112, Arthur

30 years ago, Dudley Moore reigned supreme as one of the silver screens comedy greats.  Arthur was a movie about a rich singleton, slightly eccentric with a passion for all thing immature and a love of booze, women and frivolous behaviour. 

Then its ultimatum time, marry up or lose everything - To Susan, an up and coming business elite who can run the family business and carry Arthur into his elderly days being kept in the life he is so accustomed, or check out.  No cash, no fortune. 

Constantly shielded by Hobson, the ever present Nanny, Arthur's relationship with his Mother is only a backdrop to the real parenting that comes from this ever loyal employee but, can our demur hero make the right decision to secure his own future happiness?

WOW! What a deep and meaningful description.  So, that's the 1981 version taken care off, now onto the 2011 one.  Well, please see above!

Its almost exact, one of the closest remakes to an original I have ever seen, even down to wearing Abe Lincolns hat in the bath tub.  Except, Hobson has moved from the late great (male) Sir John Gielgud to the ever so heavenly preserved (female) Dame Helen Mirren (who, by the way is by far the best thing in this movie, closely followed by the cars!)  Russell Brand replaced Moore as the British eccentric billionaire and Linda becomes Naomi, previously played by Liza Minelli, now Greta Gerwig.

Now for the brutally honest bit.  It was a bit Cheesy.  Especially the first 20 minutes or so.  Don't get me wrong though, this has Russell Brand written all over it and after reading his Booky Wook 2 recently the lifestyle is pretty well matched to the the man himself and currently, I don't think anyone could have pulled it off better.  But its obvious in my eyes that the only reason it was remade was because Russell Brand exists.  Its definitely not got a single scene with the leading namesake not appearing at some point.

I mentioned that Helen Mirren is the best thing in the movie.  And she SO is!  She switches between snooty Nanny and best buddy seamlessly and loving her as I do, she can look after me any day!

Due to the "lifestyle" portrayed, the movie has scope for the dream lifestyle and this was delivered brilliantly at the end where almost every dream movie car appears in a convey of greatness, even down to a very shiny Mystery Machine.  The Chauffeur, Bitterman is laughably the most visually funny with Brand bagging 99% of the one liner gags, most at the expense of unwanted bride-to-be Jennifer Garner.

Based on my love for all things "Brand" I feel obliged to endorse it.  It might not be every ones cup of tea but it keeps you amused and it tugs the old heart strings along the way.

Garner as a drunk pussy cat is a little scary and Nick Nolte as her dad appears old and frail but fair game to him.

Blog over.  Enjoy.

See this if.....................................its hard to believe that 30 yrs has already passed! but the classics remain.

111, Thor

Thor, God of Thunder and Son of Odin; King of Asgard.  Brother to Loki and keeper of Mjollnir, The Hammer. 

A story of Myth & Legend handed down through the ages, and now forever on the silver screen via Marvel? Who knew Stan Lee is creating Gods now, as if Super heroes were not enough.

Anyway, Here we are in a Hero movie of Historic proportions.  Thor is cast out of Asgard after, on the word of his treacherous brother defies his fathers orders and sets attack to the Frost Giants, an act that sees him wrongly cast out to one of the realms governed by King Odin.  Earth.

In Asgard, Thor is an arrogant dick and its only when he comes to Earth and bumps into Natalie Portman and her mini band of astro-physicists does he mellow out a bit and understand the true meaning that power is earned as with respect and not handed out lightly!

WOW!  This is a great movie.  Natalie Portmans 3rd since Black Swan? (how many movies in a short space of time?.... and she managed to get pregnant along the way!) she is brilliant in this one - definitely more credit worthy than "Your Highness" and hopefully one she wont be embarrassed by, she rocked in this.  The star through and through though is Thor, played by Chris Hemsworth (Home and Away? and Jim Kirks Dad in Start Trek?) is relatively unknown, however with two more movies due out this year, the Thor video game and reprising Thor again in the 2012 Avengers movie there is a bright future for this Aussie Beefcake (Much to my Mrs delight!)

He is very funny when dealing with the human element of Earth with no real understanding his demeanour shines through and coming into contact with things like Tazers and patio doors are laugh out loud funny.  Hollywood elite in the form of Renee Russo and Anthony Hopkins take their roles as Mum & Dad and what Marvel movie would not be complete with the godfather of comics, Stan Lee himself popping up for his guaranteed 3 words in every Marvel Flick.

It cuts between hick U.S town and marble & gold clad Heavens with complete ease and the story jumps around at the start but easily manageable and a joy to watch.

This is a 12 movie, nothing scary - no sex or bad language just great action, special effects and laugh out loud jokes.  Saw it in 2D so cant really comment on if I felt i missed out but the film was great in 2D so my recommendation is not to bother.

Marvel Hero? - Well I did not think so, Stan is working off of someone elses creation here unless Thor was an Avenger (and he probably was in some form or another).  There is a great Iron Man / Stark quip which most may miss but its there and you will be easily forgiven if like me you were convinced that Gerard Butler played on of the Warriors; Three.  It isn't.

See this if...............................................you like your Thunder with a hint of Comedy!

110, Fast Five

Very rarely (with the exception of Crocodile Dundee II) does a sequel outshine its original.  By the time your to installment 5, those movies that have made the distance have normally lost all the original cast, defied all plot logic and are purely expecting attendance based on previous glories (Just watch Police Academy: Assignment Miami to see what I mean).

Luckily, this is about to buck the trend!

Not only did they call back all of the original cast members from all 4 of the previous movies (that who survived at least) but also managed to add some extra big names to the already impressive list to deliver in my eyes what is an awesome movie.

There is no denying that since The Fast and the Furious came out back in 2001 I have had a thing for these movies.  I love the cars, the action, the sheer greatness of the stunts and Messrs Mark Sinclair Vincent & Paul William Walker just seem to get better with age. 

Fair enough, I genuinely feel they only truly shine is these movies, Sadly I don't rate Walker in much else and Vin's showing in the Pacifier was easily forgettable, luckily though he is set to come back in XXX the Return of Xander Cage later this year so look out for that one!

First off then let look at our likely rabble of hoodlums.  We have Dom & Brian along with sister Mia & Vince from movie 1 who make an appearance, then Roman & Tej rock up from the 2nd outing, Tokyo Drift star Han is a pleasing addition and there are some new additions in the form of some comedic Brazilians and a hottie biker chic.  Sadly its missing the lovely Michelle Rodriguez (due to an untimely death in No.4) however she is referenced throughout.  As a crew they seem unstoppable and all play absolute blinders.

