The Woman In Black

Harry Potter megastar Daniel Radcliffe attempts to shake off his alter ego and break into the Hollywood A Lister's in the Edwardian set 'The Woman In Black', a big screen adaptation of Susan Hill's 1983 novel.

Radcliffe is Arthur Kipps a young widowed lawyer who must travel to the village of Crythin Gifford and sort out the estate of the deceased Alice Drablow.
Kipps is reluctant to leave his beloved son Joseph behind but is under pressure from his boss to finally resolve the complicated estate.

Upon arrival in the village he is met with a frosty welcome by most of the locals with the exception of Daily (Ciaran Hinds) who offers him a room at this stately home he shares with his wife.
In order to complete his required task, Kipps must visit the Gothic mansion of Eel Marsh House and sort through the tonne of paraphernalia.
The house is were Alice Drablow lived with her husband, son Nathaniel and sister Jennet, and is situated on a causeway, when at full tide is separated from the village.

It's pretty clear when he steps into the house that all is not well. Besides the abundance of paperwork, there are many unrelated writings and drawings which seem to connect the deaths of the Drablow family.
The character that is most intriguing is the sister Jennet as she was deemed mentally unstable!
When Pitts ponders the view from an upstairs window and spots the figure of a woman dressed in black staring up at the him, he knows he needs to ask some questions.

Events go from bad to worse very quickly when some of the children in the village are killed in very sinister and mysterious circumstances.
To his dismay, the locals accuse Kipps for these killings, blaming his probing of the Drablow legacy and visiting the Eel Marsh House.
They demand he leave immediately.

Kipps shares his findings with 'Daily' - his only ally in the village, and Daily reveals the his son was also taken from him some time ago and that the village has been terrorised by the ghost of a woman seeking revenge on the local children.
Daily's wife is obsessed with her deceased son and is fully convinced that he channels messages from the dead through her regarding future happenings.
When she experiences one such vision she tells Kipps that his son Joseph is next to die.
Kipps is distraught and sets out to save his son but first he must find a way to make peace with The Woman in Black.

If like me, you've read the book or seen the stage play, you won't be disappointed with this version of 'The Woman In Black'.
The first half hour was always going to be slow but it needed to be in order to instill the eerie atmosphere required.
But don't worry, there are lots of screams and jumps ahead to please the masses.
The setting is spot on and thankfully there is more or less a C list cast which adds realism and an element of authenticity.
Daniel Radcliffe is more than adequate in the main role and although he's used to acting with inanimate objects and CGI effects, he still manages to bring a strong mature presence to the part.

Looks like Harry Potter has grown up at last.

Score: 8/10

Carnage

Roman Polanski's black comedy featuring Jodie Foster, Kate Winslett,
John C Reilly and Christopher Waltz is a clever observation of adult behaviour.

Two new york couples meet to discuss and clear up the details of a violent altercation between their schoolkids, which resulted in one of the boys being badly injured.

It's clear from the couples initial over friendly yet smug demeanour that there are issues simmering beneath.
Both couples are eager to stress how strong their relationships and home life are, thus insinuating that they are the better parents and in the clear for their child's behaviour.

After several attempts to come to a mutual agreement it's quite apparent that neither couple are willing to cave and admit defeat.
The mothers are both uptight characters at the forefront of the debate, leaving the more cordial minded husbands to somehow bond.

However, after the they open a bottle of whiskey to calm the atmosphere, all hell breaks loose.
All four of them loosen up and their real characters come out to play.
This leads to the adults losing all inhibitions, acting outrageously, leaving their children's actions looking tame.

'Carnage' is a screen adaptation of a play, which is obvious due to it's pace and setting.
Based in a new york apartment and set in real time, the two couples are the only actors on screen for the entire film with the exception of a snippet of the incident involving their kids.
The script and observations are very sharp, keeping the viewer interested and the acting is superb.

This type of movie making will not be to every ones liking but if your a Polanski or Woody Allen fan it will prove most favourable.

Unfortunately, I reckon 8 of 10 adults will actually relate to such intolerable behaviour


Score: 8/10

The Grey

Liam Neeson enhances his ever increasing billing as Hollywood's leading action man in 'The Grey', a movie adaptation of a short story.

Neeson stars as Ottway, an oil rig worker in Alaska who's role is to hunt the wolves that attack the drillers.
From the onset it's clear that he is a troubled man contemplating suicide and his only means of solace in such a lonely environment are his thoughts and mental images of his wife.
He is a loner and rather than mix with his fellow workers, he opts to sit alone struggling to complete a letter to his beloved.

Tragedy strikes for the crew on a flight home as their plane crashes into the Alaskan wilderness.
Ottway and a handful of co-workers miraculously survive the incident and immediately it's apparent that they are not alone.
The plane has landed in a territory inhabited by ferocious wolves and they see the survivors as intruders.
As Ottway is an expert at reading the wolves traits, he's the obvious choice to take on the role as team leader.
This comes with it's drawbacks!

