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Writing a review about Upstream Color implies I have gotten as much as I possibly want from the film out of it but that couldn't be further from the truth as truly understanding this stream of conscious thought would take more than a few watches and honestly I don't think my wallet can take the enlightenment. When Kris (Amy Seimetz) is accosted by a mysterious stranger and implanted with a mind altering parasite, her ideal life is upended and the only thing that seems to return her to a modicome of normalcy is Jeff (Shane Carruth), a man who has been through a similar experience that she meets on a train. While the film does demand you fill in the films many plot holes with your own imagination, it isn't the same lazy storytelling technique that made Only God Forgives so intolerably stupid. The film sets a framework for the viewer, one that we must populate with our own thoughts, our own ideas about what it all means. Without our input and our sense of self this film wouldn't work. It's a special picture because no one sees the same thing or comes to the same conclusion. The connection Kris makes with this creature is a way of discussing not only the natural cycle of things on this planet but the concept of symbiosis, the coming together of two organisms and the bond the two form as they work with each other. This is something interpreted by Kris and Jeff's importance to each other but also through Kris' relationship to the parasite, something she cannot see but she knows somehow is there. Seimetz proves herself one to watch as she brings out so much in a dialogue light script. Her actions tell a wealth of story while leaving as much to self interpretation as possible. It's an exercise in expanding your mind but also in letting go and enjoying a trippy but complex love story between not only a man and a woman but a woman and a parasite.

While at first I had no idea what to expect from Frances Ha as it seems to have no semblance of a plot, a complete lack of meaning and a main character who jumps from one extreme to another. In the end though I was in awe of this unexpected little triumph. When Frances (Greta Gerwig) learns that her room mate and best friend Sophie (Mickey Sumner) is moving out she must scramble to get her life in order as everyone else seems to be getting their things together. However this proves more difficult for Frances as she is an interesting and lovable train wreck. Unlike director Noah Baumbach's previous film, the intolerably boring Greenberg, Frances Ha has a lead character who sure takes some getting used to with her indecipherable rants and her illogical sense of self, but isn't an insufferable presence who only gets more despicable. It's a film about self awareness and the ability to know your own self worth and therefore it has a wonderful yet lifelike conclusion anyone who watches will be happy with. While the first act is all over the place, its only to highlight Frances' hyperactive personality and her inability to be still and settle down. The film really comes into its own when Frances is forced to make plans because Frances in trouble is both hilarious and tragic making for a compelling watch. Gerwig is fantastic and understands the effervescent nature of Frances as if it was her. Something this film makes very easy to believe. Peppered with interesting side characters to round out Frances' surprisingly large friend circle (especially for someone as high maintenance as she is), the film is equal parts unusual comedy and sombre drama as we cling to the words coming out of this self destructive yet brilliant woman.

Recently co-writer and lead actress Brit Marling starred in a similarly themed film, Sound of My Voice,a film also about a mysterious organization but these two films couldn't be more different with The East being a logical and compelling piece of cinema. When Jane (Brit Marling) is sent in undercover to assess a fundamentalist group called The East, a group led by Benji (Alexander Skarsgard) and Izzy (Ellen Page) she starts to understand their cause as the company she works for begins to twist the truth until she doesn't know who to trust. The only flaw with The East is it really isn't as clever as it thinks it is, it uses cliched twists to convey key plot points and lacks the subtlety and strength of its conviction to pull its twists off. The end is almost ruined by a twist so half arsed it really deserves mocking but by doing so I may ruin it for the few who might not catch it. The filming is splendid with every shot feeling grey as the film blurs the lines between black and white as Jane loses herself in a web of deceit, a web so complex that be the end I had forgotten her real name. Filled with some excellent performances, Marling proves her worth as an actor after disappointing turns in her own projects such as Another Earth and the previously mentioned Sound of My Voice. Skarsgard is the best of the bunch as he is completely fearless in his depiction of this utterly lost soul. The film begs the viewer to pick a side before the end but the finale makes that strive for agreement pointless as the film ends on its own terms. Most of the political ideas on display are half baked at best and it really shows with the conclusion feeling like a safe way to bring this story to a close, although I have to say I did get a little bit of satisfaction with the neat and tidy nature of the ending, something this story really doesn't deserve. While interesting and well performed it finds itself let down by a lack of thought going into what the writers really wanted to say.

It's not hard to imagine a film with Al Pacino, Christopher Walken and Alan Arkin being bad due to their recent string of bad decisions but surprisingly it isn't, its a fresh look at old age and the effects it has on all of us. The film follows what happens when Val (Pacino) is released from prison. He is met at the gates by Doc (Walken), his best friend, a man who has orders to kill Val by 10AM the next day. As the minutes count down these two remember their past and enjoy their final day together. Director Fisher Stevens although having directed 2002's Just a Kiss is still finding his directing legs and Stand up Guys does suffer from some weak direction, especially during the film's quieter moments. The films many action scenes are well done and even prove to be exhilarating. Pacino ground the film as Val, a genuinely nice guy who happens to have gotten himself into a lose lose situation, one Doc seems more than willing to extricate himself from. Unlike most of his recent efforts Pacino is fantastic here, elevating a good script into a great one. Walken, coming off a heartbreaking turn in Seven Psychopaths brings out the best in Doc, something Doc refuses to notice even if Val has no problem pointing it out for viewers and Doc. They are joined by their old getaway driver Hirsch (Alan Arkin for a spell, the films best collection of sequences follow as these friends proceed to do things some might say they are to old to. The joy of the film is how these old pros fall back into old habits as soon as Val arrives. This shouldn't be seen as a bad thing because even if they do bad things, they are still ultimately Stand Up Guys.

Much like Cars, Planes isn't firing on all cylinders. It's a direct to DVD feature that was upgraded to fill a release gap, a gap most people are currently wishing had stayed vacant. Crop Duster, Dusty Crophopper (Dane Cook) is sick of being a one job plane. Dusty wants to be a racer and with the help of his mentor Skipper (Stacy Keach) and a little luck he might just get to do what he wants. While it does try to at least make sense from a story point of view it doesn't mean its a good film. If all you want to do is make a story that makes sense you haven't really set the bar very high. However the director pretends that's all he needs and carries on regardless in the search for something that can **** the bottom of average. It doesn't. While the ride works its bumpy, cringe worthy and unoriginal,a trifecta of awfulness that added together makes Planes a horrific viewing experience. Dane Cook is surprisingly not offensive but the whole film is, it insults peoples intelligence as we are forced to watch Cars again.

Going into The Act of Killing I expected to be shocked and appalled and I was but not for the reasons I imagined. A fearless look at a group of people alive today and their inner most thoughts about a dark time in Indonesian history. The kicker? These people are monsters and director Joshua Oppenheimer is unfortunately giving them a voice. The film follows Oppenheimer as he interviews a group of Indonesian death squad executioners responsible for the mass communist genocide that took place in 1965, a horrific period in Indonesian history carried out by these so called subjects. The film is crass and lacks any kind of remorse as it ridicules the children of those who died, shows the wonderful lives that these killers now have and glorifies an action that took over a million lives. The Act of Killing is a disgraceful picture designed to disturb as to inspire action. However Oppenheimer must know the futility of his struggle and the inevitability of his failure so his creation of this rubbish only serves to entertain his interviewees. Not only does the film give them a pulpit to shout out their propaganda but it also treats it all as alright, a necessary evil. The Act of Killing breaks the cardinal rule of documentary film making, it doesn't have anything in it worth telling the rest of the world, it doesn't have a purpose beyond mocking the dead.