Then the backdrop - Rio is awesome.  Fans of C.O.D will instantly recognise the Favellas as our unlikely Heroes bounce of rooftops and rip up back alleys to deliver a mind blowing, jaw dropping action flick that does not let up from start to finish.

Now the Cops / FBI.  Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson looks bigger and tougher than ever as Hobbs, the agent tasked with bringing down Dom & Brian and surprisingly enough, only David from "Numbers" was the other recognisable face.

The action is better than you can expect with chase after fight after chase taking place and the way the director draws you into the action and car chases is breathtaking.

I know movies like this never get the recognition from the Academy or Awards ceremonies but this one should.  Its an all out action entertainment fest - the 2hrs flash past as quickly as the cars in it and the explosions and guns fire off more rounds, both for and against our heroes from end to end.

The comedy element is strong throughout with Roman and Tej bouncing off each other like a modern day Two Ronnie's and the subtitled Brazilians get more laughs than everyone else put together.

I could go on and on about this one but I think this is enough - For me, its got everything I love in a great movie.  Normally by now I would say enough is enough but please please please, make a 6, 7 & 8 - I will keep paying!

See this if...........................................any of the previous films made you smile, this one will blow your socks off!

109, Scream 4

Scream 4 or "Scre4m" as its billed in cinemas is probably the first "horror" movie blogged since this pages inception back in 2009.  There is no particular reason for this only that on the whole, horror's just are not my thing - not that I'm scared (as I man-up for you all) just feel they are repetitive and have the worst story lines, action, budgets etc of modern genres and if like me you like your movies big budget with guns, explosions and cars then Fast & Furious 5 has far much more appeal...........................

However, Scream 1 holds a special little light for me.  Don't know why, maybe its the casting of some of my favourite actors, Neve Campbell, Drew Barrymore (albeit a few moments), Matthew Lillard, Skeet Ulrich etc and most iimportantly, led by Wes Craven this movie kind of poked fun at all horror movies, not in a "Waynes Bros" style way but in a genuine "this always seems to happen" sort of way.

So going back to see Scream 4 after not even remembering if 2 & 3 were any good was like a Horror homecoming back to 1996 and one I was really looking forward too.

It opens brilliantly with great poke at not only its own franchise but that of the Stab movies, based on the factual books written by a fictional character outlining the fictional story that made the first movie factual? - got it - anyway, its tongue in cheek and a few celeb famous faces pop up for a few minutes each before getting their "Drew Barrymore" style exits and this get repeated a few times before the actual movie get going and these are quite funny. 

Whats great though is that the humour continues - there were more laughs than screams from the audience, not that's its not scary but when you are expecting someone to jump out from every wardrobe or leap out from every bush or closed door then when it happens you are ready for it! - the only actual jumpy bit for me was when a car nearly pulled out on a bus - Bet you do too!

So Sid is back, Neve returns to Woodsborough on the anniversary of the original killings, Dewey is now the Sheriff, still with Gail Weathers in tow and this time he has a cute deputy which - in true horror style is reflected in the rest of the cast - gorgeous babes, a few hunks and a couple of geeky movie buffs.

All the specific requirements for a Scream movie are back - even cheesier than before.  As expected - the audience is led to believe Ghost face is certain cast members but is it them really? - MMMWWWHHAA HHAAA HHAA !! (Evil Laugh?) I am not saying who the killer is but its a goodie!

Its not that scary, its quite funny - and I genuinely though an 8" blade through the forehead into the brain would result in instantaneous death, however Anthony Anderson (Who has lost a hell of a lot of weight since Transformers) manages to get out a car, stagger about 10 feet and talk before biting the bullet!  Legend, and that's the only spoiler you are getting.

Roger Jackson returns for a 4th time as "the Voice". Neve still looks fab, Courteney Cox and Arquette are now looking old and the rest of the "college girls" are as hot as you would have expected - yellow bras to boot! and Hayden Panettiere is quite sexy and grown up, even without the cheerleader outfit.

Sadly the Trailer does give away most of who dies and who does not so does Sydney finally get the death that 3 movies so far have yet to manage? Wait and see.

A great end to a franchise of movies (hopefully, no one wants another Saw epic) that have as much as a laugh at horror movies as they can without getting stupid and maintaining a slight element of surprise.

I loved it.

See this if..............................Do you like Scary movies? (Obviously!)

108, Rio

So here is Easter Kids Movie Number 2 and if you been to the cinema at anytime since Christmas by now the Rio "Orange" advertisement is probably driving you insane! Which is why having this movie rammed down my neck twice a week for the past 3 months was wearing thin and I could not wait for it to be over!!

But, its all about the kids and stuff so Orange annoyance aside, I settled down to live out the most anticipated animation of the year so far.

We saw the 2D version, purely as times suited and after seeing it in fully believe the 3D version would actually be quite impressive.  Getting a bit bored of saying this but again, animation and effects were breathtaking so as normal, its all about the voices and cast.

The leads include one of my favourite ladies, Anne Hathaway paired with Social Network & Zombie / Adventure land hero, Jesse Eisenberg who managed to seem even more nerdy and high pitched than normal as his namesake, Rio.

The stars though are Jamie Foxx and Will.I.Am as Nico & Pedro, the all singing, all rapping native birds who help Jewel and Rio escape the evil clutches of Marcel, voiced by Carols Ponce (or for those who don't recognise the name, the Yoga guy from Couples Retreat!) who is great.

The backdrops and music are fantastic, the kids will love it and the story is fast paced and punchy.  Okay, so its still only an animated kids flick and in my eyes, slightly better than Hop but seeing as its Easter, don't choose - take the kids to see both!  oh, and don't forget to buy Harry Potter on DVD this week also.

See this if.........................................There is no escaping this one! Oranges fault, Sorry.

107, The Roommate

When we realised this movie was not playing at Rochester we were gutted! Sadly, Rochester Cineworld is classed as a Family Cinema, so at times like these, Kids films take preference over sometimes better, grown up ones!  Ashford however is not burdened with this requirement so its 12 screens are normally filled with all manner of releases and the odd kids flick so off we went, all 26 miles to see a film both my wife and I had greatly looked forward.

What a disappointment!

All that way for what ended up being a low budget, badly acted rip off of Single White Female! (which by the way is 10 times better)

No famous names worth mentioning unless billy Zane as a pervy fashion lecturer is anything to go by and cheap, less attractive versions of Megan fox and Ferne Cotton taking the lead roles.

I would love to have something positive to say about this one.  Its a cert 15 but in reality, a Stanley blade as a murder weapon and a dodgy shower scene do not make for the ranking, The Hole was scarier! and that was a 12A.