The majority of the crew are fine with this - bar Diaz (Frank Grillo), who sets about immediately to defy all his orders.
After one near fatal incident involving a sudden wolf attack on the camp, Diaz sees the error of his ways and starts to respond to Ottway's mindset.

The crew (including an unrecognisable Dermot Mulroney) know that in order to survive they need to stick together and try move as far and as quick as possible from their current position to a more secure area beyond the trees.

And so begins a battle of wits between the injured, tired and hungry crew and the clever, strong and vicious wolves.
There are many obstacles ahead of them - torrential snow storms, fatigue, frostbite but most of all - Wolves!

What lies in store for the viewer is an edge of the seat thriller with plenty of action. The stunts and the CGI effects are excellent - plus the scenery is breathtaking.
The only time the momentum let's up is over a group bonding session where they discuss their personal issues, which is very corny but hey - they are human after all!

The Grey is a breath of fresh air as it's released at a time where the cinemas are full of Oscar contenders, which aren't always up to much.

Ultimately the real stars of the movie are The Wolves but Neeson gives them a run for their money?


Score: 8/10

The Descendants

Sideways and About Schmidt's Alexander Payne directs the normally suave and enigmatic George Clooney in this quirky melancholic drama.

The Descendants sees Matt King (Clooney) trying to re-connect with his two rebellious daughters on a road trip to a neighbouring Hawaiian island.
The reason for the trip is twofold, King is pursuing the real estate agent who was having an affair with his wife Elizabeth prior to her tragic boating accident.
Elizabeth is in a coma and the doctor's have given her no hope, therefore King must come to terms with not only the shocking news of his wife's affair but also the impending task of forgiving his wife and ultimately saying goodbye.

King's family life has kind of passed him by due to his work obligations, and his kids resent their father for missing out on their upbringing.
He has a strict moral code regarding money - an ethic that eludes his
family, and although financially set he chooses to live a comfortable yet non-indulgent lifestyle.

His family and extended relations are due to inherit a major amount of money by the sale of land bestowed upon them by ancestors.
King is the appointed executor of the will and is under increased pressure from his money hungry cousins to sell to the highest bidder - regardless of their plans for the historic scenic land.

To add to the feud, King learns the man who has been having an affair with his wife is the real estate broker dealing with the sale of the property, and by closing on such a lucrative deal his foe will earn a huge monetary percentage.
This throws a major spanner into the works and King's actions create a major furore.

Clooney's portrayal has been lauded by critics for this understated but heartfelt performance and yes he is believable whilst beiing adequate.
The problem being, the character doesn't have the depth for Clooney to portray anything but!
He successfully carries it off but it certainly isn't an awarding winning performance by any stretch.

The film has a decent supporting cast with Robert Forster and Jeff Bridges, plus both young actresses playing his daughters are excellent and bring an element of humour.

Unfairly billed as movie of the year by many, 'The Descendants' never lives up to this billing but don't let that put you off as it's charming, funny and a nice way to kill a couple of spare hours.


Score: 7/10

The Iron Lady

This is a confusing one!!!
Many, like myself will go into this movie with a damning opinion of Margaret Thatcher. Hardly surprising, considering her well documented infamous political career.
However, from as early as the opening scene my opinion changed in seconds.
This is not largely, but totally down to the captivating Meryl Streep.

'The Iron Lady' as Thatcher was dubbed by the Russians plays in real time at a stage in Thatcher's life where she is battling dementia and practically living as a prisoner in her own home, with round the clock help her domestic life resembles that of a private care patient.
She refuses to let up the ghost of her deceased husband Denis and reminisces with him on past glories which leads to her ailing memory being unable to decipher the past from the present.

From an early age and with influence from her politically active working class father, Thatcher was head strong and decided she would go to University and change her world.
She met and fell in love with Denis and when he proposed marriage she laid down the law stating that she would marry him but would not be a stay at home mum washing dishes.
Thatcher wanted to shake things up in the political world that was totally male dominated.
She kept to her word!

The film takes us though all the major political decisions and incidents Thatcher was involved in - her harsh 1981 budget which created mass unemployment, the Brixton riots, the minors strike, the Brighton hotel bombing to the economic boom of the late 80's.

Her biggest and possibly most daring decision was at a time of massive recession in 1982, she defied all financial strains and instructed an all out military assault after Argentinian forces invaded the British owned Falkland Islands.
Thatcher's government was bolstered by the successful outcome and her public image went from zero to hero.

It was the introduction of poll tax that really was her downfall both among the public, and to her detriment - her cabinet members. They seen it as the final stray.

Not being a huge political know it all and being Irish, I couldn't feel the dismay and disappointment that most of the UK reviewers and public have expressed about Thatcher's portrayal in this film.
Yes, it skims over areas where her tyrannical hand and prowess destroyed the working class - IE., the miner's strike, but I think the best of filmmakers would have struggled to make a balanced movie to please the masses about such an important, unique and ground breaking figurehead.

