Bridesmaids. Chick flick this ain't

Two words sum up this movie perfectly. Kristen Wiig. This comedian is a genius. And that is only putting it lightly. I have been a huge fan of Kristen Wiig's for sometime now. After stealing the show in "Whip It" away from bigger stars Drew Barrymore and Ellen Page, to her hilarious part in Adventureland (the only good thing about that movie) and even stole the show away from an alien in "Paul." So where does one go from here? Well if you are like many of the other amazingly talented female comedians in Hollywood (I'm looking at you Tina Fey, Amy Pohler and Chelsea Handler) you use your comedic smarts and start writing your own movie to show your full potential. And that is what Kristen did, along with her friend Annie Mumolo. These two women have created what I am going to call the best comedy of the year (take that Hangover 2). Kristen has taken the huge responsibility that many women crave and has flipped it around and turned it upside down creating a hilarious take on what being a bridesmaid is all about. Now fellas, don't get discouraged about this. Trust me, you will split your pants laughing so sit back, relax and let me tell you about the pee your pants funny Bridesmaids.

Kristen Wiig stars as Annie, a thirty-something woman who has lost her bakery due to the recession, lives with two annoying roommates, has been left by her boyfriend due to her business crashing and drives a run down car you would think belonged at the wreckers. The best thing in Annie's life is her best friend Lillian (Maya Rudolph), who has been there for ever up and down in her life. Lillian has been going out with her boyfriend Dougie and finally it happens. Lillian's going to be a bride and has asked her best friend Annie to be the maid of honour. After a bit of hesitation, Annie is about to enter the world of what being a bridesmaid and best friend to the bride is all about. Lillian is about to come into a world which Annie is very unfamiliar with. Large country club gatherings, people with more money than they know what to do with, and women who look like perfect botox commercials. It is here we meet many of Lillian's other Bridesmaids including Helen (Rose Byrne) who is out to become the maid of honour away from Annie, Lillian's cousin Rita (Wendi McLendon - Convey) who wants to get her groove back and get up to some naughty stuff, newlywed Becca (Ellie Kemper) and the scene stealer herself (apart from Kristen) Melissa McCarthy as Megan, as Dougie's sister. That's about as much as I can tell you because this movie is funny, moving and has some crazy gross out comedy that I haven't seen since There's Something About Mary.  Throw into the mix a cop with a heart of gold, a plane trip, food poisoning and Wilson Phillips and you have the perfect blend for the best comedy of 2011.

Kristen Wiig has her character down pat. She is the best thing going in this movie. We love Annie and feel her emotions going through the worst time of her life, while trying to put on a brave face for her best friend and her greatest time in her life. Kristen shows her amazing comedic skills without going overboard and it works. She has the best comedic timing I have seen in ages, and knows how to make her audience laugh. I have to admit I nearly jumped out of my chair I was laughing so hard, and at one point I did have tears coming down the sides of my cheeks (not from crying from laughing, this is a comedy not Beaches). Melissa McCarthy has never been better. Often getting very little parts to show her comedic brilliance, having her alongside Kristen is the perfect partnership in this crazy tale. But lets not forget the other women aboard. Rose Byrne is perfect as Helen the woman who will do anything to become maid of honour and Maya Rudolph as the bride to be. But let's not forget the men, (yes there are a few in this movie). A big shout out needs to go out to Chris O'Dowd as Officer Rhodes. This guy is charming and fantastic as the lovable cop who might just be the ticket Annie needs to get out of her rut.

The writing by Kristen is extremely well done. For a woman whose first screenplay produced this movie, I would be very proud. Her story not only makes you split your sides of laughter but also gives you an insight into the characters, something many comedies lack. You feel you want to know these characters, instead of not really caring at all, and it's all down to Ms Wiig. I must warn this movie has some cringe worthy scenes and too me it doesn't deter the movie at all. It only adds to the hilarity. Some may say, "why did they have to sink to these lows," but trust me in the cinema I was in, you would not have heard a bomb go off with all the laughter that was taking place. This movie has it all. A great story, some crazy funny scenes and a real sense of laugh out loud comedy with big heart. I can not fault this movie at all. This movie is one of this year's best and I for one am craving to see what Kristen is going to produce next, you crazy girl. Bridesmaids 5/5. I can't wait to experience it all over again.

X hits all the right marks in this new super hero movie

Firstly, I don't care what anyone says, the X-Men are the greatest superheros of all time. Boo, hiss I can hear it already, but you know what, I don't care. I love them. Their nature, their powers, their struggles, everything that makes great stories that you want to see over and over again. And I must say X-Men First Origins is the the best superohero movie I have ever seen. I loved, loved, loved this film. I know, you may be saying whatever it's just for geeks. But I dare you to take the challenge of finding me another movie, where the action is intense, the story is gripping, the cinematography is fantastic and the underlying message is one we can all relate to and I will take my statement down. Finally, the studios have hit the right mark for any X-Men fan with the best adaption by far hitting the cinemas this week. With the third adventure not really living up to the title of being an X-Men movie and then the failure of Wolverine (I mean what the F was that about) the studios knew they had to do something drastic in order to bring the franchise back from the dead, thus leading to the origins of how these mutants came to be and the nature of each sides stories. And wa laa, you have X-Men First Class. The amazing new film by Matthew Vaughn. Let me begin.

As you may or may not know, there are two sides to the world of mutants. One lead by Charles Xavier who wants mutants and humans to co-exist, while on the other hand you have Magneto who fights for the mutants and wants humans to pay for their suffering and pain they have caused the mutant race. But how did this all evolve? Lets go back in time now, starting in 1945 a time when the Jews were locked up in concentration camps and the world was at the mercy of the Nazis. In these walls a young boy witness his parents being torn away from him. That young boy is Eric Lensherr. After witnessing his mother killed by the evil Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon) a grown up Eric/Magneto (Michael Fassenbender) wants vengeance and starts to hunt him down to the ends of the earth to do so. What Eric doesn't know is like himself, Sebastian is one of the most powerful mutants and it is going to take more than him and his power of magnetism to win this battle. Jump forward to the 1960s and on the other side of the pond in New York, we have a young Professor Xavier (James McAvoy) who wants the world to learn about the evolution of the human species. Joined by his best Raven (Jennifer Lawrence) they live in secret with their powers until a chance encounter with an CIA agent Moria (Rose Byrne) alerts them to the fact that something strange is going on with one of the top leaders of the government and Sebastian Shaw. Shaw plans to take over the world by pitting America and Russia against each other in the Cuban Missile crisis, but secretely killing all humans and leaving only mutants due to their already mutated genes. What she was not expecting was seeing a woman who can read minds and turn into diamonds Emma Frost (January Jones) and Sebastians bodyguards Azazel (Jason Flemyng) who can teleport and Riptide (Alex Gonzalez) who can control the forces of nature. They are mutants and it is here that Moira learns that another species has evolved and Professor Xavier is one of them. What Xavier doesn't know is that the CIA has a division devoted entirely to the unexplained led by Man in Black Suit (Oliver Platt) and Hank/Beast (Nicholas Holt). Joining the CIA to help with the arrest of Shaw it is here the first time Xavier and Eric cross paths for what will be the story of what exactly did happen to this friendship. Knowing that they are going to need a team of mutants to save the planet from this large scale attack, it is here that the X-Men start to take shape in the form of Havoc, Angel, Banshee, Beast and Mystique. A team of young mutants who are going to be the first ever X-Men. But from here I can't tell you anymore, sorry.
Let me first say, this movie is amazing. I couldnt' get enough. This movie is exceptionally well directed. Matthew Vaughn took on the challenge of reinventing this franchise and has flipped it over to make a movie with enough action, emotion and character development that it is probably the best comic book conversion I have ever witnessed. The action scenes are staged well with many making you just gobbed smacked, but he has also taken the time to create enough back story on all the characters that you do care if something happens to the good side, or understand the pain that each feels inside due to the realisation of their difference. It may also make you take what they are saying and realise it could also be a big comment on society at this point in time, something a lot of comic books would not touch. It is exactly what made the comic books so captivating that the director knew not to mess with this factor. A big pat on the back is in order for Vaughn. A director who has gone from little gangster movies, to huge budget comic book movies but making them look like money was not wasted without artistic merit.

All I can say is there are going to be two big stars who come out of this movie. That's not to say everyone else isn't amazing. James MacAvoy brings such charm and wit as Xavier. Kevin Bacon is excellent as the creepy Sebastian Shaw and all the young cast bring their characters to life. But two stood way out for me. Firstly, Michael Fassbender is perfect as Magneto. With so much outcry over his casting, all critics can now shut up. The dude is Magneto. He brings a somewhat 007 feel to his Magneto but also a rage and anger that we didn't see as often as the older character in previous films. He has so much charisma on screen that you wish he would not leave. The second is Jennifer Lawrence. Having given such an amazing Oscar nominated performance in Winter's Bone, she brings amazing acting skills to her character Mystique that you can't help but fall in love with her character and feel her pain. For a character who is covered in blue scales, it takes a great actress to make you forget the fact that she is indeed covered from head to toe in blue.

