Rosco

Money. Sex. Drugs. Power. That's The Wolf of Wall Street in a nutshell. Don't be mistaken though that it's a bad thing because it's not. It's arguably Martin Scorcese's best film in quite some time. It's an outrageously awesome film from start to finish and believe me that's a long running time. The movie itself is based on the true story of Jordan Belfort and follows his rise from forming his own company to becoming a wealthy stockbrocker living the high life to his fall due to his involvment in crime, corruption and the federal government. Leonardo DiCaprio is at his best. He delivers a truly majestic performance in his depiction as Jordan Belfort, he's phenominal. You genuinely have to wonder what the man has to do for an Oscar because based on this he is more than worthy of one! Jonah Hill excels as Donnie Azoff. For a man who is a stalwart in comedy his turn here is a masterstroke. He's very convincing and his screentime with Leo is not only memorable but strikes absolute gold! They are a dynamite duo. Margot Robbie has her big screen debut and believe me it's one you won't forget. She's not only beautiful, and believe me that's an understatement, but she delivers a solid performance. There's also noteable performances from Jon Bernthal, Jean Dujardin and Joanna Lumley to mention a few but perhaps most significantly is the role that Matthew McConaughey has. It's small but sensational. He'll have you beating your chest and humming along. Scorcese is on top form. His direction has always been brilliant but this is crudely classic! An absolute must see movie. An outrageous yet exceptionally class film.

Another excellent film under the directorship of David O. Russell. American Hustle is a modern day classic. Just genius. It tells the story of conman Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale) and his seductive mistress and partner Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams) who are forced to work with the F.B.I by Agent Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper) to set up an elaborate sting operation to uncover corrupt politicians including the Mayor of camden (Jeremy Renner) however it's the unpredictability of Rosenfelds's wife (Jennifer Lawrence) that puts the plan in danger. It's filled with fantastic performances from all the leads. Christian Bale proves his class with a stellar showing accompanied by his partner in crime Amy Adams who herself, impresses with a varying performance. Bradley Cooper also comes up with the goods in yet another star turn. Yet again, it's Jennifer Lawrence who steals the show. The girl isn't just amazingly stunning but she's an extraordinarily gifted actress as she continues to wow audiences in each film she appears in. She is sensational in her supporting role. The film is thoroughly entertaining. Infact, it's contagious!! Definitely a feel good film that you would foolish to miss out on especially when you have the star studded line up on show.

Ridiculous, proposterious.. That was my initial thoughts heading into Non-Stop. However, as farfetched as the film seems I was pleasantly surprised as this was better than I anticipated, with a few complexities thrown in along the way. Liam Neeson is a U.S air martial on a flight from New York to London however midway over the Atlantic Ocean he recieves a text on his secure phone stating that someone aboard the plane will die every 20 minutes unoless $150million is transferred into a specific bank account. From there the mystery unfolds with Neeson trying to uncover who the person is responsible aboard the flight. Ofcourse, there are those cliche moments that you would expect and given his recent outings it's exactly what we've come to expect from Liam Neeson. If you go into the film without high expectations and enjoy it for what it is, then you'll no doubt be entertained. It's not going to win any awards but to pass the time it's worth the watch.

Captain Phillips is an absolute must see film! A stellar performance by the acting god that is Tom Hanks under the direction of the ever dependable Paul Greengrass makes for a highly watchable film. One of the best films you will see for sure. It doesn't disappoint! Based on a true story, Captain Phillips (Hanks) takes command of the MV Alabama under orders to sail it's cargo through the Gulf of Aden to Mumbasa. However, during their journey, Somali pirates board the ship and take him hostage. From their Greengrass excels in doing what he does best. Delivering a suspensful and incredibly tense experience that will have on the edge of your seats wondering what waits round every corner. Barkhad Abdi's portrayal as the pirate leader Abduwali Muse was wonderful. But as the film heralds towards it's conclusions it's all about Tom Hanks. His performance is undoubtedly an Oscar worthy and he excels and steers the film over the finish line. The film exceeded all expectations I had, but then again it shouldn't have. Paul Greengrass has an impeccable track-record and Tom Hanks never lets you down, he's Hollywood gold! One of the films of the year. Definitely a must see!

This is everything that Die Hard 5 should've been. An all out, over the top, ridiculous action movie, yet is somehow manages to pull it off and give you a thoroughly entertaining experience. With a great cast consisting of Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart and Morgan Freeman they really make this film work. Olympus Has Fallen deals with a North Korean led guerrilla assault, led by former Bond villain Rick Yune, on the White House, where it's left to a guilt ridden Secret Service agent Mike Banning (Butler) to stop the terrorists and save the President (Eckhart.) It's definitely not an original idea but that doesn't prevent you from enjoying the film. It's a heart pounding, adrenaline filled action adventure that seems to take certain inspiration from classics like Die Hard and Under Siege. As unrealistic as it is. The film is very well acted. Morgan Freeman just doesn't deliver an average performance and that's no different here. Eckhart is believable as the idealist President. Yune was a smart and solid choice as the villain of the piece but it's Butler who rediscovers his form. He has had some shockers recently but this is very much normal business resumed. He thrives as an action star and this may just re-ignite him in that area because he gives a superb showing here. Let's be clear it won't win any Academy Awards. But in terms of action it's packed to the limit, adrenaline fuelled, fist pumping, roller-coaster ride that is pure entertainment.

A triumphant return for J.J Abrams in his sequel to 2009's Star Trek. Into Darkness is a slick, smart, polished and riveting sequel that betters it's predecessor. This time round the story focuses upon Captain Kirk and his crew of the U.S.S Enterprise being sent to the Klingon homeworld to capture a former Starfleet memer turned terrorist, John Harrison. The story this time around is much more solid. There are some minor technical issues but that aside it's easy to follow, well paced and a thoroughly enjoyable adventure that is entertaining throughout. The reveals were timed perfectly and unfolded in great fashion in terms of the pacing of the story. It also has an enormous amount of character arcs and growth amongst the characters. Particularly Kirk, who is less irritating thus time round, and Spock who are at the heart of the story. Zachery Quinto is splendid once more as Spock and Chris Pine seems to be growing and moulding into the legendary Captain Kirk, in one scene in the final third of film its such an emotionally driven part that you can see him growing in the role. But the villain of the piece Benedict Cumberbatch steals the show. His portrayal is so ingenious that you are never quite sure of his motives. He is mightly impressive throughout and is easily one of the best villains of any recent blockbusters. Overall, an improvement on Star Trek that breathes new life into a franchise that based on this evidence will be exploring the galaxy for many outings to come.

The Purge seemed to have an interesting and original story in the making however as the film gathers pace what unfolds is unfortunately less than impressive as the film loses its way. It's 2022 and America is prospering as a nation reborn. Crime and unemployment is at all time low. This is due to a government initiated programme known as the annual purge. Where in a 12 hour period all crime is legal and emergency services are suspended. The idea is genius and intriguing. The film focuses on the Purge through the Sandin family headed by Ethan Hawke and Lena Headey. They have become wealthy through the introduction of the purge. It had the potential to offer a very unique and fresh take on the horror genre but ultimately unfolds into numbing violence and tired clichés. Very much a missed opportunity and a sad disappointment!