As interesting as the movie is (and it is!), it's all about Streep's performance. From the pitiful Thatcher fighting dementia to the feisty confident Thatcher as a world leader.
There are many supporting roles but none worth mentioning as she blows everyone away.
The woman is an acting genius and the other 4 nominees should just stay at home come Oscar night!


Score: 8/10

Haywire

Billed on tv and hailed as the best action thriller since 'Bourne'??? - You're having a laugh!!!

Mallory (Gina Carano) is a former black ops soldier taking revenge on her superiors after being framed on a dangerous kidnap mission in Barcelona.
Her choice of such a perilous occupation sees her taking on tasks that governments could not authorise but turn a blind eye to in order to clear up underhand situations.
Mallory is underestimated once too often and is seen as a dangerous loose cannon. There is a worldwide hunt out for her which takes her to many cities, including our fair city of Dublin.
Her aim is to avoid her assailants and get back to the US to protect her father. That's the general premise of this bland film!

There are so many things wrong with this movie. Gina Marano who plays Mallory is in fact a famous martial arts expert and her skills are evident too see in the various fight scenes.
However, her acting skills don't compliment her martial arts skills. The fight scenes are all very similar and get boring midway through.
Think, Jean Claude Van Damme movies from the 80's!

The impressive cast includes such acting heavyweights as Michael Douglas, Bill Paxton, Ewan McGregor and Antonio Banderas, but none of them can cover up the amount of holes in this script.
Man of the moment Michael Fassbender is the one and only scene stealer who hooks up with Mallory on a mission in Dublin.

The makers of the film never let the viewer explore Mallory's past therefore make it impossible to sympathise with a main character who chooses a life of danger - a life that she ultimately gets betrayed by.
Also, she seems to come from a fairly stable and wealthy background so everything seems to suggest that her life choices were self imposed.

It was nice to see a new Hollywood take on Ireland, with gritty city centre locations instead of scenic green fields.
There is a good chase scene stretching from the interior of the
Shelbourne Hotel in Stephen's Green to the rooftop area of the Wynn's Hotel.
Dublin never looked more characteristic - and refreshingly dull!

Wait for the DVD!!!

Score: 4/10

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

As a fan of the Stieg Larsson 'Millennium' series of books, I was apprehensive of the books being brought to the big screen. Especially as all 3 have already been made into movies in Larsson's native Swedish tongue.
They have proved to be a huge critical and commercial success worldwide in spite of the films being subtitled.

However, when David Fincher was appointed Director I was far less worried. Fincher is one of, if not the most innovative and ground breaking filmmakers of today, responsible for such classics as Seven, Fight Club, Zodiac and The Social Network.

Set in modern day Sweden the action takes place between Stockholm and the northerly remote town of Heldsted.
Daniel Craig plays Mikael Blomkvist, a successful journalist who's career is in turmoil when he fails to win a high profile libel case against suspected fraudster Hans Erik Wennerstrom.
The media are on his case, and his company - local monthly paper sheet 'Millennium' looks doomed due to the big monetary loss suffered by the court case.

Millionaire and major Swedish business tycoon Henry Vagner (Christopher Plummer) sees something in Blomkvist and reckons they could both use each other. Vagner needs Blomkvist's journalistic and investigatory talents to solve the disappearance 40 years ago of his niece Harriet and help him complete his memoirs.
In return Vagner will not only pay him for his services but will also provide him with damning evidence against Wennerstrom that may help Blomkvist expose his dodgy dealings and restore Blomkvist's public and professional reputation.
Blomkvist is initially reluctant to do so but eventually decides to up sticks to Heldsted and begin his investigations.

Meanwhile back in Stockholm Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara) is experiencing her own difficulties. Her life is a mess, no family to speak of, living squalidly and under government orders to report regularly to a guardian due to her former crimes of theft and violence.
What she does have in her favour is that she is highly intelligent and a genius computer hacker. The security company that Lisbeth does illegal hacking work for is the same company that sourced Blomkvist for Vagner and this is where their connection lies.

As Blomkvist delves into the vast archives of The Vagner enterprise, there are several cans of worms opened and he quickly realises that he needs some assistance with his research.
Lisbeth is called in as the ideal candidate due to the research necessary being dark, dangerous and dirty.
All the things Lisbeth thrives on and excels in.
She is relieved to get out of Stockholm as her guardian who she sees as a father figure has had a stroke and she has been assigned a new guardian who is sinister to say the least.
Also, she sees something interesting and enigmatic about Blomkvist and relishes her new adventure.

Like the book the first part of the film is complex whilst being interesting and captivating.
The second part of the movie heats up with plenty of action and ultimately tries to tie up all the outstanding questions posed to the viewer in the initial parts of the film.
At no time are there any lapses and the director ensures that we are treated to stunning winter scenery and clever thought out action sequences.
I have to mention the opening titles sequence as the graphics and music are fantastically original and clever - exactly what you'd expect from a Fincher directed film.