This is the smartest move 20th Century Fox has ever made with a franchise by taking it back to the start. Unlike other comic book movies which were just lame (yes I'm taking about Thor, and even Iron Man 2) X-Men Origins does not go overboard on special effects to cover up the shitty story. It does not leave enough time to explain everything or have underdeveloped characters. It is amazing piece of work with everyone involved doing a fantastic job. Casting many unknowns has worked in the favour of this movie and the only complaint I had was that it just felt too short, which is wasn't (it clocks in at 140 minutes) It just felt that way, due to being so involved and amazed by such good storytelling. This is what a great comic movie is. Without a doubt this movie is on my must see list again and again. X-Men First Class is one of the best movies I have seen this year. Definitely my pick so far for 2011. 5/5

Take One Asprin, Bcause That's All You Will Need To Get Over This HANGOVER

I have to admit, the first Hangover movie had no appeal when I first saw its trailer in 2009. It looked like another American Pie crossed with Old School crossed with every other gross out, seen that nothing new frat boy comedy. But alas, the better of marketing got to me and I purchased my ticket and sat down to find myself enjoying one of the funniest movies I saw that year. I was raving about it to friends. It had so much going for it. Not only was it crazy funny, the idea was also extremely well done. Instead of seeing all the crazy shit that Phil, Alan, and Stu got up to, we had to go on a journey to find out what really happened on one night of craziness in Vegas. We, as the audience, didn't get to actually find out what happened on their crazy adventure until the closing credits with only snap shots showing the whole ordeal. Fast forward two years, and due to the popularity (as well doesn't help that the studio wanted another hit on it's hands due to the amazing box office success of the first one) all your favourite characters are back. This time for round two in the Hangover Part 2. This time the comedy removes itself from the shores of America and lands firmly on the ground in Thailand and winding up later in Bangkok. But will you laugh yourself silly and be feeling the effects the next day? Or like a hangover, will you easily get over it and go "hmm that was an alright night, could have been better." Read on to find out.

Two years has passed since the crazy adventures of Doug's bachelor party night at Vegas. The boys are all moving on. Doug (Justin Bartha) is expecting his first child. Phil (Bradley Cooper) has just had another one with his wife. Alan (Zach Galifianakas) is sorta out of the picture since the adventures and Stu (Ed Helms) is about to marry Lauren (Jaime Chung). They have all learnt their lesson since their last adventure. This time though Stu is going to be having his wedding in Thailand, Lauren's families home country. All the boys are invited except for Alan. Finally, Stu changes his mind and invites the fat man himself to join the boys on his special day. Lauren's brother Teddy (Mason Lee) has also this time been invited along for the ride as one of the best men. Arriving at this tropical paradise the boys and their families are civilized in the country until Phil decides it would be nice for all the men to get together for one last toast on the beach. And here is where the trouble starts. Waking up in the dirtiest of dirty hotels in Bankok (I literally felt I needed a shower after seeing this place) they awake to find it has happened again. They have woken up with a million problems from last night and this time instead of Doug going missing, it's Stu's future brother in law who is lost. Joining the gang on their adventure is Mr Chow (Ken Jeong) who might hold the answers to all their crazy stunts the previous night. Throw into the mix a naughty smoking monkey, lady boys, monks, gangsters, riots and tattoos and you pretty much have the Hangover 2.

Firstly, I'll start with the good points. Ken Jeong and Zach Galifianakas make this movie. Without them, I don't think I would have laughed at all. The location of Thailand is beautiful and the boys have some fun while in Bangkok. But that's about it I can recommend. I was BORED watching a lot of this movie. It was the exact movie from 2009. I felt I knew what was coming. There were hardly no surprises and when they thought shock value would make you laugh it really didn't. I am so amazed that they thought it would work again. It was like I went out one weekend and had the best time and then went out the next weekend and did everything the same but came home and said "wow that was pretty shit night." Everything was the same. Instead of a tooth missing we had a tattoo face. Instead of Doug missing it was Teddy. Instead of Chow hounding the boys it was a Thailand Gangster. I was so similar I thought I had gone back to 2009. Comedy can sometimes strike twice with sequels, but in many cases it falls flat (I'm looking at you American Pie 2). Even sometimes I thought I saw a glimpse of some of the actors looking like, "really, again, didn't we do this last time?" Let's just say if you watch it you will probably laugh I did. And there were a few scenes that I cracked up big time. But really I wouldn't recommend it like it predecessor. That was a clever funny comedy. This just seems like a movie made for the purpose of making a sequel. Nothing new, just a quick grab for box office. Which is a shame cause I kind of have lost interest in the franchise now. Of course this movie is going to do big at the box office, but unlike the first Hangover I can easily get over this one. 2/5

Did THOR score? Or was it just one big BORE

Firstly, I have to admit, I had no idea who the comic book character Thor was. I knew of him from watching a cartoon called Super Hero Squad (very funny on ABC3) but have never picked up or payed any interest in him. All I knew was that he was a God in some universe and for some reason he came to Earth. And now I have found out why as Marvel has released the new big budget blockbuster Thor. Of course I was going to check it out as I have always been a fan of comic books (I am dying a little each day waiting for X-Men First Class) but for some reason they can either be a big hit (Iron Man) or a bit of a blip on the radar (The Incredible Hulk). So is Thor going to go into the first catagory of a new franchise with a large audience or become a so so film that has been played by so many actors that they should just give up? Here is my take on it anyway. Let me begin.

Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is a cocky, arrogant warrior who lives in a realm called Asgard along with his brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston). His father King Odin (Anthony Hopkins) rules the realm with his magic and strong leadership and possess a magic underneath the city which has been a long battle over their realm and the freezer people (I think that's what they said they were, trust me I am having trouble writing the start of this review as I'll explain why). After Thor misses out on becoming King due to an attack by the freezer people, he grabs his mates, his weapon of mass power his mighty hammer and straps himself in for a battle to win back the devotion and respect from his father. Instead things turn nasty and his father is sick and tired of his irresponsible behaviour and feels he is not fit for king and banishes him to Earth. On Earth he comes into contact with Jane (Natalie Portman) an aestronoma who chases after changes in the stars with her fellow scientists Professor Andrews (Stellan Skarsgard) and Darcy (Kat Dennings). Thor does not believe he has been banished to Earth and asks the help of Jane to get him home. What he doesn't know is that his hammer has also been thrown close by and only when he truely figures out why he has been banished will he once again be one with the hammer and return home. Throw into the mix romanace, a sub-plot of the brother wanting to take over Asgard, a big black guy who is the gatekeeper of the realm transportation system thing and Rene Russo poping up to say about three lines in her whole role and pretty much thats all I could make of this film.

Here is my big problem with this film. I didn't like it. I actually had to sleep on it to figure out if I liked it or not, but I can clearly say if I had to choose between the movie Paul (out now) or Thor I would choose Paul hands down. Last year Inception came out which made everyones mind go weird, but I could understand it. For Thor I could not understand a single thing. I don't know why I just had no idea what was going on in the realms and who was who and when someone said a weird name I was like, "was that a person or was that a realm, I have no idea?" To me, they have made this movie for people who have read the comic books. Unlike being smart as they did for X-Men and Iron Man where you didn't have to know a thing I felt that they were not catering to the larger audience, which could also mean the biggest problem the movie could face at the box office. I mean it is $150 million project, that really may not see back their investment.

I have to admit I was not sure Kenneath Branagh could pull this movie off. He seems fine when they actors are speaking, but I feel the action scenes (or lack of) were not really all that. The actors were all fine, with none really jumping off the page, and Rene Russo should just give up. I don't know why she even bothered turning up for work as Thor's mother and her three lines. Poor thing, probably half her stuff was on the cutting room floor. To me all I wanted to watch was the actors on Earth. It made more sense, I could understand it and it just looked more like all the actors seemed to work better without special effects around them. Asgard was pretty impressive visually, but the 3D was awful. With 3D you could not even feel the whole scope of the world with much of it looking smaller than what is was supposed to be. Maybe that's what was pissing me off about this movie. So don't feel that you are missing anything in 2D. Save youself money for the candy bar instead of paying the inflated price for the glasses.

But this is where my main problem is with this movie. What is going on with Marvel studios and The Avengers movie? If you hadn't heard The Avengers is built up of Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, Hawkeye, Nick Fury and Hulk. There was huge up roar last year as Iron Man 2 was just a movie to introduce the new characters instead of a movie as good as it's predecessor (when you hear even the director hated it, you know something went wrong.) This is what I feel has happened here. They are making such a big thing of The Avengers movie that they are forgetting if people do not like any of the individual movies, why would they come to this huge event in comic history?

