Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002)

Forget the clumsiness and blatant corporate synergy of the Phantom Menace. The good news is Attack of the Clones is a better film, but only just.

Set Ten years after the Phantom Menace The Galactic Republic is under threat from charismatic separatists, forcing Naboo senator Padme Amidala to seek protection from Jedi Padawan Anakin Skywalker. While all this is happening, Obi-Wan Kenobi discovers a hidden Clone army.

Most fans were disappointed with Phantom Menace so converted to Middle Earth and Peter Jackson. Therefore Mr Lucas only had a couple of Million people to satisfy (much, much less then Phantom Menace). So you could say the pressure was off? Not so. The remaining fans wanted Lucas to get back the respect of the people that thought Phantom Menace was a bit, well, rubbish.

Attack of the Clones echoes the structure of Empire Strikes Back, and co-writer Johnathan Hales' contribution is keenly felt, with better defined characters and an altogether smoother story. Shot digitally, Clones certainly looks impressive, with CGI superbly realising Lucas' imaginative galaxies and Alien lifeforms, including for the first time until Lucas messed with Phantom Menace on Blu-Ray, a CGI Yoda.

The difference between Empire Strikes Back and Clones is that Empire zipped along quite freely, moving along to different galaxies and meeting new characters as and when they felt like it. Clones has a much more slower start. Maybe Lucas was aware of the sins of Episode I. Jar Jar is quickly removed to a 10 minute cameo, those Amidala clones are quickly destroyed and we don't have to put up with a whiny, mop headed young Ani everyone was asked to love in 1999. Don't get me wrong, Anakin is still a whiny teenager, but it's a vast improvement.

Also Ewan McGregor and Natalie Portman have improved and grown into their roles, more so McGregor who is a lot more 'forceful' here with his big beard and comic punchlines.

Attack of the Clones was more of a necessity to tell the story of Ani and Padme before Episode III. Yes Lucas seems to struggle with the romance and politics in the movie, but he doesn't disappoint when it comes to the action. Christopher Lee's Count Dooku arrives to provide some much needed gravitas. C-3P0 is actually playing C-3P0 and we get to see Portman in a white leotard. Finally, we also get to see Yoda's talents with the force and a lightsaber. Unsurprisingly it's a scene fans have been waiting years to see and it does not let them down.This is where Lucas finally relaxes and directs Clones with the same gusto as the original trilogy. Clones is no better then Menace in terms of acting or dialogue but improves on Episode I in every other way.

Attack of the Clones was a necessary film but no way was it vital. The action scenes are entertaining with the ending dark enough to rival that of Episode V. It also sets the story up nicely for Episode III. Just don't go expecting a masterpiece.

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Limitless (2011)

Limitless sets the tone quickly with it's opening credits, quickly establishing one of it's most interesting visual tricks. It's one of those cinematic tricks that tells the audience they're gonna be seeing something a little different. While Limitless is a little less then what it's premise suggests, it's hard to argue against the film's funky, cool direction and sheer fun entertainment.

The story follows a struggling writer Eddie (Bradley Cooper) who discovers a top-secret drug from his old brother in law. This drug gives him brain enhancing qualities which gives him superhuman abilities. We first see Eddie broke, heartbroken and suffering from writers block. When he starts taking the drug, known as NZT, Eddie is transformed into a genius that can not only write a book in four days, but learn languages in mere hours and take on the big bosses from Wall Street.

Originally Shia La Beouf was cast as Eddie but had to drop out after injuring his hand in a car crash. Reports also suggest that Elizabeth Banks was cast as Eddie's girlfriend before dropping out with Abbie Cornish taking over. It's a good thing too, as Cooper and Cornish excel in their roles, with Cooper having enormous fun with the material and proving he can take on a lead role.

At some point in the film you may start asking questions about whats unfolding in the film. Limitless takes plenty of shortcuts, carefully avoiding any effort to address the film's many plot holes. The film is also happy to dodge any ethical and moral questions. Limitless simply chooses to have fun with it's plot, keeping it's tongue firmly in cheek. It's a sort of Wall Street (1987), but on crack.