Normally by now I would have checked out the cast on IMDB to try and gauge some element of salvation in previous roles or upcoming movies that would make the Roommate look like a slight discretion on their CV's, however, with the lead role going to Blair from TV series Gossip Girl and the leading man being James in Twilight (slightly more reputable) Billy Zane is still the most recognisable!

Sorry guys, let down and disappointed.

See this if..........................you cant afford a £3 DVD of Single White Female!

106, Hop

Its Easter time and what kind of parent would I be if I did not get dragged along to at least one of the two big Easter Kids releases.  Hop focuses on the life of the son of the Easter Bunny.  EB has been told all his life by his dad that he is destined to take over as the Easter Bunny but when the time actually comes, all EB wants to do is be a drummer!

He escapes from Easter Island to seek his fortune where he meets a down an out bloke who cant hold a job, together and with the help of the Hoff they both realise their own potential, even under threat of capture by the Pink Beret's and what results is a voyage of self discovery and family values!!! Bless.

So, did that make it sound riveting enough for you?  I hope so as with most of the other animations around its hard to fully review them critically as the sounds, visuals etc are always fantastic and Hop is no exception.

Its only in 2D this one so no need to disappoint the kiddies with the cheaper option and as before with other movies, its visually stunning without the requirement for specs and with a great cast and soundtrack it makes this movie one parents wont mind sitting through as well.

Russell Brand and Hugh Laurie are fab as the father / son combo of EB and his dad and the human element, added by James Marsden is cheesy but well played.  But its the voice talents of Hank Azaria (Simpson's) who really takes the credit for the comedy element in the form of Carlos & Phil.  For those of you who don't know, Hank plays a number of voices in the Simpson's, including Chief Wiggum, Apu, Moe, Snake and many more so multiple roles are no new thing to him and with the legendary role as Gargamel in the upcoming Smurfs movie, 2011 & 2012 are going to be epic for him.

The real star of this though is whoever does the drumming.  From the Bongo's to the remix of Dynamite this is some of the best drumming I have heard in a long time.  I did not wait for the credits but whoever you are..........well done.  you made my toes tap constantly throughout.  I thank you!

See this if............................................Easter is the next best Holiday to Xmas!!

105, Source Code

Whats going to be great about this blog is there is absolutely no guarantee of a spoiler!! but that's probably because even after letting it simmer for a few hours I still don't actually get what happens!!!

So its complex, i.e don't see it unless you are completely sobre and have nothing else rolling around inside your mind! - it needs that level of concentration.  Which for me was a little too much to ask after a full weeks work!!

We have our Captain (Gyllenhall) who wakes in a sort of odd chamber / capsule thing, its "Groudhog Day" (or Groudhog 8 minutes) as he keeps re-living the last 8 minutes of a Teachers life on a train, prior to it exploding and blowing everyone up - the mission, find the bomb, bomber and reasons to avoid further catastrophe.  So that's it really.  but how does it work?  Well, that's the source code - an 8 minute window when our time is up that captures the previous moments to the end of our lives, allowing another to re-live them and use them to our advantage - confused?  Good.  Then we get into alternative realities so if you think "Inception" was complicated - this is on another level.

For those who pay attention there may be questions at the end - my wife and I for example left with completely different ideas of what happened - and the car journey home was spent debating each others points across.  Both made sense, but in the end, take from this movie what you want to.  And that's a good thing.

The cast if pretty good - Gyllenhall takes most of the credit along with Michelle Monaghan as his leading lady.  Back at HQ (non-train cast) we have smaller roles from "Up in the Air" female, Vera Farmiga and new(ish) Bond CIA liasion, Felix Leiter - Jeffrey Wright who are standard in their parts.

Add in a dodgy bomber and an America's Got Talent comedian, plus a few normals on the train and that's the cast sewn up.

I not sure if recommending this is a good thing - probably because after reading this back i have confused myself as to whats happens at the end but without telling you my philosophy on the outcome, you see it and mail me with your ideas - if they match then I'm right!  if not - then we both are!!

Its intelligent, well thought out and was a close contender to sucker punch which was also on - I guess the girls from the orphanage will have to wait another few days yet!!

See this if..........................................Its time to engage brain again!!   

104, Faster

So this movie actually came from now where, no trailers, no idea!! I know "The Rock" is starring in the new Fast & Furious movie due out this year but "Faster" on IMDB was labelled as a 2010 release?  anyway, Randomness over and onto the movie.

Firstly Dwayne,  Now back in the WWE for a while all prepping up for Wrestlemania XXVII he is definitely back to his normal uber-muscly self.  He is HUGE in this one, playing an ex-con back robber on the hunt for the gang that ambushed and killed his Brother after a bank raid.  So he's a nasty, but as with the best movie, one we are on side with.  As with Fast 5, he plays a cop but we all know even though he's the good guy we are rooting for Walker & Diesel to get away - and the same with this one.  Yes he's the bad guy but when the "competing" cop assigned to the case turn out to be drug addict, generic loser Billy-Bob Thornton (In the movie that is - Loving the Thornton!) They do seem a little mis-matched.

Luckily there is another card to this deck, a successful British assassin, also assigned to take out Johnson as he starts picking off one by on the crew that originally took him down.

This is a gritty action movie - visually dusty, it is set mostly on the back roads of the more "under developed" USA and that makes this a great backdrop for this movie.  Thornton does not play New york Cop very well but in this he is brilliant.

Now onto the Cars, this could be a great intro to Fast 5 with Dwayne's choice ride being a 1970's Chevelle SS (OMG! Its a beaut!) and the Assassins being a hot Silver Ferrari.  Its easy to name the characters also, yes they have names but they are billed as Cop, Driver, Killer, Guard, Telemarketer, Receptionist etc - the list goes on which make the plot simple.

Cop wants Driver Dead. Killer wants Drive Dead.  Driver wants everyone else Dead.  Easy?  Good.

I really enjoyed it.  The Rock looks awesome and if like me your a true Wrestling fan from days gone by i am about as excited as the Peoples Elbow returning to the big screen as I am the 5th Fast & Furious movie and now I am all revved up and ready for some great Summer Blockbusters to fill the blog space.

There is a great twist at the end of this that some of you may work out, albeit not me!! and its worth it.

If Cars, Guns and a gritty story line are up your street then this is for you.  Think "Payback" but with a bit more meat in it.  That should get in you in the right frame of mind.

I cant really fault it - Loved it.

See this if........................Can you Smeeeeeeeeeeeellllllllllllllllllll what the Rock is Cooking!