Riddick despite his B movie status is an iconic movie character and Vin Diesel is excellent as the titular hero but its a shame that director David Twohy decided to essentially remake Pitch Black for the third instalment of the semi popular franchise. The film follows what happens when Richard B Riddick (Diesel) is betrayed and left for dead on a planet filled with creatures trying to kill him. He is forced to summon two ships of bounty hunters to the planet to find a way off world before a dangerous threat reaches him and the ships he has just called. While Pitch Black was more of an ensemble survival film, Riddick relies solely on the abilities of Diesel with a few fun side characters dotted about for good measure (a cameo by Karl Urban early in the film is a nice way of keeping the continuity of the disastrous Chronicles of Riddick.) For his part Diesel is excellent, an intense presence worthy of the character. The visuals are great for a film on a reduced budget and the world Riddick finds himself stranded on has much more personality than the one in Pitch Black. The film opens with a gripping 25 minutes of Riddick surviving and learning the rules of his new environment and while a man alone on a planet sounds boring, it is by far the best aspect of the film as it really gets to the core of the Riddick character as Diesel conveys so much of Riddick's thoughts through his facial expressions and actions. Light on dialogue and intense the first act is riveting stuff. Katee Sackhoff makes a welcome addition to the Riddick world as mercenary Dahl and Matt Gable shows up with an interesting link to Riddick's past that makes for an interesting new dynamic to a seemingly predictable affair. The ending while generic is exceptionally well realised and directed by Twohy with some beautiful shots depicting the desperate situation Riddick and the surviving mercenaries find themselves in. It's actually rather moving up until an obvious plot twist ruins it all. The film does have some clunky writing and some poor performances but Twohy is smart enough to kill them off early to avoid embarrassment. Ultimately its a nice return to this universe after the calamity that was the Chronicles of Riddick and if Twohy manages to maintain the enjoyable B movie cheese I will continue to watch this hit and miss series.

I had an inkling on how Drinking Buddies was going to end going in but being right didn't mean I didn't enjoy the overall experience because I did. In fact its a smart and well directed film with a fresh improvised style that makes the film performances shine so much that it ultimately didn't matter how the film ended, the ride was enough. The film follows best friends Kate (Olivia Wilde) and Luke (Jake Johnson) who work at a Chicago brewery together. When Kate and Luke introduce each other to their respective partners things start to change for these two friends even though they don't realize it is happening. Director Joe Swanberg, uses his unique filming and story telling techniques to bring new life to a story as old as time. While an unrequited love story is my Kryptonite, Drinking Buddies is the anti rom-com, rom-com as it isn't concerned with the trivial questions of who ends up with who, it's a tale of life not just for Kate and Luke but everyone. It's a story of personality, how these people interact with each other, warts and all. Joined by Anna Kendrick as Luke's partner Jill and Ron Livingston as Kate's partner Chris. Kendrick turns in yet another stand out performance as a supposedly chilled out yet secretly neurotic girl seeking more from Luke, a man with a serious commitment phobia. Livingston is an unexpected touch but an excellent choice none the less. The real highlight though is Olivia Wilde who proves her worth after a slew of bad film appearances (Cowboys and Aliens, Ultimately a film like this doesn't come along very often despite Swanberg's impressive film turnout over the last 9 years and we should embrace it for what it is, a heartfelt look at the frustrating nature of man and their ability to miss the simplest of things. While a little long it all comes down to your personal taste as the film is all about the little things, the small inconsequential moments that make up a persons life. If that's not your thing thats fine but if it is your going to love it.

Starting with Before Sunrise in 1995, the Before Trilogy has been the perfect anti blockbuster saga that depicts the lives of two people who just happen to find each other sitting on a train heading to Vienna. What follows that initial meeting is nothing short of magical. Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and his wife Celeste (Julie Delpy) and their twin girls are vacationing at a writers retreat in Greece and for their last night they have been treated to a night exploring a small Greek town together, one that highlights each of their insecurities, hopes, dreams and inner most thoughts, thoughts that could bring this epic romance to an end. Before Midnight seems like an apt conclusion to this revelatory series as it is not only the best of the bunch but it's surely one of the best films of the year. The film doesn't shy away from the fears and relationship problems that hit people in their forties as they re-examine their lives. Midnight is the darkest of the three films but that only adds to the experience as the film exhibits a wealth of emotion established over three days of these peoples lives. A cracking romp, it's funny, intelligent and never once leaves you questioning what time it is. Even for someone unclear of Jesse and Celeste's history, Before Midnight is a detailed and personal film written by people who love these characters and want as many other people to do so too. The main reason its works as a film is because it involves you in a persons life that almost everyone can relate to in some way or another as Jesse comments on social dynamics and Celeste complains about the vulgarity of men you can associate with them in a way few films manage. As the film draws to a close the film leads into an anti-establishment climax as these characters shift and respond to things in a beautiful and painfully real way. While everything comes crashing down for these two you might see something you didn't want to see in yourself or you might glance upon the films ending and feel a glimmer of hope for these two and maybe by extension yourself.

There is no denying that We're The Millers is as stupid as it is funny and by that I mean it is completely idiotic. The plot is nonsensical, the characters equally so but the film somehow manages to be a huge amount of fun thanks to a talented comedic cast. When small time drug dealer David (Jason Sudekis) is robbed he is forced to head down to Mexico to smuggle some drugs across the border. To do so he hires a fake family comprising of next door neighbour/stripper Rose (Jennifer Aniston), homeless kid Casey (Emma Roberts) and innocent teenager Kenny (Will Poulter) to get through customs. It's not a clever film, its never even in the same vicinity of clever, the script is bog standard but there is plenty of improvised comedy to fill in the gaps, improvised comedy being performed by seasoned pros as well as newcomers willing to try their hardest. Aniston is excellent but We're The Millers and films like it are pretty much her only wheelhouse, Sudekis is oddly loveable despite his horrible character, a man so reprehensible its easy to understand his constant state of isolation and self hatred. The cast plays into the ludicrous nature of the story to bring out much more comedy than I anticipated as this eclectic family bonds through shared hatred, communal sarcasm and some dangerous yet completely batty action sequences. Aniston seems to be thrilled to be playing the vindictive yet responsible Rose and she adds a level of class to an all round crass film. It's a film that has a lot of laughs, just not a whole lot of sense.

From the mind of the director of Saw, The Conjuring is a film that finds itself in two minds about whether it should be a strict horror film or a family themed one. Eventually the film stops trying to differentiate and just gives up making for an ending so flat its almost as if it doesn't end. The film follows Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga), a married couple who work as ghost hunters and are sent to the Perron household where Carolyn (Lili Taylor) and Roger Perron (Ron Livingston) are experiencing odd occurrences that are scaring not only them but their five girls. Filled with some great tension, the opening act of the film is almost like it is from another film as it slowly but surely puts you in a state of unease, one that feels like it isn't going to end leading to a moment so terrifying it will affect some of the most seasoned horror watchers. However after that the scares become more predictable and the timing becomes a lot more conventional as the film transitions into a picture about family where there is no real sense of jeopardy, just two families bonding together which could be interesting if The Conjuring wasn't a horror film. The picture decides to avoid a chilling finale in favour of an action one where everything collectively hits the fan but by doing so have rid the the film of any redemptive features as director James Wan's signature style of raising tension to a boiling point is thrown out of the window in favour of a whole lot of confusion. This balls to the wall conclusion lacks the gravitas of his previous works which is a crying shame indeed.

Much like with his first Pirates of the Caribbean film, Gore Verbinski has roved that he is a master of both spectacle and story as The Lone Ranger is an unconventional yet exhilarating tale of reinvention and revenge. While returning home John Reid (Armie Hammer) meets Tonto (Johnny Depp) during a daring train jailbreak. When John is left for dead Tonto saves him and encourages him to become something outside the law, to become a Lone Ranger. Much like Verbinski's previous effort Rango, The Lone Ranger is a twist on the conventional western and doesn't quite feel like a western at all. The Lone Ranger feels like a remarkably smart kids film as almost everything in the film happens for the sake of comedy as the film rockets along with a light hearted tone. However the film does have some disturbing moments that give John and Tonto their justifications for their vendetta meaning there are moments when the film doesn't feel like a 12A at all but a 15 meaning there are moments that may not be suitable for children, especially a rather twisted torture scene early on in the film. It's a courageous film that goes against the stereotypical western formula to become its own beast, a fast paced revenge thriller that boasts more comedy than the average buddy comedy and still has room for exploding trains, gunfights and romance. A film that is trying to be spectacular and look incredible and despite a slow opening it pretty much achieves everything it sets out to do and more.