Robert De Niro comes along to the show and it's great to see him back on form playing Wall street boss Eddie Van Loon. We also have a brief appearance from Anna Friel, who, while naturally very beautiful, manages to look a right scruff as Eddie's ex wife Melissa. All together Cooper has a solid supporting cast to bounce off.

Limitless may finish off a little too cleanly with the origin of the drug never really explained. It also discards the moral complications from the entire film and has an ending, which makes you wonder why people didn't think about it before. But that doesn't really matter as the film is great entertainment from start to finish, with Bradley Cooper giving one of his best performances so far.

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Drive (2011)

Drive finally speeds into UK cinemas after first appearing at this year's Cannes Festival (which seems an age ago now). This Noir thriller is certainly a change form Ryan Gosling's other film release this week, Crazy, Stupid, Love.

By day, 'Driver' is a Hollywood stunt-man, but by night he makes his real money in the criminal underworld as one of the best getaway drivers in town. When he meets his pretty next door neighbour Irene (Carey Mulligan) he discovers she is married to an ex-con who needs to pay off a debt or his wife and child will be in danger. 'Driver' decides to help protect Irene and the child, but manages to get into an escalating problem between the local thugs and the mafia.

The real heroes of the film are Gosling and director Nicolas Winding Refn, who forge a cinematic partnership that totally works. Gosling oozes cool as the toothpick chewing protagonist, effortlessly blending softness and masculinity. Refn's display of assured stylistic flair is the reason why he won best director at Cannes and cements his place as one of the best new directors around. Refn is proof of the fact that American noir is better done by Europeans (most of the time).

Going back to Gosling, he was a type of actor who you'd see probably once a year in a movie, not anymore. Gosling has 4 movies out this year but none will have as good a performance than Drive. It's the type of performance were a star is made. Yes, Gosling has been around for a while, but I guarantee you won't have seen him in anything like this before. He plays the role like the great actors of a previous generation, that of Steve McQueen and James Dean. Gosling is definitely the coolest actor this year and we'll hopefully see him in a few more films of this type in the future. Also have to mention the white scorpion jacket he wears throughout the film. it's one of those rubbish jackets that would make you look an idiot if you wore it, but here, it just reeks of cool and is up there with Brad Pitt's Jacket in Fight Club.

Drive also has a very good supporting cast. Carey Mulligan doesn't say or do much, but has a certain vulnerability to her that she mainly expresses through body language and longing stares. Albert Brooks is one mean villain and shows that comedy actors can do serious roles when asked. There's also excellent work from Bryan Cranston as Shannon, a mechanic who serves as a mentor to 'Driver'. Fans of Mad Men will also get to see Christina Hendricks. She plays a small role but one that goes out with a bang.

Drive is easily the most stylish, coolest and ultra violent film this year. Drive will stay in your mind long after you've left the cinema. Easily one of the best films of 2011, if not the best.

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Crazy, Stupid, Love. (2011)

Crazy, Stupid, Love is about everything to do with love. It's about being kicked when your down, all the things you do to try and win back the love of your life. It's also about finding that one person you want to spend the rest of your life with, even if you weren't looking for it. The film is not really a drama, not really a comedy. It's not even all that romantic. But thanks to a great script and an excellent cast. Crazy, Stupid, Love is a film that should be enjoyed by everyone.

After 25 years of marriage, Cal's (Steve Carell) wife Emily (Julianne Moore) ends a night out by telling him he she wants a divorce. Struggling to adapt to the single life, Cal pals up with Jacob (Ryan Gosling) who attempts to teach him the ways of being care-free and single.

Emily slept with work colleague David Lindhagen (Kevin Bacon) and is the reason why the couple split up. Cal soon realises he lost sight of his marriage, assuming everything was OK just because it always had been. Cal starts hanging out in a local bar when he is called over by Jacob. Jacob is a womanizer who frequents the same bar as Cal. The difference between the two is Jacob goes home with a girl every night, whilst Cal is left sucking on a drink straw. Soon enough things start to change for Cal and Jacob. Cal starts meeting ladies and taking them home,. Jacob on the other hand finally meets the girl of his dreams; Emily (Emma Stone) but is unsure what to do about it.