103, Limitless

I was lucky enough to get out to see this at a mid-week preview.  No Ad's, busy screen, loving it!!  The lead in this movie is Bradley Cooper.  So far, not a duff movie to his name.  Starting in TV, Bradley appeared in some minor roles, Wedding Crashers / Yes Man until the Hangover in 2009 where in my eyes he launched into greatness.  All About Steve, and The A-Team quickly followed and before we know it he's in everything! and deservedly so - specifically looking forward to The Hangover II due out later this year, Limitless was billed as a big budget, A-List cast with Cooper & De Niro heading Hollywood's finest.

But does it live up to the hype?

Well its good, but I am sure it could have been so much more!  The plot is quick to get going - mystery Drug that enhances brain productivity and the relationship between the main characters is explained early on but it seemed to all come too quickly.

I have moaned before about movies taking their time to get going and this is not exactly the opposite but he appears to go from Zero to Hero in about 5 minutes with no real focus on the climb to greatness.  In the story, the rise happens over 12 days but even so, a bit more of the partying and wealth spreading would not have gone amiss.

The main focus for this movie is once the Money & Skill are obtained, then the focus switches to the trials of keeping it, rather than getting it and the ever present side affects of the drug and others its affected play a heavy part. 

It's a good story and don't get me wrong, its a good movie but I just left the cinema feeling a little cheated.  Cooper has been outstanding in so many other movies and if anything this has probably undervalued him.  De Niro is great as the moneyman and they bounce fantastically off of each other but other than that it came across as a mediocre flick, maybe worthy of a DVD purchase once it hits the bargain bin but nearly £20 on a Blu-Ray?  Nope.

If like my wife, Cooper most definitely floats your boat then you will enjoy it - he is his normal witty, sometimes funny self but as said before - could have done more.

In my eyes his best role to date is as "Face" in the A-Team, a movie I purchased and watch continuously over and over again and he will have to go some to make me think otherwise.  If this is meant as an interim quickie between that and the Hangover II then its done its job - If its supposed to be deemed as a stepping stone to better things then granted, but if this is supposed to be a defining moment in movie history?  Well, its off the mark.

Cooper fan? Then you should watch it.  You will enjoy it for what it is.  If not, don't bother.

See this if........................................You like the Man - not the Movie.

102, The Lincoln Lawyer

Matthew McConaughey (forthwith to be referred to as MM) has had some pretty funny roles to date - although with not much happening since 2008 it was his Tropic Thunder appearance that has relaunched him and with 4 movies set to drop in 2011 we will be seeing a lot more of him very soon - and if this movie is anything to go by, I for one cant wait!

Everybody loves a good Court Room Drama, but most of the time that is all they are - this breaks the mould.  Its a gritty Street movie with a courtroom background.  The Lincoln part of the title refers to MM's car / office.  He travels everywhere in it along with his personal driver and the way clients book appointments seem to be pulling up along side him.

The case this time in question is a battery charge where the accused, Ryan Phillipe who, coming from a wealthy background expects immediate support from our defence attorney but this time MM cant turn a blind eye to whatever the "Facts" may be as the case seems and all too familiar with another from 5 years precious and our Lawyer must battle with his own demons to do whats right!

Cryptic enough? well, sadly I spoiled the ending of Battle: LA for most of you so this time I promise - no spoils!

Marisa Tomei is brilliant as the ex-girlfriend & mother of their daughter, separated due to to work differences (she's the prosecuting attorney) and although keeps alot more clothes on in this than she did in the Wrestler plays a blinder.  The ever young looking Ryan Phillipe plays the spoilt rich kid (again.....Yawn!) but after playing this same role time after time has finally nailed it and comes across conceited, dark and amazing!

The best character in this for me was William H. Macey as the investigator - he is quirky, funny and has madly long hair! but killer moustache aside, he is everyones favourite right had man and although to my knowledge has never held a leading role does what he does better than any supporting actor, ever.

Its gritty, funny & manages to capture the suspense of court alongside some street action and dodgy dealings.  The life of what could easily be any American (under the radar) Lawyer - cash deals, smart, witty and playing the game.

Its a nice break from Sci-Fi and Special Effects and although its not got the presence of "A few good men" the court scenes are captivating and inspiring.

No much to think about - everything gets explained eventually buts I loved it - Good Movie.

See this if...........................You like your legal battles served up nicely with your crime dramas!

101, Hall Pass

Most of us are nearly there - middle? aged men who still honestly believe we have all the pulling prowess we did 20 years ago! 

Well, some of us might however if the belly is getting wider, the hair is getting thinner and the musical tastes are appearing dated then chances are if we hit the clubs in the true light of day, making a bee line for the first hottie under 25 we would (sadly) come across as old, desperate pervs!! And that's the beauty of this movie. 

It takes a group of married, middle aged men who constantly ogle younger women, sometimes in direct view of their extremely tolerant wife's, unbeknown to them that they know....we think they don't know, but they know.

So, after a meet and greet where the wife's just end up laughing at the attempts of their over confident and under impressionable other halves trying to casually check out other women without being noticed that its agreed a "Hall Pass" is in order - it does not come lightly as its a "week off" from Marriage, a chance to get back out in the big wide world, free from responsibility or regret and sow whatever oats need a sowing before settling back into the rest of their lives.

And its exactly as you'd expect, Lots of man-gags. 

Day 1 - A lust of wine and steak in preparation for a night of clubbing and debauchery leaves them tired and exhausted by 9.30pm and by Day 2 its X-Box and video gaming that take preference. Day 3 and with half the week left the chat up lines taken from "how NOT to chat up Women" are going down like lead balloons.  Day 4 & 5 pass with no real danger of our guys getting any action, infact - if these guys did ever get approached they would probably miss the signs anyway. 

But when the cats are away its the mice who seem to be getting the attention with the Wife's spending a week with family seeming to get more attention then they bargained for and without knowing it are attracting a following of buff guys who are revelling in their mature beauty.

There is far more in this blog on the story than normal but I am sure they have captured this brilliantly.  Yes, as a race of middle aged, slightly bloated guys we feel we still could have any girl we wanted but come across cheesy and old whilst on the other hand, our lovely women who probably don't get enough compliments and time spent on them can easily pick up Mr Dreamy with just a small eyelash flutter and some vibrant lippy!

There are a few laugh out loud moments that are as disgusting as they are funny - take specific note to the Bathroom and Sauna scenes and the cast, which include Owen Wilson, Jason Sudeikis, Christina Applegate & Jenna Fischer are okay in the leading roles. 

For me its the smaller part actors that steal the show - Stephen Merchant is laughably the best with his Brit Geeky persona shining through in this and hang around after the credits for a 5 minute chuckle fest that is not to be missed.

The cert 15 rating is backed up by some full on nudity on both male and female parts and a certain scene will have the guys feeling inadequate and proud at the same time!!

Its toilet humour with a great moral.

See this if...........................................You think you could still be "The Man!" before reality kicks in.