Both Craig and newcomer Mara are excellent as the main characters and have been perfectly cast.
Thankfully there are no American actors trying to speak with a Swedish dialect - with the exception of Robin Wright who gets away with it.
Instead, there are many well known British actors like Joely Richardson, Steven Berkoff and the always brilliant Christopher Plummer who fit the scene suitably.

Guys should not let the title of the film put them off from seeing this movie as it's not a girlie movie by any stretch of the imagination. In fact it's quite the opposite, with some harrowing scenes that are difficult to watch and and a few jumps and scares along the way.

It's rare that a film is as good as the book but this succeeds on all levels.


Score: 9/10

Crazy Stupid Love

The harsh reality of Cal Weaver's (Steve Carrell) marital crisis hits him hard when his wife Emily (Julianne Moore) reveals she has slept with her work colleague David Lindhagen (Kevin Bacon).
Cal is still very much in love with his wife and disagrees that the marriage has gone stale and the spark has gone. In spite of this he agrees to move out of the family home away from his beloved kids and into a flat on his own.

Cal struggles with life on his own and maintaining his relationship with his 2 young children, and due to a lack of loyal friends, finds himself spending his evenings propping up the bar at a local pub.

One of the evenings he gets the attention of Jacob, a local handsome womanizer played by Ryan Gosling. He is the epitome of a Lothario offering all the right pick up lines and never goes home alone.
Jacob sees Cal as a challenge and decides to educate him on how to dress, look and ultimately attract the ladies.

Cal's first attempts are a disaster with great comic results, but gradually he grows in confidence and soon becomes more like Jacob than intended.

At the same time, events take an ironic U turn for Jacob as he meets and falls head over heels for the pretty Hannah (Emma Stone) - who initially rejects his advances.

Cal is not 100% happy with his new life as he his still in love with his wife and after he accidentally learns that she does in fact miss and love him, he tries to win her back with the help of his kids.

There are a couple of very amusing sub-plots. One involving Cal's son Robbie's (Jonah Bobo) obsession with his babysitter, manages to be both cringe worthy and hysterical.
Plus Marisa Tomei playing Robbie's teacher Kate throws a spanner in the works along the way to hilarious effect.

The final scene of the film brings surprises galore for all the characters, and the slapstick scenes are brilliantly funny.
Steve Carrell and Ryan Gosling have great chemistry and comic timing together on screen, and all the female characters are excellent - in particular Moore and Tomei.


Crazy Stupid Love is more than a romantic comedy, it's a witty, cleverly written and well acted drama with just the right amount of warmth and romance to please both the male and the female.

Highly recommended!!!


Score: 8/10

Killer Elite

Another year, another mediocre Robert De Niro film!!!

I can't be overly cynical about a movie that involves Jason Statham, as the script was never going to be the relevant factor. Full of ridiculous OTT action - Yes!
Well, I knew what I was getting myself into so I can't really complain and will try to be constructive.

Based on a true story and set in the early 1980's, Danny (Statham) is a special ops agent forced out of retirement to save his friend and mentor - Hunter (De Niro), who's being held hostage in Oman by a wealthy sheik. Danny must hunt down and kill the people that murdered the sheik's three sons, in return for his friend's release. A six million pound reward is also on the table.

This is a massive feat as he must make all murders look accidental and force the victim to confess on camera. Also, all 3 killers are former British SAS men living in anonymity in Britain.
Danny recruits some former allies to help him in his mission to uncover his targets and ultimately kill them. Standing in their way is a secret society of former SAS agents who will stop at nothing to prevent the SAS's supposed wrongdoings being exposed to the world.

And that's basically it!!!

It's all about the fight scenes, car chases and corny macho one liners. If it was on as a two hour Sunday night drama on UTV after an X Factor fest it would be a great night of tv. However, this movie obviously wants to be more than mere TV fodder, but that's all it merits.

As for the acting, well Jason Statham is Jason Statham. He's not trying to be taken serious! Clive Owen is probably the best thing about the movie as the die hard SAS man fighting the cause. Although he is so much better than this middle of the road action farce. As for De Niro....

I'm baffled by his choices of films these days. Surely he doesn't need the money???
There is no way an actor of his caliber could have read this script and thought, yeah this is a challenge!
He's not on screen for a hell of a lot of time so I guess the producers thought that they'd throw a lot of money his way and hope that De Niro's name as top billing would make the movie a major attraction and a sure fire hit.
Well, this ceased to be the case a long time ago.

He is probably the best actor of our generation and I am a big fan but with his box office stature increasingly declining, his status as an acting legend is dangerously at risk.
There was a time when his mere name connected with a film, would guarantee an immediate buzz and interest. Nowadays it is the total opposite as unfortunately his bad reputation is exceeding him!

Wait for the DVD!


Score: 4/10

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Set in 1970's London, John Le Carre's espionage classic is eventually brought to the big screen. Already a huge award winning success on the small screen in the late 70's this movie had a lot to live up to.