Directed by Bridesmaids' Paul Feig, The Heat tries to use the red hot star rating of Melissa McCarthy to produce comedy gold yet again and for the most part it is a genuinely funny crime thriller. When FBI agent Sarah Ashburn (Sandra Bullock) is sent to Boston to track down an arms smuggler she is paired with Boston detective Shannon Mullins (McCarthy) and the two use their interesting police techniques to bring down the illusive villain. Bridesmaids had the benefit of having a huge cast of extremely talented comedians while The Heat is quieter but still stuffed full of comedy. Bullock is excellent as the buttoned up agent as she manages to use the improvisational approach to the filming to benefit her characters nervous nature. While it takes a while to get going, the film is really built around its finale and its really is a fast paced, joke filled climax that lives up to all the setups. It lacks the comic timing of Kristin Wiig but McCarthy picks up the slack aplenty but its still not quite the same. Mullins is an abrasive character which unfortunately makes McCarthy's comedy very loud and ever so slightly ear **** screechy. Another problem is the volume does remove any sense of subtlety to the jokes. However Bullock and McCarthy make an impressive comedy duo towards the end thanks to some much needed character development in the 2nd act, but the opening with its growing pains is dull as dishwater and it drags on the rest of the films riveting comedy antics

Fast paced, vicious and utterly fun, You're Next is a master-class in horror film making thanks to a fresh concept and a director willing to see it through to the bitter end, the bitter fantastic end. When a family gathers for an anniversary celebration at a country house away from society they find themselves under siege by a group of sociopathic attackers wearing animal masks. However the attackers and the guests soon realize they should be afraid of one of the guests more as they prove remarkably adept at killing people. While some of the performances in the film are dire it also features a standout performance by Sharni Vinson whose character is a wonderful change of pace to the conventional horror movie females, sure she does about the same quota of killing, maybe even lightly more, but You're Next manages to make it seem more realistic. Her status as a masculine female seems assured but the film doesn't ever change her, she is always presented as feminine, feminine force capable of some truly devastating things (her skill with a meat tenderizer alone is worth the price of admission). The film manages to present each of its characters as people even though some are clearly going to suffer the fate of dying early on. Everyone feels like equals as each and everyone of them puts their own effect on the story and the overall feel of this awe inspiring horror flick. While some of the violence takes a turn towards the fantastical as people survive the most disgusting of injuries, its all in the name of entertainment and that's what You're Next is, grade A popcorn entertainment.

After last years Men in Black 3 I got a taste for the early days of Sci-Fi buddy pics, the original MIB and the breezy thrills of two guys throwing caution to the wind to protect the people of the world, RIPD is that film and as it turns out I wasn't missing much at all. When NIck (Ryan Reynolds) is murdered hi is enlisted by the RIPD, the Rest In Peace Department, a group of undead officers including Nick's new partner Roy (Jeff Bridges) that hunt deados, undead that refuse to just die and cling to life until Roy and Nick and the rest of the RIPD can bring them in or destroy them. Everything about RIPD is reused and fashioned out of spare parts other movies didn't want. It's a poor man's Men in Black as it follows the same formula (two partners, one old, one young, one recently recruited, the other a seasoned pro who still has things to learn.) It's vapid film making that only really stands out thanks to its comic book action sequences and stellar CGI action that MIB didn't have back when the originals came out. Everything else is unfortunate mimicry that is just plain painful to watch.

The name Mark Wahlberg is synonymous with buddy comedies and buddy action films, its just the kind of film he likes making and 2 Guns is no exception, except for the unexpected and refreshing addition of Denzel Washington. When Bobby (Washington) and Stig (Wahlberg) rob a bank filled with forty million dollars they find themselves hunted by multiple parties keen on getting their hands on the exuberant payday. Making matters worse is the fact Bobby and Stig aren't exactly being honest with each other about who they are. A fast paced, unrelenting joy ride through a simple but entertaining story that uses played out action tropes to tell its tale but manages to keep the proceedings thrilling despite some of the generic pratfalls. Washington and Wahlberg share some great chemistry as they sink their teeth into witty dialogue that Washington proves he is more than willing to take advantage of. The film doesn't take advantage of all its assets as Paula Patton is underutilized as Bobby's ex partner despite an interesting introduction filled with some completely unnecessary nudity to boot. Sure the films key demographic is young males but the film seems to be begging somewhat with the addition of **** jokes aplenty and the prerequisite pair of jubblies. That being said, 2 Guns is damn good fun, a breezy crime caper that while not entirely harmless is light on real consequences. Finally its a film worth watching for the shocking fact that Bill Paxton, an actor written off by most (including myself) gives a stellar performance as Bobby's adversary and CIA spook, a cruel sleazy and all around disgusting wretch of a human being so wonderfully repulsive he bring the film to life whenever he appears and Paxton nails it. Ultimately its a smooth ride worth a watch not only for a taste of Washington as a comedy actor but also for Bill Paxton (Never thought I'd say that.)

Trying to review a film like Frankenstein's Army is an arduous task indeed because half of the events that take place in this film are so hard to make out that it feels as though you have watched half a film. When a group of Russian soldiers are sent to find and capture Dr Frankenstein, an illusive and sociopathic doctor hidden away in a remote village. However when they arrive they find dangerous creatures inhabit the homes and streets of this sleepy place and getting out alive may prove impossible. The found footage phenomenon has been responsible for some excellent movies from last years Chronicle to Cloverfield but it has also created such colossal tripe as The Devil Inside, Quarantine and this piece of ridiculous rubbish. Built from discarded Dead Snow ideas and inoffensive yet poorly thought out historical satire, Frankenstein's Army isn't interesting at all. It's vision of creating a new kind of horror film is one fostered by a director who sadly thinks he is smarter than he actually is and has apparently been living under a rock for several years. Impossible to watch, especially when things actually start happening because the camera is never stationary for enough time for the events and supposed horrors in the film to really sink in as they are glossed over as the characters (and by association, the cameraman) run for their lives in the opposite direction to the action. The creatures they run from are odd looking and badly imagined Dr Who villains. For a horror film its light on the horror, intrigue and excitement as it doubles down on pretentious historical relevance that makes absolutely no sense.

Taking a page from other French films, Populaire is a whimsical yet adult French comedy with enough going on beneath the surface to make watching it unique despite its similarities to other French films, most notably 2011's Romantics Anonymous. Populaire tells the story of Rose (Deborah Francois), a young French woman who moves from her small village life to the hustle and bustle of the big city in 1959 to become a secretary, a job she finds difficult and to avoid getting fired she agrees to take part in a typing competition, something that may bring Rose and her boss Louis (Romain Duris) closer. While not as polished and delightful as Amelie or the aforementioned Romantics Anonymous, Populaire does charm you from beginning to end thanks to its three fantastic lead performances by Francois, Duris and Bernice Bejo as Louis old friend and ex lover. Most of the credit goes to Francois who manages to make her often childish character realistic and moving thanks to her ability to read the subtleties of a scene. She manages to be quirky and adult at the same time, an admirable feat. The scripting is clever as it incorporates the idea of a society still recovering from the devastation of the war almost 15 years on as well as the the desire to modernise, something we are still feeling today. The film uses the war to add colour to its characters, especially Louis who unlike the conventional war veteran has no fear of what he saw, just everything waiting for him back home, especially Marie (Bejo). It's a rose tinted film so it does turn a bit saccharine towards the end but it is to be expected from a French film about love, it has to end well.

A piece of documentary film making can pick its topic and We Steal Secrets has picked WikiLeaks as its topic or so I thought when I started watching. What it really is, is a documentary about the perfect storm of Julian Assange despite the inherent promise in the title to tell the story of WikiLeaks. When Julian Assange and the men and women behind WikiLeaks brought down the Icelandic banks, people took notice and as Assange's leaks got more and more severe the nature of the information game changed, some say forever, others agree that this radical movement will fade. While Assange is a worthy topic of debate and discussion all We Steal Secrets seems to do is obfuscate the filed of view so much that its hard to interpret quite what happened during Assange's short and harmful time in the public eye. The story tries to keep you hooked but the story is shown from so many sides with differing accounts that you lose the plot in the swarm of information and half truths. The film tries not to depict him as a saint by showing the lives he has inadvertently ruined but it does try to justify his actions by painting him as a maverick, even going so far as to show Assange celebrating by dancing to Lady Gaga in a nightclub. It's a surreal image that will stick with you as the film nonchalantly glosses over certain aspects to try and maintain the delusional idea that WikiLeaks is a website of journalistic integrity despite Assange's bizarre actions towards the end of the film. Ultimately its WikiLeaks without any of the specifics as it concentrates on an interesting yet thoroughly corruptable person who in the end was exactly the person everyone thought he would turn out to be.

