Category: Top Tens/Twenties

Well, 2013 is almost gone and it’s around this time of year many critics round up their favourite films of the year. But many of 2013’s movies have yet to release here in the UK. Films like The Wolf of Wall Street, 12 Years a Slave and Her are all films I really need to see before making a proper conclusion on this year, and as such I won’t be doing a summation of 2013 until I have seen as much as I can. So before that, let’s take a look at the year ahead.

Two points I want to make here. One: these release dates are subject to change, so some may get pushed back to 2015 and muck up the list (one of the films on this list was on my most anticipated of 2013, so go figure). Two: this is NOT me predicting what I think will be my favourites by the end of 2014. This is a list of films that I’m really excited for or just interested to see. So without further ado…

20. RoboCop

Paul Verhoeven’s original RoboCop is one of my all time favourite movies. It’s full of glorious ultra-violence and memorable quotes, but it is also a brilliant satire of 1980’s culture. Many would call attempting to remake this film blasphemous. I would say that if done it would really need to do something special. From what I’ve seen from all the promotional material, I’m not fully convinced yet. But regardless, I want to see what they can do with it. It’s got an impressive cast and a talented director, but I’m still worried that this could be another cash-in. Let’s hope I’d buy it for more than a dollar.

19. Gone Girl

Seven. Fight Club. The Social Network. David Fincher is a force to be reckoned with, and I’m hoping that his next effort can match up to the rest of his impressive filmography. It’s got a very odd cast, with heavyweights like Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike teamed up with more left-of-field choices like…Neil Patrick Harris and Tyler Perry?! Huh. But you put Fincher’s name on it, and I’m certain me and many other film fans are guaranteed to be there.

18. A Million Ways to Die in the West

Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane made an impressive feature debut in 2012 with Ted. And before he goes to tackle the sequel, his sophomore effort is…a western comedy? Considering the recent box office failures of westerns like Cowboys & Aliens and The Lone Ranger, it’s a pretty ballsy move. I can’t make much of a statement on it considering nothing from the film has been shown, but if it can match MacFarlane’s other efforts it should be worth a few laughs.

17. Transcendence

Christopher Nolan’s long-time cinematographer Wally Pfister is making his directorial debut with this sci-fi thriller, and judging from the trailer it looks pretty interesting. It certainly has a lot of elements from previous works in the genre; hopefully it can give it a new enough spin on these ideas. It’s also nice to see Johnny Depp in a movie and not have him play a flamboyant bumbler.

16. Edge of Tomorrow

Tom Cruise’s recent filmography has been pretty strong with films like Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol and Jack Reacher, so hopefully his new sci-fi action film can keep up this streak. It’s got an interesting premise, a decent cast, and some cool looking designs and action beats. Plus, anything involving mech suits AND time travel immediately gains some badass points.

15. The Monuments Men

George Clooney’s latest directorial effort was unfortunately delayed, causing it to miss out on the Oscar race. Regardless, this looks to be one to watch. Clooney’s Confessions of a Dangerous Mind and The Ides of March are both excellent films (let’s just ignore Leatherheads, shall we?) and this one certainly has a lot of the same elements. With good mixture of drama and comedy, an excellent cast and shinging light on an area of WWII rarely seen, I think this one could be another winner.

14. 22 Jump Street

21 Jump Street was a big surprise for me. It was full of hilarity and gave me a whole new perspective on the acting skills of Channing Tatum. Now he and Jonah Hill are back for a new adventure, and I’m looking forward to see what mayhem they cause this time. The trailer does paint a picture of it just being a rehash but, considering the very self-aware nature of the first film, I’m guessing this uneasy sense of familiarity is all part of the joke. And this won’t be the last time you see directing partners Phil Lord & Chris Miller on this list…

13. How to Train Your Dragon 2

The original How to Train Your Dragon is arguably Dreamworks SKG’s best film, and certainly helped create a new image for them. But can they strike lightning twice? Hopefully, they can. I’m not exactly sure if I was really asking for a sequel, but in a world where Cars and Madagascar can somehow generate sequels, I guess the further adventures of Hiccup and Toothless sounds much more appealing.