If you are expecting an awesome movie, which happens to be a comic book with excellent action scenes and heart, rent out Iron Man, Spider-Man and X-Men. If you want to be very confused, have no idea what is going on and want to watch a movie which feels like the middle chapter of a much larger book then Thor is your movie. Maybe Iron Man set the benchmark too high for all other Marvel films, as really nothing has succedded it. I only hope for Marvel's sake that Captain America does it much better. 2.5/5

Paul is one Alien I would definitely allow on Earth

What happens when you decide to make an alien like a human? He smokes, he drinks and he curses more than a sailor. This ain't no ET. This is Paul, the latest movie offering from the team that brought you Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. And let me tell you they have done it once again with this hilarious movie that not only will have you jumping out of your seat with laughter (I nearly did) but will also touch your heartstrings as well. Well maybe not at your heartstrings, but there is a nice feeling that you feel after it. A feel good movie as they like to say. But this one actually is the first truly funny picture of 2011 and I can't stress that enough. I feel like I am jumping too far ahead already, but if I urge you to see one comedy movie this holiday season Paul would be it. Let me begin.

Graeme (Simon Pegg) and Clive (Nick Frost) are two English men who have been wanting to explore America and the great open roads which are reported to be alien hot spots. After biting the bullet and doing it, they head over to San Diego where they witness the marvels of comic con (It's a big nerd convention, think Star Wars, Star Trek and everything in-between and you have comic con) After comic con it's on to their road trip. So they buckle up, strap themselves in and get ready for their alien adventure. Stopping at all the hot spots America has to offer, they get into a bit of strife when they have a run in with a couple of rednecks. Fleeing the scene they notice a car traveling after them. When the car passes it veers out of control and crashes. Graeme and Clive stop to help and come across something they were not expecting. Out of the shadows, smoking a cigarette they encounter Paul (voiced by the funny man himself Seth Rogan). Not believing what they are seeing, Paul enlists their help as after 60 years the government has learnt enough from Paul without taking the next step of cutting him up. Hot on his tail is agent extreme Agent Zoil (the always excellent Jason Bateman) and two FBI agents who get tangled in the mess as well Haggard (Bill Hader) and O'Reily (Joe Lo Trugilio). There road trip is also going to get a bit more wilder with run-ins with Christian worshipers, rednecks and a romantic tail between Graeme and Ruth (Kristen Wigg) a woman wanting to explore the world but restricted due to her father's strict Christian ways. And this is when the fun begins.

Where to begin with this film. I have so much praise for it. This is an extremely well done comedy. One of the best I have seen in a time when comedies just don't have the punch that they should have. I haven't laughed this much since The Hangover. Everything aligns right in this picture. The script by Pegg and Frost is not only extremely funny, but is also touching. I must warn you though, the language is full on in this movie and definitely deserves its MA rating. But hey, I like the swearing and it made me laugh every time this funny looking alien said F*&K. The boys know their genre well and for those of us who are a bit of sci -fi nerds (yes I admit it) there are many culture references which are very well done especially a line from Aliens (you need to see the end of the movie to understand what I am talking about).

The script would not have worked as well as it did without the talented cast. Everyone involved is spot on (with most of the cast from SNL) I must give major credit to Kriten Wigg. I love her. I became a big fan of hers after watching her steal the show in Whip It and Adventureland. She steals every single scene she is in, as the Christian woman who Paul frees from her brainwashing father. The best jokes come from her potty mouth, where it's funny trying to hear her say a dirty word but in the wrong context in a sentence.  The rest of the cast work their magic to bring this Alien adventure to life. Bateman is great as the creepy agent and Pegg and Frost have so much chemistry that there next film should be a romance between the two. They work so well together. Listen out for a cameo of one of the biggest directors in the business and also a kick ass heroine who fought big bad aliens back in her day.

I really can't find a thing wrong with this movie at all. I laughed so hard I thought I was going to pee my pants. That is a hard sell for a person who has watched many comedies. The run time is perfect, the pacing of the movie runs smoothly and the actors all looked like they had a ball. My only criticism is why did America not take to this movie. It has not done very well at all and for me it makes me wonder why a movie about the Easter Bunny which got torn to shreds in reviews but dominated their box office has beaten out a movie critics are raving about? I just don't get it. It just goes to show studios really can't determine a box office hit anymore. But who cares. Go see this movie. It is so well done you will leave the cinema with a huge grin from ear to ear. Paul is one alien I would love to encounter again and and again. 4.5/5

Does Scream 4 still make a grown man jump?

And the killer is.... I'm not telling you that. I am not going to be one of those people who told you that Bruce Willis was a ghost all along in The Sixth Sense or Thelma and Louise drove off the hill at the end of the film, or Darth Vader was really Luke Skywalkers father. Nope not going to do it. So shell out your $8 bucks and go see it because I am not telling (or just google, some douche will likely ruin it for everyone by posting it on the Internet, but not this blogger) Anyway, it is that time again when the sequels are coming out for the Autumn/Winter big box office time (or Spring/Summer for my overseas readers) and it is time once again to see what is happening with Sidney, Dewey and Gale the original survivors for the last three installments of the Scream franchise. So what have the guys been up to lately since Ghostface decided to have a bit of a nap for the last 11 years and why all of a sudden has he decided to pop up after all this time, and really will the audience care at all? Read on to find out.

Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) has not had a very fun life since her teenage years. In high school her boyfriend and his best mate decided to kill a whole bunch of people. In her college years she was once again harassed by the parent of one of the boys and a serial killer. And in her adult life she was confined to a secluded area until murders started to happen to the cast in a movie based on her life (the stupidest one in the franchise, sorry guys but it was lame). Anyway, Sidney is back once again 11 years later to come back to Woodsboro. The town that started it all. But many things have changed since 1996. The world has technology at it's fingertips with Facebook, YouTube, blogging, and twitter at our disposal. Everyone wants their 15 minutes of fame and now thanks to these devices they can be. So what better way then to become the main killer and show the world a new star has been born then by making yourself an Internet sensation where you will live on forever through the world wide web. And what better way then to hunt down the one person that will make them this star then Sidney Prescott the original survivor. Sidney is now an accomplished author, writing about self help and how she dealt with this traumatic event. But lets not forget the rest of them. Gale is still married to Dewey who is now the Captain of the police force. Gail is still the sassy reporter who needs a hit to make her famous again. But now it's time for some fresh blood. Joining the gang are a new breed of young ones (and for once they actually look like high school students). We have Sidney's cousin Jill (Emma Roberts) who is having issues with her ex boyfriend Trevor (Nico Tortorella). Jill's sassy and outspoken friend Kirby (Hayden Panettiere, my fav out of all of the new ones) the cinema club who are a bit too much involved in the Stab movies Robbie (Erik Knudsen) and Charlie (Rory Culkin). Then we have the female version of Dewey, Deputy Judy (Marley Shelton) and her associates Deputy Perkins (Anthony Anderson) and Detective Hoss (Adam Brody). All the new suspects who may be wanting their 15 minutes of fame. But who is it, and why have they waited all this time? Are the rules still the same for the horror genre? Or like the tag line says, "New Decade, New Rules." Can't tell you that.

Firstly, Wes Craven is back to his best. After the disaster of his last movie My Soul to Take (didn't see it, neither did anyone else) it is great to see him do what he does best. And he welcomes back the genre that brought him back from the dead with open arms. This movie is fun, funny and like the people next to me did, will make you jump. The first ten minutes are hilarious showing all the Stab's that have been made (great to see cameo's from two of my fav actresses Anna Paquin and Kristen Bell). The humour is great and the tension as only Wes can bring is well done.

All the original actors are back to their best. It is so great to see my favs on screen especially Courtney Cox (even with her fish lips why Courtney why) who made Gale the best one out of all them this time. Courtney knows her comic timing and gives enough sassy hard ass attitude to still make Gale a character worth watching. The rest of the cast I can't really say much about. In my opinion you can't beat the originals and the new cast were not very good at all. Yes, they are victims and you can't wait to see who goes next, but like the original trio there was no X factor about any of them, except Hayden and another one which I am not going to mention for spoilers sake.