100, Battle: Los Angeles

There is nothing, absolutely nothing I like better at the cinema than a great Sci-fi flick. 

Since my early years I have been enthralled by alien movies right back to Alien, Predator etc.  I don't know why, but if done right they are amazing - Independence Day is one of my all time favourite movies and last year we were given Monsters & Skyline which in my eyes, both failed to impress on epic levels.  Even a few years back with District 9 I have felt no one has actually made a great alien movie since Smith and Goldblum used a virus to take out a mother ship.

So - When I first started seeing the trailers for this a few months back I started to get a little sweaty with anticipation that my faith and love of this genre was soon to be restored.  Also, the humans should win which sadly we have failed to do at the cinema recently so whats the point!!

Luckily I was not wrong - Battle: Los Angeles is an epic, action fuelled roller coaster of an Alien movie with an invasion of earth that beats anything you will have ever seen on the screen before. 

The special effects are mind numbingly spectacular and performances from Aaron Eckhart, Michelle Rodriguez and Ne-Yo (who was actually brilliant) made this movie not just visually stunning but an acting masterclass as well.

Its not too scary, not too jumpy and the U.S Marines certainly kick ass against a formidable opponent.  What I will say is that after the other two disasters from last year this was a fabulous breath of fresh air!

Every baddie alien race needs a mother ship and this has followed Independence Day brilliantly with the unknown species positioning itself over the globes major cities with a structured, organised attack with an aim to colonise the world and take advantage of the water available, making Earth with a 70% land / water ratio one of the only planets worth attacking.

The aliens are awesome, like before - organic matter with strong shielding and the ships and weaponry are beyond comprehensible.

It takes wit, bravery and determination in the face of almost certain destruction to be victorious and Eckhart and his band of warriors face danger like a dog on heat, striving to keep pushing forward and eventually, stand victorious.

Okay, so that may be a little spoiler but I'm an old fashioned movie buff who loves a happy ending and you all should know, this is a great Alien invasion movie so don't panic - you wont be wasting a penny!

The action kicks in before the screen has even faded up at the start and then its about 15 minutes of introduction before the remaining 2hrs movie really takes hold.  I had sweaty palms, aghast expression and even the annoying oiks behind me faded into nothingness as I watched, captivated from start to finish.

It definitely has its tragic moments and the "will they/wont they" situations are scattered vigorously between moments of rest bite, but its non-stop throughout and I totally loved it.

If you have been disappointed in Monster / Alien movies since the late 90's then pack up your popcorn and go and see this NOW - before it goes into the minor auditoriums.  Screen 1 - Go Tonight!

See this if...............................................Deep down, you know we should always win!!

99, Rango

OMG!!!  100 Movie Blogs.  Never thought I would make it.  Doing the math that's £850 on movie tickets, £200 on M&M's and about £255 on Cappuccino's.  (Or £243 with the cineworld pass!! - a bargain!)

So, what illustrious movie gets to be No.100 - Well, as you guessed its a kids movie but one that's a little different.

Jonny Depp never really does anything normally, even when given the lead in a the new animations its always a little darker and devious that say Gnomeo & Juliet or Toy Story 3.  Yes, Characters die, Yes, There is almost some swearing, Yes there are bats, snakes, spiders and a dodgy Turtle and Yes, Kids under 8 may be a little jumpy but on the whole its a thumbs up.

Rango is a pet Lizard (Chameleon) who, after a car crash ends up with his travel tank bouncing out a back window of a car travelling down the expressway of the Mohave Desert and our house lizard has to fend for himself with the real wild animals of the hot, drought ridden city of Dirt.

Depp is brilliant in this and adopts a voice style similar to that of legendary creations of Jack Sparrow & The Hatter - He is one of my favourite character actors and seems to only get better and better.

Reading down the cast list the names may not be that familiar the faces definitely are with the other lead being held up beautifully by Isla Fisher and secondary roles including Ray Winstone & Bill Nighy, believe me - the list goes on.

Its a little dark and I did feel about 3/4 of the way though it was becoming a bit drawn out, however you cannot fault the animation - its brilliant and its not been sucked into feeling the need to be done in 3D.  This shows that you can stay old school and still be visually awesome.

The music saw the same feeling bestowed upon me the fist time I led John Marston into Mexico over the Rio Grande (Red Dead Fans will know what I mean) and that subtle guitar is constant throughout with a quad of Mexican owls narrating our story from start to finish. 

There is plenty to keep the kids entertained throughout as Rango himself is hilarious as the wannabe sheriff, pitting more luck than judgement against some local town nasties until a plot, not too distant from that of the 3 Amigos reared its head and our average Joe has to take a real stand!

To be honest - and I have said this before - it did seem a little long for an animation but I think this needs to be thought of in a different light - Think more along the lines of a True Grit for the younger generation with some added talking animals and a cameo from who I completely believed to be Clint Eastwood until the credits roled.

A Wild West adventure that is a million times better than Wild Wild West (although most things are) and one that your beloved youngsters will watch from behind a pillow.  Its not that scary really!

So,  Depp fans will love it and the animation is some of the best 2D I have ever seen.

See this if.......................................animation does not always have to be sweet!!!

98, Unknown

I am trying to do my best not to make this the worlds shortest ever movie review!!  The reason for this is if I start actually chatting about the film, plot etc I may mistakenly give away one tiny detail of what happens and that would be unforgivable as the movie itself deserves every ounce of secrecy I can bestow upon it.

But Why? - Well, in my eyes there are a few movies in my lifetime that you would only ever watch once.  Not because they are not fantastic, on the contrary they are awesome - however once the twist is discovered they lose every ounce of the "edge of the seat" suspense that made them great in the first place.  Much like a one hit wonder, We listen to it once, love it - then put it into an archive, to be fondly remembered for the rest of time.

This is what Unknown does.  It is an absolutely fantastic film.  Liam Neeson just gets better and better and after roles in Taken & The A-Team I am convinced it will be awhile before he does a crap one!!  The rest of the cast is also superb as is the suspense and action throughout.

But I am resigned to staying tight lipped in relation to the plot and the ending.  You have to watch it while its at the cinema because if you fork out £15 on the Blu-Ray you will only end up watching it once and it will do nothing after but gather dust!!! 

Remember Sixth Sense? - Great movie but how many times have you seen it? - Whats the point? Plot spoiler takes the suspense out of it and seeing as its all about the finale build up, once known - it loses its appeal. 

Although what I will say is don't panic - Neeson is not dead!!

So - not so much a blog about this movie but what it stands for - see it to believe it - very gripping.

See this if..............................You nails need a' biting!

