose (1984)

Director: Woody Allen
Starring: Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, Nick Apollo Forte
Certificate: PG
Genre: Comedy
Awards: None

Broadway Danny Rose is a comedy about a talent agent in New York of the same name (Allen). Danny Rose is great at finding talent for showbiz, unfortunatly everybody leaves him once they get a little taste of success. At the time of the film, Danny is managing the once famous singer, Lou Canova (Forte), with plans for a comeback. As Danny attempts to make Lou happy for his most important performance yet, he agrees to take Lou's mistress, Tina (Farrow), along as his date. This leads to trouble with the mob and a race to get to the show before Lou drinks himself sick for worry.

Along with many of Allen's films, the greatest concentration of humour in Broadway Danny Rose comes from the stars neurotism. For those who like such humour, the film ios recommended already. However, there are other jokes used, both visual and in dialogue, allowing something for everyone. The misunderstandings of the film's character allow it to play out like a farce, yet in a less flurried style than its usual form.

Broadway Danny Rose is a good film to start if you desire to get into Woody Allen as it is not too over the top, as in Love And Death, yet still faetures his brand of humour.

****Good

X-Men: Days Of Future Past (2014)

Director: Bryan Singer
Starring: Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy, Jennifer Lawrence, Michael Fassbender, Nicholas Hoult, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellan, Peter Dinklage, Halle Berry, Evan Peters, Josh Helman
Certificate: 12
Genre: Superhero
Awards: None

X-Men: Days Of Future past is a sequel, prequel, prequel sequel and reboot to various different films in the franchise and combines the cast of the original three films with that of First Class. This is done by sending Wolverine (Jackman) back in time from an apocalyptic future to help the Magneto (McKellan/Fassbender) and Xavier (Stewart/McAvoy)'s younger selves stop it from happening.

Because the cast is so vast, some get a lot more screen time than others. If you are a Magneto fan, you may be disappointed as Fassbender is featured much less frequently than McAvoy whilst McKellan is even harder to find. Dinklage's human baddie has little time to shine (yet somehow he still does) while new character, Quicksiver (Peters) has a brilliant introduction but is then left forgotten. The film is not damaged by this as the main characters are still really interesting and watchable, but it can be a little disappointing.

The film succeeds in its story as it takes twists and turns that keep you guessing throughout while the action scenes are spectacular. With the sprinkle of humour, X-Men 7 becomes a great film that surpasses most of the franchise.

With Bryan Singer back in the directors chair however, some aspects of First Class (In my opinion the best X-Men film thus far) are lost. Henry Jackman's music is replaced by that of Singer regular John Ottmon whilst all characters not already in Singer's previous films are killed offscreen before the film.

With so many directors and other creative people being part of the X-Men franchise, somebody is always going to be disappointed. On its own merits X-Men:DOFP is incredibly enjoyable film. Franchise-wise its still the second best and has kept the gates open for more. There is no need for a reboot yet, thankfully.

*****Brilliant

Ran (1985)

Director: Akira Kurosawa
Starring: Tatsuya Nakadai, Akira Terao, Jinpachi Nezu, Daisuke Ryu, Mieko Harada
Certificate: 15
Genre: War, Drama
Awards: Best costume design

Ran is Akira Kurusawa's great epic, featuring five different armies and a vast array of characters that are each given their time to shine. The story follows Lord Hidetora Ichimonji (Nakadai) who decides to give his kingdom to his sons. He outlaws one of them and the other two turn on him which leads him down the path of madness..

Ran is a visual paradise with astounding colours and costumes. The film is masterfully shot to make the film as beautiful as it is epic. The amount of characters is similar to The Lord Of The Rings as characters such as captains, jesters and servants are given as much depth to their character as the main lords.

Ran is an outstanding film with great cinematography that allows it to have amazing battle sequences, haunting imagery and emphasis on the tragedies that are scattered within it while the story is intriguing and shocks with unexpected twists and turns.

*****Brilliant

Godzilla (2014)

Director: Gareth Edwards
Starring: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olson, Ken Watanabe, Bryan Cranston
Certificate: 12
Genre: Action, Sci Fi
Awards: None

The king of the monsters is returns once again and is on fantastic form, for the beginning anyway. Bryan Cranston, who has been featured heavily in the trailers, is the heart of the film as he delivers a a great and moving performance. Unfortunately, he is not in for long.