After the global success that was Fast 5, Fast 6 was inevitable. 2 years down the line we have the latest instalment in the Fast & Furious franchise. Fast 5 was a pleasant surprise and took the series to another level. It wasn't just a huge financial success but the film itself was fantastic. It gave the sixth entry a lot to live up to.. Fast 6 isn't better than Fast 5 but that's no failure, it's a very worthy successor and delivers another solid outing but Fast 5 is slightly better. The film picks up following on from the crews successful Rio heist. Dom is living with Elena, Brian and Mia with whom are settled with there son Jack. Gisele and Han are in Hong Kong whilst Roman and Tej are living a luxurious lifestyle. Hobbs and his new partner, Riley (Gina Carano) meanwhile are tracking a former British Special Forces operative Owen Shaw (Luke Evans) the villain of the piece. Hobbs tracks the crew down to gain their help in apprehending Shaw however it's only when Dom learns that the supposedly dead Letty Ortiz (Michelle Rodriguez) is involved they agree to help, in return they all get pardons to return to their old lives. The film unfolds all across the Europe. Ranging from Russia, London and Spain. Luke Evans is arguably the best villain the series has produced to date. His inclusion is one area where this film thrives compared to Fast 5. Michelle Rodriguez's return is only a good thing. Whilst the usual suspects are dependable as ever. Hobbs stole the show in Fast 5 and is impressive once again. Tyrese Gibson and Ludacris provide the funny moments throughout the film there dialogue is great. Vin Diesel, we know what to expect from the face of the franchise. It's action packed once again even more so than it's predecessor! The scale and set-pieces are impressive. It's more high-octane stunts in abundance and that isn't a ad thing especially when they get things right. Some characters aren't as frequent as before and that's one area where it falls short. The story isn't as good and cohesive, whilst the ending isn't as strong and grandstand as Fast 5, it nonetheless does it's job and continues to carry and gain momentum for the forthcoming Fast & Furious 7, which if you stayed after the credits, you'll already have a pretty rough idea about what lies instore in the next chapter of the Fast franchise.

Very simply an instant classic!! One of the funniest films I've seen in a long time. It's ridiculously hilarious!! Based on Seth and Jay vs. The Apocolypse, This Is The End finally hits the big screen. The plot centres around Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Jonah Hill, James Franco, Craig Robinson & Danny McBride, where fictional versions of themselves must deal with the aftermath of an apocalypse! In many ways the film shouldn't work. But believe me it does! It's just genius comedy I mean c'mon there are worse ways to spend an apolocypse than homing up at James Franco's house with a bunch of stoned celebrities! It's such an audacious comedy. Yet it succeeds because of it's creativity. Some of the cameo roles are genius! Rihanna? Emma Watson?! But, the best is Michael Cera. Unmissable!! It's the wildest comedy of the year but something that you truly have to witness for yourself. There really isn't a lot of words that you can use to tell you about this it's one of they films you just have to see for yourself. The dialogue alone is outrageously funny! I haven't laughed naturally so much at a film in a long time. This is the must see comedy film of the year. Make no mistakes, it's daring, rude, crude, smart, inspiring and utterly hilarious.

It All Ends. And if Todd Phillips and co are to be believed this is the final instalment of the wolfpac. Many were disappointed with Part 2, so i'd probably be in the minority but I thoroughly enjoyed it so I was optimistic for the closing chapter. This time around however, they've changed the format. Now wedding. No hangover, well initially! The films opening sequence echoes Shawshank as Mr Chow escapes prison but it switches to Alan, much like the attention of the film. After the sudden death of his father the Wolfpac is reunited by Doug who encourages "the 3 best friends" to stage an intervention in order to help Alan. However, as to the usual formula it doesn't quite go to plan. They are ambushed by a familiar character and a new villain of the piece Marshall (John Goodman) who demand the Wolfpac bring him Lesley Chow. Form their the madness unfolds and in typical Hangover fashion nothing ever goes to plan. Thankfully this film gives Zach Galifiniakis his turn in the limelight as he delivers his best performance as Alan to date and is undoubtedly the star of the show. You can't not love Alan Garner! Galifiniakis has made him such a loved and cherished character but in Part 3 we are shown knew depths for him. There's the stereotypicsl, ingenious Alan LOL moments that we have come to expect and love and in many ways he is the cornerstone for the films as he's reliable as always but this is Alan's story this time round. Bradley Cooper is back as mr. cool, Phil Wennick. As usual he's dependable but is not often involved to a certain extent which is a shame because his relationship with Alan has always been awesome! Ed Helms was at the forefront in Part 2 and still delivers the goods as Dr. Stu Price but is often underused in the finale! He was hilarious in the second outing but those moments are few and far between. Ken Jeong is back as Mr Chow and thus time in a much larger role. Chow has always been a hit! And proves to be again. He still provides those funny moments in abundance. There's also an appearance from Bridesmaids Melissa McCarthy as the future Mrs Alan Garner. To be honest, Alan truly saves this film. It's not an abomination but it's not same Hangover we have come to love. It's a much more risky outing this time as it takes it to more darker and dangerous territory. The change in approach will divide the Hangover fans but it works. To a certain extent. The LOL moments aren't as frequent as before and at times it can be dull but Alan is the heart and soul and the decision to put him at the centre of attention enables this film to succeed. It's not the ending anticipated but it's satisfying and very appropriate. Particularly if you stay beyond the end credits. Vintage hangover!!

One of the best films of the year. Silver Linings isn't just one of the best feel good movies of recent times but it's also enormously entertaining and a crowd pleaser at that. The film focuses upon Pat Solitano (Bradley Cooper), a man suffering from bipolar disorder recently released from a psychiatric hospital returns home to live with his parents, Pat Sr. (Robert De Niro) & Deloris (Jacki Weaver). Determined to win back his estranged wife, he meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) who recently widowed agrees to help him if he enters dance competition with her. As they become closer they both must deal with their relationships with each other whilst coping with their disorders. The performances of the leads were lauded and it's easy to see why. They give some phenomenal performances. Cooper and Lawrence in the lead roles are incredible! The pair's edgy raport and mesmerizing chemistry sees them both deliver a pitch perfect performance. It's relationship that is a sheer delight to watch! Lawrence won the Academy Award and rightfully so, she is superb, especially when you consider she was just 21 at the time. Cooper also proves to an instant hit His stock continues to rise and he is outstanding in his role. They ren't alone and whilst they steal the show the legendary De Niro comes up trumps once again working with Cooper as his doting, unconventional father. But in such as small role it's Chris Tucker who proves to be irresistible. His presence lights up this film, everyone has witnessed his antics in the Rush Hour franchise but in a more subtle role he excels! Great credit also goes to David O. Russell. His smart screenplay is almost ingenious! The way he tackles mental illness and succeeds delivering such immensely satisfying results is excellent. It's such a charming and sharp film! All in all, this is such a marvellous movie. David O. Russell succeeds were many would have failed. With some career high and possibly defining performances this is a meaningful must see film. Crazy good!!

As one of the most eagerly anticipated movies of recent times The Dark Knight Rises arrived carrying huge expectations following the hugely successful and a genuine modern great, The Dark Knight. So, the big question.. Does it deliver and live up to the hype? Absolutely! The Dark Knight Rises is quite simply sensational. There will be many debating whether it's better than The Dark Knight, personally i'd say it's on par perhaps slightly edging ahead but nonetheless it's no crime as The Dark Knight was a classic. The film itself picks up 8 years on, where Batman has gone into exile and Gotham is prospering under the newly found peace. However, the emergence of a thief, Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway) catches Bruce Wayne's attention but it's only with the arrival of the terrorist, a mercenary Bane (Tom Hardy) that Bruce's alter ego is forced back into action. The opening sequence to this movie is magnificent!! It introduces the villain, Bane, in fantastic fashion. The scene is superb and immediately establishes the character. Tom Hardy faced an almost impossible taking on the villainous Bane after Heath Ledger's inconic performance as The Joker but he delivers an absolutely amazing performance! He's genuinely outstanding. Bane is big, bold and brutal but clearly a mastermind and given the fact he wears the 'mask' Hardy is truly tremendous. The performance is sold through his eyes, he makes Bane such an intriguing mesmerising antagonist. His voice caused controversy but he makes it such a pivotal part of the character. It's genius in all honesty! I never thought it would be possible to surpass The Joker but Bane is easily my favourite film of the trilogy. Anne Hathaway also excels as Catwoman. She encapsulates the character of Selina Kyle perfectly whether it's the fake fragile and innocent side or the sexy bad ass, Hathaway oozes class. Tops the original Catwoman for me. She is superb! Jospeh Gordon-Levitt also comes on board and rookie cop John Blake but ends up playing a massive part of the film. Marion Cotillard also has a small but vital role is environmentalist Miranda Tate. And last but not least, Christian Bale. The best Batman ever no doubt and cements his legacy as the Caped Crusader with his best outing yet. TDKR is by far the most emotional of all 3 of Nolan's films. In many ways it's inspiring just like Batman intended to be and there's one iconic and legendary scene in the film that all true Batman fans will appreciate. The breaking of the Bat! It actually left the cinema in silence and many mouths a gasp. It was expertly delivered. The action however is where this film is an unbelievable triumph. It's a blockbuster in every sense of the word. The scale and set-pieces are taken to new heights. It's glorious and leads to a stunning and spectacular finish with all out war in Gotham! Nolan has always been a master at storytelling and he truly cements this in the closing chapter, it's full of suspense and anxiety and that's where this movie thrives! He is a genius at work, when was the last time you actually believed a superhero could die? In it's own right it's an absolute colossal movie. Absolutely awesome throughout even with the 2hr 45mins running time, time never stops it's an entrhalling, exhilariting, emotionally driven action blockbuster that's utterly unmissable. EPIC! Serving as a conclusion to Nolan's trilogy this is film making of the highest calibre. He succeeds in every depertment and brings The Dark Knight full circle. It touches on everything that's gone before all the way back to Batman Begins and leaves you in awe of what he has managed to achieve and accomplish with these 3 films. He has turned Batman into a household franchise once again. Christopher Nolan has taken the Dark Knight to exceptional new heights! He has given us the greatest superhero trilogy ever to be assembled. Whoever assumes the reigns will have a monumental task!