97, Drive Angry

Every now and again the best of us needs an escape!!  Being male, that normally involves a movie that's got guns, over the top action, random obscenities from the outset, nudity, sex (lots of sex), more guns, the devil and finally - awesome muscle cars.  tie that all in with an 18 cert so we know it will be done properly.

And so not be be gender specific - I know there are girls out there who this appeals to as well!!

If I said Drive Angry had all of the above then I would not be far wrong.  Yes the plots a bit dodgy, Nic Cage escapes from Hell to track down a cult leader who killed his daughter and kidnapped his granddaughter while the Devil send along his right hand man to bring him back.

The Devils helper is after Cage, Cage is after the cult and the cult are about to sacrifice the baby which is where the movie climaxes in an all out battle of Evil, Vs, Evil Vs, Evil.?

The Quote "The enemy of my enemy is my friend" kind of rings true in this and once the Devils Helper finds out the reason for Cage's escape gives him a little slack in pressing for a return to Hell and although does not directly get involved, has a slight helping hand in Cage doing the right thing.

so, the Sex, nudity and swearing is constant and pretty much throughout - which is actually pretty cool!!!  Cage is his normal, monotoned, dreary self with a dry wit a fast mouth but its William Fichtner (The Devils Accountant) and Amber Herd (Hot, Steamy accomplice) who well and truly steal the show.

Yes there are some dreadful one-liners, yes there is gratuitous sex and swearing that may seem out of place but its an 18!! and with that nowadays comes a level of un-required explanation as to why its there - it just is!!

So, Male / Female? - If I had to pick it would a Guy's movie but one with a possibility slight likability from the ladies in your life.  If watching blond barmaid's bouncing on Nic Cage floats your boat!! ;-)

Its a little tacky, but The cars rock!! and the sheer arrogance of the Accountant as well as his sheer power makes him extremely warming, even though he is the bringer of souls but that's whats cool about it, Maybe Hell could be cool with this guy in charge.  Amber has been in everything from The O.C to Zombieland and is rumoured to be in the new TV series, Playboy so being a real life hottie / bi-sexual might be one of her many talents exposed - along with two more that easily spring to mind!!!

The 3D is pretty good - there are a few "leap out" moments and Cage is plain old Cage - don't expect anything different.

I loved it - Hopefully you will too but only if you leave your dignity at the door!!

See this if............................................Queen said it best...."I want to break Free!!!"

96, I Am Number 4

Hands up who like superhero moves?...ME!  Hands up who though this was one?...ME

But its definitely not so pay attention!!!

Like you, I watched this trailer and thought that our young hero, previously only really famous for appearing in Storm breakers was some kind of Superman for a new millennium.

In reality, he's on the run from a group of badly tattooed villains from his home planet, seeking asylum on Earth with a warrior / protector and a lizard / puppy / big nasty pit bull monster for company.
(You will see what I mean!)

Plots simple, 1,2 & 3 have been hunted down and killed - Number 4 is next and to gain strength he has to identify his true powers and track down 5,6,7,8 & 9.  In this movie, only Number 4 & 6 turn up (but 6 is pretty hot!) which leaves room for a Police Academy's worth of sequels if they want too!

I wont lie, the first hour is pretty slow - its all about getting to know our hero, getting to know his powers and  jumping from town to town until he meets a girl that makes him want to stay and fight rather than run and hide.

The lead is played by Alex Pettyfur who as mentioned above is relatively unknown but for me it was "Die Hard 4" & "Hitman" legend Timothy Olyphant and the lesser recognisable Kevin Durand (Frank Dukes / Blob from Wolverine / Little John from the new Robin Hood) that steal the A-list limelight.

And Kevin is hilarious as the evil Alien commander.

This film has its chuckles, its sexy chicks and its slightly scary moments allowing it the same 12a Rating given to "The Hole" which in my eyes should have been a 15.

Number 6 (played by Teresa Palmer / Violet from Bedtime Stories) easily matches Pettyfur's male presence for eye candy and we have the expected Nerd, Homecoming King & geeky girl all in tow as well.  Imagine Twilight for the Ferris Bueller Generation?

Although a slow starter the story keeps you interested and entertained as Number 4, aptly given the generic name of John Smith learns his true meaning in life and experiences slight humour in discovering his powers.  Basically, he is hidden from a destroyed planet with the hope of rebuilding it at some point.

Granted, he is no Superman but I really enjoyed this movie and think by leaving it open for a few sequels may spawn a pretty good trilogy - although nothing appears planned so far!!

Its the last 40 minutes when the pace really kicks off and then its non stop action, explosions and awesome fight scenes right up until the credits.  Kevin Durand is awesome as the High Commander (I know, already said that!), seeking out Smith and with the "gill" like nostrils and slightly sarcastic sense of humour, along with not quite getting Earths take on reality he makes for a great baddie.

Maybe not one for the under 13's due to a slightly jumpy ghost train scene, this movie was a little ray of unexpected happiness - a bit of a dark horse and definitely a must see.

See this..............................you believe its not only Marvel & DC who can create Heroes!

95, Paul

To understand this film properly mean understanding the real Pegg & Frost.

They are genuine Sci-Fi geeks who have not only managed to capture what an alien movie is should really be all about but have tipped their cap to a number of front runners before then and if you look carefully, there are plenty of Star Wars references.  Two that immediately spring to mind is the music that the band are playing in the roadhouse - instantly recognisable, and secondly and not so easy to spot is the Han-Solo reference, shooting the intercom after breaking into the death-star - that's in here too.

There are nods also to Star-Trek, Alien and a great E.T conversation with Spielberg - watch out for them - I am sure there are more that I missed!!

And that's the beauty of this - this is not just some random Hollywood studio making an alien comedy - its two genuine sci-fans who have made this movie a true labour of love, aimed specifically at people just like them and its works brilliantly.

As far as plot goes its pretty basic - Two best (British) friends are on a road trip - taking in the Comic-Con (which I would love to go too) and then heading to some alien hot spots, ending in Roswell.

On-route they bump into Paul, a little green man who has been held in a facility for the best part of 60 years - unbeknown to us the government and Hollywood have used him for ideas and merchandise over time but now, with the help of a government mole he has escaped and uses Pegg & Frost to assist in getting him home.

I have recently criticised Seth Rogan as being the same character over and over, a Stoner / Dude who swears and seems to be cast in the same no-brainer role time after time - so surprise surprise when once more he is playing a smoking, weed loving, swear box of a character however this time its a little different - being a 4ft green alien somehow warms you back to Rogan and I am afraid to say that I don't think anyone could have done this any better.  He is funny, witty and loud and the reason this movie was rated a 15 is purely down to the swearing - which is excessive but funny with it.

