Love and Other Drugs

While Love and Other Drugs starts out as a light-hearted romcom, starring Anne Hathaway and Jake Gyllenhaal, it soon turns to something more serious.

The good news is that Jake and Anne are accomplished enough to handle the turn in mood expertly. The bad news is that the story uses a terminal illness as the catalyst for a change in the pair’s casual relationship, which always leaves one feeling slightly nauseated. Seriously – do people really find certain death romantic?

Like I said, Jake and Anne manage to save the script from being complete mush, but still prepare yourself for a) some romantic clichés and b) a few wrist-slitting, heart-wrenching moments between the lovers as they try come to terms with their elephant in the room.

Rating: 3 outta 5.

Tangled

In the modern-day, Disney-animated version of Rapunzel, the handsome prince is actually a petty thief called Flynn, and Rapunzel is a self-sufficient young woman who uses her wily hair to capture him when he tries to seek refuge in her tower.

There’s a dashing white horse, a chameleon, an evil momma and, of course, a daring rescue and lots of other twists and turns, all making this my favourite animated film of the year so far. Pure, unadulterated fun!

Rating: 4/5

Nowhere Boy

This movie is about John Lennon but it is not about his meteoric rise to fame as part of the Beatles.

Loosely based on a memoir written by his sister, the story tracks John’s upbringing in a grey and uninspiring Liverpool, as well as his complicated relationship with his mother and aunt. Although we get glimpses of the future Beatles and a smidgen of insight into their creative genius, the film is by no means a bio of their collective history. More than anything this is merely the first chapter in the tome of an extraordinary life.

Rating: 3 outta 5.

Splice

Two scientists use human DNA to make something that looks like a cross between a rat and a Chucky doll. As all the previous films in the same category have taught us, this is not a good idea. When will these silly people learn? Yawn.

Rating: 1 outta 5.

Burlesque

The stars of this film are Cher (looking as questionable as ever) and Christina Aguilera. Straight men should be hearing warning bells and running for the hills round about now.

Despite the hype and Golden Globe win last Sunday, this is essentially just another dance movie playing out in the background of a really long Christina Aguilera music video. Now there’s nothing wrong with this; Christina is a pretty impressive performer, and which woman and gay man doesn’t love a good burlesque routine? Just don’t expect any mind-blowing originality to equal the likes of Chicago or Moulin Rouge. If you keep your expectations around the Step Up or Coyote Ugly mark, you’ll love every minute.

Quite simply, apart from the song and dance there is nothing original, racy or even sexy about this movie. How terribly family friendly of Hollywood…

Rating: 3 outta 5.

The Next Three Days

Director Paul Haggis is the genius behind awesome films like Crash and Million Dollar Baby, so it was a bit of a shock when I discovered he was responsible for this very average action-thriller. By average I really mean neither here nor there; neither good nor bad.

Russell Crowe plays a teacher whose perfect family life is shattered when his wife is arrested for the murder of her boss. Knowing with certainty that she didn’t do it, Crowe becomes increasingly desperate when she is sentenced to 20 years in prison. So what does any loving husband do? Well, plan a prison break, of course. Yeah… A school teacher planning a prison break that even Michael Scofield would be proud of? You can see where the believability factor falls flat on its face.

Unfortunately for most of this film common sense is left at the front door. This doesn’t, however, ruin everything – you’ll still enjoy the adrenalin rush.

Rating: 3 outta 5.

Made in Dagenham

Dagenham, England, 1968: Women at the Ford Motor Company decide it’s high time they start being paid the same as their male counterparts. Egged on by their union rep, the women push Rita (Sally Hawkins) to become their reluctant spokesperson and face of the struggle, which of course comes with its own set of problems.

Rita, however, sticks to her guns and becomes the catalyst for some history-making equality. It’s a story we’re all aware of, but the film tells it with such passion and conviction that you’ll feel like you’re on the sidelines cheering the ballsy women on. A brilliant movie with a lot of heart.

Rating: 4 outta 5.

Gun

Movies like this actually make me want to vomit. As the title suggests, it’s two hours of screen time filled with an obscene amount of guns of all shapes and sizes, and the idiot merchant peddling them. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the idiot glorifying these life-robbing machines is rapper 50 Cent. Yup, the same 50 Cent who was shot nine times. Seems the irony escaped him.

Not only is the glorification of guns infantile and irresponsible, it’s also unnecessary in a time when kids are taking guns to school and killing each other. Ok, speech done. I would encourage everyone to NOT watch this disgusting garbage.

Rating: 0 outta 5.