To me the let down of this movie was I didn't think it was a Scream movie. Maybe since there has been so many horrors movies and the direction that they have taken, maybe these sort of scary movies don't have a place. Don't get me wrong, I thought the first ten minutes and especially the last 15 were the best out of the whole movie (loved the ending), but something was missing, that I can't put my finger on. Maybe it was because I didn't like many of the new cast and couldn't wait to see the old gang come back together. Maybe because I used to hold the original cast so close I didn't think the new cast held anything against them. Or maybe I just went in with too high expectations. But either way I did enjoy it. I thought it was hilarious more than scary. My advice. See it if you liked the rest. It is exactly the same formula. Just don't expect too much and you will having a screaming good time (pun intended) But please Dimension films, enough you can only go to such extremes as who the killer is that people will soon just go "Who Cares" 3/5  

Sucker Punch packs a WALLOP

Firstly, I have to admit this movie is not going to appeal to everyone. But for everyone else who likes their movie edgy, a visual treat, awesome action scenes that you will be thinking of long after the final credits roll and a killer soundtrack, make sure you rush to buy your ticket right now. I have to admit I am a going to be a bit biased in this review as I love the director. Zack Synder is a man who takes stories and puts his own personal spin on them. He made the Spartans looks cool in 300. Brought a new spin on a classic horror movie in the form of Dawn of the Dead and made a comic book movie with an edge in the highly underrated Watchman. Coming soon, if you are a fan of the man who is faster than a speeding bullet he will be taking Superman to places we have never seen. But this time, the man with the crazy directing style has brought his take on Girl Power to the extremes in the mind bending film "Sucker Punch." And all I can say is this is definitely my favourite of all his movies. I don't know what it was, if it was the action scenes, the completely crazy story, the amazing visuals or the awesome soundtrack that I couldn't get enough of. But hold up. I'm getting way ahead of myself here. Let me start first with the review. Now don't get lost as it is a bit complex.

After the death of her mother, Baby Doll (Emily Browning) is left with her younger sister to live with their evil stepfather (arn't they all?) But when he finds out in their mother's will that she has left all the riches to the daughters, he goes on a violent rampage, killing the young sibling. Baby Doll, enraged with anger, is sent away by her stepfather to live in a mental asylum where in five days she will be given lobotomy in order to not alert the authorities of her stepfather's crime. The asylum is housed with girls from all backgrounds who have all been institutionalised due to problems in their past. It is here that the Russian therapist Dr Vera Gorski (the always excellent Carla Gugino) uses acting therapy in order for the patients to act out their feelings. Baby Doll knows that she needs to escape in order to not undergo the procedure and with the help of Sweat Pea (Abbie Cornish) her sister Rocket (Jena Malone), Blondie (Vanessa Hudgens) and Amber (Jamie Chung) the stage is set for their escape. But here is where it goes into the new depths. With the help of using this acting method of the good Russian doctor, Baby Doll escapes in her mind and dreams up a new world for the girls. They are now in a brothel where the madam is the doctor, the girls are workers in the club and Baby Doll is the new girl who will help them all escape. But for her to find what she needs to escape, she soon discovers she needs to go one more level in her mind to find what she is looking for. And this is where it gets cool. Imagining many different worlds, including old school wartime, samurais, dragons lairs and robotic future. Here in these worlds she is instructed with the help of Wise Man (Scott Glen) that she will need to find four items with a fifth she needs to discover for herself. But will she find them all before it is too late? I can't tell you that, but this movie does not have an ending you would expect at all.

Zack Snyder has a huge hit on his hands here and I for one have no idea why audiences in America were not lapping this up. It has not really set the box office on fire and to me that is a real shame. This movie is crazy and I strongly recommend seeing it on the biggest cinema screen you can find, or you will not receive the full scope of what the director is imagining. Using the bleak real world and contrasting it with the visual feats of the action scenes make this movie work extremely well. But don't lose where the girls are or you may hurt you head thinking about it. The director, in my opinion, keeps outdoing himself in every film he makes and just keeps getting better and better. He knew exactly what he was doing in this film and it shows. The concepts are crazy, and the good thing about this movie, the action scenes do not outshine the rest of the film.

All I can say is the girls kick-ass in this movie. I have to admit I have my favourite, but you will need to work out yours when you see it (Mine was Rocket ssshhhh don't tell anyone). Emily Browning is fantastic as Baby Doll (go the Aussies) and gives enough emotion and strong attitude to make you want her to succeed. Abbie Cornish (another Aussie) is excellent as Sweat Pea and I have already mentioned how much I loved Jena Malone as Rocket. She rocked. That's all I can say about that. But I also loved Carla Gugino as the good Doctor. She is such a strong woman working with these girls to give them a better world than they have been objected too. But let's not forget the men. I loved wise man. He was in a way the best Charlie to these angles. He was the perfect mix of a companion that these girls needed on their journey. But I haven't even mentioned how evil Mr Blue the head of the asylum/brothel is. Oscar Issac gives the perfect amount of creepy, sleazy, scary villain that you would expect in this piece (even with his creepy moustache). He was excellent as the main person standing in the way of these girls hope for freedom.

What was wrong with this movie you may ask? I don't have a single thing in my mind. It was amazing. I loved the characters. I loved the soundtrack and I absolutely loved the visuals. I was blown away. The only thing that probably bugs me is that who ever cut the trailer needs to be fired. The trailer does not set the film up at all and makes it look like one big giant music video. If I was Zack Synder and Warner Bros. I would fire them. This movie is amazing and due to this dumb ass has not found the success it deserves. Hopefully overseas markets will love it more, or at the least the DVD market. But honestly this is a movie that needs to be seen on the biggest screen to get the best impact that Synder is trying to show. Similarities are going to be made between this and Inception. But I think the similarities end at the mind. They are two different movies and completely different stories. All I can say is I want to rush out and see this again. As I said don't hate me if you don't like it. I did say at the start it is for an acquired audience. But for that audience, you are going to wet your pants excited over it. 4.5/5

Follow Red Into The Woods, If You Dare

We have all heard the tale of Little Red Riding Hood. A young girl who is off to see her grandma in the woods alone, who is stalked by the big bad wolf who wants to eat her up until the woodsman comes and saves her. We all know the legend. But where did this legend come from? Many believe that this was a story to scare young women from the dangers of going out alone, an urban legend if you will, but Hollywood has their own interpretation of those events and Red in the new film by Twilight Director Catherine Hardwicke, Red Riding Hood. Staring the "It" girl of Hollywood Amanda Seyfried who is joined by some old school classic actors in the form of Julie Christie (who I swear doesn't age) and the always fantastic Gary Oldman int his new tale. Does Hollywood's new take on the big bad wolf tale have enough bite to make an audience care? Read on and find out.

Set in medieval times, a small village is under the constant scare of the big bad wolf. Every full moon the small village is scared silly in believing that a strange force is preying on them. They sacrifice animals, they boarder up their doors and windows and hope that the wolf wont come after them. Valerie a.k.a Red Riding Hood lives in this small town where she is pre-arranged to marry Henry (Max Irons). Valerie however, is in love with another man who she has grown up with all her life and is madly taken with Peter (Shiloah Fernandez) an orphaned woodcutter. After Valerie's sister is killed by the wolf, the town's priest (Lukas Haas) calls upon Soloman (Gary Oldman) who has helped many villages in destroying these beasts. As the town searches to hunt and destroy the creature, Valerie may hold the key to finding out who the beast truly is. Throw into the mix Valerie's mother (Virginia Marsden) who has a bit of a secret of her own. A drunken father (Billy Burke) and her Grandmother (Julie Christie) who has a strange mystery about her and if you have read all this write, should add up to the elements behind the classic story.

So is the new take any good? I have to admit for the first 15 minutes I was bored. I was thinking, shit is this going to be Twilight all over again even with the star crossed lovers frolicking in stupid flower fields added into the mix. But then something happened. As soon as the wolf made it's first appearance I was hooked. The old school actors came out in full force (I'm talking about Julie Christie and Gary Oldman) who added a much needed boost to the film. Gary Oldman in my opinion can make any film great, and here he gets to steer clear of his good natured characters of late (I'm talking about the Batman films) and gets to go back to when he was dark and truly scary. Julie Christie adds old school Hollywood glamour as Grandma and gives enough style and class as well as giving us enough looks and weird gestures to make us wonder what her true nature in this film is. Amanda Seyfried is great as Valerie/Red. I was a bit torn at the start if I liked her in this movie as I hated her last film Chloe (truly one of the worst pieces of film I have ever seen) but as soon as it got going, casting her was fantastic.

A great deal of praise needs to go to Catherine Hardwicke. Before the whole Twilight craziness, Catherine was a great independent film director who could get great performances out of her young cast. Check out Thirteen and Dog Town and Z boys to truly see her talent. Here she has gone for the big large scale movie again, but this time it felt a lot more interesting. She keeps the pacing of the movie at a good speed and never lets the audience get bored. The set designs are fantastic and she uses this take on the medieval times to her advantage. As the tension builds in the film, she never eases off and never gives too much away which makes  keeps the audience interested and guessing who the big bad wolf could be. As always, she knows how to get the teen angst of love triangles through her actors and this movie is no different. There is a great chemistry between Valerie and the two men vying for her affections. If this didn't work the whole film would have been stuffed.

