Iron Man 3 – 3D (12A) ****

Iron Man 3 – 3D (12A) ****

Dir: Shane Black

Starring: Robet Downey Jr, Gwyneth Paltrow, Guy Pearce, Don Cheadle

Synopsis: Tony Stark is still suffering after the events of New York (see Avengers Assemble) when a terrorist known as the Mandarin begins to tear down his world. With his suit broken, he desperately tries to find and stop this formidable enemy.

Verdict: Shane Black really makes the latest in the Iron Man franchise his own, successfully keeping it faithful to the character of the Jon Favreau films while giving it more intensity and that touch of darkness that makes it stand out.

The story is darker and more intense than the previous films, which we all knew already from trailer scenes of Iron Man tapped underwater in the rubble of his own house, Pepper Potts in a restraint and the broken armour in the snow. All hints from the trailer seem to point to a possible hiatus/break for the Iron Man side of the whole Avengers storyline of the Marvel Universe.

Downey Jr. returns to the role well, bringing forward not just the charismatic persona that we’re used to, but the troubled side that first emerged when he faced his mortality while being subjected to palladium poisoning - now accentuated since the events of The Avengers. His performance of both these aspects is as good as we’ve come to expect, expressing the fear/panic of anxiety attacks while still retaining the sort of sense of humour that his Tony Stark never seems to be fully able to relinquish.

There are some fairly unbelievable moments in the film (I know, it’s a work of fantasy, but even these are farfetched for its own storyline and what I’ve come to expect from the character development), which make you think: ‘Huh? Why did they write this?’ These little niggling moments bring the end product down a little as they’re difficult to ignore being as important to the plot as they are, but it would have been an improvement if the moments in question were written more in tune with the characters.

One of the primary appeals of these films is the special effects which, as you would expect from Marvel are fantastic. The big attention grabbers from the trailer are the destruction of starks cliff-top mansion and the arrival of a whole host of suits without pilots. I loved the CG detail that was put into the house collapsing into the ocean (with the circular living area’s resemblance to the crashing Enterprise from the Star Trek: Into Darkness trailer catching my eye), and the work put in to the sheer variety suits that have been designed - battle damage and the now classic head-up display that is associated with the ‘in helmet’ shots.

The only downside is that they still haven’t cracked that pesky 3D (then again, who has?). At times it felt like there wasn’t any 3D: at times it was apparent, flecks of ash floating across the screen and the like, but nothing that jumped out of the screen and impressed me.

Oblivion (12A) ****

Oblivion (12A) ****

Dir: Joseph Kosinski

Starring: Tom Cruise, Morgan Freeman, Olga Kurylenko

Synopsis: It is several decades since the world was attacked by alien invaders: humanity won the war, but the Earth was left irreparably damaged. A mop-up crew are left to protect fusion reactors from the remaining invaders whilst humanity leaves for Titan, but Jack Harper (Cruise) begins to question his mission.

Author’s note: Firstly, I want to apologise for disappearing for six months. After a recent meeting with my lecturer from university, I’m going to pull my finger out and try to write more, as he said it is better to keep writing even if you feel it isn’t very good as it helps to bring you out of the rut. So, here it goes.

Verdict: Oblivion is a good science fiction story, with all the elements working together to make it. The familiar landmarks of New York dotted about in a landscape that is nothing like the city that we have seen destroyed in sci-fi films on countless occasions, the idea of the exodus to Saturnian moons, the futuristic technology portrayed and the presence of the alien enemy is all classic to the genre.

One of the things I enjoyed about it is how, unlike recent ‘alien invasion’ flicks where the film has been about the invasion (Battleship, Battle Los Angeles, Skyline) - the fight to save the world against the aggressors, Oblivion is the aftermath – yes there’s still some hostility, but it’s not an all-out ‘HOORAH!’ propaganda piece for the US Military that we have been getting recently.

Based on a graphic novel penned by Kosinski himself, the story is good when you wrap your head around some of the intricacies that develop as the film progresses (no spoilers, I promise!). Cruise plays a role similar to that of Ray in The War of the Worlds. Not in a panicky sort of way, but in the character’s seriousness and determination, and also the occasional loss of not knowing what to do at certain points.

Cruise gets the most screen time in this film, with the supporting cast being just that – ‘supporting’. Morgan Freeman’s role is short and sweet, the old and wise character that comes so naturally to him thanks mainly to his voice. Kurylenko, Andrea Riseborough and Melissa Leo, while not the only other people in the film make up, in all honesty, the only other really important characters of the film.

The standout factor of Oblivion is the same as in last year’s Prometheus, the use of special effects (CGI and models etc) to create a fantastic backdrop to the story. Canyons dropping down from ‘ground’ level made of the buildings of New York, the top of the Empire State Building poking out of a sand dune, Brooklyn Bridge submerged in the earth – the scenery is jaw dropping, especially when combined with the epic nature of the music, scored by French band M83.