Former British Intelligence agent George Smiley (Gary Oldman) comes out of retirement to investigate and ultimately uncover a soviet double agent working within the Circus (headquarters of British Intelligence MI6).
This is not Smiley's first time to be involved in this investigation. His former chief (Control) played by John Hurt and Smiley himself were forced into retirement due to a botched attempt under their command in Budapest to retrieve information about the spy. It ended in bloodshed and caused embarrassment worldwide to the Government and MI6 heads.

The new chief of MI6 Percy Alleline (Toby Jones), his deputy Bill Haydon (Colin Firth) and several other members of the board are aware of an investigation taking place and are therefore reluctant to help Smiley and his right hand man Peter Guillam (Benedict Cumberbatch) with their efforts.

Instead they mix it up with plenty of red herrings to keep the investigation off their scent. Smiley finds a ally in the shape of Ricki Tarr (Tom Hardy). British Intelligence would seem to have underestimated Tarr's work ethic and whilst giving him the dirty and more menial work within the organisation, he has come up with a source and some vital information to help Smiley expose the mole.

As the title reads, Smiley learns early on in the movie who the Tinker, Tailor and the Solider are. But who is the Spy? And who can he trust?

I didn't actually see the TV version of the show, and as it was a seven part series it kind of explains a lot about the film's main flaw. There seems to be too many characters and subplots put into only 2 hours of film.
You need to have your wares about you to keep up. It's filmed with a lot of flashback and forwards which are not always effective or very relevant.

There are lots of pluses though. When you get to grips with the characters and the MI6 lingo it's really gripping and tense. The acting is amazing from a strong British cast. Gary Oldman is so at ease and convincing in the role that he doesn't need to step out of second gear.
John Hurt is as enigmatic as ever but the big surprise for me was Benedict Cumberbatch (TVs new Sherlock Holmes) as Smiley's aide. He steals every scene and was obviously not intimidated by the stellar more experienced cast.
Plus he has to have to coolest name in the business nowadays!!!

Overall this a brilliantly scripted and acted film that falls short of being called perfect viewing due to an excess of vague subplots and a glut of characters.

Definitely worth the ticket price though!


Score: 8/10

Fright Night 3D

On the back of many mediocre horror remakes comes a breath of fresh air in Fright Night. An eighties cult horror movie updated with a 3D option.

Charley (Anthony Yelchin) is an average high school guy trying to break away from his nerdy past and friends, to impress his hot girlfriend Amy (Imogen Potts). Charley lives with his mum (Toni Collette) in a suburban estate with your everyday run of the mill happenings.

Charley's next door neighbour Jerry (Colin Farrell) is a mystery to Charley and his pals and they suspect after a great deal of spying that his is a vampire!
Jerry has an enigmatic presence that attracts the ladies and much to Charley's annoyance, Jerry starts to make a play for his mum.
When some of the locals and Charley's friends mysteriously disappear, Charley decides to investigate and expose Jerry using some new evidence he stumbles upon.

This proves to be a tall order as Jerry is no ordinary vampire and mere crucifixes and garlic will not suffice. He decides to contact a high profile celebrity, gothic illusionist Peter Vincent (David Tenant) to help him assist in his conquest.
Vincent has a history with vampires and surrounds himself with various vampire repellent aids, in fear of a repeat of past events.

Fright Night starts off slow but once it hits the half hour mark it never lets up, with endless tongue in cheek gags, scary scences and good effects. The 3D is a big letdown. It's fairly pointless and adds nothing to the overall experience of the film, so avoid it if you can.

All the cast are fine in their respective roles, but David Tenant is the stand out performance as the eccentric and wonderfully camp Peter Vincent.

Not for the closed minded among us, but a treat for those who like a quirky horror!


Score: 7/10

Friends With Benefits

Billed as an alternative romantic comedy, Justin Timberlake (Dylan) and Mila Kunis (Jamie) are high powered executives at the top of their career. When Jamie headhunts Dylan for a job at GQ magazine in New York, they strike up an unlikely friendship.

Both are unlucky in love and find solace in each others pitfalls. One night while they are chilling watching a DVD, they decide if they can't find a partner they at least deserve a sex life. Who better than each other to fill this void in their lives.

They decide on a no strings attached arrangement, which initially suits them.
However, in time they find that not only does the sexual side to their relationship prove to be a hit but their feelings for each other start to grow and grow.

It doesn't go as planned as they are both in denial about their feelings but when they spend some time apart, it becomes apparent that they need to bring things further.

Friends with benefits is not exactly rocket science but certainly entertains. There is good chemistry between both leading stars. The script is quite racy and some scenes are fairly explicit, which adds to the tepid plot and jazzes the movie up. This is great for the adults as both actors are easy on the eye, but I certainly wouldn't recommend bringing anyone under 16 years of age.