The obvious choice for main character after Cranston is Ken Watanabe as Dr Serizawa, a Godzilla expert who's father was killed at Hiroshoma. An interesting backstory and an intriguing character overall, but the film decides to choose Johnson's military man to header the film. This leaves us with a bland and boring main character who cannot divert our attention to the fact that Godzilla is hardly there.

When Godzilla does arrive, however, the action scenes are great. The monster battles are glorious to watch and some parts are awe inspiring. Edwards does strangely conceal some of the action scenes with news reports which may be intended to intrigue but instead only affronts.

To conclude, Godzilla is well worth a watch for the good bits, but the two best features of the film are not there for long and then you're left with a rather bland and boring guy doing stuff.

****Good

The Amazing Spiderman 2 (2014)

Director: Marc Webb
Starring: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx, Dane DeHaan
Certificate: 12
Genre: Superhero
Awards: None

Having not seen the first instalment of the Spiderman reboot, this is the first film featuring Peter Parker I have seen since the Sam Raimi's Spiderman 3. Unfortunately the majority of the film is even more disappointing.

TASM2 features three villains, yet none work well. Each are visually stunning and great to look out with the actors giving good performances but the characters themselves are not given enough depth. Like most of Spiderman's villains,  Elektro (Foxx) is shown to be a sympathetic character to us for the first half of the film. However, this is forgotten near the end. Harry Osbourne (DeHaan) arc is also surprisingly quick as he becomes the green goblin way earlier than expected.

The ending of the film does give a more commendable feature. It shows that the movie has guts and is willing to go further than most, yet even the execution after the climax is very poor.

Overall The Amazing Spiderman 2 is a very weak movie that has the saving grace of a good ending. However, that does not make up for the two hours that proceeded it.

***Okay

Frozen (2013)

Director: Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee
Starring: Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff, Josh Gad, Santino Fontana, Alan Tudyk
Certificate: PG
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Musical
Awards: Best animated film, best original song

Frozen is Disney's continuation of their fairytales for the new age, following Tangled. This time it's a loose adaption of Han's Christian Anderson's The Snow Queen. Two sisters are left isolated after their parents (the king and queen) die and the elder discovers powers she can't reveal to the other.

When it comes to the coronation of Elsa (Menzel), havoc is unleashed and the land is turned into an eternal winter. Annie (Bell), the younger sister goes to bring her sister back, after she flees the kingdom, while also meeting a variety of fun characters.

The main feature of Frozen is its musical numbers which are extremely catchy, yet the story is also incredibly engrossing. All the characters are given a quirkiness we saw in Tangled making them very likeable and entertaining. Although on a closer inspection, the story doesn't make much sense it is a very entertaining, very memorable film that leaves you in a sense of wonderment.

*****Brilliant

We Need To Talk About Kevin (2011)

Director: Lynne Ramsay
Starring: Tilda Swinton, Ezra Miller, John C. Reilly, Jasper Newell
Certificate: 15
Genre: Drama
Awards: None

Kevin (Miller) is the creator of a high school massacre. Now with him in prison,  his mother, Eva (Swinton), remembers his strange and childhood while also being targeted by the neighbourhood. The film is mostly shown in flashbacks from Kevin's birth to the crime and it is left for the audience whether or not his upbringing or something else was the cause of Kevin's strange nature.

We Need To Talk About Kevin is a genuinely upsetting film with a depressing and horrifying atmosphere throughout. Both Miller and Swinton bring in great performances and even though we know what happens in the finale there are still extra shocks added. The problem I do have with the film is how the families of the dead react as I don't believe that would happen under theses circumstances but then again I'm not an expert on human nature.

*****Brilliant

Calvary (2014)

Director: John Michael McDonagh
Starring: Brendan Gleeson, Kelly Reilly, David Wilmot, Chris O'Dowd, Aiden Gillen, Dylan Moran, Domhnall Gleeson, Isaach De Bankole, M. Emmet Walsh, Killian Scott, Owen Sharpe, Orla O'Rourke, Marie-Josee Croze
Certificate: 15
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Awards: None

Calvary is another black comedy by John Michael McDonagh, the director of The Guard. Yet Calvary draws more comparisons to his short film The Second Death with its much darker tone. The film follows Father James Lavelle (Gleeson) who has been told during confession that he will be killed in a week to prove a point.

The supporting cast is perhaps the selling point of the film. Almost everyone is a face you probably know from TV (Game Of Thrones, The IT Crowd, Black Books) and who are always cropping up in films as small roles. But it is of course Gleeson who owns the show.  He navigates himself around the despicable people of his village who treat him like dirt while also coming to terms with his imminent death.

