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