There are sub-plots, among them Paul's father's struggle with Alzheimer's which never really goes anywhere. Woody Harrelson has what is probably one of the worst miscast supporting roles ever, playing one of Dylan's gay colleagues. Totally unnecessary!
Much better on the acting front are Patricia Clarkson as Jamie's irresponsible, heavy drinking mother and Jenna Elfman get's some very funny one liners as Dylan's sister.

However, it's a rom com after all so it was never gonna be ground breaking. There are some laugh out loud moments, snappy dialogue and it's fast paced but I'd wait for the DVD unless you're a big fan of either of the main stars.

Overall, a mediocre night out at the cinema but a good night in on DVD!


Score: 6/10

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Set in modern day San Francisco, Will Rodman (James Franco) is a scientist conducting genetic experiments on chimpanzees in the hope of a cure for Alzheimer's.
Rodman, has a personal interest in the these tests as his father – who lives with him, is in the early stages of the disease.

When one of the Chimps escapes and goes on the rampage in the test centre, Rodman's boss orders all the chimps to be put down, therefore aborting the experiment.
However, he is unaware that the chimp they were experimenting on had given birth before being killed and hid it's young in her cage away from the human eye.
Rodman is convinced by a fellow professor to take the chimp home as it would likely meet the same fate as the rest of the chimps.

It soon becomes clear that the chimp (Caesar) has inherited his mother's intelligence and over the years becomes like a child to Rodman and his father, even learning how to communicate with his adult friends through sign language. He resides with them in their spacious house but is not permitted to leave.

Seeing how bad his father's increasing dementia is becoming, Rodman decides to test the sample on him. The initial response is good but sometime later his system rebels against it and the dementia returns.

During one of the father's lapses, he wanders out of the house and has an altercation with an angry neighbour.
Caesar witnesses this from his window, escapes from the house and violently attacks the neighbour. This results in him being sent to a primate facility, which is not as pc as initially perceived by Will and his new girlfriend Caroline (Freida Pinto).

This is were all the action begins as Caesar is unhappy being locked up like a pet and Will is upset having to hand him over to the authorities, but promises to fight for his release.
Caesar begins to rebel and after some brawls with fellow apes it becomes clear that he is not to be messed with and quickly forms some alliances.
A thorn in his side is the evil guard played by Harry Potter's Tom Felton. He can see Caesar practically reading his mind and watching his every move, therefore makes his life hell in the facility, taunting and teasing him relentlessly.

The longer the human thinking Caesar remains in the facility, the more pro-Ape and less pro-Human he becomes. Meanwhile Rodman is working on an improved version of the drug but again it seems to only make the humans worse and the apes stronger and wiser. There is also the risk of a global epidemic if a human is unnecessarily exposed to the drug.

It is inevitable that sooner or later there will be a rebellion by the apes and they will escape from their confinement. When this happens, there are obvious areas they wanna hit but Caesar's concern is freeing all apes form any form of captivity and makes it clear to the other apes that humans should not be harmed whilst doing so. This is easier said than done!

The first half of this movie is as heartfelt a movie as you will ever see and will make you question lots of things, mainly mankind's attitude toward animals and their continuing use of them in their search for cures to human illnesses.
This will no doubt create many talking points for the viewer and arguments in the car home or in the pub later.
Also, those who are overly religious should beware, as Darwin's evolution theory has never been more highlighted. The apes emote the same as humans, look like humans and communicate like humans.

The second half of the movie is non-stop action and the final scene on the Golden Gate Bridge is awesome. Acting credits go to the wonderful John Lithgoe as Will's father, Franco is fine and Frieda Pinto looks pretty!

However, the movie belongs to Caesar and his fellow apes. The special effects and sounds effects team have done something incredible here and not only is their work fantastic to witness, it's also quite unnerving and scary at times.

It's difficult to negatively critique a film that offers the whole package but the ending does let it down as it offers very little closure. This however, is the only drawback to an otherwise cracking movie.

Score: 9/10

Super 8

A group of teenagers obsessed with horror films and all things ghoulish are making their very own movie on a dark night in 1979, when they vividly witness a horrific train crash.
They all agree that they should keep their witnessing of this incident to themselves. However, the kids are unaware that something escaped from the train that night that will change their lives forever.

Events inside their small community town take a strange turn and as these events all seem to originate from that fatal night, the teens decide to take matters into their own hands and try find the cause of these eerie happenings.

Add to this, a government cover up, the discovery of an alien crash landing in the 50”s, a father and son's troubled relationship and you have the makings of an absorbing and intriguing teen action flick.

J.J.Abrams, the brains behind TVs Lost writes and directs Super 8 with some production help from Steven Spielberg and what they give us is what you'd expect from such a collaboration – A Supernatural meets Fantasy crowd pleaser!

Both young leading actors - Joel Courtney and Elle Fanning are superb, with the later being annoyingly talented. The fact that the cast is short of Hollywood A Lister's instills likeability and belief into the film.