Up until about halfway through the movie, Crazy, Stupid, Love seems your typical Rom-com that isn't really doing anything different. Everything is moving along nicely. Cal is a likable lead character and is played well by Carell. Gosling shows he has some comedy talent and is your typical guy who every female (and some males) would want to be with. But once Emily decides to give Jacob a chance and they go through a scene that is funny, sexy and romantic, the film improves immensely and never comes back down.

The relationships start to develop more and the film goes more on the romantic side then the drama we had before it. It's a brilliant script, been written by Dan Fogelman. He wasn't afraid to drop in the laughs every now and then and when they do arrive, they don't feel forced. This helps the film earn its teary eyed moments, but also makes you appreciate the laughs when the film has a lighter moment. You never give these moments a thought and that is down to the brilliant cast. Most films struggle to produce one truly believable relationship, this has three. Gosling and Stone are brilliant and have a great chemistry together which will undoubtedly carry over to their next film; Gangster Squad (2012). Carell and Moore also give great performances. They make you believe they've been married for 25 years and all the struggles that go with it. Finally we have Kevin Bacon and Marisa Tomei who seem to have a lot of fun as the supporting characters.

Crazy, Stupid Love is a great comedy drama. It's the kind of film that makes you want to go on a date or tell your wife/girlfriend exactly how you feel about them. Possibly the best Rom-com of the year.

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Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999)

When George Lucas first concieved the idea for Star Wars, it was just a movie. Over the course of 34 years, it has grown into a phenomenon. When it comes to unbridled anticipation for a film release, Phantom Menace was the most anticipated film of all time. The motion picture industry hadn't seen anything like this before, nor is it likely to in the forseeable future (as much as I want everyone to see Dark Knight Rises). The hype dwarfed the film, reducing it to a cultural footnote. Even Lucas was worried, stating a film with this much hype was never going to live up to that expectation. He was right.

The peaceful planet of Naboo is under threat from the manipulating forces of evil that work in the trade federation. The Queen of Naboo (Natalie Portman), powerful Jedi Knights (Liam Neeson, Ewan Mcgregor) and a young boy (Jake Lloyd) who has the potential to be a great Jedi Knight endeavour to protect the planet and the forces of good.

Now that the dust has settled on the hype, Phantom Menace is actually not as bad as some high-brow critics would have you believe. As a single movie, Menace has some very good moments. But there's no denying that this film is the worst in the series. For starters the heroes don't seem to be in any rush to save the planet of Naboo. They're forced to land on the holy grail that is Tatooine because of a faulty engine, but instead of waving their trusted lightsabers to get the parts they need, they decide to leave Obi-Wan behind, bring Padme along for no good reason and gamble with a junk-yard dealer. We also get one of the most annoying comedy sidekicks in the history of film. Don't let people try and tell you Ja Ja Binks is not as bad as some fans make out, he is! And with the CGI slowly becoming more dated, Ja Ja has become even worse. It was also a bad decision to have Anakin Skywalker as a young boy, why? because he's a whiny little brat who cries when he leaves his Mother. This is not how people imagined Dark Vader to be. He should of been a teenage boy who flirts with Padme, uses the force without realising and rubbing Obi-Won the wrong way. Yes that does happen in Episode II, but it's a bit too little too late. The fact that Anakin's Mother had some kind of mystical birth and does not know who Ani's Father is also unnecessary.

Lucas probably thought the scene with Anakin saying goodbye would be the real heart breaker but he couldn't write it and Jake definitely couldn't act it. Instead the only scene that holds any weight at all is the final scene with Obi-Wan promising Qui-Gon to train the boy.

The Star Wars movies have always relied on their hereos and villains and the Phantom Menace is no exception. As Qui-Gon, Liam Neeson brings an unforced nobility to his performance, while Ewan Mcgregor  injects a sense of recklessness in his portrayl of Obi-Won Kenobi. Neither was ever going to be an outstanding acting job, but the two do a decent enough job. Natalie Portman is easily one of the best actresses around but she isn't given much to do here as she is often in the background. Finally we have the best thing about Phantom Menace: Darth Maul. Played by Ray Park, Maul doesn't say much, but compensates with menacing stares and unbelievable fighting skills.

Phantom Menace was also, at the time, a testimony to how far and good special effects had come. The worlds and aliens that Lucas and his team created should be applauded. The pod race, whilst being a bit on the long side, is still great entertainment and the fight-off between Maul, Kenobi and Qui-Gon is, in my view, the best scene in the film. It's just a shame that's about as good as it gets.