The other headline grabber of the film, the bubble-ship that Harper uses to jet around the post-apocalyptic world, has been the sort of poster-girl for the film. Based on the Bell-47 helicopter, and resembling a dragonfly - especially with its folding ‘legs’ – the little flying machine has some of the most grabbing scenes in the trailer (back flipping off a platform a few thousand feet in the air) and carries out a pivotal role in the film, although some of the things this relatively small ship is meant to be able to stash away inside various compartments is ridiculously unbelievable!

Looper (12A) ****

Looper (12A) ****

Dir: Rian Johnson

Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, Emily Blunt

Synopsis: In 2074, time travel exists and is used primarily by the mob as a means to dispose of a body by sending it back 30 years where assassins known as Loopers are hired to kill and dispose of them. When his future self is sent back to have his loop 'closed', Joe ends up fighting himself and the mob to try and fix both present and future.

Verdict: Whenever a film comes along with a time travel plot, especially a plot where one's future self meets a past version of themselves, I end up with a massive headache. Time travel makes great sci-fi, but is one of the most complex things to get your head around as a viewer, and when the film tries to explain the physics behind it, the headache gets worse.

Therefore, Looper gave me this headache - wondering how many times this had happened, trying to think of the possible outcomes and, though you get Willis' Joe tries to explain it and how his own memories are affected and re-written to his younger self (Gordon-Levitt), it still remains one of those things that bugs you.

However, once you accept that you can't in all honesty get your head around the logic behind the science, you can enjoy the film for the story. While Johnson's explanation of time travel and its effects on the same person and their respective memories and the fate of the future aren't perfect, the story itself is well written, taking into account the various timelines and coming to an altogether satisfying conclusion.

Gordon-Levitt's portrayal of the Looper, Joe is brilliant, especially when you think about the antithesis between him and Willis' older version -their different views on how to 'correct' the future. The portrayal is made all the more impressive when you get to grips with the amazing effects used to make him look like a younger Willis - the three hours of effects make up and prosthetics (done by make-up artist Kazuhiro Tsuji), that make him look like that, the end result is uncanny, and causes a double take to say "is that really him or another actor?".

On the subject of the effects, the CG is impressive throughout the film, from the city-scape, action sequences and futuristic vehicles, to the brilliant effects on young Joe, they are bound to impress.

Willis is also on form, playing the type of character we know from previous work, he does his guns-blazing act brilliantly and, thanks in part to Gordon-Levitts Joe as well as Willis' Joe, he creates a character that you don't know whether to think of as the villain or a misunderstood anti-hero - a trait which take the film up a notch or two.

As it seems to be with any film Gordon-Levitt has worked on recently (Inception, Dark Knight Rises) this is definitely one to go and see.

Man on a Ledge (12A) ***

Man on a Ledge (12A) ***

Dir: Asger Leth

Starring: Sam Worthington, Elizabeth Banks, Jamie Bell

Synopsis: A cop is sent to prison for a crime he says he did not commit. Determined to prove his innocence, he stands on the ledge of a posh New York hotel, providing the perfect distraction for his brother to find the evidence that clears his name.

Verdict: I had my doubts about Man on a Ledge when it originally came out at the cinema, and so haven't seen it until its DVD release. I am pleased to report that, up until the last few minutes when it becomes almost unbearably cheesey, I actually enjoyed it.

The main thing that I enjoyed about this film is the way that director Leth has made it so suspenseful. From Worthington's Nick Cassidy on his perch threatening to throw himself off, to the cliche'd last minute, get-so-close-to-getting-caught crime that's being pulled off by Bell and Genesis Rodriguez's Joey and Angie, the film did have me involuntarily leaning slightly forward.

It's rare nowadays to come across a film that has little CGI in it, but with films like these it's more appropriate sometimes not to have fancy graphics everywhere as it detracts from the, albeit an over the top story line, reality of a similar situation.

All of the cast worked well in their respective roles, with Banks' move from a more comedy background to being the cop-negotiator being performed really well. The only niggle I have is with Rodriguez's role, which seemed to be another cliche in the film - the young, passionate and spunky Latina woman with her breasts on display for the majority of her time on screen. The story would have worked just as well without having a tug on the over-excitable teenage sex drive.

The biggest cliche Leth saves until last, with an ending that is cheesy to the point of being cringeworthy, deflating the feeling created by the main body of the film. The twist at the end he could have got away with if it had not been done in the way it had.

Final verdict: a surprising film which manages to pull out of the bag everything you least, and most, expect.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (12A) *****

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (12A) *****

Dir: Stephen Chbosky

Starring: Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller

Synopsis: An introvert high school freshman finds friends in the form of two senior students who show him how to have fun, fall in love, and the struggles that come with all those things.

Verdict: It has been a while since a film has made me connect with the characters to the point of getting a tear in my eye, but The Perks of Being a Wallflower did that to me.