Hereafter

Maybe death isn’t something you think about, or maybe it’s something that’s always on your mind. Either way, at some point we’re all going to peg, which makes this movie – essentially posing the question: What happens after we die – universally relevant.

Directed by Clint Eastwood, the film revolves around a psychic called George (Matt Damon), who is desperate to escape his “talent” and become a nobody. Unfortunately the dead, and a handful of other key characters, have other plans for him. All struggling with death in their own ways, the characters are introduced separately and eventually all tie together in the end. Their stories are real, tender and gripping, and Matt Damon is unsurprisingly brilliant in this complex role. The film doesn’t pretend to offer definitive answers to life’s greatest question, but invites you to quietly ponder the ideas set forward. Absolutely fantastic.

Rating: 5 outta 5.

Easy A

Now here’s a teen flick with the sass and wit of old-school classics like Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Clueless.

Instead of inane bitchiness between the cheerleaders, or the ugly girl who gets a makeover and consequently the football hottie, this film focuses on the striking Olive (Emma Stone), who decides to pretend she’s sleeping with one of her friends who just happens to be gay but doesn’t want anyone to know. Of course when a few other nerds and social outcasts hear what Olive has done, they ask her to do the same with them, instantly giving them the stamp of approval from the cool kids.

The downside is that Olive is labelled a slut, and the word spreads. Luckily though the plot doesn’t fall into the ridiculous at this point – it only gets funnier. A kick-ass addition to the teen movie hall of fame.

Rating: 4 outta 5.

Secretariat

I was sceptical about this film. Another racehorse movie? Wasn’t Seabiscuit enough for one lifetime? Seems I was wrong.

Yes, the movie is about a phenomenal and legendary racehorse called Secretariat, but a cheesy Hallmark movie it is not. Not only is the story truly astounding, but it has heart too. Put this together with a fantastic cast and up-close-and-personal camera work and you’ve got a dark horse, so to speak. As much as you try resist it, you will find yourself enjoying this movie way more than you thought you would.

Rating: 4 outta 5.

Skyline

This is one of those movies where the trailer is way better than the actual full-length feature. Pity, as I was intrigued.

Blue lights and alien ships descend upon LA and start vacuuming humans into their domain. Yup, thousands of annoying Hollywoodites and wannabe celebs being sucked into space. Doesn’t sound too bad, does it? But I digress… Unfortunately the positive start only falls flat a few minutes later, falling prey to all the alien clichés we’ve seen before. Yawn.

Rating: 2 outta 5.

The Tourist

You would think that casting Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp across from each other in this film would be enough to create a fair amount of sizzle, right? Wrong.

The “ultimate” pairing generate as much heat as an ice lolly. And it’s not just because Angelina resembles a very unsexy stick insect, or the fact that Johnny has the worst ‘do I’ve ever seen… No, it’s because the two take themselves way too seriously in a movie that was written with tongue firmly in cheek. If only they lightened up and played with their innate sex appeal a little more perhaps the result would have been much more memorable.

With that said, it’s not entirely dire. The plot is completely outrageous, the scenery gorgeous, and there are a few rare moments when Ange and Johnny strike the flint. A Mr & Mrs Smith, however, this is not. Brad must be relieved.

Rating: 3 outta 5.

Gulliver's Travels

From the same guys who brought us Night at the Museum comes this offbeat take on Gulliver and his encounter with a civilisation of little people called Lilliputians.

Jack Black plays Gulliver, a writer who ends up on the island after disappearing into the Bermuda triangle, with his characteristic gusto and is instantly likeable. The Lilliputians love him too – not just because he’s 20 times their size and can defend their border, but because he gives great worldly advice.

Gulliver’s cool adventures are enhanced by a brilliant cast that includes Emily Blunt, Billy Connolley, Jason Segel and Catherine Tate, making this a fabulously fun film for the whole fam. It’s the perfect antidote to the back-to-school/ work blues.

Rating: 4 outta 5.

The Concert

This subtitled art film is a welcome gem amongst the loose shale that is the below-average film fodder spewing out of Hollywood lately.

We discover that a janitor at a prestigious Russian concert hall was once a famous conductor but was ousted for refusing to fire Jews from his orchestra at the time. His dream is to conduct again, so when he “finds” an invitation to perform at a famous Paris Concert Hall he rouses his old group of misfit musicians and a beautiful virtuoso and literally steals the show.

Of course there is the usual amount of European wackiness and just the right amount of sentimentality thrown into the mix, which results in a near-perfect movie that you’d have to be an imbecile not to enjoy.

Rating: 5 outta 5.