Calvary is very dark and often eclipses the comedy with the matters of suicide, rape and murder. Its an engrossing piece yet people looking for black humour may find the lack of laughs disturbing. If you know the actors well, it's also very easy to guess who the killer will be as the voice is very distinctive.

****Good

Muppets Most Wanted (2014)

Director: James Bobin
Starring: Ricky Gervais, Ty Burrell, Tina Fey
Certificate: U
Genre: Comedy
Awards: None

After the muppet's resurrection in 2011, there was always going to be another film. Yet with Jason Segel stepping out, nobody really knew where it would go. What we eventually get is a story about Kermit being replaced by a criminal mastermind so that he can steal the crown jewels with cameos and musical numbers aplenty.

Muppets Most Wanted has some great parts - Ty Burrell's interpol inspector and sam the Eagle almost steal the show - yet it all feels a bit too thinly spread. With all the characters given their own little stories, nobody is given that much time to shine.

However, Muppets Most Wanted is an entertaining and fun film which may not match up to its predecessor but does not fail to keep its audience happy.

****Good

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

Directors: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Starring: Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Redford, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Cobie Smulders
Certificate: 12
Genre: Superhero
Awards: None

Captain America has arguably always been the least interesting of the avengers, being a selfless America loving soldier whose only power is being a bit strong doesn't really cut it when being compared to a norse god or someone who is even stronger.

Now that Captain America is stuck in the present day, he is working for shield so he still feels like he is working for his country. However, Shield hides a dark secret that may compromise the Captain's morals and threaten the world...

From other reviews of this film, I'd have to say Captain America: The Winter Soldier is overrated. It is a decent film but definitely the weakest of the Marvel's phase 2. The identity of the villain is easy to guess as it is the one character we haven't met before while the story becomes very predictable. While the end may surprise people, I'm not sure if it will have any effect on future films as I can't see Marvel going down that road.

****Good

The Perks Of Being A Wallflower (2012)

Director: Stephen Chbosky
Starring: Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller, Paul Rudd, Tom Savini, Mae Whitman
Certificate: 12
Genre: Drama, Romance
Awards: None

The Perks Of Being A Wallflower is a coming of age film directed by the book's author. Charlie (Lerman) is a freshman who has had a troubled past. He soon meets some friends such as Patrick (Miller) and Sam (Watson) who Charlie soon falls for.

Unlike your average high school film, this doesn't just go for comedy and decides to deal with bigger themes such as isolation and acceptance. The film is surprisingly dark in places and starts to get uncomfortable near the end. Yet Wallflower is still a sweet and smart film about friendship that stays with you after it finishes.

All three leads are exemplary, yet Miller arguably gives the stand-out performance as he changes from the joyful teenager to heartbroken lover with such ease. Watson sheds her Hermione in commendable form while the supporting cast all help raise the game.

****Good

In Time (2011)

Director: Andrew Niccol
Starring: Justin Timberlake, Amanda Seyfried, Cillian Murphy, Olivia Wilde, Johnny Galeki
Certificate: 12
Genre: Sci Fi, Action
Awards: None

In the future, people don't age after they reach 25 and money has been replaced by time, meaning that the rich can live forever. Will Salas (Timberlake) is not rich so he and everybody he knows live by the day, not knowing if it would be their last. When a man with a century gives all his life to Will, he can now move up to the rich area and unleash his form of justice.

In Time is one of those films with a good concept that could have been executed so much better. While watching I can't help but think how I would have written the story. There are a few sub plots that are never explained and the film all seems a bit angsty.

Timberlake and Seyfried are both watchable in their roles and there aren't really any complaints, but the show stealer is Murphy as the time cop chasing them.  His character is the most interesting as he is shown to have complexities that - although are never explained - eventually make you root for him rather than the other characters.

In Time could do with another chance with a more talented director and writer as it has a lot of good potential. I would love to see a bigger budget remake that makes more use of the unique format.

***Okay

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Director: Frank Darabont
Starring: Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, Bob Gunton, Clancy Brown, William Sadler, Gil Bellows, James Whitmore
Certificate: 15
Genre: Drama, Crime
Awards: None

A commercial flop at its release, The Shawshank Redemption has since gone on to be considered as the best film so far on sites such as IMDB. The film is adapted from the story by Steven King about Andy Dufresne (Robbins) and Ellis Boyd Reading (Freeman) - nicknamed Red - who are both inmates in Shawshank prison. The story begins when Andy joins the prison and the two bond over the years.

