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Reviews
22 Jump Street
22 Jump Street could be the only film in history to be praised for being exactly the same as its predecessor. The self-reverential humour and film industry critiquing throughout is nigh-on genius and often provides the biggest laughs. Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum just have an incredible chemistry and even Ice Cube, once again, is perfectly cast. Sure, a lot of the funniest lines are in the trailer (try not to watch this before going) although one marvellous dining table sequ
Jul 8, 2014
A Millions Ways to Die in the West
A Million Ways To Die In The West is proof positive that Seth MacFarlane can now do whatever he wants. Whatever concept, whatever script and he is given absolutely full license here. Unfortunately, what that means is this script has clearly not been checked for actual jokes and it's certainly about 20 minutes too long. Yes, Ted was a triumph and Family Guy is brilliantly written but MacFarlane seems to have lost his way a tad here. He clearly relishes the screen time (he's ac
Jun 4, 2014
Edge of Tomorrow
Edge Of Tomorrow might just be the best videogame movie ever made. Sure, it's not based on any existing console franchise but neither were Wreck-It Ralph or Scott Pilgrim vs. The World and this sits alongside those heavyweights with the actual game-based films like Resident Evil and Tomb Raider languishing behind. Sure, the 'Groundhog Day' premise isn't original and neither is the alien invasion/mech'-suit war but this has a sense of joy and fun rarely seen in big blockbuster
Jun 4, 2014
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Grand Budapest Hotel is a masterclass in cinema. Wes Anderson's idiosyncratic style reaches its zenith with an arty but perfectly poised and articulated movie that anyone can enjoy despite the rigorous adherence to its own defined cinematic rules. The camera is always directly facing, or directly side on, to its characters, almost like a stage show, and this style is kept up throughout. Not only is it meticulously planned and beautiful to view but it's perfectly in keepin
Jun 4, 2014
X-Men: Days of Future Past
X-Men: Days Of Future Past is not one of those sequels you can just turn up to with no prior knowledge. With every character from both generations of X-Men movies coming together this is the franchise's Avengers. It also almost hits the heights that Marvel set with that superhero team up. Forsaking everything that happens in the original series in order to better represent the prequels, the ending to this one will leave you scratching your head all the way home from the cinem
May 27, 2014
Godzilla
Godzilla isn't quite as epic as the trailer would have you believe. Rather than the Cloverfield-esque creepy horror B-Movie it appears, this instead delivers the first traditional (i.e. non-superhero) summer blockbuster. It's all very Jurassic Park to begin with: exotic locations, scientists, marvellous scenery shots and the like but it just takes too much time to get going. Also, when it does, the movie is much less about the titular lizard and more about some other prehisto
May 26, 2014
Bad Neighbours
Bad Neighbours will make you feel old. Casting Seth Rogen in a role where he's a father and angry at the partying, drug taking students next door really hits home how fast time goes. Thankfully, it makes no difference to his acting persona and he's still his incredible self and steals every scene in the film. Credit must therefore go to one time High School Musical floppy haired heartthrob Zac Efron who more than stands up to Rogen and plays his part superbly. Unfortunately,
May 17, 2014
Pompeii
Pompeii has to be a contender for the most frustrating film of the year. What is a great concept and incredible location gets lost searching for what type of film it wants to be. Part love story, part political drama, part gladiator action and part disaster movie it's too short to play all these parts successfully and so a lot is left unanswered and unfulfilled. The romance blossoms way too quickly and there is a lot of meaty historical context that is skimmed over. The other
May 7, 2014
The Amazing Spider-Man 2
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is a difficult one to review. Building on the first film in every conceivable way, it's the classic 'more is more' approach from Sony and Marvel. The new tracking cameras for Spidey's web slinging is Gravity-esque and remarkably stunning (especially in IMAX) and really gives you a feeling of being in his shoes. The villains are better, as to be expected, and pose more of a threat although Jamie Foxx's Electro does go from Spidey-obsessive to supervill
Apr 21, 2014
Noah
Noah, considering the rather short story it is based on, is long. Bum-achingly long. Darren Aronofsky takes his fascination with delving into the human psyche to new depths as he investigates just what goes through a man's mind when tasked with standing by as the entire human race is destroyed. It has more in common stylistically with Aronofsky's most bizarre movie The Fountain than it does with his most famous (Black Swan) and, strangely enough, has a similar feel and colour
Apr 9, 2014
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Captain America: The Winter Soldier is another triumph for Marvel's Phase 2 films. Building from the first Captain America rather than The Avengers the movie takes on the tone of a thriller rather than a traditional superhero flick. Cap' is only a (super strong) man after all and doesn't have the rather more super abilities of his Avenger's cohorts. As such, hand to hand combat is the film's forte, bolstered by Scarlett Johansson's irresistible Black Widow. Unfortunately, Ste
Mar 28, 2014
300: Rise of an Empire
300: Rise of an Empire (surely they missed a trick by not calling it 302?!) tries so desperately hard to top the original. Dials are set firmly to 11 so expect more severed heads and waves of blood than you can shake the proverbial stick at. The idea of a 'side-sequel' is a great one. We start with Xerxes' story, cross over with King Leonidas' 300 and move past that to events after that legendary battle. However the ending of the original film is completely forgotten in lieu
Mar 18, 2014
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