Phantom Menace remains the most disappointing film of all time but still has a lot going for it. The action scenes are great and it has an ending that promises better things to come. Some people will hate it, some will love it. but you can't deny it's still one of the most talked about films ever made.

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The Change-Up (2011)

Yet another film about body swapping has arrived, only this time it has come with a potty mouth to try and be 'down' with the cool kids. The 'adult' comedy has had it's fair share of movies this year with the great Friends With Benefits, Bridesmaids and Horrible Bosses, to the slightly disappointing Hangover 2 and Bad Teacher. Finally we get to the bottom of the list with The Change-Up, a sort of Freaky-Friday for people who enjoy a few more jokes about men's private parts in their films.

The story follows Dave (Jason Bateman) and Mitch (Ryan Reynolds). One is a family man, the other a Lothario (You can take a wild guess at who plays which character). One night, while drunkenly peeing in a water fountain, they both wish to have each other lives, and guess what? They get exactly what they wished for.

There's no doubt that more adult comedies have turned up because of the huge success of the Hangover, and deservedly so. The problem is studios are slowly running out of ideas to keep the 'raunch-com' train moving. Unfortunately Poo in the mouth, saying the F-word every 30 seconds and sex jokes have been done  many times before and indeed, much better. In the Change-up it just comes across as lazy, which is a pity because the two leads are very good comedic actors and seem to be having great fun with the material. Although both Ryan and Jason are well-known for their comedy films, this will be unlike anything you've seen them in before. Especially Bateman, who normally goes about his roles fairly quietly ans squarely. Not here! Bateman is full of F-bombs and rude jokes. That Change-up works at all is down to the two leads who bounce off each other really well. It's just a shame that's as good as it gets. Leslie Mann and the gorgeous Olivia Wilde, seem very game but Alan Arkin's role as Mitch's Dad is pointless and a waste of a great talent.

It's a shame the story has been stretched so thin that the audience will get bored very quickly once the jokes stop coming because no one will care what the two leads get up to when they finally 'find' themselves. Take BIG as the perfect example of how it should be done. That film had a lot of heart and a character in Tom Hanks's Josh that people loved. The same could be said for Lindsay Lohan in Freaky-Friday (although she's certainly no Tom Hanks).

Despite the film having two genuinely great comedy actors and writers and producers who helped create the Hangover this is still a fairly drab film. It's only 1 hour 40 minutes yet still feels 20 minutes too long and unfortunately, we've seen this all before.

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Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)

Thomas Alfredson's Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a successfully constructed film which boasts a fantastic combination of intrigue and tension. The film should satisfy audiences beyond just the typical thriller with a nice twist at the end.

Set in 1970's London: After a covert operation goes wrong, British intelligence spy-master Control (John Hurt) and his right-hand man George Smiley (Gary Oldman) are sacked. After information is leaked concerning a possible mole in the service, Smiley is asked to return and spy on the spies.

Based on possibly the best espionage novel ever, Tinker Tailor (for short) is a gripping film. The narrative is carefully woven by screenwriters Bridget O'Connor (who the film is dedicated to) and Peter Straughan. There is a steady trickle of exposition, some of which occurs in flashback sequences. This works to keep the viewers guessing whilst retaining the big question, who is the mole? The premise of the film is fairly simple, but it is made  more intriguing by the different strands that operate and increasing the sense of mystery.

Going back to the Cold War spy game to unmask the traitor in the circus that is MI6, Smiley learns that Control already found out there was a mole and gave code names for the main suspects. Tinker is Percy (Toby Jones). Tailor is Bill Haydon (Colin Firth). Soldier is Roy Bland (Ciaran Hinds). Poor man is Toby Estherhase (David Denck). Finally with have Beggarman which is George Smiley. Smiley is considered one of the suspects because Control knows he has two weaknesses. His wife and with the soviet counterpart Carla. We never get to see Smiley's wife or Carla in full view and I think it's a great decision. They both seem to turn up in Smiley's mind or when he talks about them with other people. One scene in particular, Smiley talks about his one encounter with Carla. It never goes into a flashback, instead Smiley recites the encounter word or word.