The Shawshank Redemption is indeed a masterpiece that is a must see for anyone with a love for cinema. The film is filled with emotional gut punches yet somehow remains uplifting as the years drag by in the grim place.

This is the film that arguably defined Morgan Freeman as the top actor for voice overs while also giving him his breakout role (although Unforgiven wTim Robbins is just as commendable as the quiet and refined main character we can't help but root for. The supporting cast are all great including a turn from Ally McBeal's Gil Bellows as small time crook Tommy who has trouble reading.
as before this).

The films fame already speaks for itself, but for what its worth, The Shawshank Redemption is one of the best film so far and will leave you wanting to see it again and again. If you haven't already seen it, you are definitely missing out.

*****Brilliant

Argo (2012)

Director: Ben Affleck
Starring: Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, John Goodman
Certificate: 15
Genre: Drama
Awards: Best Picture, Best adapted screenplay, Best editing

Argo is the story of how the CIA was able to sneak six hostages out of Iran during the crisis of 1980. To do this Tony Mendez (Affleck) comes up with the plan of pretending to be a film crew scouting for a sci fi film called Argo.

The film is full of tension as it slowly builds to the film's climax. The escape may be filled with clichés, but your heart will still be racing.

The Hollywood segments are perhaps the best parts of the film as film veterans John Goodman and Alan Arkin steal the show from Affleck's understated performance. The two add some much needed comedy to the affair.

Despite all this, I can't really say anything else about Argo. It just seems rather bland. It's a good film, but the praise it gets may be too much. The film is full of clichés that can become rather irritating overtime and altogether, it is somewhat forgettable.

****Good

The Lego Movie (2014)

Directors: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller
Starring: Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Will Ferrell, Charlie Day, Liam Neeson, Morgan Freeman
Certificate: U
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Awards: None

The Lego Movie was expected by many to be a cynical toy theatrical advert for toys that would make a spectacular flop, but instead it surprised us all with not just its great storytelling, cast and animation, but also with its originality (but the film may have opened the flood gates to other toy films that may try to jump on the bandwagon such as The Megablocks Movie and The Fuzzy Felt Film).

The story stars Pratt as Emmet, just a normal construction worker who comes across what is known as the "piece of resistance", therefore making him the "special" who can topple lord business (Ferrell)'s plans to create a perfect world. But he is just a construction worker, leading to many thinking that he's not up to the job.

The Lego Movie is full of fun characters that make the story flow. Arnett's Batman and Neeson's Good Cop/Bad Cop are two highlights that become favourites. There are also cameos from various lego franchises such as Star Wars and Dublo.

The animation is great as the whole world is made out of lego. Even the sea! It looks similar to the amateur stop-motion videos on youtube but on a much bigger scale.

The story parodies the "chosen one" cliche while also commenting on the lego business itself and how it's become more than just a toy to some people and whether or not that is necessarily a good thing.

The Lego Movie is one of the best animated films I have seen and should be considered to be on par with How To Train Your Dragon and Kung Fu Panda. It has an originality many can only dream of and pulls everything off spectularly.

****Good

Source Code (2011)

Director: Duncan Jones
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga, Jeffrey Wright
Certificate: 12
Genre: Sci Fi
Awards: None

Due to Duncan Jones' outstanding debut, a question that has often propped up when discussing Source Code is "Is it as good as Moon". The answer is "no", but Source Code is nevertheless an intriguing and riveting tale of sci fi.

Jake Gyllenhaal plays Captain Stevens, a soldier who wakes up after fighting in a pod. There he has to enter the memories of a man to find out who blew up a train. He relives the last moments of the man again and again until he gets it right.

Source Code takes the concept of Groundhog day, adds the shady faceless business from Moon and makes them its own. It's a great movie and should definitely get more notice.

****Good

Moon (2009)

Director: Duncan Jones
Starring: Sam Rockwell, Kevin Spacey, Matt Berry
Certificate: 15
Genre: Sci Fi, Drama
Awards: None

Moon is the first film of Duncan Jones and shows a very, very promising talent.
Sam Rockwell plays an astronaut working on the moon, with only a robot named GERTY (Spacey) for company. The loneliness and isolation of his job is coming to an end as he gets to go home in three weeks time. However, after an accident outside the truth starts to unravel.

The film relies completely on Rockwell as he gives one of the best performances of his career. The only character we see properly through the whole film, he pulls on our heartstrings and boggles our mind. Kevin Spacey is also brilliant as Sam's only companion
 who surprisingly differs from the usual evil robot cliché.