It's odd to see Pierce Brosnan in a role like this, a lead in what is essentially a sombre romantic comedy filled with some truly odd story points and characters that almost ruin the fun of watching this unique and quite satisfying relationship develop. When reclusive Philip (Brosnan) is invited to his son's wedding he finds himself coming out of his shell with the mother of the bride Ida (Trine Dyrholm), a clumsy and submissive woman recovering from cancer and the betrayal by her oafish husband. While oftentimes its story is nonsensical as side characters appear to have no reason for existing except to expand the number of guests attending this out of the way union. The whole film is built around Ida and her sense of worth and the film depicts a thoroughly real and damaged person with heart and gravitas making her a wonderful person to watch on screen. It's a unconventional love story to say the least as Philip and Ida are not your normal lovers, they actually have things happening in their life that doesn't revolve around the other. The film is interested in telling a deeply personal story and it is unafraid to do so which makes for excellent cinema. However the film crams in uncomfortable cringe humour and ridiculous comedy elements that detract from the experience so much so that some scenes serve no purpose at all except to make the viewer laugh but instead it almost makes them cry. In conclusion, stay for the real and tender love story. block out the comedy aspects.

Kick Ass was a risque superhero movie that pushed boundaries and created controversy. Kick Ass 2 tones it down and by doing so loses some of the flair that made the original as great as it was. When Dave Lisewski (Aaron Taylor Johnson) returns to his alter ego Kick Ass, he joins a new league of heroes including Colonel Stars and Stripes (Jim Carrey) and Night (Liddy Booth). Meanwhile Hit Girl (Chloe Grace Moretz) tries to fit in during high school while fighting her desire to suit back up. Kick Ass 2 is a very different monster with a similar filming approach to the first one but the characters are different, the writing isn't as sharp and Hit Girl isn't quite as impressive as she was 4 years ago. The new characters pale in comparison as Carrey's Stars and Stripes is more of a cameo than a supporting role and Night while amusing plays almost exactly the same role as Lyndsy Fonseca's from the first film (she does return for a blink and you will miss it cameo but its not the same). While not dire, Director Jeff Wadlow's idea of this world is Kick Ass Lite with toned down violence as to appear sanitized, insults that sound rude but cannot compare to the controversial and ballsy ones of the first. It's all half measures as to be safe enough to sell the film to a younger audience who probably shouldn't be seeing it. Ultimately its story is good and the film does take a few risks that really shock but its all a little late as the heart and soul of Kick Ass has been ripped out thanks to the directors odd decision.

Lightning doesn't strike in the same place twice, something Elysium reminded me by being so remarkably similar to director Neill Blomkamp's previous feature, the excellent 2009 film District 9. The problem is that Elysium lacks any of the features and story that made District 9 so fantastic. When released convict Max (Matt Damon) is irradiated at work he sets out on a journey to travel to Elysium, a high tech space station made to house the rich and famous while the poor and helpless live on a ruined Earth. To get up to Elysium to find a cure Max must face the brutal defence secretary Delacourt (Jodie Foster) and her pitbull agent Kruger (Sharlto Copley). While it does show the inventive and socially dynamic mode of storytelling Blomkamp thrived at with District 9, Elysium doesn't tread as lightly as its predecessor as it plays the 1% card over and over. Blomkamp's attempts to humanise his characters through cliched relationships and convenient bonding moments that feel fake and uninvolving backfires. The action heavy plot is clever and should be a science fiction fans dream plot but when the action actually breaks out the fighting is so frenetic thanks to an overeager editor that all the action becomes blurry and hard to watch. Damon is good but is straddled with a crop of bad performers bringing the proceedings down. Most notably is Jodie Foster who phones it in as a manipulative bureaucrat with her eyes on, surprisingly, more power. Foster always mounts the fence when it comes to overacting but here she leaps over it in a single bound. Copley's villain is a treat and he really is horrible making him shine with an odd sense of wonder but its not enough to fill in the films many plot holes and problems meaning Elysium was not paradise at all.

Blue Sky Studios, an animation company most known for the Ice Age series has created in Epic a film of astounding beauty with a story that feels both original and fun despite the fact it is based on a novel by William Joyce. When the queen of the forest (Beyonce Knowles) transfers her powers to a pod about to bloom, lead leafman and sworn protector of it Ronin (Colin Farrell) is tasked with protecting it with M.K (Amanda Seyfried), a human who has been shrunk to help the people of the forest defend the pod against Mandrake (Christoph Waltz, the leader **** of creatures intent on destroying everything living. Epic is unexpected, exciting and clever and when the script isn't spewing out cliched dialogue about grief and loss, its actually quite funny with a story worth following. Unlike the rest of this years animation crop, Epic is a different animal, a light hearted adventure story just like the rest but displayed in a way that makes it original, especially in terms of the animation which helps establish this hard to believe yet wonderful world. Director Chris Wedge, the director of the original Ice Age has yet again created a world worth revisiting as it is ripe with potential. Filled with an impressive voice cast, Epic is just pure fun for kids and adults as it messes with the viewers sense of scale to create an adventure like none other.

If at first you think the story Byzantium tries to tell is a little too thin, it's because it is and Director Neil Jordan tries everything in his arsenal to slow things down but that just makes this unoriginal picture boring as well. When mysterious women Clara (Gemma Arterton) and Eleanor (Saorise Ronan) move to a quiet coastal town they bring with them death and destruction as a shrouded in darkness group hunts them for something Clara did years prior. Jordan who previously worked on vampire tale Interview with the Vampire takes a different approach with this story of the blood **** creatures as it flits from present to past to tell the simplistic and oftentimes pretentious story of these two women. In fact the film spends so much time swapping time periods that the film never builds any momentum and the glimpses into their pasts get less interesting as the film goes on. Byzantium however is more interested in telling a simple story well, an admirable idea but in doing so fail to grip its audience, Jordan does create an interesting world but its one so bleak and miserable that the ending which should real as hopeful is just bizarre. Ronan and Arterton who are stuck with an uninventive script make the most of it and Arterton especially stands out as she makes Clara a tragic yet brutal vixen, a born manipulator whose a real joy to watch when she really gets going, something this film rarely shows, Ronan who is consistently good in everything it seems is memorable as the shy, afraid of her own shadow Eleanor yet the two together lack the kind of chemistry expected meaning a key aspect of the film is missing It's a depressing film with a long arduous run time that did not keep me interested because of its insistence to tell what was ultimately a generic vampire story.

While I fortunately have no idea how this stacks up in comparison to the first Smurfs movie, The Smurfs 2 is a tragic attempt at family storytelling that pales in comparison to the excellent crop of animations from earlier this year. When Smurfette (Katy Perry) is abducted y Gargamel (Hank Azaria) and his new creations, the Naughties, two white Smurfs called Vexy (Christina Ricci) and Hackus (J.B Smoove), Papa Smurf and a small group head to the real world to save her with the help of their human friends. While not completely unwatchable, The Smurfs 2 is a film solely aimed at children so therefore its bright, odd but supposedly wonderful things happen and it all works out in the end. It also means that the grown ups are forced to take their kids to it and must sit through some of the worst dialogue and story ever to grace the big screen as talented actors such as Neil Patrick Harris and Brendan Gleeson are forced to act like irrational buffoons. Harris gets the worst of it as he acts like a spoilt 14 year old boy for most of the movie (with a cringe worthy step father bonding relationship thrown in for good measure.). The voice work is find and the film doesn't drag per se but it doesn't entertain anyone but people who don't know any better and probably the criminally insane. My suggestion is if you have children wait for the DVD and then leave it for them to watch when you are out and the babysitter has to be forced to watch it.