Other key players in the spy game include Mark Strong as the dutiful Jim Peradiux who is betrayed and used as bait. Tom Hardy plays the muscle as Ricky Tarr, a foot soldier who is sent out on field work and it's his return after going AWOL that sets off the whole mystery of the mole. We also have the return of Kathy Burke who's been away from TV for far too long. Never the less, it's great to see her back as the boozy Connie, a researcher who is forced out of the service to keep her mouth shut. Finally we have Benedict Cumberpatch who is brilliant as Peter Gulliam, Smiley's trusted leg-man. Cumberbatch looks like in had the most fun in the film and features in one the film's best scenes. But make no mistake, this is Gary Oldman's film. He inhabits Smiley perfectly and it's hard to believe this actor played Sirius Black and Stansfield in Leon (1994). Rarely has a film used a persons body language to dramatic effect, whether it be to adjust his spectacles or the movement of his shoulders you can always sense what's going through Smiley's mind. An Oscar nomination is surely on the cards.

Alredson has done a great job in making a very British film but also to capture the workings of Smiley's mind perfectly. After making Let the Right One In, Thomas has made two of the best films in recent years. After talking with Oldman he told me he would love to play the role of Smiley again and have another opportunity to work with the writers and director. Here's hoping Tinker Tailor is a success as I'm already excited about the sequel.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is one of the best films this year. It's utterly absorbing, with a great cast and will surely be a major contender for the top awards.

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Jane Eyre (2011)

There's been many, many takes on the story of Jane Eyre with the most recent being the 2006 version starring Ruth Wilson and Toby Stephens. This time Sin Nombre (2009) director Cary Fukunaga has a go, producing a film that is gloomy, depressing, but also enjoyable.

For those of you who don't know the story; Jane Eyre (Mia Wasikowska) is a very self-assured governess who happens to fall in love with her new employer, Mr Rochester (Michael Fassbender). But not is all as it seems as Mr Rochester tries to hide his terrible secret.

Jane is first seen in childhood played by Amelia Clarkson, who shows great spirit and determination despite of the callousness shown to her, first by her Auntie (Sally Hawkins) and then from the orphanage who try and groom her into the woman she will eventually become. This chapter really helps the audience see the type of Woman Jane will become before she is sent to work at the Thronfield estate and Mr Rochester. As plain and quite sad looking Jane, Wasikowska (Wasi to her friends) manages to show great restraint in her performance. There's no doubting Mia is a naturally beautiful woman but is able to hide it well. The real beauty comes from the fact that she manages to exude that sense of authority but also seem child like in her own skin-especially when she is around Mr Rochester. Few leading men at the moment could play the variety of roles that Fassbender has over the last few years. As Mr Rochester you never know what to expect, he can be very charming and warm one minute and evil and sinister the next. Of course if Fukunaga stuck closely to the book, we'd of got a fat balding man (don't hear to many ladies complaining about Fassbender getting the role). The film also has a talented supporting cast with Jamie Bell and Judi Dench giving good, if somewhat routine performances.

Early on in the film, Jane seems more the victim then his saviour. It's only until later in the film we finally see her real strength and gradually see a role reversal, with Mr Rochester seeming weak and unable to cope without Jane. It's just a shame the chemistry isn't quite there between the two brilliant actors. No matter how you look at it, Jane is still very young (passing for 19 but easily looks 16) whereas Mr Rochester could pass for 40. It's also a shame that the film doesn't show a more darker side. Yes the film has a dark feel to it but fails to explore the midnight screams and the secret room in enough detail. I think this would've enhanced the audiences experience and done something a little different to other film versions.

There's no doubting Jane Eyre is a beautiful film to look at and shows just how gloomy and depressing England can be. It's just a shame the leads don't quite match, with the ending also failing to live up to the build-up. The costume drama seems to be a very niche drama but despite that general definition, the style often refers to English period pieces and Jane Eyre is no different. This won't detract fans of the genre but is unlikely to convert any new fans.

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Troll Hunter (2011)

Found footage horror just keeps on coming back for more. The Blair Witch Project was the the first runaway success story, followed by, more recently, the Paranormal Activity franchise. The Norwegians have their turn with director Andre Ovredal continuing the trend of found footage with Troll Hunter. 