Another classic from the legend that is Quentin Tarantino. He simply doesn't deliver average films and 'Django Unchained' continues his wonderful work. Set in the Deep South and Old West, a freed slave (Jamie Foxx) embarks on a trail across America with a German bounty hunter (Christoph Waltz) to rescue his wife from a charismatic and cruel plantation owner (Leo DiCaprio.) The sequences are sensational from the very beginning but the key component in making this film so great is the two intriguing characters at the heart of it, Foxx and Waltz. Inglorious Basterds was a marvellous movie and I thought that Waltz was the shining light and once again he steals the show. He really is an actor on top of his game under the stewardship of Tarantino and he excels. Compared to other Tarantino outings the film is much more linear excluding less flashbacks. Some will complain about the elements of racism but it's part of what Tarantino is tackling with Django. Foxx proves to be a hit in the lead role and delivers a solid performance. It was a genius piece of casting having Leo DiCaprio as the villain. He is a supreme talent and possibly the finest actor of this generation and once more he is in flawless form as the villain of the movie. As usual Samuel L. Jackson makes an appearance and he, as always, is ever dependable. There's also cameo's from the Director himself, Tarantino and Jonah Hill. Django Unchained is without a doubt one of the best films you'll likely see all year round. It's a must see film and another masterstroke from Quentin Tarantino! It has everything you'd expect from one of his films. The laughs are their in abundance, the actions sequences are superb but there's also the serious issues of racism and slavery at the heart of the tale. And to top it off, there's a stellar cast as always delivering oustanding performances. It is a bit on the long side coming in at just under 3 hours but it's a journey you just have to take all the way through to it's grand stand finish! Make no mistake Django is another work of magic from the maestro that is Quentin Tarantino.

Seth MacFarlane's big screen debut comes in the form of Ted. As a fan of his work I was definetly looking forward to this. And largely, it's hilarious! Ted is definetly the comedy of the summer, infact very possibly of the year. The film itself begins with a young John Bennett (Mark Wahlberg), a lonely child who upon receiving a teddy bear for his Christmas wishes he could talk. The next morning, John's wish comes true and Ted (Seth MacFarlane) can indeed talk and briefly becomes a celebrity. The film picks up in the modern day where John and Ted are living in Boston. Both, however are still childish, immature and spend most of the time smoking pot! John is also in a four-year relationship with the stunning Lori (Mila Kunis). During their anniversary Lori reveals that she wants more from their relationship but feels they can't move on with Ted around. This tests John's friendship to maximum as he tries to maintain his relationship with Lori and keep his bromance intact with Ted. It results in a fantastically funny comedy. It may seem juvenile but believe me Ted has a lot on offer! Wahlberg and MacFarlane nail the chemistry between their characters as they bounce of each other wonderfully well. Mila Kunis isn't just the eye candy as she fits in perfectly to MacFarlane's witty world of comedy once again. Ted is often hilarious and at times very rated-R, however not all the time, it's largely hit but does have a few misses along the way. What makes the film even more appealing is that at the heart of it is a tale of friendship, love and loyalty. Definetly the must see comedy of the summer and one that is throughly enjoyable throughout! MacFarlane's debut is hilariously impressive , if slightly drawn out but it all pays off in the end. So much so you may find yourself singing a certain Thunder Song the next time a bit of thunder is on the horizon. Dynamite!

Silence is golden. And a saying that has never been more appropriate. 'Drive' is a magnificent movie. From the very beginning you are seduced by it's sublime silence and then you simply strap yourself in and enjoy what proves to be a cool, compelling, low-key,smart and sophisticated film to the very end. Ryan Gosling is dazzling as Driver. It's almost effortless from Gosling in what is his finest performance to date, he oozed star quality in delivering such a calm yet intense display whilst managing to convey such authority. Carey Mulligan is charming in the role of Irene and portrays her role as the ordinary, sweet next neighbour with such an ease. The supporting class are also a credit to this film. Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad)has always been a firm favourite and yet again he is ever dependable and despite not being in the film throughout he plays an integral role and is great in doing so, Ron Perlman (Hellboy) is also amongst the supporting cast aswell as a notable appearance by the gorgeous Christina Hendricks. The film in so unique and eligant but it's plot is simple. Driver is a stuntman, car mechanic - working for Shannon (Cranston) and 'Driver' getting clients from A to B but never works for the same person twice. However, when he runs into neighbour Irene (Mulligan) and her son Benicio, things quickly change for him. Eventually he meets her husband, Standard, upon his release from jail and after he is attacked he agrees to help him pay off his debts. The heist backfires and Standard is killed leading Driver to believe it was a set-up and as a result sets out to find those responsible whilst ensuring Irene and Benicio's safety. It's a film before it's time with a noir feeling depicted from the opening sequences and it certainly seems to take inspiration from the 80's/90's with the likes of Pulp Fiction and Risky Business elements relevant. The cinematography is excellent and showcases Nicolas Winding Refn's talents in abundance, its impressive work. 'Drive' has been criticized by some for the violence shown within the film however its not as severe as you may think, yes there's some gritty moments but its a more realistic depiction of events compared to what you see in other films. All in all, 'Drive' is an exhilarating experience and without doubt one of the must see movies of modern times, i've never enjoyed such a neat and stylish work of art, utterly unmissable! Spectacular.

Putting in mildly 'Haywire' is a major disappointment! All the marketing i.e advertising and basic hype indicated that we were going to get a female Bauer or Bond unfortunately we get no where near those bad asses! I was excited for this movie but it just never got going. People may criticize Angelina Jolie as a female action star but the woman knows her stuff and has the Hollywood, blockbuster appeal. Gina Carano sadly doesn't. Yes, she is a fighter but an actress? And that's the main problem with the whole film. She lacks the conviction and chrisma as an actress. That aside, the plot seemed enticing. An ex-black ops soldier sets out to avenge those who betrayed her during a mission unraveling the conspiracy in the process. I was fooled! Actually, the film was sold on the premise of unfair and unmerited comparisons because where the likes of Bauer, Bond and Bourne all exceed in the genre this film fails. Apart from the brutal and at times barbaric fight sequences it's all meaningless. It's very lightweight in that department because it doesn't draw you in which I was surprised at given the nature of the cast. Ewan McGregor, Michael Fassbender, Channing Tatum, Antonio Banderas and Michael Douglas are all in the movie so you would have been forgiven for expecting a good movie. Ultimately I found Haywire to be a huge letdown and an opportunity gone begging, they had the star names in abundance to succeed however they delivered nothing more a mediocre movie at best, great shame!