Pegg & Frost are on fine form but ever since Spaced I am convinced they have not put a foot wrong, definitely together but even on solo exploits with Frost in "The Boat that Rocked" and Pegg in Star-Trek, MI3 and the currently in production MI4 they are my English heroes and I love them dearly!!

There are some great cameos in this though, Jason Bateman and Sigourney Weaver put in cracking, funny performances and Kristen Wiig as the Darwin hating, god loving disbeliever is hilarious.  Jane Lynch from Glee pops up for a few minutes in a role that could only have been written for her and finally, Bill Hader (who is also rumoured for Ghostbusters III next year along with Weaver) is laugh out loud funny as one of the bumbling FBI Agents.

Stay through the credits for some extra giggles but predominately if you love Sci-fi and the comic books that stem from the late 70's onwards then this movie is definately for you.

Play the game - look for the old movie references and make a point of pointing them to your partner when they pop up, most probably to her annoyance as I did!!

Not a bad word.  Great movie.

See this if.......................................................Sci-Fi RULES!!!

94, Gnomeo & Juliet

Possibly the oddest movie I have ever seen, this has taken a Shakespeare classic, already filmed a dozen times and re badged it with Gnomes!!

Actually, the story is pretty true to the original - two warring Neighbours, Capulet and Montague live in Verona Road.  One is a dedicated Red, the other Blue and this is mirrored in their house paint, garden layout and Gnome selection.  So, everyone knows the plot - star crosses lovers etc so basically this is all going to boil down to the cast and animation.

Animation first, its good - Very good.  The 3d is pretty impressive throughout and as I mentioned with Tangled, its going to be very hard nowadays to pass off a poor animated movie.

Plus its very funny - pretty much from the outset.  The comedy comes from Lucas and Jensen as well as the Flamingo, who was the only unrecognisable name for me (although after a bit of research he has voiced more cartoons than you would actually believe and is the voice of many a famous animated creation including Tigger & Pooh, Dick Dastardly, Taz & even Shredder from T.N.M.T!!)

And that leads me onto the rest of the cast list.

Firstly, Elton & David Produce and Executive Produce this movie with what I assume is Elton's production company behind it.  Its riddled with Elton tracks and even a gnome version of the rocket man himself pops up for a quick "Your song" rendition.

Ready, Here goes.............James McAvoy, Emily Blunt, Maggie Smith, Michael Cane, Jason Statham, Matt Lucas, Ashley Jensen, Ozzy Osbourne, Stephen Merchant, Patrick Stewart, Julie Walters, Richard Wilson and Hulk Hogan!!! all I can say is that's a lot of salaries to cover so I hope this goes well!!!

Its a stellar movie, and its actually only 75  minutes long so just as you have worked out who everyone is, its over!! which is not a bad thing - because its so quick it does not feel drawn out and you would expect that with that many names they would have strung it out for maximum effect.  In reality, it takes a classic story, adds in a few comedy characters including a Ninja Juliet!! and makes adults and kids of all ages smile!!

Sometimes its nice to be in and out of a cinema in less than 90 minutes - plenty of the night left, kiddies happy and home in time for NCIS!!

Half Term is coming, its this and/or Yogi Bear so splash out this holiday and take them to see both!!

See this if.........................................Kids are driving you mad!!!

93, True Grit

I have never been a Western kind of movie buff.  I know they have been around since cinema pretty much began and drew some of the biggest audiences but recently its just not been my bag.  I might be wrong here but I think the last Western to hit the big screen was the "3.10 to Yuma" but alas I missed it.  The last one I saw and loved was Tombstone with Kurt Russell and since then either they have not been around or I have just avoided them.

So, how was True Grit going to be, well for a remake of a supposed John Wayne classic I was utterly blown away from start to finish!!

This is a Cohen brothers Movie and captures all of the essence of an old school Western.  There are no signals, (barring the modern cast etc) that this film is not from the classic age.  The un-educated cowboys who are constantly put in their place by an extremely well spoke 14 year old girl who wants to track down her fathers killer.

A Nice and simple plot, a great cast and some on-liners that make you chuckle along merrily that are mixed in with a close up "shooting in the face" and some hacked off fingers.

You have cowboy violence and a jovial road trip all in one place and even for those of you who, like me normally avoided Rawhide as a kid you should be easily impressed with this one.

Jeff Bridges is brilliant - drunkard, eye-patched and moody he speaks in an almost confusing tone with Matt Damon being about as different as you will ever see him.  Josh Brolin is only really in it for a short while towards the end but in this its the performance of Hailee Steinfeld that steals the show.

She is brilliant - holding her own easily against the big names that this movie attracted and doing it with a touch of class.  Hats off to you Steinfeld.  Well played.

This does not necessarily mean I am going to go out and buy as many Westerns on DVD as I can find with a new love of the genre but if another one comes out I certainly wont be too hasty to dismiss it as previously I would have.  An epic.........No, But a good cowboy movie, Yes.

And a far better title than the soon to be released Cowboy's & Aliens!!

Very much approved.

See this if.................................................you ever wanted to be a Cowboy (or Cowgirl!!)

92, Just Go With It

I was slowly getting to the point in my life where all Adam Sandler Movies seem to be the same, over and over again!!

Okay so maybe the locations and leading lady's change but normally he plays a single, rich laid back dude who ends up winning over a mum and her kids etc etc etc, So I was not entirely surprised when this one turned out to be more or less the same thing as above until I realised that this one is actually an extremely laugh out loud funny movie!!!

Rich dude uses a story of a "pretend" wife who beats him as a ploy to get hot girls after a bad marriage encounter.  Sandler then meets a potential match winner and she discovers the "family lie" but wants to hear its over from the non-existent wife.  In launches Aniston as his PA/Receptionist pretends to be the extremely high maintenance ex and mistakenly manages to rope the kids into it as well.

We end up on a huge vacation to Hawaii with a German Dolph Lundgren in tow (the funniest guy in the movie and luckily, not the real Dolph!) an extremely sexy girlfriend, a stunning Aniston who proves you don't need to be 23 to look amazing, 2 hysterical kids and a sensational tongue in cheek cameo from Nicole Kidman sending herself up something chronic.  Add in a "blink and you will miss it" Sean William Scott right at the very end and this is an absolutely side splitting film.

The jokes are old, the girls wear very little and Sandler just does not look "good looking" enough to pull a muscle, let alone the Aniston / Decker combo but its the Kids and the Cousin who steal all the comedy in this one.

The daughter is hilarious as the fake English boarding school kid and Sandler's cousin playing a dodgy German does not get a straight line in the whole charade.

There is no defining moment - it IS predictable but it does not matter, the title says it all.  Leave your brain and logic tucked up in bed, get in the car, go to the cinema and Just go with it!!!