The first Red felt like it was a movie trying to find the best in its performers but not really taking advantage of the films interesting premise. Red 2 feels like phase two, a film that benefits from both a good story and some strong direction by Dean Parisot. When Frank Moses (Bruce Willis) gets dragged back into his past CIA life yet again when Marvin (John Malkovich) asks for his help. It isn't long before Frank and his girlfriend Sarah (Mary Louise Parker) are thrown back into the thick of it. Brimming with plenty of comedy, both loud and quiet, Red 2 is a fast paced action thrill ride with a good sense of self and a cast of actors who are clearly loving the experience. Willis leads a cast who have a good grasp of the inherent comedy in the films plot. Malkovich who was the highlight of the original shines yet again, mainly thanks to a costume department who dress Marvin in some of the most inventive and ridiculous outfits you can possibly imagine. A globe trotting adventure film as well as a comedy conspiracy film, all wrapped up into one excellent picture. Smartly written by Jon and Erich Hoeber, Red 2 is a wonderful treat but it does rely on crazy twists that are all too simple in their execution making for a rather dull and predictable final act that does make you laugh (one moment had the whole cinema in fits of laughter) but doesn't amaze due to the predictable conclusion. It's all good fun but it isn't quite the finished product, even if its an improvement on the first.

Panned by critics, I didn't hold out much hope for The Words, a three generation story filled with nuanced characters and some truly great dialogue that brings out a wonderfully creative story that may make you cringe from time to time but mainly it will make you ponder how moral you really think you are. When an acclaimed author Clay (Dennis Quaid) is introduced to Daniella (Olivia Wilde), a young woman who wants to hear his latest story about a down on his luck writer Rory Bradley Cooper) who steals an old man (Jeremy Irons) story and must deal with the consequences, Daniella and Clay must decide what lives they want to live and who they want to be moving forward. An in depth look into love and obsession but most of all the power of admiration and the lengths we will take to give and receive it. The Words is understandably obsessed with paying tribute to the power of the written word and the great words that come from writers with something to say and maybe that's why the script by Brian Klugman and Lee Sternthal is so good as every story has a personality while they play into each other. The performances are mostly great except for the constantly awful Zoe Saldana as Rory's irritating partner. The standouts are Quiad and Irons as two haunted men, one wrapped up in his own guilt and success, the other mourning the life he once had and failed to find again. It's a complex story that is filled with emotion, some overplayed but most of it hitting the mark making for a wonderful, if not a little upsetting movie that really gets to the centre of peoples wants and desires as it tells us its alright to dream of becoming more.

Despite a haircut that makes it look like some kind of small animal died on her head, Halle Berry is excellent in The Call, a tense thriller that was a genuine surprise, a smartly written and performed film. When Jordan (Berry) is responsible for the death of a young girl, she quits work as an emergency call operator but when another girl, Casey (Abigail Breslin) is taken she finds herself back in the chair trying to save her from her captor. The Call is a pulse pounding film as it playfully subverts horror conventions to create a thriller so tense that you may well feel your heart beating in your chest. Grounded by an excellent performance by Berry as the good natured but self conscious Jordan, everything in the film feels real adding a new level to the action as Breslin's Casey gets closer to her destination and her expected demise. The usual diversions are to be expected and an odd and slightly pointless cameo by Michael Imperioli slows the film down but all in all its a film with an interesting premise, two great central performances and an ability to play with the viewers head. The only real downside is the film's villain, he lacks the charisma of other horror villains and while the tension and terror is real, the ending is written on the walls from the beginning and it takes the adventure out of an otherwise great film. It's not a bad film, it's fun, clever and creepy but it doesn't really push boundaries in its conclusion so much as nudge them, hoping they will fall over on their own.

As Michael Bay wants us to know, Pain and Gain is based on a true story, something mentioned twice during the film as to make the point that stupid things happen in this world, a point that seems so important to remind people of that Bay makes his characters stereotypical morons, even when things get serious. When personal trailer Daniel Lugo (Mark Wahlberg) discovers one of his clients is insanely rich he decides to kidnap him and steal his things. He enlists the help of evangelist Paul Doyle (Dwayne Johnson) and his friend Adrian (Anthony Mackie) to help him pull it off. While trying to be a true crime tale of three people doing horrific things it lacks any kind of fun but Pain and Gain is not a crime film, Sure it's a film about a crime and its story is definitely true but at its heart. Pain and Gain is a surreal comedy as the actions of this trio of idiots really do make toy laugh out loud. The inner monologues that writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely have given each and every one of the three leads helps add context to this twisted tale but most of all it gives you a healthy wallop of hilarity as their inner most thoughts show them to be the dense yet oddly lovable people they are, with Dwayne Johnson being excellent as religious ex criminal Paul, a man who only really finds himself doing these things because of peer pressure (despite the quite obvious fact he is a grown man). Admiring these criminals for how far they got on limited smarts is part of the films charm but the film lacks an ending and the comedy peters off when things start hitting the fan and real people, as Bay has so subtly reminded us, start dying. Therefore the end isn't funny and it has no real resolution making Pain and Gain a rather pointless watch despite the hilarious first half,

The question of what else is out there in the universe is one that has wrapped our collective consciousness ever since Galileo discovered the Earth orbited the sun and we weren't as flat as everyone assumed we were. Europe Report is a film that tries to answer the question while trying to terrify the viewer with predictable cares thought up years ago. When the crew of the Europa One are cut off from Earth when their communications are destroyed by a solar flare they are forced to do their mission alone, a multi year journey to Europa, a moon of Jupiter where scientists have discovered signs of possible life. Filled with meaning and deep philosophical questions about our role in this universe, Europa Report doesn't feel like a piece of entertainment, it feels like a science lesson video, a great looking science documentary that doesn't aim to entertain but make you wonder. It does what it says on the tin and makes you question things but it fails to entertain on a filmic level, it plays like a cliche ridden horror film that ends in a predictable way. The cast are good with the best performances coming from District 9's Sharlto Copley whose devoted family man is an interesting and unique addition to a horror film and he stands out from the pack, Michael Nyqvist also impresses as the guilt ridden and depressive lead engineer on the project. Embeth Davitz bookends the film as an overly emotional lead researcher down on Earth who provides context and relevance to the mission but all these attempts to make the film seem cosmically important make it a slow exercise in asking questions we cannot possibly know the answer to making for a slow paced exercise in futility.

Chan Wook Park, the acclaimed director of the Vengeance Trilogy brings to life a script by Wentworth Miller in a way no other director could making Stoker a must watch. When India (Mia Wasikowska) finds out her father (Dermot Mulroney) has died she is shocked to learn she has an uncle Charlie (Matthew Goode), a suave, sophisticated man who takes an instant interest in her and her mother Evelyn (Nicole Kidman). Completely different from his previous work and a lot more subtle than the previously mentioned trilogy, Stoker is a slick and disturbingly gripping psychological mystery film with a cast so good that everything about it is a pleasure. Chan Wook manages to marry the light and dark aspects of this story so that they meld together into a film that is set almost entirely in the grey. The camera work and the mise en scene help the film feel not of the norm, not of this Earth while also grounding the film in reality. However the film really wouldn't work without the fearless performances of Wasikowska and Goode who seem to have perfectly interpreted Miller's words. Kidman is also fantastic as usual as the sultry yet petrified Evelyn, a character Kidman cuts right to the centre of Ultimately the reason stoker works so well and is so good is because it breaks the mold of the conventional psychological thriller thanks to an inventive and oftentimes surprising script and story that brings out the best in Chan Wook's work as he shows the corruption and fear that Charlie brings in his wake.