So did I love this movie? No. But did I like it a lot? Yes. The only thing that kept going through my head, was Jacob the wolf all along. (Everyone knows from the Twilight book Jacob is the wolf) The computer graphics were exactly the same, and I couldn't stop thinking all along that it was Jacob. But I started to get over that. The filmmakers could have easily tried for a different look, but I guess to not make it too scary, and not to alienate their target audience, a scary werewolf could have been too much and earned the film a higher rating. But oh well. This movie in my opion is a film that can take a firm proud stand next to other adaptions of the Red Riding Hood franchise. It was clever, interesting and kept me guessing to the last minute. They owe a lot to the great casting, and for me, it is about time Julie Christie came back on screen. She is one of the true Hollywood beauties that needs to do more films (FYI Julie Christie is the main lead in Dr. Zhivago). Having her and Gary Oldman raised the bar for this film, that could have easily fallen into the bargain bin. Sometimes old school Hollywood have more talent and screen presence in their little finger than any of the other highly overrated actors on screen today. 3/5

What if a single pill could make life easier. Would you take the challenge?

Bradley Cooper has come a long way. From staring in Alias as Jennifer Garner's husband who meets with an untimely death, to small supporting roles in Wedding Crashers, Failure to Launch and Valentines Day. But some how Mr Cooper has finally started branching out and is able to become a leading man. Last year he stared in the under appreciated A Team (hell of a good action film) and now he is staring alongside one of Hollywood royalty of Mr Robert (Please enough with the Meet The Parents Movies) De Niro. Given the chance, Bradley has taken up the firm position of a leading man for the new highly thrilling movie, "Limitless." But does he pull it off, and will this certify his position of a leading man? Well read on and find out.

Eddie Morra is a down on his luck depressed, 30 something writer in New York who has hit a wall in his life. He looks like death, he has writers block and his girlfriend (Abbie Cornish) has just left him due to his selfish and depressing ways. His life is pretty much over in his mind. When he bumps into his ex brother in-law Vernon (Johnny Whitworth as everyone in the 90's will know from the hugely popular movie Empire Records "it's AJ people") who used to be a dealer. But now he has a product that might not be so bad after all. Devised by a mysterious team, this pill is described as a drug which will open up our mind and allow us to use the parts of the brain giving us 100% usage instead of only 20%. What occurs next is amazing. The pill opens Eddie's mind up. He is able to recall information that he saw as a child, learns a whole language in a few days, and is able to finish his book within a day. It makes his life, in a word, clearer. But the effects soon diminish and he is back to square one. After contacting Vernon who has now been murdered in his apartment, Eddie steals his stash and starts to enjoy the benefits the drug brings. He becomes friends with the high flyer's of New York and with it brings women, luxury vacations, fast cars and eventually wins back his girlfriend. But he needs to find a way to bring increase his wealth. With his new talent he starts to invest in the stock market and starts to make a killing. It is here he is head hunted by huge stock market expertise Carl Van Loon (Robert De Niro) who is going to help him land big deals, with even bigger money. But what comes up must come down as Eddie experiences that with his new pill comes the bad side as well. He endures blackouts, could be a murderer and suddenly finds himself followed by strange people watching his every move. Could this pill actually be more pain than it's worth? Can't say anymore because I will ruin it. But it is good.

All I can say is Bradley Cooper makes this film. The guy reaches every range of his acting talent and really is in every single scene using it. The dude has never been better, and this movie better get Hollywood to realise they have a very crafted actor in this man. I couldn't help but really like his character, and me being me, wanted to stand up and applaud when they finally cut his hair (sorry but it annoyed me to the extreme) Bradley plays off Hollywood vet De Niro extremely well and holds his own. De Niro finally looks like he wanted to be in this movie and didn't look like he was doing it for the paycheck (I am going to mention it again, but you can't be that desperate to do another Meet the Parents movie are you Robert?) He makes a sinister stock broker and pulls it off well. I must say I also thought Aussie actress Abbie Cornish had great chemistry with Cooper. I have never really liked her before, but she seems to be making an impact on the Hollywood scene and if she chooses roles like this one, will have a very interesting and rewarding career.

I must give my hat off to director Neil Burger. He makes this movie go at a pace which is extremely well done, placing enough action, enough dialogue and enough tense moments in this movie to keep the audience wanting more. The use of light and special effects to maximise this new drug so that the viewer can also experience it, is extremely well done. I couldn't help but think of the 90's movie Hackers (yes I love this movie and so does many others if your laughing right now) with it's visuals and fast paced use of the camera and music. I must admit though, there is one scene where the viewer is going to squirm in their seat. I didn't think anyone in the preview screening wasn't a bit grossed out by it. I'm not going to tell you about it, you will just have to see.

The only problem I had with this movie was that I was a bit unsure of a few things, which I can't list here as it will spoil the movie. But maybe on repeat viewing I will work it out, or maybe I will just need a pill to help access the rest of my brain so I can understand it. The advertisements don't do this movie justice. The film is actually a lot smarter than what I thought it would be and I came out of this movie thinking, have we already found a great thriller for 2011? This is one of those movies which is so original that you just want to congratulate the studio for finally doing something different. This is definitely one trip you will have to take. I don't endorse drugs, but if I did this would definitely be my drug of choice. 3.5/5

Rango is the name of the new sheriff in town? But is he worth your time?

Johnny Depp seems to be in my opinion, one of the hardest working actors in the business. When he is not working on Pirates nine hundred and three or staring in the new Tim Burton film, he manages to do something completely different and surprise not just his audience, but the movie going community. I don't know how many directors are going to call Johnny their muse (Tim Burton never can shut up about him) but it seems director Gore Verbinski has seen that having Mr Depp in his movies other than a pirate one can make a film exciting and fresh. But this time both men are stepping out of their safety zone and entering into the world of animation. Now you know Johnny doesn't do crap (okay I just heard someone cough a little, I know Alice in Wonderland was on my worst list of movies last year) but in animation you can either have a hit (see Toy Story) or a big miss (Planet 51 anyone?) But this time both men have teamed up for the wild west adventure Rango and boy is it a fun ride. Let's begin

Rango (voiced to perfection) by Johnny Depp is a lizard who dreams of being an actor. Living in a tank he dreams of one day being a great actor. His only friends are a wind up toy fish. A barbie doll without a head, a left arm or one of her legs. A lego palm tree and that's about it. One day when being taken for a ride through the Nevada desert, his cage is thrown through the window of his owners car and smashes on the road. Nearly missing winding up as road kill, Rango encounters Roadkill (Alfred Molina) a wise old creature who tells him of water through the dirt. But dirt isn't the desert. It's a small town reminiscent of the old west, where the town is run by a mayor, the saloon is the local hang out and people talk with drawn out soutehrn accents. Enter the stranger Rango to the town, who knows he could play the part perfect of the new sheriff and gets caught up in telling a white lie that leads him to becoming the new hero. With the water supply dwindling, the town's folk are packing up and moving on. But it is the few including Beans (the amazing Isla Fisher, go the Aussies) a head strong creature who will fight for her farm, Priscilla (voiced by Little Miss Sunshine's Abigail Bresnan) a possum who is looking for a hero in Rango, Mayor (Ned Beatty) an old turtle who has seen his town start to decline and the villain of the piece Rattlesnake Jake (the fantastic and under appreciated Bill Nighy). When Beans becomes the trusted friend of Rango, she believes something sinister is happening to her town and water should be flowing allowing the small community to survive. And she is right. I'm not going to say anymore without spoiling it, but this is one wild west adventure that needs to be experienced.

First off. There are two things that make this a cut above the rest. The animation and the voices. I couldn't stop thinking how far computer animation has come since the success of Toy Story. This movie is so in depth and detail in every aspect of the film that you can't help but stay focused. The characters look amazing, the scenery is so well crafted that you feel that you are in the old west and these people are in need of a hero. Gore Verbinski deserves a big pat on the back for this film, (and it's about time enough with the Pirate movies dude). He has made sure that the animation blows the audiences mind and the characters every detail appear in their expression through their face and movements.

Secondly, the voices are fantastic. The actors seem to know their characters and produce this in their voices. Major congrats need to go to Johnny, Isla and Bill Nighy. These guys are fantastic in their parts and really play well off of each other. I read that they actually performed the script with a microphone taping their entire performance and it shows. All the voice actors do a great job.

I must say though if you are wanting a very funny animated film, you are going to be highly disappointed. Rango is more of a adult comedy/adventure which draws much of its strength from it's cleaver script, fantastic animation and it's smart characters. Trust me, small kids will get scared. There are many scenes which work on fear of the main villain and are the things of nightmares. The only problem I had with this film, is I could not for the life of me figure out what most of the characters were. Unless someone told you (e.g. Rattlesnake Jake) I thought many of them were all lizards. I know probably if I watched it again that it would probably make sense but it started to bug me and I wanted to yell half way through the movie, "what kinda f*&kin creatures are you?" But all in all this was a very good animated adventure. All parties should be extremely proud of the achievement. No longer are the best animation coming out of Pixar or Dreamworks it seems the other studios are giving them a run for their money. Rango is one lizard I would definitely love to see again. 3.5/5

Does The Rite hit the right mark? Or does it miss completely?