Moon is a great film that needs to be watched. The plot hasn't really been explained here as its twists are what makes it great. The film is a lonely one, with its lack of music adding to many of the key scenes. It's thought provoking, tragic and most of all gripping.

*****Brilliant

12 Years A Slave (2013)

Director: Steve McQueen
Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Lupita Nyong'o, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano, Adepero Oduye, Brad Pitt, Paul Giamatti, Liza J. Bennett, Sarah Paulson
Certificate: 15
Genre: Drama
Awards: Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress (Nyong'o), Best adapted screenplay

12 Years A Slave is by far one of the most powerful films of 2013. It tells the tale of Solomon Northup (Ejiofor), a free black man who is kidnapped and sold into slavery during the 1840s. As he spends more and more time as a slave, the less hope he has of getting back to his family.

As a slavery film, 12 years A Slave really has no equal. The sheer brutality of the time is put first and foremost. Whippings, rape and lynching are all prominent throughout the film and go on for an uncomfortably long time. A scene where Solomon is hung on a tree while everybody else just goes about their business is excruciating to watch.

Chiwetel Ejiofor carries the film as we see through his eyes. We feel his pain and his suffering which makes the climax extremely emotional. But there are many great performances to rival our main character. Cumberbatch's "nice" slave owner, Ford, may only be in the film briefly, but his character is becoming the most talked about as people debate on whether he was a villain or not, seeing as he still kept slaves. Brad Pitt makes a small appearance as a man who despises slavery. His speech on how it is all wrong does seem quite redundant as it comes almost at the end of the film. We've already been shown how bad it was, there is no reason to preach it too.

The main villains are all portrayed well too. Dano appears as one of Ford's employees who really takes a disliking of Solomon's intellect. Both of the slave owners' wives are also nothing but dislikable. Mistress Ford (Bennett) is detested for her ignorance while Mistress Epps (Paulson) is perhaps even worse than her husband with her absolute hate of some of the slaves.

The film, however, belongs to Michael Fassbender as Epps. His violent nature can turn at any time. He is the most startling character, the one you want to go away but of course he won't because, like Solomon, you are stuck with him.

12 Years A Slave is a modern classic but also a gruelling, harrowing film. Of the Oscar contenders I have seen, this is the most deserving and I hope it does go on to win best picture and the acting awards. This is a film to watch, if you can stomach it...

*****Brilliant

Riddick (2013)

Director: David Twohy
Starring: Vin Diesel, Matt Nable, Jordi Molla, Katie Sackhoff, Dave Baustista, Nolan Gerard Funk, Karl Urban
Certificate: 15
Genre: Sci Fi, Action
Awards: None

In the third instalment of the shaky Riddick series, our hero (Diesel) is no longer king of the universe and has been left on a dead planet. The film is then shown in three acts.

The first act is very reminiscent of a video game as Riddick meets various creatures and has to kill them or be killed himself. We also get the backstory of his fall from grace which unfortunately becomes the most boring part of the film. The segment's saviour is a dog Riddick raises as a puppy and becomes his companion through the desolate wasteland.

The second act features the arrival of mercenaries out to take Riddick's head. A various group of colourful characters set out to hunt him, but of course they underestimate their prey. The segment is what we all wanted to see and it does well as the characters are picked off one by one.

Finally Riddick teams up with the remaining mercs as the wet season arrives and the creatures of nightmare emerge from their caves. Among the mercs is the  grieving father of Jons from the first film who wants to know what happened to his son. The survival part of the film is the most like Pitch Black, but it is different enough for it to seem original.

The Riddick series has the same problem as Ice Age. The first film was great, but it didn't leave much room for a franchise. This means that the later instalments always feel too different from the original for it to match it. Although Riddick tries to be like Pitch Black, it's characters are by no means as great (passengers can always be more varied than mercenaries with guns). Some are underdeveloped while others we don't even notice.

On the other hand Riddick is a definite step up from Chronicles as we don't have a big mess of mythology being jammed down are throats. Riddick is best when he is low budget, and with a fourth sequel on its way, lets hope it stick to that.

****Good

Surrogates (2009)

Director: Jonathan Mostow
Starring: Bruce Willis, Rosamund Pike, Radha Mitchell, Boris Kodjoe, James Cromwell, Ving Rhames
Certificate: 12
Genre: Sci Fi, Action
Awards: None

Surrogates is a techno-paranoia showing a future where everybody uses physical avatars to go about their daily life, leaving themselves at home and for a film that is so against that sort of thing, it doesn't seem to show many disadvantages. Yes, the girl you may have picked up could actually be an old man but really the avoidance of accidental death coupled with superhuman abilities doesn't really give a horrible impression of this new technology.