I went into Monsters University with very little in the way of expectations and I came out surprised and disappointed at the same time as the prequel to Monsters Inc is both wonderful and aggravating at the same time. When Mike Wasowksi (Billy Crystal) arrives at Monsters University he meets rebellious James Sullivan (John Goodman) and the two tangle to become the greatest scarers until they are forced to team up to avoid getting expelled. University does manage to avoid the pratfalls of prequels by keeping the story light and narrow in scope while filling the film with a brand new crop of monsters and a few choice cameos for longtime monsters fans. However it also lacks that Monsters Inc had, a no holes barred adventure with a beautiful ending. University is fun and has some action in it but it lacks the guts of its predecessor and feels like its lacking because of it. As usual the animation is stellar with Pixar constantly raising the bar on themselves but it all feels similar. If anything, Monsters Inc has robber University of the awe this film would have caused as a stand alone feature. Crystal and Goodman are having fun doing the voices yet again as these two really come alive. The film depicts the beginning of a beautiful friendship and it finds its heart through this odd couple pairing but it lacks the child like innocence of Inc and ultimately if there is no Boo then you won't be able to achieve the same effect making it a good thing University doesn't try to.

Matthew McConaghay's previous foray into the lives of people in southern USA was the distressing and pointless Killer Joe. Mud takes a different track by presenting the characters lives as their choice and where they want to be. When Ellis (Tye Sheridan) and Neckbone (Jacob Lofland) find a boat in the middle of a small island they discover Mud (McConaghay), a man waiting for his girlfriend Juniper (Reese Witherspoon) who has promised to meet him. While structured like a pretty conventional revenge story, Mud is really a tale about sons and fathers and the women who control them. Directed by Jeff Nichols, Mud is a film about the beauty of a simple life and the kindness and humanity that comes with this kind of community. Mud is really the tale of Ellis, a smooth talking yet naive young boy who relates to Mud because of their complex relationships with their fathers. The film is filled with sharply written and well acted characters with McConaghay and Witherspoon being a terrific tragic pairing as the true reason for Mud's banishment becomes apparent, the two get better and better. Sheridan is a brilliant new find and brings out all of Ellis' growing pains wonderfully. The film rides on the relationship between Ellis and Mud and the two mesh well together as they form an almost brotherly bond. Ultimately its a beautifully performed and filmed picture that displays the beauty of living on the river and of living in a world of your own where the odd is strangely normal and people like Mud fortunately exist.

From the surreal imagination of Tommy Wirkola, the director of Dead Snow, Norway's answer to the Evil Dead, comes this unconventional and fun re imagining of the Brothers Grimm tale of Hansel (Jeremy Renner) and Gretel (Gemma Arterton). The film follows Hansel and Gretel as they are cruelly abandoned by their parents and taught a valuable lesson about trust by an evil witch. This gives them the strength to continue and take up the mantle of Witch Hunters. The film actually takes place years after the events of their childhood but this is still an origins story for these two characters. Renner's version of Hansel is quick witted, relentless and a born leader while Arterton's Gretel is vicious, warm and occasionally stupid as hell. The film does a decent job of depicting these characters as the crafty children who tricked and killed their first witch. However the film also tries to flesh Hansel and Gretel out with predictable backstory that is told one movie trope at a time. The film is pretty generic, its fairly slow and doesn't do a good job of keeping your attention and worst of all the films lead villain as played by Famke Janssen is awful and in the brief time she has been out of the limelight she has somehow forgotten how to act.. That being said, it is a funny feature, with Wirkola's signature dark and goofy humour shining through the films many problems and the unsettling feeling of mediocrity, making the film an oddly fun experience, not a perfect one, not a great one even but a fairly decent start to a franchise I can see getting better with age.

The whole process of making film fascinates me, especially the old process of making it on film, meaning that Side by Side must be the film for me. Not at all, thanks to a complete disregard of everything film. Side by Side looks at the influx of digital cinema and its effects on films made as some say they should still be made on film. Using famous talking heads to make their point, the film emphasises the differences between the two and how digital's emergence has changed everything. While an interesting concept and filled with good questions asked by narrator and interviewer Keanu Reeves, Side by Side lacks the kind of debate expected from a documentary like this and it also fails to convey any kind of personal touch as it robotically goes over the facts with no time for any form of discussion. The film is more interested in opinion and the views of the film-makers Reeves talks to, something that ensures the film fails to make any points in support of either method. I'm sure this was so the viewer could make his own decision but the film fails to give enough information to make a decision of that sort possible. Sure its nice to hear directors talking so lovingly about their craft but in the end it doesn't mean a damn think in relation to the film vs digital debate because its not so much a debate but a choice, one that isn't any clearer having spent an hour and a half learning nothing but conjecture.

Being the follow up to a film that has already acquired cult status is tough and Only God Forgives astounds in how horrendously it misses the mark. When Julian (Ryan Gosling) discovers that his brother has been murdered he finds himself seeking revenge as his mother (Kristin Scott Thomas) arrives in Bangkok to ensure 'justice' is served on the police officer who had her son killed. It's clear from the start that director Nicholas Wending Refn wanted to get as far away from Drive as he possibly could but the presence of Gosling proves a strong link between the two and therefore it encourages comparison. Only God Forgives plays like art house cinema and the aesthetics of the film are absolutely beautiful with Refn's obsession with neon giving the film an almost psychedelic feel. Regardless of the beauty of it, the film lacks a lead character with any real personality apart from the one Refn invites us to give him, a method that worked better in Drive when the story and supporting characters helped add detail to the mysterious driver. In this, Julian is surrounded by nameless goons and a mother so callous you gain little knowledge of who Julian is because the only person she really cares about is herself and what she wants. It's fine acting by Scott Thomas but one good character does not a film make. The most infuriating thing isn't that Only God Forgives fails to live up to Drive or the fact that its lead character is as hollow and lifeless as a tube of loo roll but that all the characters in it are so repugnant that watching them is unpleasant making Only God Forgives uncomfortable to watch in the first place meaning by the time the end comes around and nothing of substance has happened the film might actually make you angry.

I always feel that movies set in Japan are automatically at an advantage because of the inherent beauty and tradition that comes with the country which is why The Wolverine is such a colossal disappointment. When Logan (Hugh Jackman) saves a Japanese man's life in Hiroshima in 1945 he sets off chain reaction that brings about death and destruction in the present when Wolverine is summoned by the man so that he can say his goodbyes. While Jackman is a talented performer, The Wolverine is beyond saving as it is derivative, predictable and most of all, its boring. Working off a horrendous script by writers Mark Bomback and Scott Frank, director James Mangold shows a talent behind the camera for the action in the film with a high speed chase on a bullet train being a breathtaking piece of cinema but he fails to display emotion or evoke character out of his wooden performers. It's not entirely his fault, the acting is dire with both female leads dragging the film down. The constant references to X-Men: The Last Stand and the presence of Famke Janssen's Jean Grey reminds viewers of the nonsensical mess of a film that was, which should make The Wolverine look stellar by comparison but it only really makes you long for the days of Bryan Singers X films. While the film does try to fix the character of Logan, ridding him of some of his grief and shame, it just feels like a stop gap before Jackman is set to appear in the following X film, Days of Future Past. Ultimately its a feature that doesn't live up to its potential and makes light of its own story of redemption by having Logan murder countless numbers of people as if for sport making the whole movie a waste of anyone's precious time.

Making a film because of the B movies of yesteryear doesn't sound like a solid reason for making a film and maybe that's why Pacific Rim lacks depth and flair, because its too busy trying to remind you of what came before. When a portal opens under the Pacific Ocean and monsters begin flooding through it, humanity creates giant mechs to fight them but when this tactic begins to fail, humanity devise one last ditch effort to destroy the portal for good. Pacific Rim knows what it is and it does play to its strengths but those strengths are only really one strength, its visuals and the near perfect CGI incorporated into the movie. Don't get me wrong, the 3D is redundant and really makes watching the film difficult but in 2D Pacific Rim is terrific to look at with Director Guillermo Del Toro really understanding how to frame his action as to show the scale and wonder these mechs (refereed to as Jaegers) and monsters (Kaijus) evoke. It;s the best aspect of the movie which means the action light 2nd act is thoroughly monotonous and often times meaningless. The plot is generic which is surprising considering the films interesting premise. The writing is equally predictable with emotional scenes failing to leave a mark because they feel reused. It's a well acted film and Idris Elba continues to prove he is a gifted actor who can display many emotions at once but he is stuck with scowl inducing dialogue that is hard to swallow. Charlie Hunam is an interesting choice for the hero and while his sullen yet worldly performance as Raleigh is good it isn't great and his casting feels safe when Pacific Rim is an out there premise and film. Ultimately the film needs to take more risks in its endeavour to surprise viewers and it feels like Del Toro took a step back and played it a little too safe.