See this if.................................................Rachel was your favourite "Friend"

91, The Fighter

So I am falling a bit behind, sorry.  I only realised this when I got to the cinema and there were 6 releases not yet seen so will try and catch up.  1st - The Fighter.

I did not know what to expect with this one.  Was it going to be "Rocky Returns?" Well, not exactly.

This film is wholly based around a true story focusing on the lives of 2 brothers.

The movie opens with a film crew following around Micky Ward and his older brother Dicky Eklund.  We are led to believe its to track the comeback fight of once local hero Eklund (Bale) who hit the big time once by putting down Sugar Ray Leonard.  In the background is the younger brother (Wahlberg) a two bit fighter who practically is the lap dog to the Mum and 7 sisters of the apocalypse (you will see what I mean).

In reality - HBO are not tracking the comeback fight but the effects of Crack, an addiction that has Bale hooked and relatively overlooked and ignored by his family.

It takes Amy Adams to show Wahlberg that there is bigger and better opportunities out there than dodgy back-hand fights set up by his family and after an all out rumble with police, it takes the incarceration of Bale for Wahlberg to find his true self and start to hit the big time.

So - plot sorted.  Now the characters.

This movie is all about the performances.  They are some of the best I have seen in years.  Initially, Bale comes across as a complete dick.  He is unrecognisable as the crack addict Eklund and the mannerisms, accent and sheer presence is jaw dropping.  Its only right at the very end of the movie, when the credits role and you see a brief interview with the real brothers that everything falls into place - at this time you understand that Bale not only captured the look and attitude of the real Eklund but got it so spot on that you could hardly tell the difference.  Awesome!

Now Amy, again - almost unrecognisable with barely any make up, she stands strong and proud against the warring clan of mother and seven sisters, defending her man and making him see that he is trapped by a close nit family who's focuses are on the lesser talented and drug addicted older brother.  A new side to her and one she does with true presence.

Every one's heart goes out to the dad in this - seeing the truth but too scared to stand up against the female clan!!  He gets his moment of glory and the "escape"  in the van is one of a few laughs this movie gets.

This is a moving true story - one that tugs on the heart strings and is a battle of family vs. career.  Whats right and whats good.  Bale is phenomenal.  Mark Wahlberg, another solid performance.

The only drawback - it must be a British thing but a lot of the dialogue seemed mumbled which was right for the story, location & accents but not so great to listen too.

There has not been a great Boxing movie since Rocky and before you ask, 2 3 4 & 5 don't count!

So, Boxing fan or not - there is very little action in the ring but when it comes - it is filmed in the "TV" style and makes for a great atmosphere - plus, its well shot and captivating but there is so much more to this movie.  This is a story two brothers, a heap of ugly sisters, an understated but still hot Amy Adams and some cameos from the real people involved (the cop/coach is the real guy who trained the real Micky Ward, Mickey O'Keefe!!)

Stay through the credits and it will all make sense.

See this if...................................you want to be inspired!!!

90, Sanctum

There are two types of people in this world.  The first, well they will be the ones who do this - memorised by the beauty of the underworld, dreaming of getting down there and diving, climbing and traversing - feeding their adrenaline fuelled lifestyle and always looking for the next adventure.

Then there is the other kind.  My kind.  The kind who go to the cinema and watch other people diving, climbing and traversing and watch in amazement at the sheer madness of these intrepid adventures.

But, for those armchair wannabe explorers is Sanctum a good way to pass the time?

Hell Yeah!!

I thought this would be yet another disappointing 3D movie with a dull story line - I mean, trapped in a cave? come on - how is that exciting but how wrong could I be!!

The plot is simple, an expedition to the awesome Esa-Ala caves in the south pacific goes horribly wrong when a tropical storm hits, blocking the only way out - the mission, go through uncharted territory to find an alternative route to safety.

And that's it! All through the film you are guessing who is going to get out?, who dies and how? and don't panic, no spoilers here - its just too gripping to give anything away.

As for the 3D - I was completely blown away, its amazing.  The depth of the caverns is truly caught on camera and for me, the best 3D movie yet and probably for a while to come.

Cameron manages to mix jaw dropping action with trouser wetting suspense and you are constantly just expecting something else to happen, which it often does.

For me to watch this just confirms my praise for those intrepid explorers who do this for work and pleasure, you have guts and deserve glory - and I can confirm, there is no way on earth I would put myself in these situation.

Only a few familiar faces in this one but it does not matter an inch - I was hooked and for a James Cameron film to last less than 2hrs - well it get to the action quickly, and does not let up.  Before you know it its over and you wonder where the time went.

I cant praise this any further - Its a great, captivating, beautiful movie with awesome acting, special effects and settings.

See this if..................................you're prepared to have your breath taken away.

89, Tangled

For those of you that read this blog expecting a critical analysis of the movie in question, detailed, precise and accurate then I will apologise in advance.

My own personal preferences on this one are going to be ignored and completely overlooked and if you want a critics review, check out Radio 1.  So what exactly am I going to write?

Well - its a celebration.

This is Disney's 50th full animation picture.  All those years since Steam Boat Willie puffed onto the Silver Screen, Disney have been delighting audiences world  wide - each time leading advancements in animation and technology and here we are, 2011 and Disney's take on the classic story of Rapunzel.

So can I argue the animation? - of course not!! with the competition from Dreamworks & Pixar constantly battling down then door its going to be tough trying to get a movie made that does NOT look awesome!!!

So lets talk the 3D - its really good!!! even the Lanterns might draw a tear from the hardest of you!!

The cast - Brilliant - Disney have once again made a character, this time a chameleon (even without voice!) steal a show with its eyes, emotion and tongue?  As for the voices - look out for a Hellboy (Ron Pearlman) appearance as one of the Stabbington Brothers and the main 3, (all predominantly TV actors) are smooth, funny and........well, Disney!

So for a non-critical blog I am starting to get a little critical!!  Okay, so in my opinion its not as laugh out loud funny as I thought it would be but please don't let that put you off.  Its not for you............its for your kids - and they will love it over and over again.

Disney captures amazing animation, great 3D & toe tapping tunes like it does time after time and the stars of this one are easily the wannabe dreamers (you will know who they are) - even though one does sound very much like Vin Diesel (but alas, its not).  Just picture him in an all singing / all dancing number in the tavern and this alone should put a grin upon your face!

Celebrate February in style - take the kids to see Tangled - Its the first time Rapunzel has made the big screen and the "added" plot lines, inserted to beef out a relatively short tale make this a wonderful family movie.

Definitely go for the 3D - don't be cheap!

See this if...................................Disney ever made you smile!!! at any age. :)