Student film makers Thomas (Glenn Erland Tosterud) and Johanna (Johanna Morck) set out to shoot a documentary about bear-hunting in Norway and trail mysterious loner and well trained hunter Hans (Otto Jesperson) Originally Thomas and Johanna believe Hans to be a poacher, but soon find out he's a government-sanctioned operative protecting the country from giant Trolls. Hans is tired of being alone so decides to let the crew film his battles against the monsters.  

Ovredal has showed great talent in mixing laughs with action and perfectly timed horror that unfortunately loses some of its charm once you see the trolls. But never the less it's still an enjoyable film that was made on a relatively low budget but still looks epic in all the right places. It'd be interesting to see what Ovredal will do with a Hollywood budget (that'll surely come sooner, rather then later). It's rumoured that Ovredal got the idea after the Prime Minister of Norway let slip that pylons are necessary in the country because 'Norway has trolls' (You actually see this clip at the end of the movie). Even though Troll Hunter is considered a horror I found it more funny then scary. Otto Jesperson does a great job in keeping a straight face and guiding the student film makers around troll infested territory. Troll Hunter is the type of film that builds up the big scenes with gimmicks such as the monster who waits under the bridge for Christian blood (Christians are trolls favourite snacks). When one of the film crew is found the be a true believer of God and meets an unfortunate end the crew hire a Muslim as a replacement.

Production designer Martin Grant and sound designer Baard Haugen have done a fantastic job in giving the film a student look whilst also putting in the special effects that wouldn't look out of place in a big summer blockbuster. The trolls really do look impressive and all seem to have an individual theme to them (one has three heads, the other is 200ft tall).The film lets Jesperson create a character but keeps the other characters off screen for most of the film, which is pretty much the same as other found footage film (Cloverfield may be the exception, maybe). The structure of the film is pretty much the same throughout the film with a troll turning up every 10 minutes or so. This is why the film loses some of it's initial excitement as it seems to go round in circles (find a troll, kill a troll, rest and repeat). What is good is that the monsters here seem to have more presence and character then most other monster films. Some people may even feel sorry for the trolls and may see the Norwegian government as the real villains of the film. Troll Hunter comes together well at the films finish, as Hans and the student filmmakers try to escape and then destroy a gigantic troll in a frantic chase across the frozen Tundra. Troll Hunter seems to have caught the imagination of film goers with it being successful all over the world. With Christopher Columbus rumoured to be interested in the remake, he'll have to come up with something special to surpass this.  

Troll Hunter isn't just for fan boys. Yes it starts to get repetitive towards the end but when the film is in full action mode, you can't help but be impressed. 

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Sucker Punch (2011)

Director Zack Snyder is known for his distinctive visual take on rich source materials such as 300, Watchmen and the upcoming Superman: Man of Steel. Sucker Punch is Snyder's first film that has come from original material and the outcome: Sucker Punch is not as good as his other films.

Though Sucker Punch is far from a bad movie (and by bad, I mean Skyline, Zookeeper bad) It's still rather disappointing when you consider the technical wizardry and cinematic artistry that has been put into the movie. It all looks gorgeous, but there isn't much of a story, so you come out thinking, what was the whole point of it all?

Sucker Punch is set in 1960 Vermont and follows lead character Babydoll (Emily Browning) who is taken to a mental institute after attacking her evil stepfather with a gun and accidentally killing her younger sister. Babydoll gets close with four other inmates (Vanessa Hudgens, Jenna Malone, Abby Cornish and Jamie Chung) and plans an escape which, via the powers of her imagination, puts the girls up against Zombies, Dragons and Robots. Just so you know, It's a ludicrous as it sounds.

If Zack had his original choice of girls then we would've seen Amanda Seyfried play Babydoll with Emma Stone and Evan Rachel Wood playing her fellow inmates. But they all dropped out due to scheduling conflicts. There's certainly no denying that cast of very talented ladies would of been very interesting to see.