The Latest Jason Statham film to come along feels just like the last one except for one key detail, it actually starts with a thoroughly enjoyable heist set piece before settling into its tale of mediocrity. When career criminal Parker (Staham) is double crossed by his team and left for dead he vows revenge and head out to track them down. However he needs the help of down on her luck Realtor Leslie (Jennifer Lopez) to find them. Unlike Safe which found a nice way of incorporating Statham's patented violent but ever so nice hero into a story with him protecting a young girl but in Parker there is no rhyme or reason for anything he does. A simple revenge thriller is unfortunately complicated by the addition of the terrible Lopez who is far from her Karen Sisko days in Out of Sight. Staham who is no Daniel Day Lewis himself is forced to sit through dull scene after dull scene of Lopez chewing the furniture ad irritating the viewer. It's a thoroughly stupid, poorly thought out thriller that grips you with its opening but leaves you bored almost 10 minutes later.

Olympus has Fallen does something that White House Down never even thinks of doing, it tries to make sense of an impossible situation. While Olypmus has fallen is failing to persuade you that it isn't a generic thriller, White House Down is having fun and you are too. When armed terrorists seize the White House, visitor John Cale (Channing Tatum) is forced to protect President Sawyer (Jamie Foxx) and try to rescue his daughter Emily (Joey King) from them. The film is big, unpretentious fun which emulates the original Die Hard, not just in story but in its tone. White House Down is funny and has a cast clearly revelling in the experience. Tatum is a good Willis replacement and he shares great chemistry with Foxx who provides most of the films comedy. Directed by Roland Emmerich, the director of other big budget actioners such as 2012 and Independence Day, White House Down isn't subtle, its in your face and it never really slows down as everything is thrown at you at a break neck pace. Filled with cliches aplenty this is big budget B movie film making at its best. Emmerich manages to twist formulas to keep things trundling along as well as display the action in a new and interesting way. The films script by James Vanderbilt isn't terrible but there are more than a few dodgy lines hidden throughout the film. Clearly Emmerich is trying to display himself as a storyteller and while White House Down has a good story and is a gripping thriller it is a completely recycled tale that just follows an outline, an outline laid out by one of the best action films made making it entertaining action but nowhere near original.

It's been years since the last instalment of the Cornetto trilogy and the final chapter is finally upon us and fortunately its just as good, if not better than the last. When Garry King (Simon Pegg) reassembles his gang of school friends for the golden mile, a bar crawl that consists of 12 pubs in his home town he doesn't realize that his home is no longer the same place he and his friends remember and it may well be dangerous to stay. The World's End isn't the conventional conclusion to a trilogy but this is no ordinary trilogy. Clearly attempting to bring some kind of resolution to the saga, the ending of the film is actually the worst part of the feature as it has very little to do with the actual film as well as being remarkably confusing. That being said, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and director Edgar Wright prove that their blood and ice cream series are the pinnacle of modern British comedy. Filled with Wright's usual wit, The World's End is bloody good comedy with plenty of laugh out loud moments and hundreds of quotable lines as well as a rather moving finale that is ruined by a journey into the ridiculous with the final coda feeling tacked on and utterly pointless. The film takes its time ramping up to its main story so the beginning is light on jokes and heavy on exposition but as soon as the drinking starts its off to the races. The 2nd act is a blur of well directed action set pieces and wall to wall belly laughs as everything starts to hit the fan and the characters start coming into their own. It's quintessential British comedy that is pretty damn terrific in every aspect and has stand out performances from Pegg, Frost, Rosamund Pike and Paddy Considine.. Must watch British cinema.

Based around a dark time in both Japanese and American history, Emperor is a subtle and beautiful story of a return to normalcy and the empathy that can come from anyone, even one of your worst enemies. Emperor follows General Bonner Fellers (Matthew Fox) a man who lived in Japan prior to the war and is given the decision of whether or not the Emperor of Japan should be tried fro war crimes, a decision he is to make under the close inspection of General Douglas MacArthur (Tommy Lee Jones). Emperor doesn't even attempt to create tension when it comes to Fellers decision as the film isn't really about history but one mans attempts to console himself with his past and move on. The film creates tension by showing through flashbacks the relationship between Fellers and a Japanese woman he met in the states. As Fellers searches for his past love, someone he hasn't seen for a long time, the film shows a moving love story that is infused with some of the beauty of the country that is now in ruins. The film really isn't about the Emperor at all and it certainly isn't about Fellers quest either, its a rather simple story of how Fellers past relationship and his search for historical context regarding his decision helps him find answers to some of the questions that plague any man who has done horrible things and lost things along the way. The film proves to be extremely interesting thanks to the fact it turns both America and Japan into villains from the get go making them both culpable for the atrocities they have committed. The difference is that by setting the film in war torn Japan the film shows everything the war has caused by the Americans, the state of a once prosperous happy country that is one execution away from total collapse. The film is a love letter to Japanese culture and a love story well worth watching as Matthew Fox is a captivating actor and gives a revelatory performance well worth recognition. The film is a story not just about the past but about the future as it shows two countries in flux, Japan awaiting news of their fate and America trying to justify their actions having just committed one of the worst war crimes in history. Trying to find some kind of redemption even though they have made an indelible mark on a country it had already ravaged.

Bridesmaids made Melissa McCarthy a household name and for good reason but it seems to me that no one really knows how to take advantage of her many talents. Identity Thief maroons her in a sea of bad comedy and irritatingly familiar Jason Bateman moments we have all seen a thousand times. The film follows Sandy Bigelow Patterson (Bateman) as he travels from his family to track down a women who has stolen his identity and is slowly but surely ruining his life, one dollar at a time. Ultimately its a film made for McCarthy and a film that has literally no idea what it is doing. It relies heavily on fart and genital humour (Much like Bateman's Horrible Bosses) and never even attempts to be intelligent as the film flips from bizarre raunch comedy to zany road movie to unemotional family film. It doesn't have a clue where its going, what its doing or why its two main stars are acting like they've taken a **** of tranquillizers. McCarthy wakes up when Eric Stonestreet shows up for a hilarious 10 minute sequence that successfully fooled me into thinking the film was getting better. While funny it doesn't save a film that can't tell its beginning from its end, its just bad.

According to Jiro Ono, the modest star of Jiro Dreams of Sushi, a great sushi chef must be borderline obsessed or just plain obsessed with his craft to succeed. Clearly filmmaker David Gelb follows the same principals as Jiro Dreams of Sushi is heart warming, informative cinema that demands attention for its keen eye, its views on family, loyalty and devotion and its unrelenting look at a man who has worked almost every day of his life and regrets none of it. The film tells the story of Jiro and his passion for Sushi, something that has brought him from nothing to having a three star Michellin restaurant and a family whose devotion to this strange yet beautiful craft rivals his own, especially his son Yoshikazu. Unlike any food documentary you have seen, Jiro Dreams of Sushi doesn't tell a story of how Jiro came to be so knowledgeable in sushi, in fact the documentary only briefly speaks of Jiro's past. The film tells the story from the point of view of Gelb, a fly on the wall but one intent on taking in every little morsel of information. Gelb however is uninterested in the man Jiro was but the one his is today, 85 years old at the time of filming, Jiro is a modern marvel, a gem of a long forgotten time where devotion wasn't a vice, where hard work and imagination meant more than technology and blind luck. A film for our time, Jiro and his son are extraordinary people who are worth knowing existed, not only to inspire you but to scare you. Gelb frames this lesson in perfection with subtlety making for a relaxed yet involving viewing experience. The film packs in so much into its run time that it may feel overstuffed and at times a little preachy but overall I left this cinematic meal very satisfied yet with a hankering for more.