12. Sin City: A Dame to Kill For

This film has been in development hell for nearly a decade now, and was among my most anticipated films of 2013. But once again it was delayed, and hopefully for the last time. Featuring both old and new faces, I’m very much interested to delve into the gutters of Basin City again to see what tales will unfold. Knowing Frank Miller’s work, I’m guessing it will involve a lot of violence, constant inner monologues and a plethora of scantily clad women. Let’s just hope this one doesn’t end up on my most anticipated of 2015 list.

11. Big Hero 6

Walt Disney Pictures is finally taking advantage of the fact they own Marvel Comics and adapting one of their works into their next animated classic. And they’ve chosen a comic book so obscure that even I’ve never heard of it. But from looking into it, it certainly looks like it has some potential. It’s got an interesting world and characters, and combining Disney magic with the might of Marvel certainly sounds like something I’d want to see.

10. Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Sticking with Marvel, their first picture this year sees the return of the star-spangled man with a plan. The Russo Brothers, mainly known for comedy, could be Marvel’s oddest choice of directors yet but the trailer paints a very different picture. The Winter Solider storyline is a perfect choice for adaptation, and the film certainly looks like it’s another win for the True Believers.

9. The Hobbit: There and Back Again

The Desolation of Smaug gave The Hobbit franchise a well-deserved kick up the backside, and now I’m very excited to see how they wrap it all up. Peter Jackson has left very little material from the book left for adaptation, suggesting that we’re going to get even more original content. As long as it’s interesting, engaging stuff and not a load of padding, then that’s fine with me. The Return of the King is my favourite of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, so I’m hoping this final chapter can match the epicness of that franchise’s finale.

8. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Rise of the Planet of the Apes was a major surprise in 2011, instantly reinvigorating the franchise and making everyone forget about that Mark Wahlberg movie. It’s a shame that Rupert Wyatt decided not to return, but Cloverfield director Matt Reeves certainly looks like he’s picking up the material well. This looks like a much darker film with a post-apocalyptic vibe, and I’m very interested to see how close to the original Planet of the Apes this tale will reach.

7. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1

The Hunger Games was a pretty good movie with a fair few issues. But, much like The Desolation of Smaug, Catching Fire was a massive improvement of its predecessor in every facet and I’m now majorly invested in where the story of Katniss Everdeen is going. Once again, we’ve got one book being split into two movies and, having not read the book, I’m not sure if this is a good idea. But anyway, considering how Catching Fire felt very much like The Empire Strikes Back, let’s see if the Mockingjay films can be at least as good as Return of the Jedi.

6. Interstellar

Get ready, fanboys: Christopher Nolan is making another movie. What’s it about? I don’t know; something about black holes. The film is so shrouded in secrecy that the trailer is basically pointless, but that’s what to expect from the man who brought you Inception. The Dark Knight Rises was somewhat of a disappointment for me, so let’s hope Nolan can redeem himself with this picture.

5. The Lego Movie

Here’s that other Phil Lord & Chris Miller film, and here they’re making a movie out of one of the most beloved toys of all time. Literally. Their zany sense of humour looks like a perfect fit for this picture, creating what looks like a film made in a nerd’s wet dream. It’s got an awesome cast. It’s got awesome looking animation. And it’s got the goddamn Batman! What more do you want?

4. The Amazing Spider-Man 2

I still stand by it: The Amazing Spider-Man was a damn good movie. It’s certainly not perfect, but what’s good about it is so, so good. Now that they’ve got that pesky origin business out of the way, we can finally get on to some new territory. The multiple villains are a little worrying (it didn’t work very well last time they tried that), but the film certainly looks like it captures the essence of the wall crawler with some cool acrobatic feats of derring-do. Excelsior!