The first thing to say about this film is that if you are out for escapism, this is far too real for that. It is very true to how life as a teenager is like, even when you take out the series of events that befell the characters before the story begins. When you throw the various things that have happened, especially to Lermans 'Charlie', the film steps up a level.

This is one of those films that, towards the beginning and middle, you begin to guess at what will happen to the characters at the end but Chbosky, as both writer and director of Perks, begins to make you think that what you thought will happen won't and, just as you begin to accept that, he flips it around, and then flips it around again. This technique creates a lot of tension in the final parts of the film.

Part of the films appeal is the connection that is established between character and viewer. Lerman's 'Charlie' is the main focus of the film, and his portrayal of the character is great - the shyness, the introvert, and the obvious psychological aspect to the character is achieved in a very believable way.

Watson, in her second role since the end of the Harry Potter franchise, plays Sam, the object of Charlie's desires. At first, I wasn't convinced by the american accent that she adopts for the film and, by the end, I still wasn't overly convinced. However, when you look at the rest of her performance - from lip-syncing along with The Rocky Horror Picture Show to her relationship with Charlie - you take the slightly dodgy accent with a pinch of salt.

One of the highlights of the film is Miller as Patrick. His performance of a character that has so much comedy, energy and life is fantastic and, while the character does suffer (as do the rest), it is him that brings the group together and gives the film a lot of its comical, and touching, moments.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is both an easy and difficult one to watch, showing - albeit to some extremes - the ups and downs of being a teenager, adjusting to going to high school and leaving for college.

American Reunion (15) **

American Reunion (15) **

Dir: Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg

Starring: Jason Biggs, Alyson Hannigan, Seann William Scott

Plot: It is 13 years since the gang graduated High School, and they've all come home for their reunion. Marriage, new commitments, and missing the past all come together in the fourth of the films to make it to the big screen (not including the straight to DVD Band Camp and so on).

Synopsis: Whilst the first and second film were amusing, the drawing out of the franchise to the seven or so films (including straight to DVD) is growing wearisome.

I know lots of people enjoy the series, or maybe I've grown boring, but after three previous installments I found the comedy to be the same as before, and the principal characters are all the same as in the first film.

Jason Biggs' Jim is the centre of attention, as usual, and his characters comedy comes, as before, from sheer cringe factor. Seann William Scott is still the sex and beer obsessed Stifler, and Jims dad (Eugene Levy) is still embarrassing.

While the premise of the film has changed from being all about getting sex to about relationships and how to make them work, it still , ultimately, boils down to sex (with Jim and Michelle (Hannigan) being stuck in a rut). There are, however, some nice moments - such as Jim trying to get his dad to start dating again after the death of his wife, and convincing the girl he used to babysit to find a decent guy to lose her virginity to.

The soundtrack is similar to the previous films as well, with pop-punk college rock being the staple, along with the throwing in of more recent chart hits.

If you're a teenager, and a fan of moderate sex references and soft-core breast and bum flashing, then this film will be right up your alley.

Brave (U) 3D ****

Brave (U) 3D ****

Dir: Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman, Steve Purcell

Starring: Kelly Macdonald, Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson

Synopsis: Merida is a princess in medieval Scotland, a carefree character who fights with her overbearing mother about arranged marriage. In a temper, she runs away and buys a spell from a mysterious witch to change her fate - and that's when everything starts to go wrong.

Verdict: Disney Pixar films are always great to go and see, whether you are a kid, an parent or, like me, a 23 year old who is yet to grow up! And they aim to please all of this audience, with a story and humour that appeals to all ages.

The story itself is typical Disney: an arguing mother and daughter who end up going through and adventure where they realise they love each other really and make up. Simple stuff, and the story itself is similar to previous ones, but this doesn't stop it being a thoroughly entertaining hour and a half or so.

Having said that, it goes back to Disney films of old, with the 'villain' and fights concerning which being quite intense (I heard one younger member of the audience say that they found some of it a bit scary afterwards).

With the majority of the cast hailing from the British Isles (which adds to the value of the film at least for residents of the UK), the voice acting is brilliant. Obviously, the standout performances are from the main three, Macdonald, Connolly and Thompson, but I especially loved the son of Lord MacGuffin, (voiced by Kevin McKidd) whose thick accent makes him almost un-understandable (which is played upon in the film by other characters saying "I have no idea what he just said").


As you'd expect with Disney Pixar, the animation is beautiful. From the scenery to the characters and animals, the CGI is the highlight of any Pixar film. I loved how they managed to capture the essence of the voice actors in the characters (Billy Connolly's Fergus being very like him), with obviously animated faces but a depth of expression that I must admit is more lifelike than I've seen before.

The sad news though, is that the same cannot be said for the 3D which, unfortunately, left a lot to be desired. This brought the film down a little for me, as I honestly expected more from them, though I don't know why. Disney 3D has been known to work in the past, look at Tron: Legacy and Tangled, but here it didn't do the film justice. Where it worked it did add to the film, but the 'double effect' that so often plagues 3D was still apparent.