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone feels like one big in joke and it really doesn't help involve you in the proceedings making the film a futile effort in powerful storytelling. Stupid and occasionally hilarious storytelling though is right in this films wheelhouse. The film follows what happens when Burt (Steve Carell) is left by his long time magic partner Anton Marvelton (Steve Buscemi). Burt must struggle to create a new act as an insane newcomer (Jim Carrey) threatens to ruin not only Burt's career but the future of magic itself. Understandably surreal, The Incredible Burt Wonderstone is really a film about lost childhood's and the never changing feeling of wonder. Burt is a child at heart and at times he is a child in reality. The film tells a decent story that loses its way towards the end as it begins to trip into the valley of formula and gets lost. The film is at its best when its a story of friendship as the dynamics between Burt and Anton as well as Burt and aspiring magician Jane (Olivia Wilde) are what really work in this picture. Carell is terrific as usual and Carrey has returned to the kind of character he was made for but the film lacks any real emotional conclusion as the film takes a turn for the zany. Even the absolutely hilarious credits sequence doesn't help as the film leaves you wanting a little bit more magic.

Were you disappointed Gru didn't get a chance to use his dance moves to woo a lady friend in the first Despicable Me? Well worry not, Despicable Me 2 is here to entertain and slightly annoy with its overly saccharine message of family. Despicable Me 2 tells the story of how Gru gets roped into stopping an elusive villain by ditsy anti-villain agent Lucy Wilde (Kristin Wig). Along the way Gru must contend with his new role as a single father and how to move past his old life as a villain. The main problem with Despicable Me 2 is that it doesn't capitalize on its emotions, it doesn't make you feel as warm as the first one did, in fact it only really makes you wish you were watching it. The film is impressive for its visuals, in fact the film ups the spectacle quota quite a bit and the budget seems bigger meaning the action feels more impressive but it lacks that personal touch. The kids are just as entertaining, Agnes with her youth, Edith with her oddly fun obsession with violence and Margo with her faux grown up sensibility. They are just as good but the scripting in the first was tighter giving each of the children moments. In this Edith is a cameo, she rarely appears and has very few lines or things to do. In fact this film doesn't really emphasize family so much as scream it at you making for a fairly manipulative film and without one of the children in the actual film it feels like whatever message they are trying to delivers seems a tad moot considering the lack of a cohesive family for almost the entire run time.

After so many Seth Rogen ensemble comedies it was inevitable that the jokes would be harder to come by and harder to land, I mean there are only so many Danny McBride rants you can take before you have to slam Up in the Air in the DVD drive just so you can see him do something different for a change. This is the End tells the story of what happens when Jay Baruchel and Seth Rogen go to a house party at James Franco's house and the apocalypse begins leaving them, Jonah Hill, Craig Robinson and Danny McBride to fend for themselves and try to make it out alive. It's a clever concept as it allows real laughs while exploring everything meta comedy has to offer which turns out isn't a lot. The central joke that these people really exist an its funny to watch them do despicable things gets old really fast (except for the unveiling **** at the end, that's hilarious). The idea of six celebrities trying to survive a horrible event is interesting but they do so by hiding away in the same building for almost the entire movie making for a very slow moving comedy. The film relies upon lengthy set ups to pretty regular material so there are long boring sequences to struggle through. That being said the last 30 minutes are fun, fast paced and exciting because there is actual momentum. The film suffers from bad plotting and never really recovers but it's worth watching for some surprisingly well directed action and a few genuinely laugh out loud moments.

Based on the book by Max Brooks, World War Z tells the story of a zombie outbreak and a fathers quest to keep his family safe. The film ultimately thrives thanks to director Marc Forster's grasp of tension and wonder and how to bring them both out simultaneously in his shots. The film follows Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt), a stay at home father who was a UN investigator before his kids were born. When an outbreak occurs, Gerry is sent to discover the source of the outbreak, patient zero, which sends him all over the world as he tries to find a way to save humanity and by extension, his family. World War Z really does feel like 2 films due to its highly publicized re-shoots. There are famous actors (Matthew Fox) reduced to bit parts thanks to story retooling, differences in dialogue from the trailers, World War Z just shifts about halfway through the film from political thriller to all out thriller. The overpowering politics of the first half effectively vanish in the new material in favour of a tense final set piece that is incredibly well made. That doesn't mean the first half is bad, in fact World War Z is smart, cleverly constructed and well filmed. The script however is cliche ridden in the first act of the film with the outbreak being unique but often times sullied by cheesy dialogue or unclear action set pieces (a particular scene on a apartment block staircase is really hard to watch). Pitt makes Gerry a likeable lead but at times it comes across as slightly unbelievable, his ability to escape situations even the strongest people couldn't. The film lacks the feel of an apocalyptic event at times as the film is restricted by its 12A rating but it doesn't take much away from the experience. To be honest, this is a zombie apocalypse I will happily watch again.

Most people loathed Superman Returns, I didn't, I loved its symbolism and its attempt to carry on the Richard Donner universe despite its lack of fun loving heroics that made the originals so enjoyable. So I have to say Man of Steel had something to prove. The film tells the story of what happens when far away planet Krypton starts dying and Jor-El (Russell Crowe) sends his son Kal-El (Henry Cavill) to Earth so he may live. When he arrives he is raised in secret by Jonathan (Kevin Costner) and Martha Kent (Diane Lane) and learns to become a hero people can believe in as reporter Lois Lane (Amy Adams) gets closer to uncovering the truth behind this mysterious hero's true identity. The feeling I had when I left the cinema was one of disappointment sure but not for the reasons I expected. I expected an emotionless sequence of beautifully framed rubbish, what I got was so much more than that. Man of Steel is excellent science fiction, its smart, its beautifully realized and it shows a part of Superman's mythology that has never really been touched upon by the films. It's a good 30 minutes before we are introduced to the titular hero as we see the collapse of Krypton and how their society broke down enough for Jor-El to send Kal to Earth in the first place. The rest of the film is a pretty conventional origins story but unlike Zach Snyder's previous films Watchmen and **** Punch, Man of Steel has an understanding of its characters and the emotions that drive them and brings out some excellent performances in Henry Cavill, Russell Crowe, Kevin Costner and Michael Shannon as fellow Kryptonian and lead villain General Zod. The film looks brilliant, it tells a captivating story and it has well thought out characters except for Adams' Lois Lane who pales in comparison to Margot Kidder's interpretation of the woman (although Adams is better than Kate Bosworth's version of the character but that's not hard as a reasonably well trained dog could play her better than Bosworth did.) The main downside however is not an acting problem its the films ending, not for the surprise twist I imagine a lot of people are talking about but because that final hour is just a long sequence of destruction that could be 20 minutes shorted and would still bore me to death. The action looks good and in sections of the film when there is actual story its good to see it accompany the story but the end of the film lacks any real reason for this ridiculous over the top violence and the story is nowhere as strong as it is in the first hour and a half. In fact that was my main qualm, the fact that the first hour and a half, the tale of how Clark Kent becomes Superman is almost perfect Sci-Fi and it is almost ruined by a blockbuster ending, a conclusion based on what other blockbuster superheroes have done recently and not what this character should do, something Snyder should have picked up on but unfortunately didn't.

Let me start by saying that this is probably the best Dwayne Johnson performance in his career which is why its a shame that its in this monotonous crime thriller. Snitch is the story of what happens when John Matthews (Johnson) finds out his son has been arrested for distributing drugs. Matthews decides he must infiltrate a drug ring to bring someone to justice to truncate his sons prison sentence but this may ultimately ruin everything he has ever built. At the beginning of Snitch you are reminded that this is a film based on actual events and then these supposed real life people go on to do some of the most ridiculous things in the name of family and justice that you find it ever so hard to believe that this has any standing in reality. The film splits its time between two families, one being John's family, the other belongs to one of John's employees, Daniel (Jon Bernthal), an ex con looking for a second chance for him and his family. The film feels no desire to discuss or even talk about these characters lives or how they got to this place, instead it lets the viewer fill in the gaps thanks to vague hints dolled out in increments over the course of the film. This allows you to make your own story for them but it also changes very little to do with the film making it lazy storytelling at best. As stated above this is a film grounded by a strong central performance by Johnson but the films slow pace and nonsensical storytelling makes it impossible to enjoy as the characters don't do normal logical things and they have not really been given any character traits to suggest they might even consider doing this. The end therefore leaves you unsatisfied and if your anything like me, quite a bit confused