It kills me to compare Super 8 to the classic that is 'The Goonies' but I'm afraid it cannot be helped.
In fact it has so many similarities, the cute intelligent weedy kid with a crush on the elusive (out of his league) girl, the chubby guy, the funny quirky kid, etc.,

But who cares, it's faced paced with lots of funny one liners from an excellent young cast, plenty of action and scary moments to keep the adults on board and a cracking soundtrack featuring the likes of ELO and Blondie.

So, is Super 8 the Goonies of this generation?

Absolutely!!!


Score: 8/10

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2 (3D)

So, the end of the Harry Potter series finally arrives! What does this mean? Well, to anyone who hasn't seen the previous 7 movies - nothing! Therefore there's not much point in reading this review.
However, for those among us who have been avidly awaiting a Harry Potter movie for each of the past 7 years, there will be mixed feelings at the series coming to an end.

The 2nd part of the Deathly Hallows starts off exactly were the 1st one left off, so if your memory's a bit rusty then watch the end of the 1st part again. It's pretty much obvious to fans of the franchise what the premise of the story is but here's a quick synopsis!

Harry is desperately tracking down the remaining 2 of the 3 hocruxes in order to destroy the evil Lord Voldemort. Professor Snape is now the headmaster at Hogwarts after the devastating death of Professor Dumbledore. He's not a popular choice among the remaining staff and pupils in light of his betrayal. Harry is in hiding in lieu of these events so steers clear of Hogwarts.

Harry knows that Voldemore is in hot pursuit of him as he already possesses one of the three hocruxes essential in maintaining Voldemore's immortality. By having this in his possession, he knows that all of his friends and family are in danger so he makes the attempt to head out alone. This proves more difficult than he imagined as Hermione and Ron refuse to leave his side.

There are lots of twists along the way, some that I didn't see coming as I didn't read the books. The action never lets up and the script is the most
complex yet, which I suppose is to be expected seeing as it's the finale and there are a lot of loose ends to be tied up.

The film contains practically every A list to C list actor working in the British film industry at present. Which begs the question, what are the C Lister's going to do for work after 7 steady years?

The exciting ending doesn't disappoint, it was worth wearing the 3D glasses for this alone. Then there's the overly twee final scenes which you can't help but be moved by.

So, it's goodbye to Harry and Co. It's been an amazing ride from an ingenious creator with equally talented directors, writers and actors.
They'll make great bank holiday movies and for those who haven't seen them, well I'm jealous!!!


Score: 9/10

Transformers - Dark of the Moon 3D

A big fan of the first Transformers movie, I was so disappointed with the second one. This is generally the case with sequels, bar a few - The Godfather 2 being the obvious one and Airplane 2 not so obvious but still funnier than the first.

After the mess that was - Transformers 2 (Revenge of the Fallen), the media speculation was that it was a back to basics scenario for number 3 (Dark of the Moon). Well, it couldn't have been more wrong!

I'm not gonna waste time explaining the plot as it's paper thin and basically a re-hash of the last 2 plots with a few new transformers thrown in for good measure. There are about 10 endings in the last half hour of an arduous 2 hours and 40 mins - and I foolishly only ordered a medium popcorn.

There are some plusses though. A lot of the action scenes were spectacular in 3D, especially one scene which sees army recruits jumping out of a helicopter with sky gliding suits on them. That was the stand out scene.

Gone is Megan Fox but guys need not worry as the beautiful Victoria Secrets model Rosie Huntington Whiteley takes the reigns as the hottie. She may be hot but she should stick to catwalks and avoid film sets forever.
Hollywood big shots Frances McDormand and John Malkovich join in the antics as well -shame on them!!! They obviously wanted to have a bit of fun chasing shadows on a big set as I can't think of another reason why they'd sign up for this kind of tripe.

Smarmy Doctor McDreamy (Patrick Dempsey) from Grey's Anatomy also joins the fun and plays - a smarmy company executive. Really stretching his acting skills on his summer break from tv!!!

I can't finish without mentioning the script. You'll go a long way before you find a worse one. It must've been dreamed up by the writer's 3 year old nephew. It contains the most cringing unfunny one liners and cheesy dialogue.

If you're a Transformers fan and feel I've been harsh, I apologise but it's all true. Don't even rent it when it comes out on DVD, wait til Stephen's day in 2 years time when RTE show it.


Score: 2/10

X Men - First Class

A prequel to the X-Men series of movies chronicling how archenemies - Professor X and Magneto and the various mutants first realised their amazing powers.

The realisations kick off dramatically in a concentration camp in Germany in 1944 and after various revelations and incidents along the way, the actions hots up in 1962 in both London the US.

The effects are amazing as usual and the plot actually matches the effects on this occasion - unlike X-Men 2 and 3. This is mainly due to the scope of stories the writer can turn to. It explains in depth how the once close friends X and Magneto become enemies and how their dedicated brood of mutants decide on which leader they'll stick by. Their is also the MINOR subplot of the evil General Shaw (Kevin Bacon) trying to take over the world.