Exorcism has been a fascination with Hollywood for years. The most successful film showcasing this unnatural and explained phenomenon was the 1973 Oscar nominated picture "The Exorcist." Although very outdated now, (I mean it can be sorta seen as a comedy these days, pea soup, spinning head, crawling lobster like downstairs brings a bit of a chuckle when viewing now) the movie spawned the whole exorcism, demon battle, good vs evil, man vs the devil etc. It has just been lately though that we have bombarded with exorcism movies. In the last five years we have seen, The Exorcism of Emily Rose, The Last Exorcism, and The Haunting in Connecticut. Although, interesting in their depiction of this evil force, exorcism movies have never drawn the audience to flock to the cinema to check it out. They are usually more popular on DVD for that late night viewing. So with Anthony Hopkins new movie, "The Rite" out now, does it have the right ingredients to make this one exorcism you should witness? Read on to find out.

Michael Kovak (Colin O'Donoghue) is a young man who either has the option of becoming a mortician like his father (Rutgur Hauer) or join a seminary school and become a priest. At a young age Michael has lost his mother and is left to live with his father. Their relationship is icey and a way to escape and to test his faith in all that he believes in is to leave behind his father's life and become a priest. Four years later, Michael is doubting much of the Lords work and thinks about giving it all up, even though his grades are at the top of the game. With the added pressure of his superior Father Matthew (Toby Jones) and a bit of guilt and bargaining, Michael is selected as the perfect candidate to fly over to Italy and learn the ways of exorcism. Apparently, the Vatican teaches courses on exorcism and Michael is teamed up with the greatest of them all, Father Lucas Trevant (Anthony Hopkins) It is here we witness the trials that these men face, when several people emerge in the story to be possessed by the demon know as the devil. But what happens when you don't believe? Have these people or psychological problems, or does evil truly possess people? But the true test Michael will have to face is what will happen if his teacher becomes the possessed?

Where to begin with this film. At the start of the film, we are told that these events are inspired by true stories. But of course this is Hollywood, and they love to over extend the truth. Like all exorcism movies, special effects create the perfect amount of horror to make the viewer feel like they are watching a true exorcism. The sound effects in this movie are awesome, and bring to life the true evil that these innocent people are suffering through. What lifts the material above B grade schlock is of course Anthony Hopkins. This is a role he could have slept through. The man is talented. He looks like he is enjoying the role as the priest and really he doesn't put a foot wrong. He gives the performance of a man who has been doing this for 30 years, who has seen it all, and for him it is just like the sun rising and setting, it is a normal everyday occurrence. But where he steps the movie up is the last 20 minutes. I'm not going to tell you why, but special effects, or no special effects, he gives many spine chilling moments just by the use of his acting skills.

Directed by Mikael Hafstrom, who also directed the creepy thriller 1408 (very cool movie check it out) Hafstrom knows how to direct spine tingling films. He knows how to not bring on the over the top porn gore (I'm looking at you Hostel 2) but uses sound and performances from his actors to get the theme of the movie just right. The man knows his genre and like 1408, does not need to use revolting images to make the audience uneasy. The only gripe I have with the director and writers is that the ending wraps up too clean. I'm not going to tell you what happens, but it kinda just ends perfectly and leaves no questions unanswered, which makes you wonder if the whole movie was just a load of garbage.

The one huge problem I had with this movie is the casting of Colin O'Donoghue as Michael. The dude does not do a very good job at all, and really looks like he is bored all the way through. He looks like he is working for the pay check and looks like he is thinking "why am I doing this film?" With another actor in the role this movie could have been so much better. I think if Anthony Hopkins was not in this movie as mentioned before, I would have left. It would have been boring, and really would be more likely to have been straight to DVD.

Let me put it this way. Exorcism movies have been around for years. Yes it might be real, it might not. But I feel films like The Rite, are made to entertain the audience and really not to explain the phenomenon no matter what they say is based on truth (it seems all exorcism movies, if you watch the start, explaine they are all based on a true story). Although, this movie hasn't set the box office on fire, it does have enough ingredients for any person interested in this religious following and a great performance by Anthony Hopkins to lure you. Otherwise, I can't really see a mass audience enjoying this film. Although The Rite did put it's best cross forward at the end of the day I haven't thought much about it. That's not to say I didn't enjoy it, it's more saying that it's a preferred genre film that really didn't hit the right mark with me. 2.5/5

Hall Pass gets a failing grade

Firstly, I have to admit, I did want to see this movie. I saw the previews and thought, hey it could be a winning combination. I did think the Farrelly Brothers have made some hilarious films (Dumb and Dumber a particular favourite) Owen Wilson can be funny in the right films (who could forget Hansel) and to me Christina Applegate should have been given the opportunity to be a go to leading lady in comedies (the girl is funny, don't believe me Don't Tell Mum the Babysitters Dead is a classic) So why did this movie fail on so many levels? All I can say is, it is just plain bad. I don't mean wait for DVD bad. I mean if your flicking through late at night and find this on, then yeah maybe watch it, but seriously it is just awful. But let me back up my claim by a bit of a review before I let the bashing begin.

Rick (Owen Wilson) is married to Maggie (Jenna Fisher). They have the house, the three kids and the jobs. They are your normal everyday neighbours living right next to you. When Rick's wife overhears her husband discussing with his mates about how much you would pay to have the opportunity to cheat on your wife she is worried that her marriage is in trouble. Taking the advise of her friend (Joy Behar from the View) Maggie gives her husband a chance to experience life for a week without being married and to be free to do whatever he likes, in a word, HALLPASS. When Maggie's best friend Grace (Christina Applegate) decides to also get in on this theory and give her husband Fred (Jason Sudeikis) one also, the two boys team up for what is going to become a bit of a crazy journey. But is not only the boys who are going to be tempted by this opportunity, the girls may also find that women like men, when given the chance might enjoy having some fun without the restraints of married life. Throw into the mix your geeky weird male friends, a hot toy boy and young Aussie stunner, bodily fluid jokes, men's genitalia, over the hill cougars, and pretty much that sums it up.

Where do I begin. About half an hour into this film I wanted to find the emergency exit and pull my rip cord. All the characters are boring and all I could think about is how sloppy this movie was. Did it want to go for the gross out comedy effect? Did it want to have heart to the story? Did it want to be a romantic comedy? Or did it just want to jump on "The Hangovers" tail and try to be the next best thing? Lets try option four. It was just a bad rip off and really I just wanted it over with. Thank gosh I got free tickets to this, because I would have wanted a refund. All the actors are wasted and look kinda bored. To me it looked like a paycheck movie when you know they only need it to fund their expensive lifestyle. The jokes we have seen about 10 years ago, and really this kinda humour is getting outdated. The Farrelly Brothers may have hit their peak too early in their career with Dumb and Dumber and Something About Mary, but it is now 2011, and that humour really doesn't mesh anymore with audiences (as indicated by the sad box office opening in America. Seriously it was beaten by an animated Gnome movie in it's third week in release) I am even bored writing this review. I'm sorry the only good thing to have happened while watching this movie, is that I got a free pen for the trouble it caused me. This movie is a big ugly mess and really I am over writing this review because the less I think about my time wasted watching this crap the happier I will be. 1/10 (and that's cause I am being nice)

Who am I? That is the question for Mr Neeson

I have to admit I might be a bit biased in this review, but the fact is I think Liam Neeson is one of the coolest actors. He may be in his 50's, but the dude sure knows how to choose his movies and make the most out of some cool material. From his turn in Schindler's List, to the villain in Batman Begins, to his turn as a doctor trying to find a young women's voice in Nell, Liam's range covers all genres. After his tough guy, take no prisoner, action man in Taken (haven't seen it, then do, it's worth it) Liam is now seen as a bit of an action man pro staring in last years highly underrated A-Team and now in his excellent action/thriller movie, "Unknown." Why was it a great thriller? Read on and find out.

Dr Martin Harris (Liam Neeson) is on his way to a conference with his beautiful wife Elizabeth (January Jones) to give a speech. On his way to the hotel room he notices that he has forgotten his briefcase at the airport which contains his speech, passport, and wallet. He leaves his wife and heads back to see if he can retrieve it. Hoping into a cab, he encounters Rita (Diane Kruger) his driver who he thinks he will never see again, but she may be the only person who can help him, after her cab is involved in an accident after a large fridge falls off the back of a van. Trying to avoid it, Rita loses control smashing into a bridge ploughing into the river below. Pulling the unconscious Martin out of the freezing cold water, Rita flees the scene due to being an illegal immigrant. Martin wakes up four days later from a coma in a Berlin hospital. After convincing the doctor to find his wife, he manages to go back to the hotel only to find his wife with another man who claims he is Dr. Martin Harris (Adian Quinn) and that she is his wife. His head starts to spin as he is certain he is Dr. Martin Harris. Is he? What is going on? Has he hit his head to hard? Or is there more sinister forces at play here? After tracking down Rita who is the only person to ever meet him in Berlin, and enlisting the help of Ernet Jurgen (Bruno Ganz) a private detective who may uncover more than he should, Liam is on his way to discover who he really is. But that's it. I can't say anymore or I will give too much away and I hate those reviewers who do that.