Bruce Willis plays a cop who lost his son and is now having problems with his wife as they only use their surrogates to interact with each other. The murder of the Surrogates' creator's son leads him through a case with twists and turns aplenty as he looks for a weapon that can kill people through the machine they are using.

Although Surrogates is a well made action film with enough intrigue to keep you interested. Its real problem is its views on technology. In a world where we all go from one black mirror to another, the paranoid view of technology we all want may alienate viewers. It's enjoyable but overall a bit preachy.

****Good

Now You See Me (2013)

Director: Louis Leterrier
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Isla Fisher, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, Mark Ruffalo, Melanie Laurent, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine
Certificate: 12
Genre: Crime
Awards: None

Now You See Me follows the four horsemen, four magicians who have joined together to rob banks. Trying to stop them is FBI agent Dylan Rhodes (Ruffalo) and Interpol agent Alma Drey (Laurent), but the magicians always seem to be one step ahead of them.

The problem with Now You See Me is that it relies too much on special effects rather than on actual magic. None of the magic is actually done by the actors as it is all done by computers.  But for anybody who has seen The Prestige,  that's not too important when there is a good story. Now You See Me has a captivating story, but the end is a let down rather than a twisting extravaganza.

The film is entertaining and very enjoyable when watching it, but afterwards you start to notice the creases in the cloth. However, it can still be praised for its acting and visual style but in the end it is disappointing.

***Okay

Megamind (2010)

Director: Tom McGrath
Starring: Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, David Cross, Jonah Hill, Brad Pitt, Ben Stiller
Certificate: PG
Genre: Animation, Superhero, Comedy
Awards: None

Megamind is a film about a super villain of the same name. For his entire life he has been battling the popular superhero Metro Man, never winning and becoming humiliated. When he does eventually kill Metro Man, Megind has nothing left to do. So he creates a new superhero, but of course that goes horribly wrong...

Megamind is a funny, enjoyable film. It just had the misfortune of being released at the same time as super villain animation Despicable Me which had minions. Megamind doesn't have minions. Yet the story is quite interesting and teaches the lesson of acceptance. The love story is handled well while the comedy is, of course, very funny with references to superhero films (Marlon Brando!) as well as creating its own jokes.

****Good

The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug (2013)

Director: Peter Jackson
Starring: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Benedict Cumberbatch, Luke Evans, Orlando Bloom, Evangeline Lilly, Lee Pace, Cate Blanchett, Stephen Fry, Ken Stott, Graham McTavish, William Kircher, James Nesbitt, Stephen Hunter, Dean O'Gorman, Aiden Turner, John Callen, Peter Hambleton, Jed Brophy, Mark Hadlow, Adam Brown
Certificate: 12
Genre: Fantasy
Awards: None

So it's chapter two in The Hobbit trilogy and Blibo Gandalph and the dwarves still have to make it to the lonely mountains. This time the big bad villain spot is not Gollum, it is the terrifying Dragon Smaug (motion-capped by the brilliant Benedict Cumberbatch). Smaug is everything we have been waiting for and more. The immense size of him is stunning, but his best feature would have to be his voice. This villain is clever and calculating, and that is what makes him the most formidable foe in the film.

The other villains are all given bits to do. Gandalf (McKellen) has to sort out the necromancer (also Cumberbatch) while many Orc captains try and catch up with the dwarves. Legolas (Bloom) is also back and this time he is not so nice, having not met Gimli or Aragorn yet, but the nastiest elf award has to go to Lee Pace's  Thranduil, Legolas' father and king of the wood elves. He thinks of nothing but himself and has  a large dislike for dwarves.

Speaking of dwarves, there are still too many of them for each to be seen as an individual character. Some stand out of course, Balin (Stott), the kindly old one; Killi (Turner) the one who fancies the elf and Thorin (Armitage) the main one who really isn't that nice. The others all blend into one big bundle. I actually only just noticed one dwarf and thought he might have been absent during the first film.

Keeping all these weird and wonderful characters together, Martin Freeman is still absolutely perfect as Bilbo. It may be Thorin's quest, Gandalf's problem or the world at stake but the audience's main worry is Bilbo's safety.

The Desolation Of Smaug feels darker than An Unexpected Journey and the world is starting to resemble that of The Lord Of The Rings. Yet it is still more cartoon-like and I've come to embrace that. It was adapted from a children's book after all.

*****Brilliant