James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender easily match Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen's performances as X and Magneto. Kevin Bacon is always eerie to watch and doesn't disappoint here.

Here's hoping there's a sequel to this prequel???


Score: 8/10

The Rite

Irish newcomer Colin O'Donoghue is Michael Kovak, a trainee priest with huge doubts over his calling. He announces to his superior, Father Matthew that due to a lack of faith he wishes to resign. If he leaves Michael would have to pay a sufficient student loan, therefore Father Matthew strikes a deal with him to convince him to stay. If he attends an exorcism seminar in Rome and afterwards is still not convinced that the priesthood is for him, the loan will be cancelled and he can leave the cloth a free man.

During his time in Rome, it becomes obvious that he is a total sceptic and it is recommended that he visit Father Lucas (Anthony Hopkins) who is renowned for performing exorcisms. He spends a lot of time with Father Lucas and sits in on a couple of exorcisms, however he remains unconvinced that there are any demonic goings on. That is until Father Lucas beings to act very strange and shows some signs of demonic possession himself. Kovak himself is experiencing his own illusions of his own concerning his dead mother and his estranged mortician father, played by Rutger Hauer

Kovak befriends curious reporter Angeline (Alice Braga) and together they set about helping Father Lucas. In order to do this he must put his own demons behind him and step into the relatively unknown world of exorcism.

Anthony Hopkins dusts of his Hannibal Lecter character for this role and is fantastic - as usual! He plays demonic so well that he alone is reason enough to watch the movie. O'Donoghue is excellent as the spiritually confused priest and has a really good rapore on screen with Hopkins. The plot is quite flimsy and it's not the scariest exorcism movie ever made. In saying that there are plenty of scares and tense moments to please horror thriller fans.


Score: 5/10

Oscar predictions

Oscar night tonight, so here are my predictions on what I think will and what should win. Feel free to air your opinions and your own predictions!

Best Actor - Colin Firth (The King's Speech)

Hands down winner. No question, and totally deserved

Best Actress - Natalie Portman (Black Swan)

Again, a hands down winner. Gritty role, played brilliantly. She'll never get a part like it again.

Best supporting actor - Christian Bale (The Fighter)

He went to extreme methods to prepare for the part in The Fighter and is no doubt superb but my vote would go to Jeffrey Rush in The King's Speech. He'll lose out mainly because he is already an Oscar winner. It's a disgrace that Andrew Garfield was not nominated for The Social Network. He was the outstanding actor for me in that movie and I just don't understand his omission from the list of nominees.

Best supporting actress - Melissa Leo (The Fighter)

She has it in the bag for sure and is a deserved winner. However, I would chose Hailee Steinfeld over her as she was incredible in True Grit. The only good thing about the movie and for a 14 year old to carry that off for 2 hours is no mean feat.

Best original screenplay - The King's Speech

Lots of competition here but as scripts go, you don't get much better than this.

Best adapted screenplay - The Social Network

Again, amazing script. So clever and a definite winner

Best director - David Fincher

He'll win it as it's his time. I personally don't think he deserves it, even though I am a huge fan. He'll be getting it for the wrong film. The best direction of the year should go to Christopher Nolan for Inception but he's not even nominated. Disgrace! It's the most intricate/ground breaking direction ever seen.

Best film - The Social Network

I reckon it will just pip The Fighter and The King's Speech to it. Deservedly so as it's a fantastic film.

True Grit

This review is going to be short and sweet!

When I heard that the brilliant Coen Brothers directed this remake of the heralded western 'True Grit' I was intrigued as to what they'd do to the old classic to put their mark on it. The result?
NOTHING...

There is no point in explaining the plot as I'm sure most people will have seen the original. It hasn't changed in this 2011 version.
Jeff Daniels portrays the character Rooster Cogburn, played in the original by the enigmatic (and rather annoying) John Wayne and the usually watchable Matt Damon is miscast in the Glen Campbell role.

I never seen the big deal with the original True Grit when I was a kid but watched this version with an open mind. There are no clever Coen Brothers quirks nor is the direction by any means outstanding. In fact, the whole thing is totally pointless. They have basically made an average update of an already average film. They could have done so much here as by the looks of it they were given plenty of money by the studio.

The only redeeming factor the movie has is the stunning performance by 14 year old newcomer Hailee Steinfeld as the gutsy Mattie Ross seeking the help of Cogburn to track down her fathers killer. She acts Daniels off the screen and carries the
film.

The Coen Brothers totally disappoint here and were obviously bored and killing time. I can't think of another reason. There are lots of good film makers out there crying out for a decent budget to match their original scripts but yet the studio execs continue to dish out big bucks to high end well known directors. It doesn't always work and True Grit is a prime example. No doubt it'll make money for the studio, especially in the States. The audience however don't gain from this.

Save your money for the next Coen Brothers offering and give this dud a miss!

Score: 3/10