Let me just say this. If I can't figure out the twist, I know that I am watching a well done thriller. This movie had me stumped at what the twist was going to be and let me tell you it is very smart. Hats off to screenplay writer Oliver Butcher for doing something out of the norm. Liam Neeson plays the part to perfection. Liam is born to play these roles. He has the dynamic face and acting skills to pull it off, and let me tell you he gets put through the ringer in this film. Whether it be a crazy car chase (which was well directed) along the icy roads of Berlin, or being stalked by crazy hit men, Liam holds his own in every scene.

But let's not forget the rest of the cast. Diane Kruger is fantastic as Rita, the girl whose cab he just had to jump into to get involved with this mess. Kruger holds her own against acting legend Neeson, and brings to the role a sense of trust and kindness but also a sassy chick who will not take any bull from anybody. But I must give credit to Bruno Ganz who played Ernst Jurgen. I have never seen this old actor before, but when he was on screen he captured the audiences attention from the get go. He works well off Neeson and brings a kind friendship and understanding to a man in need.

This movie is being compared a lot to Taken. Yes they are both action/thrillers and yes they both star Liam Neeson but they could not be further apart. This one is a thinking man's thriller and director Jaume Collet - Serra brings the action hard and fast, but does not rely on it to capture the audiences attention. The movie keeps you guessing and makes you think the action scenes are a bonus, not a necessity. The movie flows very well and if I had to say anything bad about this film, I would have liked to continue the journey. Trust me, if you like your thrillers smart and interesting and not full of bloody over the top violence, see Unknown. 9/10

How would you cope if you lost your only child?

Nicole Kidman is either a love her or loathe her sort of actress. When she scores big, she wins loads of awards, praise and a hefty next paycheck. But when she fails, she is butchered for her work, making us ask the question, "is she really worth spending $13 to see her non-moving face headline a movie." Her last three big movies, Australia, The Golden Compass and The Invasion didn't exactly set the box office on fire and really didn't do much for anybody. But it comes as a great surprise that Nicole is back to fine form as an actress as witnessed in previous efforts with her new emotionally charged film, "Rabbit Hole." Now lets just say Nicole definitely deserves the praise for this one, but let's not forget she is in excellent company. But wait, I am jumping too far ahead of myself here. Let's get to the review.

Becca (Nicole Kidman) and Howie (Aaron Eckhart) are you typical American couple. Perfect house, strong income, but there is one thing they no longer have, their four year old son Daniel. Eight months ago, Daniel was taken from them, when a car hit their son outside of their house, which resulted in his death. What they have left are the memories of their son. His clothes, the room which he slept, his dog. But how do you stop the pain, and even after eight months, how do you move forward? It is here where we are introduced to the supporting players of the movie, and how they are involved with the therapy needed for this couple to try and move on. On one hand, they are trying group therapy for other families who have lost their children, where they meet Gaby (the incredible Sandrah Oh) and her husband who have been coming for over eight years. We see the support of Becca's mother in the form of Diane Weist who holds the same pain that her daughter does after losing her only son eleven years ago who helps her with her struggle. Feeling that none of these are helping with her cope, Becca has a chance encounter of the young man which struck her child resulting in his death and forms an unlikely friendship. From this encounter, it begins the motion of the help she needs to cope with her loss. I'm not saying anything more, but this movie is one emotionally charged film, headed by a great cast.

Kidman and Eckhart are at their best here. Overshadowed by Heath Ledger in the Dark Knight, Eckhart, delves deep into his emotions to show a man who is hurting, but unlike his wife wants people to know he is in pain and is emotionally crippled by the loss of his son. His interaction with Kidman is intense in many scenes and makes you forget that you are watching a movie and really feel that you are a voyeur looking in on a cracked relationship. Kidman has never been better. As Becca, she is so intense using every emotion in her acting handbook to show the pain and steps needed to start to move forward in life when a tragedy occurs. We learn it is hard, but every day a step needs to be taken in order to try and make each day bearable.

It is not only the two leads which surprise here, Diane Weist is amazing as always. As Becca's mother she shows after her own tragedy, that we never really get over a family member dying, but there are ways to make it through. Weist gives such an emotional portrayal of this, that we can sorta see into the future of how Becca will turn out. But I want to give a special mention to the young actor who plays Jason, the man who accidentally killed Becca and Howie's child. Miles Teller is an amazing young actor, who really needs to be watched. He is amazing, as a young man who has to live the rest of his life with the pain of what he did, and how he has impacted this family. His interactions with Kidman are fantastic and make the picture that much more interesting.

I have to give credit to filmmaker John Cameron Mitchell, the director of this piece. The way this movie is made is not what I expected. From the shorts, it looked like we were going to witness the death of a child followed by the life after it. But it is actually extremely well done, as we fast-forward eight months, and then are slowly given tidbits of what has happened in the past, making it a sort of piece together the puzzle movie. It makes us see the grievance process in a different light and I think in this case makes the movie work well.

Rabbit Hole is one emotionally charged movie, so make sure you take your tissues. It is not light, but gives us into a look at how a couple copes with the loss of their only child. I am not giving away why it is called Rabbit Hole, as this is one of the key scenes which makes the movie have a strong impact if you think about it. Kidman definitely deserves the praise she is given in this film, and really her supporting players should be up their with her. They make this film. Without the talent involved, this movie could have fallen flat in the soppy direct to DVD pile. But instead rises above the material and impacts the viewer. Rabbit Hole is a strong character driven piece that strongly needs to be seen. 8/10

Can you believe this roadtrip has been going on for 20 years?

Where were you in 1991? Some people were at school. Some traveling. Some becoming parents. But for two actresses and one top notch director, they would show the world of film that a roadtrip about two women was going to make its impact in the world of cinema. Yes, I am talking about the one and only Thelma and Louise and come this year it is it's 20th year anniversary. The movie that made girl power a huge statement, that made a big star out of Brad Pitt (and his abs) and showed that women don't have to turn ugly or play a real person to win an Oscar nomination. Susan Sarandon has never been better, and Geena Davies made everyone stand up and take notice. Hollywood was proved that two women could handle holding an entire movie and with the help of the legendary Ridley Scott (Gladiator, Alien) that it would become a huge sensation at the box office, with one of the most memorable endings in movie history, (it still makes this reviewer keep wishing everytime I watch it that it would change just once). And if you haven't seen it, what have you been doing for the last twenty years? Seriously, this is one piece of cinema everyone needs to witness in order to fully appreciate when a movie says "stuff you to society" and just goes for it, breaking all the barriers and stereotypes in its way. This reviewer is a bit biased towards this film (it's my second favourite film of all time), but I urge you to see why this film won so many awards, and why it is cinematic gold.

I want to win the Blockbuster Blogger Comp

Hi All,

This is not like my normal posts, but by viewing my profile on the Blockbuster page I can win the chance to go to the Cannes film festival which would be the best thing to happen to this Aussie. I have always wanted to go and with your support I can. I know you view my blog for a reason and I know I have the passion and interest in the film industry to bore people to tears with my knowledge, but I feel for those who love film as much as me that they understand the obsession and dedication to the industry. Please look it up. Follow the link http://www.blockbustersuperblogger.com.au/members/jimmydean83/blog/

Thanks heaps

Jimmydean

How far would you go to keep your family together?

Russell Crowe is an interesting actor. Take away his temper and the media scrutiny over it (yes we all have heard the telephone throwing incident, but come on, who wouldn't want to do that just once) and the man sure knows how to pick his movie roles. From playing Jeffrey Wingald who brought the tobacco industry to it's knees in "The Insider" to his ancient epic action/drama "Gladiator" to his Oscar winning role in "A Beautiful Mind," there is no way you can type cast this man. He is one of the best Australian exports to come from this country (yes I know he is from New Zealand, but hey we have claimed him now) and really the man is awesome, (and yes I am biased) Well Crowe is back for vengeance in Oscar Winner Paul Haggis' new film, "The Next Three Days," and let me tell you Crowe does not disappoint. But hey, before I tell you why, lets get to the film.