3. Godzilla

The King of the Monsters has been reborn, now Matthew Broderick-free! Gareth Edwards take on the classic monster certainly looks to be one hell of a ride. Naturally, the filmmakers are holding a lot close to the chest, but what they’ve shown so far has got me hooked. Let’s just hope that if Godzilla gets taken out this time, it’s by another monster and not teeny fighter jets.

2. Guardians of the Galaxy

I started reading some Guardians comics recently, and man will it make a good movie. Madman James Gunn directing a film that features Chris Pratt, a talking racoon and a sentient tree as main characters? You had me at “James Gunn”. I’ve yet to see a lick of footage from this picture, but I don’t need to say anything else. I know I’m there on day one.

1. X-Men: Days of Future Past

A few years ago, I was thinking to myself: “What X-Men storyline would I like to see made into a movie?” The answer to my own question: Days of Future Past. And now they’ve done it, and it looks like it could be an event movie that rivals The Avengers in the sheer amount of fan service. Adapting a storyline best summed up as “X-Men meets The Terminator?” Good start. Bringing back series veteran Bryan Singer to the director’s chair? Sweet. Combining cast members of the original trilogy and X-Men: First Class? Fangasmically stupendous! The only way this movie could sound even more awesome if it somehow led into a movie where they fight Apocalypse or…oh wait, they are doing that! If this movie is anything less than spectacular, I’m going to be seriously disappointed. I know I shouldn’t get myself too hyped up, but this movie sounds way too awesome to not be awesome.

And that’s the list. Now just let me catch up on everything and I’ll soon be back with my Best and Worst of 2013!

One week to go until the Academy Awards, where we get told by a bunch of old Hollywood farts what the best movie of last year was. As usual, they are probably going to be disappointing but most of us will still watch anyway. But before then, I might as well get my opinion out of the way. Please keep in mind that I have not seen every film that came out last year, and that this is my opinion so don’t get fussy if your picks aren’t mine.

20. WRECK-IT RALPH – A charming animated adventure set in the world of my other favourite pastime: video games. Full of great gags and obscure references, this is Disney’s best animated effort in a long time and also the best animated film of the year.

19. DREDD – Ignoring the unfaithful Stallone film, Dredd delivers us a film that does Judge Dredd justice (pun intended). Delivering action set pieces and dark humour reminiscent of classic 80’s bullet-fests, this movie delivers on everything it promises and more.

18. CHRONICLE – An interesting combo of superhero antics and found footage, Chronicle delivers a brilliant take on the rise of the super villain. Featuring a star-making performance by Dane DeHaan and having fun with its handycam style, Chronicle sets a new benchmark for what can be done with found footage.

17. THE MASTER – Featuring phenomenal performances by Joaquin Phoenix and Phillip Seymour Hoffman, The Master tells us a tale vaguely reminiscent of a certain religious leader. With its astonishing 65mm cinematography and all the quirks you expect from a PT Anderson flick, The Master is a long journey worth taking.

16. LOOPER – Time travel is always a fascinating subject for sci-fi movies, and it’s great when someone can dig up some fresh ideas for the concept. Rian Johnson did just that with Looper. Sure, the plot doesn’t make complete sense when you really think about it but even the movie seems aware of that fact. Don’t miss this interesting sci-fi tale.

15. KILLING THEM SOFTLY – Depicting America in a light that isn’t exactly sunshine and flowers, Killing Them Softly is a bleak and violent comment on the state of US society. Featuring stellar performances from the entire principle cast and great use of slow-mo, this is one of the most underrated films of the year.

14. JACK REACHER – Tom Cruise decides to stop grinning for once and becomes a gritty crime-solving machine in this stylish thriller. Bringing back that classic 70’s/80’s thriller feel, Jack Reacher fills this somewhat familiar story with some well done fight scenes and a good sense of humour. It’s a pity we’ll probably never see that sequel.

13. THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN – Whilst I still have a fondness for the original Raimi films (yes, even the third one to an extent), this reimagining truly brings the wall-crawler to life in a fashion more suiting to our times. Andrew Garfield delivers a Spider-Man much more believable and flawed than Tobey Maguire ever could, and action sequences that rely more on practicality than CG. I can’t wait see what Marc Webb can come up with in his imminent sequel.

12. FLIGHT – Denzel Washington gives another Oscar worthy performance in this brilliant drama. A true return to form for the great Robert Zemeckis, Flight’s opening scenes are some of the best in recent memory and, while the rest of the film never matches up to it, still tells a tale of alcohol and lies worth watching.

11. THE RAID – This Indonesian action-fest is a real kick in the backside for Hollywood action movies. With some of the most inventive and bone-crunching fight choreography ever put on camera, The Raid remains some of the most fun I had in a cinema last year. With action scenes this great, who cares if the story is a bit generic?

10. THE AVENGERS – Marvel pulled off what many saw as impossible by combining several of their heroes into one giant nerdgasm. Joss Whedon was the perfect choice to pull this diverse set of characters together in a way that doesn’t feel too contrived. The film does what many Hollywood blockbusters fail to do (I’m looking at you, Michael Bay’s Transformers) by setting up their characters well enough that you give a s*** during the third act of chaos. My only worry is: how the hell are they going to top this?

9. SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED – This indie gem deserves a lot more attention. With its hilarious script and fun performances from the principle cast, Safety Not Guaranteed shows how much you can do with a minimal budget and still tell a story this high concept. I can’t say much more; you just have to watch the movie.

8. DJANGO UNCHAINED – Tarantino has returned in top form with his best film since Pulp Fiction. A bloody ode to the Spaghetti Western, the all-star cast and witty script heighten this film beyond just a bunch of references to Sergio Leone films. Easily his most accessible film and also quite possibly his most fun.

7. SKYFALL – 007 has finally washed the taste of Quantum of Solace out of his mouth, and has returned in one of the best Bond movies ever. Javier Bardem’s bad guy is a true match for Bond in every facet, and gives Judi Dench the swansong she deserves for such an important role. Sam Mendes proves he can do more than just Oscar-bait dramas with this film that shows up Christopher Nolan and his decent-but-incredibly flawed The Dark Knight Rises.

6. ZERO DARK THRITY – The hunt for Osama Bin Laden has quickly gotten the Hollywood treatment, and who better to tackle the tale than the team behind The Hurt Locker. Jessica Chastain gives a career-defining performance in this thriller that shows the events leading up to that fateful raid in a neutral manner that doesn’t try to spoon feed you it’s own opinion.

5. SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS – Martin McDonough’s Tarantino-esque tale of dognapping and screenplays is a terribly bleak comedy of epic proportions. Sam Rockwell’s performance is one of his best, and the witty script provides many a good jab at the quality of writing in American crime films. A bloody good time.

4. THE SESSIONS – A charming true story that will make you both laugh and cry, John Hawkes’ performance is the best I’ve seen all year and it is a true crime that he didn’t get an Oscar nomination for his efforts. Helen Hunt and William H. Macy are great in their supporting roles, and the story manages to leave you satisfied despite the situation these characters end up in.

3. ARGO – Speaking of Oscar crimes, where is Ben Affleck’s nomination for Best Director? The man has crafted here one of the most intense, engaging and entertaining dramas in recent memory. The script is quick and witty, the cast all perfectly fit their roles (except maybe Mr. Affleck himself, but he’s still great anyway), and the third act is thrilling despite the fact there is little to no action involved.

2. THE CABIN IN THE WOODS – How could this not be on my list? Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon have crafted one of the most inventive, crazy, hilarious and jaw-dropping horror/comedies ever conceived and does it all with a straight face. Every time I thought “How could this get any crazier?”, it did. A true landmark for the genre, it’s going to be hard to take the Evil Dead remake seriously after watching this.

1. SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK – My pick for my favourite film of the year features no guns, explosions, aliens or superheroes. It does, however, have a great script and powerful performances from all involved. Bradley Cooper shows range here I thought he never had, Jennifer Lawrence manages to trump all her other brilliant performances, Robert De Niro gives his best role in years, and even Chris Tucker comes off as good here. David O. Russell has managed to tell a story here that touches the heart and the funny bone in equal measures, and I can’t wait to watch this masterpiece again.

2013 is shaping up to be an exciting year in cinema and, while I’m not quite done yet with the films of 2012 (I’ll do a best of list for that around Oscar time), I think I should get this list done before I see any films from this year. So without further adieu, here’s my list starting from the bottom.

20. The Last Stand – Arnie’s coming back in full swing this year with The Last Stand, and while it certainly looks dumb it also looks f***ing awesome! Korean madman Kim Jee-Woon makes his Hollywood debut with this film, and his style is all over this. What it seems to lack in brains it definitely has in brawn, so I’m going to remain cautiously optimistic about this one.

19. Ender’s Game – I’ve never read any of the books, but the premise alone here has me interested. Whilst very little has been shown so far and I’m a little nervous considering what happened the last time Gavin Hood was handed a Hollywood project, this could hopefully be the start of a cool sci-fi franchise.

18. Sin City: A Dame to Kill For – I think it’s quite obvious that both Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller aren’t the men they used to be, but that can’t stop me from getting excited about finally re-entering the scummy streets of Basin City. I’m mainly optimistic about this one for two reasons. One: Joseph Gordon-Levitt just joined the cast. And two: Frank Miller isn’t taking complete writing credit, so let’s hope William Monahan has managed to cut down on the crap.

17. Carrie – I’m a fan of the original Brian De Palma film, but I think that not only is it a good time to take another stab at this story, it’s also in the safe hands of talented filmmakers. Chloe Moretz is a phenomenal young actress and I’m sure she’s found a way of making her version of the tormented psychic entirely her own. Let the blood flow!

16. Evil Dead – Speaking of remakes and blood, here’s one I never thought I’d say I’m looking forward to. Remaking The Evil Dead seemed like a bad idea to me for a long time. But the footage so far has convinced me it could work. If nothing else, they at least haven’t neutered out the gore. While it still looks a little too slick and clean right now, it will hopefully still stand shoulders above all the other pointless horror remakes.

15. Oblivion – Tom Cruise seems to be on a roll right now, and so far it looks like his next adventure won’t disappoint either. The design of this post-apocalyptic world looks both fresh and beautiful, and the trailer only hints at what sounds like an interesting story. Whilst many may be wary considering this is in the hands of Tron: Legacy’s Joseph Koskinski, I’m remaining confident that this will be an interesting ride.

14. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – Whilst I haven’t read the books, I enjoyed the first Hunger Games film despite its many flaws. The first film left off in a way that has me interested in what happens next and I’m hoping they can iron out the flaws despite the film being in the hands of (in my opinion anyway) a much less talented filmmaker.

13. Monsters University – Pixar really needs a critical hit on their hands to get out of their recent slump, and I’m really hoping this one can re-establish the bar even though it doesn’t seem the most ideal way of doing it. Pixar has produced both amazing and terrible sequels, so let’s see what they can do with a prequel. But I’m still waiting for my Incredibles sequel!

12. Oz: The Great and Powerful – I am a humungous Sam Raimi fan and will watch anything of his without question and, whilst so far this one doesn’t seem all there, I’m looking forward to it anyway. The film so far looks a little too Burton’s Wonderland, but here’s hoping they’ve made a good tale that both honours the 1939 classic and does something new with the material.

11. Thor: The Dark World – The first Thor film managed to get past the flaws of its premise and create a strong new fantasy/superhero world to explore. And while it’s disappointing that Kenneth Branagh has moved on from the franchise, I’m confident that it will live up to the quality of its predecessor.

10. The Wolverine – Let’s get this out of the way: X-Men Origins Wolverine was a steaming pile of s***. But after the success of First Class and the new hands they’ve put the project in, I’m sincerely hoping that we can finally get the Wolverine movie the fans deserve. Just don’t fail me now or I’ll really need to get one of those amnesia bullets from the first movie.

9. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug – The first Hobbit movie was enjoyable despite it’s problems, and here’s hoping Jackson has listened to the feedback and will accordingly adjust his second instalment. Considering I know the story already, I’m mainly curious how they’re going to end this one and how much of the book they’ll leave for the final film. Plus, we’d better see Smaug. His name’s in the bloody title, so if we don’t then that’s just false advertising.

8. Kick-Ass 2 – I’m a big fan of the first film and the graphic novel it’s based on. I’ve yet to read the sequel comic, but I’m excited for the film regardless. It’s sad that Vaughn has stepped down from directing duties, but if it’s even close to being good I’ll be satisfied.

7. Pacific Rim – Giant robots versus giant monsters. What more could you ask for from a summer blockbuster? Guillermo Del Toro is a visually charged director, and so far this is looking to be nothing but good old-fashioned fun. Let’s just hope I avoid singing the Power Rangers theme the whole time.

6. Gangster Squad – After the delay caused by the tragic events in Aurora this past July, Ruben Fleischer’s crime caper is ready to hit the screen. The cast alone is enough to get me excited, but Fleischer’s participation pushes this from interesting to must-see.

5. Man of Steel – Superman is due a true modern update, and right now it looks like it’s taking the right steps. Nolan’s influence is clear here, and hopefully he’s reigned in on Snyder’s more distracting visual trademarks. Henry Cavill so far looks perfect as The Last Son of Krypton, but we’ve yet to see him pull off the bumbling Clark Kent and that still has me worried. Come June, we should know if the world really needs a Superman.

4. Iron Man 3 – Jon Faverau’s departure from the director’s chair is sad, but in his place is the brilliant Shane Black who I’m sure will both follow the footsteps made by Faverau whilst bringing his own trademarks to the franchise. Shellhead is finally facing his arch-nemesis in this third instalment, and here’s hoping we’ll actually get a decent final battle in an Iron Man movie.

3. Star Trek Into Darkness – JJ Abrams’ first Trek film converted me from novice to casual fan, and the sequel so far looks to be topping it immensely. Everything looks scaled up and improved, and Cumberbatch definitely fits the shoes of the villain, whoever the hell he’s supposed to be.

2. The World’s End – Edgar Wright has so far yet to do any wrong in my opinion, and whilst his finale to the Cornetto Trilogy has so far remained quite secret it sounds great. That, and once he’s finished this, Wright finally moves onto the Ant-Man movie. Yay!

1. Elysium – District 9 was an absolute revelation and one of the most interesting sci-fi films in recent memory. Neill Blomkamp’s follow-up remains on the top of my list despite the lack of information about it. But with big names like Matt Damon and Jodie Foster attached, and a considerably bigger budget, I’m reasonably confident that we’ll be seeing another sci-fi classic come this September.

Sorry, no movie review this week. The box office was kind of starved this weekend; guess everyone’s afraid to release anything in the wake of Batman. So I thought I’d take this opportunity to quickly go over all of this year’s films I’ve seen so far. Hope this gives you an idea of my taste in film.

Chronicle

A fun new take on the found footage genre and a great way of showing the origin of a supervillain. The creators of this film are great young new talent and I can’t wait to see what they’ll cook up next. 8.5/10

The Woman in Black

Haven’t seen the stage play so I can’t compare, but it works as film on its own. It is genuinly creepy at times and is good start for the return of Hammer. I can’t help but feel that Daniel Radcliffe was miscast, but he does fine with the material. 7/10

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance

Oh, Neveldine and Taylor. You suckered me in once again and crush my hopes in your hands and then spat on them. No amount of brilliant and creative camera work or decent special effects can save this unoriginal, plodding, neutered mess of a movie. Not even Nicolas Cage’s overacting could push this past anything more than mediocrity. 5.5/10