Ghost Protocol delivers the goods for the Mission Impossible series. MI3 didn't get the credit it was worthy off but MI4 certainly seems to have reignited interest in the franchise. The film is outrageous fun with some incredibly surreal yet exquisite action sequences that are easily on par with Casino Royale, yes that good. The plot up's the ante in terms of the 'impossibility' factor. Ethan Hunt is assigned to lead fellow agents Benji (The awesome Simon Pegg) and Jane Carter (Paula Patton) to infiltrate the Kremlin in Moscow to locate files identifying 'Cobalt' (Michael Nyqvist) who is a Russian consultant aiming to detonate a Nuclear bomb. However, during the mission someone broadcasts across Hunt and co's frequency alerting the Russian's of Ethan and his team which leads to a frantic escape and a bomb detonating in the Kremlin leaving the IMF seemingly responsible for the attack. As a result the Russians believe the act to be an undeclared one of war resulting in the US government initiating Ghost Protocol. Jeremy Renner comes aboard as William Brandt and assists the IMF as they try to stop 'Cobalt' from starting a nuclear war. Straightforward stuff right? Certainly compared to MI3! But the plot is secondary yet it works because the action sequences are handled expertly by Brad Bird. From Ethan climbing Burj Khalifa - the highest building in the world to a car chase amidst a sandstorm they really have gone all out! The new characters introduced are relatively appealing however, personally, Simon Pegg once more is in fantastic form as Benji and really merits all the accolades and plaudits he has been credited with as he is awesome! Paula Patton was a good inclusion as the sexy yet deadly Jane Carter and Jeremy Renner was a decent alternative at times from Cruise although i don't think he is quite ready, if he ever will be, to take the reigns from our Tom just yet. The length of the film is perfectly appropriate aswell it's not as long as MI3 but is timed greatly thus time round. Ghost Protocol is a fine installment in the Mission Impossible franchise. It's an adrenaline filled funfest as a spectacle that delivers some of the the best action in recent memory and definetly takes the franchise to new heights, Brad Bird has handled everything superbly well and one suspects Tom Cruise might be back sooner than we anticpated for a fifth outing!

A fantastically funny action-comedy! 21 Jump Street is without doubt the best comedy i've saw in a while. Granted, it's ridiculously over the top, but it's immensly entertaining and wonderfully witty and the pairing of Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill has proved to be a winning combination. I myself didn't see the original but the decision to reboot the tv show and bring it to the big screen was a brilliant one! The premise is simple enough two rookie cops (Tatum & Hill) are sent back to high school, undercover charged with the task of finding a new synthetic drug and locate the supplier. Ice Cube is awesome as their captain and seems a natural in the role but the bromance between Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum is terrific and they have a cracking chimstry to work of each other providing endless entertainment throughout as well as some hugely hilarious moments that are funny frequently throughout, the film also has the icing on the top with a cameo appearance from one Johnny Depp from the original. All in all i throuroughly enjoyed 21 Jump Street! It was a genuinely funny film that provided awesome entertainment and plenty of LOL moments. Comedy gold, dynamite movie!

This film was just made for Gary Oldman. From the very moment Smiley (Oldman) appears on screen you just knew he was going to take centre stage. Given the fact he doesn't actually utter a word for the opening 15 minutes of the film, his performance is still sensational, he himself does the talking. In 1973, Control (head of British Intelligence, The Circus, sends agent Jim Prideaux (Mark Strong) to Hungary to meet a Hungarian general who wishes to sell information, however the operation is blown, Prideaux shot. Amid the international incident Control and Smiley are forced into retirement. Soon after, Smiley is brought out of retirement to investigate a claim made by an agent that there is a mole deep in the British Intelligence. As Smiley puts his team together it soon becomes apparent that agent Ricki Tarr's claims are true and he can trust nobody. He also discovers the real reason as to why Control had sent Jim Prideaux to Hungary; to learn who the mole was. Control had codenamed each suspect: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Poorman and Beggerman (Smiley!) The beauty of this film is the fact that it depends upon the acting. Its such a subtle and delicate film and you really sense the atmospheric setting of 1970's Cold War British espionage. That being said, this film requires the utmost attention because every detail is important as it jumps back and forth from time-to-time all the while becoming an utterly absorbing watch as Britain's finest excel in what turns out to be a beautifully executed film by Tomas Alfredson who slowly but surely pieces together the jigsaw with sublime skill resulting in one of the films of the year. Whilst Gary Oldman is genius as Smiley, mentions have to be made of what is a stellar supporting cast including Tom Hardy, Benidict Cumberbatch, John Hurt, Mark Strong and Colin Firth. An utterly rich, absorbing execution of espionage delivering a masterstroke in detail and a truly fantastic film.

Sherlock Holmes was a marvelous movie. It had action, humor, style and wit amongst things but it also had substance in it's story. And that's were SH2 comes up short for me. The story isn't as absorbing as the original however it terms of action and entertainment in trumps it by some manner. A Game of Shadows picks up from it's predecessor with Sherlock hot on the heels of Professor Moriarty (Jared Harris). The beginning is frantic and sets up the tone for the film and also includes a brief cameo from Rachel McAdams,playing Irene Adler. Holmes suspects Moriarty to be behind some seemingly unrelated business acquisitions, murders and terrorist attacks and in doing so takes on Moriarty in a "Game of Shadows." The plot is difficult follow at times and you will often be left wondering what is going on although the final third of the film comes together very well leading to an awesome ending that I didn't see coming. What SH2 has in abundance is sheer entertainment and amazing action. The explosive set-pieces are outstanding and really capture your attention drawing you into the film, it's almost as if the story is secondary infact that's largely the point, Guy Ritchie succeeds in the action department but the story is lacking. Robert Downey Jr. is once more in fantastic form as Holmes bringing that charm and personality to the role, Jude Law also impresses as Watson delivering another fine performance. Noomi Rapace, best known for The Girl With... trilogy, comes on board and there's even an appearance from a certain Stephen Fry! A Game of Shadows excels in it's set-pieces extravaganza providing some of the best explosive sequences your likely to see however the story loses its focus and as a result is hard to follow until the closing stages which ultimately pays off with a fabulous finale Sherlock Holmes style.

Johnny English is back and unfortunately not for the better. I found the the original surprisingly funny therefore its a great shame the sequel is a massive disappointment. Since the first film English has been dismissed from MI7 after a disastrous mission in Mozambique but is brought back to MI7 to prevent a group of international assassins from killing the Chinese Premier and causing global chaos. The original was far from the funniest film ever made but provided some genuine LOL moments. Sadly, Reborn rarely has you break into laughter or for that even crack a smile! Don't get me wrong there are some, very few, infact they are few and far between funny bits but it fails to sparkle and fizzels out to be a dreadfully dull movie. The fact is the film tries to be funny and provide funny moments but its just an epic fail, simple as that. For any fans of the original trust me when I say stick to that because Johnny English Reborn isn't a patch on its predeccesor and even that wasn't the funniest of films, tells you everything you need to know. As a fellow reviewer said; painfully unfunny, and that sums this film up to a tee!

A chilling and frightingly realistic cinematic experience. Directed by Steven Soderbergh, Contagion focuses on the rapid progess of a lethal indirect transmitted virus that kills within days. As the ever expanding epidemic grows, the worldwide medical community races against time to find a cure whilst trying to prevent mass panic that is spreading faster than the disease itself. Soderbergh has obviously done his homework tremendously well heading into the film and his depiction shows the difficulties implicated from all angles from discovering exactly what disease it is they are dealing with, the problems finding a cure and the mass panic the epidemic would undoubtedly bring. The film itself show sits brutality from the beginning with Beth Emhoff (Gwyneth Paltrow) returns home from a business venture in Hong Kong however two days later the collapses with a seizure, her husband Mitch (Matt Damon) rushes her to hospital however she ultimately dies with the doctors unable to pinpoint what actually killed her. This sparks a series of deaths all over the death and prompts the entire worldwide meidcal community (including Marion Cotillard, Lawrence Fishbourne and Kate Winslet) into desperate action to find the nature of the disease, its cause and vitally, a cure but whilst also preventing mass panic. However, the effects of the epidemic are soon felt throughout society as ordinary people struggle to survive in a society being ripped apart by fear. A recurring element smartly used by Soderbergh are the simple, everyday items and objects that are touched by the infected and become vectors to infect other people. The film runs along smoothly but does require your attention but it also emotionally encapsulating in particular showing a Emhoff's fight to keep his daughter alive in a seemigly doomed society. The ending eventually reveals the cause of the outbreak and how it came into connection with human life. Overall, as a disaster movie it excels as we have seen them all from natural disasters, global warming end of the world things but never before has their been a more genuine disaster movie. This won't be for everyone but its a tense, unnerving and frighteningly realistic.