John Brennan (Crowe) is a family man with a gorgeous wife Lara (Elizabeth Banks), a young healthy 6 year old son Luke (Ty Simpkins) a home in Pittsburgh and a job as a literature professor. That is until one day this all comes crashing down, when police charge into his home and arrest his wife. Why may you ask? Well apparently someone has accused Lara of killing her boss. There is blood on her jacket, someone saw her leave the crime and her fingerprints are on the weapon, Did she do it? Can't tell you that. But one man believes she is innocent. After their appeal is rejected after three years of fighting, Russell is going to get his tough macho man act together and thinks of a way to bring his family back together. He is going to break Lara out of jail. That's right, out of a maximum security jail. With the help of Damon Pennington (Liam Neeson in a blink and you will miss him role) a man who has escaped jail seven times, he explains the process which is not going to be easy. What occurs next is how far a man will go to bring his family together. How far he is willing to put himself on the line and how far might be too far so that the plan does not fall apart.

Intrigued yet, you should be. This is one thriller that definitely worked and you know why? It is the result of a great screenplay, acting and directing. Coming off his work on Million Dollar Baby, Crash, Casino Royale, Paul Haggis is an Academy Award screenplay winner. His work is able to bring action hard and fast (see Casino Royale) or tug at the heart strings without being too sappy and predictable (see Million Dollar Baby, that movie still haunts me) Here he has decided to put both together. This is not a revenge flick. Or a man out to prove that he can hit a million people and feel macho, this is a ordinary everyday joe who is hell bent on keeping his family together at whatever cost. Haggis knows how to write emotionally charged humans as well as action and keeps the film going at a great pace that keeps the viewer on the edge of their seat. From the last hour, the movie really hits it's peak with intense action scenes and the final showdown (I'm not saying anymore) But Haggis really involves the audience in this story and makes you hope his plan comes together.

This is all brought together by excellent acting by his talented cast. Crowe has not been great in anything lately (in my opinion) but this is where he really shines. His portrayal of John makes you feel you could know a man like this. He is strong and tough, but sensitive and caring. He is a man who will do anything for his family and you believe that from the get go. He brings the love and strength needed to make us care enough about his plan and the desperation he has for his family. Crowe nearly has to carry this entire movie himself and does it well. Not once did I think, get off the screen Crowe your annoying me, but I gave a shit about John. I hoped his plan would come together. But let's not forget Elizabeth Banks as Lara. Elizabeth Banks is one actress I feel is truly underapprecaited. The girl can act and act well when she is given the right roles. We care about Lara, we want to know if she did it,. and we see her pain and anguish in nearly every scene she is in. It could happen to anyone and she proves this. We all need to be strong, but sometimes you do have to crack. The chemistry between Banks and Crowe works extremely well. If there was no connection this movie would have fell flat on its ass. We have to care about these two characters acting like a married couple, and we do.

Okay, here is what erked me a little about this movie. Don't get me wrong I really liked it (stay tuned for my rating) but firstly, putting a Russell Crowe song in one of the most pivotal scenes actually made me laugh when I shouldn't have. I know I shouldn't, but the song was not good, and really it must have been in his contract, because a million other songs would have made the scene impact more on me than it did. Russell love you as an actor, but please don't sing, and please don't put them in decent films. Secondly, the running time. This is a long movie. And could have been cut by at least 10 minutes. You will know where I mean when you see it. It's just one of those things, sometimes directors and editors really need to understand you don't need to drag a film along, you have the audience already. That 10 minutes more can actually do damage than good.

So here is my verdict. If you want a great thriller/drama definitely go check this out. If you want a full blown action movie, I hear the Rock has a new film that will fix that need up. The Next Three Days is a very adult thriller which we don't get to witness very often. It is a smart film. If you looking for a movie which incorporates a great screenplay, brought to life by excellent acting and thrilling adventure by a exteremly talented director, strap yourself in and get ready to see what will happen in the life of a couple in three days. 8/10

Does "The Fighter" pack a punch? Or does it get "KO'D" in it's first round?

Mark Wahlberg has come a long way. From dropping his dacks in public and showing the world who he worked for (Calvin Klein great marketing there), to forming his own rap group of Marky Mark and the funky bunch (with one of the best song's of the 90's Good Vibrations), Mark was not someone you would expect to be approached to make damn good movies. The juvenile pants dropper became a force to be reckoned with in the entertainment industry when people stood up and took notice when he stared as porn star Dirk Diggler in Boogie Nights. From then on there have been many hits and misses (more hits good work Wahlberg) and grew even more praise when he stared in his Oscar Nominated role in "The Departed" against such heavyweight actors like Jack Nicholson, Matt Damon and Leo. This time though, Walhberg has became the main star in David O. Russell's new film "The Fighter." Staring as well as producing this family/sports drama Wahlberg has managed to score a top notch cast. But unfortunately, that is the problem for him. But I am jumping too far ahead. Let me begin.

Based on a true story, The Fighter tells the story of Micky Ward (Wahlberg) a man who has been put into the world of boxing by his manager/mum Alice (Melissa Leo) after the success of his brother Dicky (Christian Bale) whose claim to fame was beating out Sugar Ray Leonard. However, Dicky is not the same fighter he once was. Now a washed up, crack addicted, shade of his former self, his habit could ruin the chance for his brother. With the help of Dicky as his trainer, Micky gears up for the fight that could take him further in his career. But Micky's pride is bruised when he loses a fight to a man twice his size and believes he has brought embarrassment to his family. Enter his love interest Charlene (Amy Adams) a college drop out who now works at the local pub who offers Micky advice that he should steer clear of his families wishes and do what he wants to do, which is, leave his manager/mother, leave his now cracked out brother, and leave behind the world he once thought was the normal way to live, which starts to divide his already strained family. From here on we witness a family torn apart by addiction, love, and sacrifice.

Where to start with this review. Well first off, I am with the Academy on this one. The acting is absolutely fantastic. Mark Wahlberg gives a good performance as Micky and gives us a look into the world of this interesting story of a heavyweight champ. See how I said good and not great, that's because the fact is that all the supporting players just tear up the screen when they are on, and really I started to forget he was even on screen. It is the supporting cast who really bring this movie together. You will not believe your eyes when you see Christian Bale. If you ever wanted to see the results of crack on Batman, watch this movie. Bale is terrific as Dickie and went to such extreme lengths for this film. He steals every scene he is in. We don't necessarily feel sorry for Dickie, but we sure do see the implications that this drug can have on a family and themselves thanks to his portrayal and rightfully deserves his best supporting Oscar nomination (my pick he will win it).

It looks like the Academy is truly loving crazy mothers this award season as the trend is that most of the supporting actresses have played scary mums. We have Jackie Weaver from Animal Kingdom (now she was scary), Barbara Hersey from Black Swan as the mental mum and now we can add Melissa Leo who plays Alice the boys mum in The Fighter to that mix. Alice is a mum who wants the best for her boys, but also the best for herself. She risks Mickey's life and turns a blind eye to Dickies problems. We do get a sense that she has had a hard life, but also that she does care for her nine children as the head strong woman who feels that a new woman is about to take her place. Enter Charlene played by the amazing Amy Adams who is also up for an Oscar for her portrayal (and in my opinion should win it). I am a bit biased when it comes to Amy as I love her. From the enchanted princess in "Enchanted" to the scared and confused nun in "Doubt"to this, Amy's body of work is amazing. And here she gives us a look at a character strong, independent, and ready to help Mickey see his family for what they are and provide him with the support and the courage to move his career to the next level. As they say, "behind every great man, there has to be a great woman." And that sure is the case here. Amy demands you watch her on screen and makes the movie extremely enjoyable as her sassy character upstages everyone.

Here is the downfall of this movie. I must admit I really didn't love it. I thought the acting was superb, except the main problem is Wahlberg. He is so good in other things, but this I really didn't care about his journey. I craved seeing the supporting actors and wished that the movie was about them. I don't know if it was the screenplay or what, but I really found it very average, and really does not belong in the Best Picture category at this year's Oscars. Acting, yes,. Picture, no. It just felt really all over the place. We are bombarded with fight scenes then emotional scenes, then just mediocre scenes. I don't know why, but I just could not connect with this film at all. With other boxing movies packing more of a punch, I'm talking about the first Rocky and Million Dollar Baby amongst others, they got it right, mixing enough sport with enough emotion to draw the outside viewer who may not be interested in the occupation to want to view a story about these people's lives. Sometimes you can do it with genres and sometimes you can't. The Fighter in my opinion didn't It sorted fizzled out for me about an hour into it. A few scenes as well were just way over the top (I'm talking about the family harassing Charlene, you will know when you see it) which really I started laughing when I don't think you were meant to.

My verdict. I really only enjoyed this for the acting. Bale, Adams and Leo were excellent. They provide the only draw card to this movie. Other than that, I really can't recommend anything else. I feel bad for saying that because the amount of talent on display should have lifted this movie to an emotionally charged drama with boxing as a background. But it didn't for me. The Fighter did fizzle out and really I lost interest in the first round. 7/10