One could describe Sucker Punch as just a feature length music video. You certainly won't here this reviewer complaining about the soundtrack as it's superb. It mixes well known artists (Bjork and Queen) with lead actress Emily Browning singing Eurythmics Sweet Dreams. Each selected cover version plays during one of the four set-pieces which starts off with Babydoll swaying her hips from side to side and closing her eyes before waking up in a different war zone before pulling out again looking all sweaty and driving any male observers absolutely wild. As mentioned previously, This is Snyder's first film that isn't based on other work. However, the film does feature motifs from various other films and computer games including Prince or Persia (game), Half Life 2 (game) and Alice in Wonderland (Book, film and er, game)

The result, while technically looking the same as the one Zack used for 300, has a vast gulf in quality. While 300 is certainly no masterpiece, it's solid entertainment that seems to get better after repeat viewing. Sucker Punch soundtrack is amazing and the four set-pieces in the film are made well (Stand-out is set-piece one with Babydoll fighting 3 huge samurai s). But it isn't just about slow-mo and having a great looking cast. You also need to have a story so the audience can connect with characters, which sadly, this doesn't have. The story of the five girls doesn't seem real which makes it hard to find any sort on connection.

Sucker Punch is a visually impressive movie with a great soundtrack but lacks any kind of emotional pull, which makes this film less satisfying than it should have been.

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Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2009)

This fantastic thriller is based on the first book of a trilogy of one of the most important and popular novels in recent history. Written by the late Stieg Larson, Dragon Tattoo is a mix of social criticism, murder, mystery and suspense. It's also one of the best Swedish films ever made.

Stieg Larsson died in 2004, a year before The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo was published. He also wrote another two books featuring the same characters and a rumoured fourth one in production. All three episodes of 'The Millennium Trilogy' have been released in the UK with an American remake planned for a Boxing day release this year. There's little doubt that the other two films will also get the remake treatment over the coming years.

Dragon Tattoo takes it's time with the separate stories of the leading characters which is slightly unusual for a fast paced thriller. It relies more on the pursuit of clues then on sudden twists. Few people will be shocked to find out who the villain is, but this won't limit the audiences enjoyment. The story follows journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist), a long serving social campaigner who works for Millennium magazine. After losing a libel case, Mikael is forced to take some time out and his hired by aged tycoon Henrik Vagner (Sven-Berti Taube) to look into the 40 year-old disappearance of his favourite niece. Computer hacker Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) checks out Mikael as a preliminary to his hiring, and is intrigued by the old mystery. The two investigators team up and find themselves pursuing several serial killers. Lisbeth is currently on probation thanks to a back-story which ties in with the other novels and films, she has to cope with a sexually abusive social worker (which we see in truly horrific detail) and her own anger and rage.

The two different styles of the characters make for a very interesting mix. Mikael has very traditional methods of investigating, where as Lisbeth uses more modern methods which include breaking through any firewall. Lisbeth also has a photographic memory and is an excellent cryptologist. As the investigation continues, more secrets come out which include: ritual killings, incest rape and Nazi sympathisers. Be warned, this film isn't for the faint hearted.

By now, most people should know that Lisbeth Salander is the girl with the dragon tattoo and has become a major literacy heroine. She is played with great intensity by Noomi Rapace. Reports suggest Noomi took great pride in the role of Lisbeth. She trained for 7 weeks which included kick-boxing lessons, had her ears and nose pierced especially for the role and took her motorcycle test. Noomi looks set to have a great career after starring in Sherlock Holmes: The Game Of Shadows and is currently filming Ridley Scott's highly anticipated Sci-Fi film Prometheus. Lisbeth is a character with an interesting mix of screwed up victim and resourceful heroine, using objects like a golf club and a dildo to get the job done.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is a long movie, but its absorbs you in and keeps you there for the total running time. With two sequels already available, it's a blessing we don't have to wait to find out what happens next with Mikael and Lisbeth. A truly fantastic film.

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Fright Night (2011)

In 1985 the original Fright Night became a cult hit because it provided a love letter to horror for fans who enjoyed shock, gore, camp and horror in one whole package. Even now it still stands the test of time which is probably why so may people were confused when the remake was first announced.