A thoroughly entertaining film from start to finish. Brendan Gleeson excels once more and Don Cheadle isn't to bad either! This fish-out-of-water tail see's a huge drug deal bring a top FBI agent (Cheadle) to Ireland, however in the midst of all this is a cheeky, sly local cop (Gleeson) who becomes embroiled. Gleeson is the star of the show no doubt but he and Cheadle bounce of each other very well and bring some outrageously funny moments with its cultural, racial differences which certainly brings a huge element of freshness to the genre. But a huge deal of credit must go to the writer and director of this film in John Michael McDonagh who delivers a sheer delight of a movie that is up their with his best, not quite "In Bruges" but still an immensly funny with great entertainment value that you can't go wrong with.

I found myself quite surprised at how this movie turned out. The trailers made Friends With Benefits seem like an all out laughfest but underneath the laughs lies quite a bit of drama which gives this film a much more depth and allows the characters to flourish. The plot is simple and straightforward. Dylan (Justin Timberlake) and Jamie (Mila Kunis) are singletons in the Big Apple and come to the decision to be friends who sleep together. (I.e Friends With Benefits) And ofcourse the film explores the effects this has on them both. The chemistry between Timberlake and Kunis is superb and ultimately one of the keys to how good the film is. The film also has great dialogue thats performed terrificly by the cast, and thats another area where the film excels the some of the side characters, Woody Harrelson in particular, are awesome and obviously the humour is very well done as the jokes will make you LOL! FWB is a decent length but its enjoyable throughout and provides some genuinly funny moments. Importantly though the serious side of the film shines through when needed and gives it enough all the way through and allow the characters to be likeable and not seem to be the stereotypical cliched couple in so many movies. The film does become predictable as it nears its conclusion, afterall it as a romantic-comedy and it does slightly lose some of the momentum but that doesn't prevent this from being another fine comedy from Mr Gluck in what is a fine follow up to Easy A and easily one of the best rom-com's of recent times. I haven't even mentioned the clincher; Mila Kunis, enough said!

Most know the story but for those who didn't (somehow?) they are in for a very rude awakening. Focusing on the events and lies that led to the war on Iraq. CIA Operative Valerie Plame's (Naomi Watts) identity is revealed after her husband Jo Wilson (Sean Penn) reveals the truth about the "source" of supposed evidence indicating Iraq was building a WMD programme that ultimately led to the war in Iraq. Its a stunning politcal thriller. The way the film is set up in ingtriguing and keeps you full of suspense and the depiction of Plume's life before and after the scandal is portrayed remarkably well. Its a fascinating watch and a real eye-opener to the true events that actually occurred and the cover-up/conspiracy that the Government fed us. Doug Liman is great in the directing chair and once again delivers another fantastic film but the performances od Watts and Penn, who in particular was outstanding, were superb. All in all a terrific politcal thriller that will have you angered, engaged and fascinated all the while.

Personally, i'm not what you would call a vampire movie fan, the thought of Twilight makes me sick however I was pleasantly surprised with "Fright Night." It gets back to basics, well what I remember of the old vampires, and is very entertaining. Colin Farrell was absolutely fang-tastic as Jerry (the vampire) and seemed to be having the time of his life, all 400 years of them! Farrell was impressive to say the least after his phenominal performance in Horrible Bosses he steps up again and takes it up another notch. The plot is simple, Charley Brewster (Anton Yelchin) a teenager with everything going for him, hes popular, cool and ofcourse has the girl of his dream however when Charley's former best friend (Christopher Mintz-Plasse or McLovin to most) tries to convince him that his neighbour Jerry (Farrell) is a vampire his suspisions fall on deaf ears but very quickly Charley realises his former best friend has been right all along and as it turns out Jerry is thirsty! The film is actually pretty dark compared to the usual steroptypical films think Disturbia except with vampires and your on the right tracks. The suspense is brilliantly built throughout and combined with a more darker outset it really works well with this reboot although I have to say its far from scary. Sure there are a few moments that will make you jump but you won't be frightened enough to avoid going to your next neighbours door! All in all Fright Night is good, solid, well made movie. It makes vampires look evil again after all the Twilight outings. Christopher Mintz-Plasse aka McLovin himself is great in albeit a small role and brings good charisma on his part but Farrell steals the show as he is dynamite throughout. Definetly worth a look and one of the shockingly good movies of the summer.

Todd Phillips follow up to the worldwide hit of the Hangover comes in the form of Due Date. Somehow this managed to evade my attention and after picking it up at a bargain price I have to wonder how i've managed to miss it! It's not the Hangover that's for sure, infact it's not as good as the Hangover but it is up their this is another awesome comedy from the maestro himself. Robert Downey Jr is absolutely brilliant in this alongside the ever dependable Zach Galafianakis as two men caught in a mix up which leaves Downey stranded and forced to take a roadtrip across America in order for him to get home for the birth of his child. Along the way there are some classic comedy LOL moments as expected but there are also some really great heartfelt and bromance moments. At times its just outrageous but that makes this flick all the better. One word of advice don't expect another Hangover because i'd imagine you might end up disappointed although I don't know how because Due Date has plenty on offer and is another gem from Phillips as the chemistry between Robert Downey Jr and Zach Galifianakis alone is worthy of a watch they are awesome, much like this movie!

Horrible Bosses was one film that I thought had the potential to be a great comedy however I found it to be just another average, wannaebe film. Sure, I laughed here and there but in all honesty this just wasn't as funny as it should have been, its very much a wasted oppertunity. The idea is so so ridiculous it gave them a chance to ring it out for all its worth but unfortunately they fall miserably short. The comedy threesome (Bateman, Day and Sudeikis) are probably like most people and hate their bosses but these three are having an exceptionally difficult time. Bateman's psychotic boss is portrayed by Kevin Spacey and robs him of a job he believes should be his, Day has the maneater Jennifer Aniston as his hot boss and makes his job a "nightmare" on a daily basis, yes I know get molested by Jennifer Aniston seems so bad? and Sudeikis is under employment of coke-head Colin Farrell. Actually, Farrell is a revelation and quite funny. But they deicde they've had enough and hatch a plan from "m****r-f****r" Jones (Jamiee Foxx) to kill their bosses. A problem I had was with the similarities between the three leads of this and a film some may of heard of in the Hangover, you have the crazy, mental one, the sensible grown up and mr cool. Sadly they don't have the same charisma or coolness of the Wolfpack but thats not to say they are bad by any strech of the imagination. Ultimately, Horrible Bosses has the premise and the cast but it forgot the most vital ingredient, the funny!

A tremendous reboot of the Planet of the Apes series. Compared to the most recent Ape films this is without question head and shoulders above anything of recent memory. The plot is simple and rather like Batman Begins in a way where it explores the origins of the Apes. Everything you need to know going into the film is in the title. I have to admit I was actually thrilled by what this film had to offer, it's without doubt one of the biggest blockbusters of the year and genuinely lives up to being in that bracket alongisde HPP7, Transformers 3 etc,.) It has the perfect balance throughout, the whole emotional aspect of the apes in particular that of their would be leader Caesar's journey is fascinating, and ofcourse James Franco's character as he seeks a cure for his father. Andy Serkis is once again exceptional as Caesar but given his performances in Lord of the Rings (Gollum) and King Kong (as Kong). Overall this is a welcome return to form and would be well worthy of a sequel. Its one of the surprise packages of the year and an entertaining blockbluster that lives up to the hype.

Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are back again with another comedy puting; "Paul." As a huge fan off their work I honestly thought this was sure to be another hit for the duo unfortunately I was left ever so slightly disappointed. Shaun of the Dead was a classic British comedies and evidence of two men at the top of their game and they carried this on into Hot Fuzz so I was expecting great things from Paul! It's not a bad comedy it's just not as good as what you'd expect it to be given their record it has his funny moments throughout but it just lacks the sophistication their other other films had and therefore at times leaves you wanting more. The story focuses upon two British geeks travelling to USA on a UFO pilgrimage however on their path come across Paul, an Alien who enlists their help to assist him in returning home, however its not long before trouble arises and their insane roadtrip see's them in a struggle against time to return Paul home. Pegg and Frost are dependable as ever but the true stars here are, first, Seth Rogen who is awesome as Paul, the twist with Jason Bateman was a great idea and Bateman's performance itself was great as was Kristen Wiig who turns in a hilarious performance. A cameo from Jane Lynch was also very well played and for big geeks theres even a cameo from a sci-fi legend in Sigourney Weaver. All in all, Paul is at times great fun that will provide moments of laughter however its not going to live long in the memory like Shaun of the Dead or Hot Fuzz, nonetheless its certainly worth a watch and will have Sci-Fi/Alien fans in hysterics, otherwise don't expect to much.

Stupendously funny! Jackass 3-D is another hilarious funfest outing for Johnny Knoxville and co. This won't be for everyone, its pretty much hate it or love it but i've always been a fan. The third installment is ridiculously entertaining and features even more insane stunts than before. The film provides some genuine WTF moments that beggar belief as to what they are doing but somehow you never tire if seeing them take each other apart with stunt after stunt. Here's hoping this isn't the last we'll see of the Jackass crew!

SALT: basically the female Jason Bourne? Quite possibly actually. Angelina Jolie delivers a very solid and action-packed performance as Evelyn Salt, a CIA Agent who goes on the run after she is accused by a Russian defector as being a Russian spy. It's nothing ground-breaking as we have seen this before but its very entertaining as there is some genuinely incredible action sequences. The story is somewhat confusing at times to say the least yet somehow intriguing as you try to work out just who Salt is. The area where Salt does deliver is in the entertainment. Whether its the action sequences or the element of surprise and excitement it is a throughly watchable film. As i've said before SALT is certainly nothing fresh its been done before, Bourne anyone? Ofcourse the intriguing element is the story and background and that makes it ever so slightly different but also given the fact its a female its a very good alternative from the macho, muscle assassin on the run. All in all Salt is a hugely enjoyable film with plenty on offer and while the story is far from straightforward its certainly worth a watch plus with the way the movie ends I think its natural to assume this isn't the last time we'll be seeing Angelina Jolie as Salt, this movie may well kickstart another franchise!

Quite simply a knockout of a film! I have to concede that initially I didn't expect to much from this film but it was an absolutely awesome movie. Unlike other boxing films that have failed The Fighter gets the right recipe in mixing together the key ingredients of the boxing, the drama, the emotion and the story in what is an extremely realistic movie its gritty and very lifelike but also provides some genuinely fun moments! The film follows the younger days of "Irish" Micky Ward (Walhberg) and his journey to become World Champion, trained by his drug-addicted brother (Christian Bale). However, its a powerful film and there are some sublime performances throughout the film which justifiably saw Christian Bale and Melissa Leo (Alice Ward, the mother) picking up Oscar's for Best Supporting Actor/Actress, Bale was outstanding as **** Eklund in what must be one of the performances of his career whilst Leo was at her best in her portrayal as control-freak Alice Ward, just amazing! And not forgetting Wahlberg, who for a change is actually pretty good as Ward and Amy Adams is on fine form as Charlene Fleming. What sets The Fighter apart from other failed bpxing movies is the fact that this is more than a boxing movie! Its got the perfect combination and in doing so provides an engaging, exhilarating and staggering feel-good film. A must have movie!

Regardless of what people say about Michael Bay the one thing the man knows to do better than anybody is to deliver an action packed cinematic experience. Transformers: Dark of the Moon is the the third outing of the Transformers franchise and is an imrprovement on the much maligned Revenge of the Fallen. Personally, I thought the negativity towards the second film was extremely harsh it's far from the worst film or sequel for that matter. Dark of the Moon is once again a very long film coming in at over 2hrs 30 mins but it flies by and never seems to drag along. The film this time begins in 1961 with the battle between the Autobots and Decepticons where a spacecraft known as the Ark is launched carrying an invention capable which is capable of ending the war once and for all however it is shot down and lands of the Earth's moon. In the present day the Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeaouf) is sturggling to find a job after college as he believes he should be working with the Autobots. The Autobots who once again are working in partnership the US military make a shock discovery whilst tracking down Decepticons in Chernobyl. They find a fuel cell from the Ark and after realising the spacecraft surivived the attack Optimus Prime set off to the moon to retrieve the remaining fuel cells and revive an old friend. A discovery regarding the fuel cells leads the Autobots in a race against time to stop the Decepticons initiating a plan to bring their planet to Earth. The storylines have never been compelling and to be fair hardly logical but they are engaging and is sheer entertainment and do bring around some of the biggest action sequences in the cinema to date as thats were Transformers 3 excels. The visual effects are outstanding and its one of the few films i've found were 3D is actually awesome! There's never a dull moment and the action is always on the go and ofcourse there's always a bit of humour added into the pack. The big question coming into this film was could film debutant Rosie Huntington-Whiteley replace a certain Megan Fox as the eye candy? Well let's just say the way she is introduced in this film won me over straight away its unforgettable and whilst she will no doubt be panned in all honesty the role of Sam's sweetheart is more about how hot they look rather than how good an actress they are. The film is an action blockbuster from start to finish and succeeds in that department in every aspect, no doubt Bay and co will have their haters but the film itself does the talking and given the amount of money it has grossed I find it hard to beleive this is the last time we will see Optimus Prime and co!

Lets be honest Battle: Los Angeles is hardly a breakthrough movie, infact it doesn't offer anything that we haven't seen before but all the negativity shown towards it is really blown out of proprtion! Its not the best sci-fi, alien invasion movie i've ever seen but its far from the worst. The film begins with a mysterious objects, initially believed to be meteors crashing into some of the worlds biggest cities oceans however the objects turn out to be spacecraft carrying extra terrestials who have began attacks around the world. Set in modern day LA the film follows a platoon of US Marines fighting for Los Angeles. The one thing the film has in its favour is that it does seem realistic. The setting is stunning particuarly in showing a decimated LA where the action set-pieces work wonderfully and are the best features within the film as its explosion after explosion. Theres no real standout performances although Aaron Eckhart is good in the lead role not his finest hour but he puts in a solid enough performance. Overall, Battle: Los Angeles is hardly revolutionary and there have been better films under this genre (District 13) and it is a bit predictable as most people will have seen it all before however that doesn't make this a bad film. Visually its marvellous and the explosive shootouts are excellent. Won't be for everyone but for action/sci-fi fans you can't go wrong!

It All Ends Here! Sadly, it does all come to an end but the Harry Potter franchise surpasses every expectation and delivers a grandstand finale of epic proportion in what is an unmissable and unforgettable film experiences of all time. With all the high expectations heading into The Deathly Hallows Part 2 it seemed impossible that this film could end up doing what does. Picking up from the tragic ending of Part 1 the film with Harry, Ron and Hermione searching for the remaining Horcruxes to destory Voldemort and Yates sets the tone very early on with an all out action raid on Gringotts bank. The only minor issue that I had with Part 1 was the pacing but this film runs at a very smooth and fast pace. One of the elements Yates displays very convincingly is the transformation in the atmosphere and feeling for the film. Long gone are the happy times of Quidditch, instead you now have the dark, gloomy skies, dragons, death-eaters and the Dark Lord himself. This works a treat because it not only emphasizes that this is the finale to this spectacular series but it makes it much more serious. There light-hearted moments but their timed to perfection and the focus is purely on the the final battle. And that is were this film excels overwhelmingly! The battle scenes were just extraordinary. Visually its encapsulating and mezmerising and once again gets across the epicness of this film. Its been compared to the LotR battle and rightly so its simply oustanding. The story was very well written, Yates manages to combine the story, the pace, the action and the acting incredibly well. One standout, as per usual, is Alan Rickman arguably the greatest performance of the Potter franchise as Severus Snape, he is magic as Snape as his true motives are revealed in what has to be some of the most emotional and poignant scenes of the movie but Daniel Radcliffe has his moment and delivers his best performance saving his best for last, he takes centre stage in the final third and is actually magestic. And there is plenty of emotion as expected after all this is it, the final Potter outing! There are sacrifices, deaths of much loved and maligned faces who we have come to love as well as the romance as Ron and Hermione share that much anticapted kiss. All this leading to the epic showdown between Harry Potter, the boy wonder, and Lord Voldemort. The epilogue in closing the film is very bittersweet seeing each character 19 years down the line was very moving as they sent their kids to Hogwarts but it brought this amazing series of films to a fantastic finish. In closing, I urge any film fan to see this movie. It is utterly essential to see the ending to this epic series. They have certainly saved the best for last and ensure that the greatest film franchise of all time ends in spectular and spell binding style! This film has everything a finale should have and will be remembered for years to come. Having grown up with the series since I was a little kid its sad to bid Harry and co farewell but Im left fully fulfilled and admiring the achievement they have delivered in this epic franchise. Mischief managed Harry, it was magic from start to finish!