21 Jump Street

Biggest surprise of the year so far. What could have easily been another teen raunchfest is instead a clever, self-referential mash-up of cop and high school movies. It also shows that Channing Tatum has a bright future in comedy if he actively pursues it. 8.5/10

John Carter

While I don’t think it’s the train wreck most make it out to be, it’s far from perfect. The pacing is erratic, it takes far too long to get exciting, and Taylor Kitsch is an uninteresting leading man. However, the visual design and the action scenes push it over the line to make an enjoyable ride if you lower your expectations. 6/10

The Hunger Games

An interesting and enjoyable, if somewhat unoriginal, experience. Jennifer Lawrence continues to prove herself to be an effective leading lady, and the film really creates some large stakes for our main characters to overcome which leads to some genuinely emotional scenes. Now only if they could keep the f***ing camera still! 8/10

The Pirates! In an Adventure With Scientists

While certainly not Aardman’s best work, it is a hilarious movie for both kids and adults. It’s great to see claymation still in use, and who better to do it that the masters of the art. 8/10

Battleship

Where to begin on this one? How about the end? F*** this movie and all its peers. I hope this method of filmmaking dies out before we are subjected to Connect 4: The Movie. 3/10

The Cabin in the Woods

HOLY S***! This movie is awesome! After many delays, this movie finally came out and blew all of my expectations. I can’t say anything without spoiling the experience, but if you love horror-comedies and you haven’t seen this yet, what is wrong with your brain? 10/10

The Avengers

After five years of teasing, the ultimate movie team-up has finally come and it does not disappoint. The film delivers on both the action and the characters, and shows that explosions and massive property destruction doesn’t always mean dumb and obnoxious. Joss Whedon can officially crown himself King of the Nerds for accomplishing what I think no other writer/director could, and I’m anticipating how the guys at Marvel are going to top this. 9.5/10

The Dictator

Sacha Baron Cohen finally moves out of the mockumentary format (or should I say “shockumentary”?) and tries a more traditional approach in this zany comedy. While it lacks the charm of Borat, it still made me laugh consistently and that’s all I was asking for. 8/10

The Raid

Now this is how you do action. One of the most brutal, fast-paced and energetic films I have ever seen. Who cares if the plot here is generic? It’s simply there to set up some of the most interesting and violent hand-to-hand fight scenes ever caught on film. Die Hard, eat your heart out! 9/10

Prometheus

Ridley Scott, you now how to raise our hopes and then make us respond with a confused “ummm…”. Whilst a visual masterpiece and full of interesting ideas and performances (particularly from The Fassbender), the film quickly becomes a somewhat predictable sci-fi horror that seems more interested in raising more questions that answering the ones it initially asked. 8/10

Snow White & The Huntsman

A beautiful visual design and impressive technical display on all fronts is tarnishing by poor pacing and ho-hum performances from the entire cast. It’s very clear Rupert Sanders has no experience in feature films and I think he should stick to what he knows rather than stick his nose in an already crowded business. Could have been so much better in more skilled hands. 7/10

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

Get past the silly premise and you’ll find a film that knows exactly what it is but doesn’t shove it in your face. Benjamin Walker shows serious acting promise in a film that doesn’t exactly call for it, but if you throw out all your sense of logic and physics out the window, you just might enjoy yourself. And seriously, if “horse-throwing” doesn’t become a meme up there with “fridge-nuking”, I will shove it down the Internet’s throat until it does. 7.5/10

The Amazing Spider-Man

Was it too soon to reboot Spider-Man? Maybe. Was this movie made more because Sony wanted to keep the rights rather than because of creative integrity? Possibly. But should that stop the movie from being good. Hell no! This movie captures the Spider-Man I know in a much more mature way that any of Raimi’s movies did (and I still like those). Andrew Garfield is the perfect Peter Parker for our time and his chemistry with Emma Stone is through the roof. Marc Webb proves he can handle the weight of a big budget blockbuster and comes out with a film that will thoroughly entertain despite its problems. 9/10

That’s it for now! Have a good weekend.

Next week: TED