The story is about a Teenager named Charley (Anton Yelchin) who's life is going pretty well. He's dating the gorgeous Amy (Imogen Potts), but at the expense of losing his geeky best friend Ed (Christopher Mintz-Plasse). Towards the end of the School year Ed believes Charley's neighbour Jerry (Colin Farrell) is a vampire and tries to convince Charley to help him after some students go missing.
As with the original, Fright Night lives or dies on it's vampire and the vampire killing 'expert'.  David Tennant takes over the role of vampire slayer Peter Vincent from Roddy McDowell, who, it's fair to say, owned the last movie. He dresses up in a costume that reminds you of Russell Brand and does well with the role he's been given. It's just unfortunate he doesn't quite have the charm, or indeed the punchlines to make Vincent stand out more. Colin Farrell looks like his having a great time as Jerry. He plays the role as more of a bad ass in worn jeans then the charmer in a shirt we see in so many other vampire movies of late (Twilight has a lot to answer for).

The story starts off pretty slowly but luckily Anton Yelchin and Chris Mintz-Plasse are likable enough to keep the audience interested. They both seem to be growing up and moving into more adult roles which is great to see especially in Mintz-Plasse's case as he was in danger of just being known for McLovin. Which no doubt he will be, but here, Chris plays a role that starts off similar but his performance soon changes into something we have yet to see from him. If Yelchin keeps his level of performances high, then he could soon well be the alternative choice for leading male roles.

As the story continues to unfold the tension starts to increase and the special effects come into play a lot more. The transformations from human to Vampire are unsettling to say the least but the final confrontation, while smart, is somewhat of a let down.

The original wasn't particularly scary, and neither is this one. In the original, it takes Charley much longer to realise he's not crazy, but here he's pretty much a Vampire slayer after the first quarter of the film. This isn't necessarily and improvement, in fact, nothing really improves apart from the obvious touches of special effects and the added 3D (which wasn't half bad, but the fact that most cinemas in the UK are showing it in 3D only is a shocking decision).

Fright Night is an entertaining film that doesn't do much different from the original but is still a great alternative for people who've had their fair share of Twilight.

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Taken (2009)

Taken is the type of film we've all seen a hundred times before, most of them starring Steven Seagal or Jean Claude Van Damme. They always involve a man with 'Special Skills' that hates to use them unless his family is threatened by some foolish criminals who've messed with the wrong guy.

Apart from the film's star Liam Neeson, Taken has straight-to-DVD written all over it, but managed to exceed expectations and took over $125 Million at the box office and became an even bigger hit on DVD. At the time, critics went to town on it with some saying 'A venomous little actioner that mistakes bile for adrenaline'. In hindsight, comments like that and many others were a little harsh as Taken is an enjoyable action film. Stupid, but enjoyable.

The story follows Bryan (Liam Neeson) who is a retired government agent struggling to get back into the life of his daughter (Maggie Grace). When his daughter is kidnapped whilst holidaying in Paris, Bryan has less then four days to track her down before she is lost forever......intense!

OK, so the film has it's bad points. The script is truly awful, with lines such as 'I'll tear down the Eiffel Tower if I have to' being a particular favourite. Maggie Grace is wrongly cast playing a 17-year old at the age of 25. Surely director Pierre Morel could of found someone of that age? And maybe I'm being a bit picky or unfair but she has the weirdest run I've seen in a film that wasn't done for laughs. So yes, as a critic it's hard to justify Taken as anything but a terrible movie, I just can't do it as I took great enjoyment from watching it. Taken delivers on its promise of being an over the top action film, It doesn't try to be anything else and Producer Luc Beesson and Pierre Morel should be congratulated for that.

Morel keeps the film lean, never pausing the action long enough for any questions to be asked such as 'Where's the French Police while all this Kung-Fu is happening?' Most of the scenes that involve more then one sentence happen in the first 30 minutes as most of the main characters are introduced to us. Fortunately, most of  the film is from Bryan's point of view. No screen time is wasted on watching his daughter try and escape from her kidnappers or his ex-wife (Famke Janssen) in a constant panic. This film is solely about the action, which is brutal. Bryan seems totally unstoppable, simply moving from one kill to the next. He doesn't care who he kills/tortures to get his daughter back (you wouldn't even dream of taking his daughter on a date for fear of Bryan waking you up in the middle of the night with some rope and nails).

For those who've yet to see Taken make sure you give it a try on Blu-Ray. Taken offers a film with a likable hero, real nasty villains and some great action. With Taken 2 officially been given the thumbs up, there's no better time to watch it.

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