A complex film throughout but interesting all the while. The Adjustment Bureau tells the story of David Norris (Matt Damon) who is tipped to be the next big thing in politics however a scandal see's a sudden collapse see's him miss out on his race for the Senate. During a chance encounter Norris meets Elise (Emily Blunt) a dancer who leaves a lasting effect on him. As fate draws them together, it turns out it isn't the "plan" for them to be together and mysterious forces force them apart. These forces are the Adjustment Bureau, angels, sent to ensure each subject doesn't deviate from their path and follows their chosen one. It's far from straightforward, rather Inception like but it extremely throught-provking and engages you all the while. There are plenty of surprising twists and turns throughout in this thriller and the performances of Damon and Mad Men's John Slattery and Anthony Mackie however it's far from perfect. Their are plenty of flaws along the way but overall it is a fresh and fairly entertaining movie that provides thrills and excitement, not for everyone but a worthwhile watch nonetheless!

A damn fine sci-fi-action movie indeed! The trailers give you a sample but this is a film where the trailers actually don't do it many favours. Source Code certainly has influences from other movies and tv series but thats not a bad thing at all as this is a hugely entertaining movie. The film follows Captain Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhall) who is sent aboard a train which is carrying a bomb set to detonate however he only has 8 minutes to locate the bomb and locate the individual responsible. The beginnning draws you and gets you fully engrossed. Infact, you might wonder whats going on but once the train gets blown up the first time around you'll understand things a lot better. As the film goes on it's Groundhog Day, although a much faster and action packed, meets Minority Report/The Matrix. The film does run into some confusion in parts with the whole 8 minutes and Gyllenhalls character but it doesnt spoil or overly complicate things to the extent where your left scratching your head! A twist at the end will raise a few eyebrows based on what we witnessed throughout but ultimately this is a fabulous film. In terms of storytelling its superb stuff, Jake Gyllenhall continues to get better with every performance and combined with the frantic, action packed sequences and mystery of finding out exactly whats going on you can't go wrong with Source Code!

An interesting yet intriguing film. Having seen how tremendous Taken turned out to be and how superb Liam Neeson was I had high expectations heading into Unknown. The plot was enticing - Doctor Martin Harris (Neeson) awakes from a coma having been in a car crash only to discover that his wife (January Jones) doesn't recognize him and that another man has assumed his identity. A clever idea and one which initially plays out pretty well. Harris on the search to find out exactly who he is and what happened. This builds up the intense and mystery elements within the film. Along the way Diane Krugers character Gina becomes more involved and her performance is fantastic as an illegal immegrant caught up amongst Harris' troubles. Unfortunately the work done to add the mystery and intense side become overshadowed as the film loses its way at times and there are some sequences that just don't quite fit in with the way the film was planning out. The ending for me was rather cheap in what what overall a fairly decent thriller. It made it into yet another conspiracy theory with a secret organization but somewhat confusing given the fact that Neeson's character hadn't shown any signs or had any incline to believe he was an assassin, it was trying to pull a Bourne Identity on the viewer and i'm sure I wasn't the only person left feeling disappointed with the ending. Overall, Unknown is by no means a bad film its an enjoyable and interesting film that starts off promising good things but gradually loses its way and even Liam Neeson at his best at times cannot get away from the disappointment it was a missed oppertunity.

Best entry in the series by far. After the successful reboot of the Fast & Furious franchise, Fast Five delivers all action, high-octane, adrenaline fuled ride and once again improves the series by soome distance. Continuing on from the fourth outing Brian (Paul Walker) and Mia (Jordana Brewster) manage to free Dom (Vin Diesel) whilst he is being transferred to prison. The manage to flee the country and end up in Rio however its not wrong before the authorities are on their case, in the face of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, who is challenged with finding Dom and his team and extraditing them back to America all the while Dom has actually planned a Heist with a large payday - namely Brazilian crimeloard Hernan Reyes' £100million (Joaquim de Almeida) in order for him, Brian and Mia to start a new life. Many familiar faces return from previous installments and be sure to stay for the credits as theres a shock instore beyond the actual movie which sets things up perfectly for the next sequel. Fast 5 won't win any special awards but it will entertain the hell out of you. Some people might critisize the fact that they seemed to have moved the emphasis away from the street racing but its a bold move and one that they have got spot on imo! Now its all about the heist, eg Oceans but mixed up with great adrenaline filled action set pieces, explosive scenes throughout many with The Rock who is awesome as Hobbs bringing his wrestling skills into effect in his bad ass, no nonsense approach resulting in an immensly entertaining movie from start to finish. Fast Five is bigger, badder and better. A hugely enjoyable ride in what is the best Fast film to date!

After two disappointing sequels the PotC franchise is back with Pirates of the Carribean: On Stranger Tides and I was optimistic that they could rediscover the magic that enthralled us all and make up for Dead Man Chest and At Worlds End. However after an exciting and an opening with great potential i'm afraid it was all downhill from there. Jack Sparrow is back this time however he is on a quest for the Fountain of Youth however he runs into an old flame in Angelica (Penelope Cruz) who entices Jack and ultimately he ends up onboard The Queen Anne's Revenge, the ruthless pirate Blackbeards (Ian McShane) ship as he himself is after the Fountain of Youth. And thats were there the problems begin. The characters just aren't as appealing and fail to connect with the audience like the previous characters did in the first three movies. Cruz is decent enough but when you look at how good Keira Knightley was theres no comparison. Ian McShane doesn't convince as a ruthless pirate or the villain of the movie like Geoffrey Rush or Bill Nighy did as Barbossa and Davy Jones. The plot itself and more importantly has big issues. For the first time in a Pirates film I didn't really see the point of what was happening it just seemed irrelevant. Many criticisced how overly complicated At Worlds End plot was but this just felt very sub-par and as the film ran along it fell flat even the ending which was too predictable. Instead, it seems as though Rob Marshall has focused on delivering to much action scenes rather than focus on building the story or film or even try and get us interested in a character other than Jack Sparrow because after the 100th sword fight it becomes slightly tiresome. Thankfully for the film Johnny Depp still does the business as Sparrow and Geoffrey Rush is brilliant as Barbossa however they are treading finely as it seems even with Depp on top form the jokes are wearing thin and the Pirates franchise seems to becoming dull, predictable and stale. There will no doubt be another sequel however I hope for the sake of what was a great film franchise they have a large rethink in their approach and get the proper people in place who can bring freshness aboard a sinking ship!

The Wolfpack is back. And according the critics thats a bad thing!? I dont think so. After watching The Hangover Part 2 I really have to ask what they were smoking? Just what movie did they see. I'll be honest I had my doubts because the first film was amazing and the success it had was incredible so following the original was always going to be a tall order but I now feel stupid for ever doubting this film. Firstly it's not the carbon-copy of the original - their are refernces made to it but they bring out the laughs remebering what went down. Yes it follws the same structure but I don't see the huge problem people have with that. If it ain't broke why fix it? This time around its Stu's wedding in Thailand and after joining The Wolfpack for a drink the night before the big day they wake up the next morning with a familiar feeling- it happened again. As Stu faces a races against time to get to his wedding they realise that he has lost brides brother, cue the madness and laughs as they try to figure out exactly what happened and where he is whilst evading the city of Bangkok! Ed Helms really steps up in the sequel and is great as Dr. Stu. Zach Galifiniakis is once again in fantastic form as the legendary Alan Garner, Bradley Cooper is once more mr cool Phil but the standout, besides that monkey, is Ken Jeong as the not-so-gangster Leslie Chow. Forget what the critics have said and just take the film for what it is. Its not as fresh and new but it was never going to be what you get is a hilarious sequel full of entertainment and ofcourse the LOL moments the first one was famous for and a marvellous little monkey! What more could you want?

A spectacular return to form for the Potter series in what is arguably the best film of the franchise. A much darker outing than previous installments resulting in a more direct approach all the light-hearted and cheerful themes are long gone bar a few funny comments to break the ice at times. Part 1 of The Deathly Hallows picks up from were The Half Prince left off with Harry, Hermione and Ron on the search of Horcruxes to bring and end to Voldemort once and for all. The start is frantic and doesn't mess around with a chase through London very well shown as the dark forces hunt for Potter. However very quickly the focus switches purely to the Harry and co and their quest for the Horcruxes. I was worried about the setting as for the first time in a film Hogwarts is not at the heart of things but any doubts I had were soon forgotten and thus really drives at home that the protection they were all once under is truely gone! The search for Horcruxes sees Harry, Ron and Hermione face danger at every turn they, under false identites, head to an infiltrated Ministry. However their quest takes its tole as the effects of a Horcrux are shown by Ron who wonders off half way threw. During this a clever scene involving Harry and Hermione dancing which was a great inculsion to lighten the tone ever so slightly. When Weasley eventually returns it leads to the destruction of a Horcrux but leads to the unravelling of an old myth - The Deathly Hallows. As the pieces of the puzzle begin to fall into place Harry is now aware of exactly what Voldemort is after. The climax to Part 1 left us with a teary-eyed goodbye to an old favourite and with a minor cliffhanger setting things up perfectly for the enevitable emotional finale and the final chapter of an epic series. Part 2 can't come quick enough!

I don't know what film the critics were watching because it certainly wasn't the same one I saw because this is a fantastic film. Yes it's far from realistic a lot of the time but isn't that the beauty of films? Eagle Eye is action packed from word go but is also extremely engaging with great suspense thrown in it always has you on the edge of your seat. Shia LaBeouf is terrific as Jerry Shaw and this in more evidence of just how awesome an actor he really is. The story keeps you on your toes wondering what will happen next as two strangers (Shia LaBeouf and Michelle Monaghan) are "activated" and torn away from their ordinary lives taking orders from a mysterious caller which is part of a much larger and much more dangerous high-tech assassination plot but where do they go when their is nowhere to run or hide when the enemy is everywhere? Do yourself a favour, ignore the clueless critics and just enjoy a wonderful action-packed exhilarating movie.

Do yourself a favour. Go to youtube watch the trailer and be done with it. Seriously, if your looking for laughs then you would be saving yourself the disappointment because the trailers deliver everything thats good about this movie in under 2 minutes. As a big fan of the first two **** films I was quite optimistic about this one but sadly this was an awful addition to the ****. The plot picks up several years down the line since we last visited the ****. Greg (Stiller) is settled down with Pam and his twins struggling with his finances and turns to Jessica Alba for help. Jack (DeNiro) has health problems and is looking to hand over the family reigns however he still has it in for Greg and with Greg's suspicious behavior it only makes things worse. Their are appearances from Barba Streisand but its largely down to the few occasions where Owen Wilson and Dustin Hoffman appear to work their magic that save this film from being a total catastrophe. The jokes are now wearing thin and for **** sake lets just hope that this is the last **** film because based on this evidence they are ruining what was once a strong household set of fims in comedy!

Rarely in a trilogy does each movie improve on it's predacessor however in this case its a case of saving the best until last! The Bourne Identity and Supremacy where amazing but Ultimatum blows them out them water. It raises the bar and set's the standards for all spy, espionage, federal agent franchises - whatever you want to call them the likes of Bond, Bauer and McClane all have some serious work to do. This film picks up from the previous outing with Bourne escaping the authorities and on the run however he inadvertently becomes the target of Operation Blackbriar - a Treadstone upgrade whilst working with a London based journalist. Information from the reporter brings back new sets of memories for Bourne as he finally intends upon finding out about his dark past and who he truely is whilst evading a new ruthless breed of assassin leading to a phenominal finale in the final installment of a tremednous trilogy! This film has everything action from start to finish, superb suspense and a real thriller once more showcasing just how good a recipe it is with Paul Greengrass directing and Matt Damon in awesome form as Jason Bourne.

A terrific thriller and an incredibly intense movie. Shia LaBeouf is once more phenominal as a teenager under house arrest who suspects that one of his neighbours is a serial killer however as Kale and his freinds trys to gather evidence he doesn't realise just how much danger they are in. The film constantly has you invested in what's going on and the tension is built up superbly. David Morse is so creepy its scary as the neighbour Kale suspects to be the serial killer. Overall a very solid and fantastic film it ticks all the boxes in what you would want in a thriller but it also has its scarier side for any horror fans.

A liberating and uplifting movie and the feel-good film of the decade, Danny Boyle delivers the Oscar Winning Slumdog Millionaire. And it's easy to tell why the film has won numerous awards. The film focuses upon Jamil Malik (Dev Patel) an 18 year old orphan from the slums of Mumbai and a constant on the Indian version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, who is one question away from winning 20 million rupees. However he arrested in suspision of cheating. During his interrogation Jamil reveals his incredible and heartwrenching story of his life as a young boy growing up on the streets of Mumbai with his brother Salim, and how he loved and lost the girl of his dreams Latika (Freida Pinto), each question links to a memoir of Jamil's exhilarating life. Superbly well directed in the ever capable and inspring hands of Danny Boyle who delivers a beautiful film from start to finish and one that will live long in the memory, utterly unmissable!

As a big fan of David Fincher's work, naturally The Social Network was an instant appeal. Firstly, I don't disagree that the Social Network is a fantastic film and more evidence if any where needed that Fincher is simply sensational in the art of storytelling and directing and in particular conveying his view on each story he brings to the big screen. However, I feel as though the film is overrated. The success it has for me is largely down to Fincher and deesrvedly so but I wouldn't say it was his best piece of work. The film tells the story of Mark Zuckerberg and how he went from beginning with an idea to building an empire in the face of Facebook and all the lawsuits that Zuckerberg was served with. This is shown through flashbacks. I'll grant you the film is engrossing and very well told and Jessie Eisenberg's portrayal of Zuckerberg is great but you would expect every last detail to be explained to the moon and back when Fincher is in town. But Eisenberg is upstaged by Andrew Garfield who is delivers a mezmerising performance as Zuckerberg's decieved best-friend its no surprise to see his stock continue to rise after his performance as Eduardo Saverin here. The surprise success of the film is Justin Timberlake. Ive seen some of the criticiscm of Timberlake and his depiction as Ben Parker but I thought he was shockingly awesome in the role. The film is a real eyeopener and without doubt a fine film which showcases Finchers unquestionable ability and although I couldn't disagree that it is one of the most hyped and critically acclaimed films I just feel that it failed to meet the expectations and was ultimately left wanting more from the film.

I remember watching this film in the cinema's and at the time is was hilarious and the best LOL i'd seen in a while. After watching it again and again its pretty clear that Wedding Crashers is still to date one of the best and most memorable comedies of recent times. It follows John Beckwith (Owen Wilson) and Jeremy Grey (Vince Vaughn) a set of divorce mediators who are also "Wedding Crashers." They go from wedding to wedding, girl to girl and live the lifestyle that men dream off but at the "Kentucky Derby" of weddings - The U.S Secretary of Treasure William Cleary's (Christopher Walken) daughter that all changes when John falls for his other daughter Claire (Rachel McAdams). What unfolds is an unforgettable and hysterical series of events and some of the most memorable one-liners and quotes as John sets about wooing Claire from under the arms of Sack (portrayed superbly by Bradley Cooper), Jeremy has to deal with his "stage 5 virgin clinger" Gloria. Its an unimssable comedy that regardless of when watched will always manage to put a smile on your face and LOL, cracking comedy and one of the best!