The Panel

6 March
* The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
* Justice League: The New Frontier
* Smallville Season 6

9 April
* Beowulf - Standard and Blu-ray versions
(HD DVD release on 30 April - final HD DVD release).
* The Gilmore Girls Season Seven and Complete Series Box Set
* A Star Is Born (Judy Garland, 1954)

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Movie: Hairspray
Director: Adam Shankman
Starring: Nikki Blonsky, Zac Efron, John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Amanda Bynes, James Marsden, Queen Latifah, Brittany Snow
Producers: Marc Shaiman, Scott Wittman, Jennifer Gibgot
Genre: Comedy, Musical
Rating: PG
Official Website: http://www.hairspraymovie.com

Review: 7 out of 10
It is rare to see a big girl be the centre of a movie plot but with the producers knowing how popular the production was on Broadway, they have decided to recreate that into film, hoping to make it better than the 1988 movie version.

Set in the 60s, big girl, dance loving Tracy Turnblad (newcomer Nikki Blonsky) goes to high school but isn't exactly a model student and is constantly being sent to detention. The detention room being filled with African American students teaches Tracy to dance their style and those moves is what land her the spot on the Corny Collins show (Hairspray's version of dance show American Bandstand).

By being such a unique dancer, one of her Corny Collins idol crushes, Link Larkin (High School Musical's Zac Efron) is one to take notice of her which has his partner Amber Von Tussle (American Dreams star Brittany Snow) not impressed and goes to complain to her mother Velma (Michelle Pfeiffer). Surprise surprise Velma happens to be one of the producers of the show and wasn't exactly thrilled to have her join the regulars in the first place so upon hearing about her daughter's plight plots to have her kicked out.

Not being open to new changes, Velma also chooses to stop Negro day (the one day where African Americans can host the Corny Collins show and show their moves) which leads to a march down the streets of Baltimore by the Negro day regulars, their host Motormouth Maybelle (Queen Latifah) as well as Tracy who has by now become friends with her fellow detention servers. During the march Tracy assaults one of the policemen but escapes from going to jail so there is now a manhunt to find her. The studio where the Corny Collins show is being filmed has now become the one most watched as there is a Miss Hairspray event and she is one of the nominees.

Will Tracy get to dance on the show ever again? Go to the cinemas and find out, bring some dancing shoes too as you will be dancing in the aisles.

This is quite a popular movie with girls in their teens as Zac Efron finally gets to become a movie star (and not have his film go straight to TV) however being older I went to see what the rest of the crowd went for- to see how John Travolta pulls off being a woman which I thought he did manage as by the end I was calling him a her. Although you still do remember it is John under all those clothes as when the big musical end scene comes and she.. err I meant he is wearing that short tiny dress I was wishing for longer material. Quite funny but not for people who hate cheese lines (or in my case not for people had a load of sugar right before the movie or else you will never take the plot seriously). It is a bit odd to see Xmen Cyclops become Hairspray's Dick Clark and Brittany Snow to do a 180 degrees on a character she has played in the past but Queen Latifah though a small role is still amazing and Amanda Bynes continues her way up the comedy ladder.

One for the dance and Broadway musical lovers out there. Or if your just curious to see John Travolta in drag :P

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Movie: Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End
Director: Gore Verbinski
Starring: Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlandon Bloom, Keira Knightley
Producers: Bruce Hendricks, Mike Stenson, Chad Oman
Genre: Action/ Thriller/ Pirate
Rating: M
Official Website: http://www.disney.go.com/disneypictures/pirates

Review: 8 out of 10
Will Turner, Captain Barbossa, go on a quest to find Captain Jack Sparrow who is lost in Davy Jones' Locker - a mystic place while the corrupt East India company with the flying Dutchman and Davy Jones hunt down the Private brethren and create mayhem on the seven seas. The good guys make their way to mystical Singapore of legend to get the aid of a master Chinese pirate Sao Feng and so the Pirates join under the Pirate King to fight at the Worlds End with the aid of the goddess Calypso in one fantastic final epic Battle.

Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush and Orlando Bloom are all good and all put in a good performance especially I thought Geoffrey Rush whom I like more and more in the roles I see him in. Keira Knightley is dreadful but not near as bad as she was in Pirates 2, just bad not totally shocking as in that one. They most definitely should have killed her off in the fist episode, as the dumb bimbo who needed rescue. She was tolerable but in P2 she was shocking and in P3 just bad, if there are anymore I hope they get rid of her. The rest of the cast was tight, brilliant and made the entire movie a blockbuster adventure that never stopped. It did seem to go on for a long time but the action never slowed and it was all a masterpiece of movie making and always a spectacle for the eye. This should definitely be seen at the movies as it is spectacular and nothing shows this off like the big screen with mega surround sound. Get rid of Knightley, make her walk the plank or something and it would score even higher. Definitely not one to miss on the Big screen.

Good Adventure, family friendly and very amusing in some parts.

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Movie: Bridge To Terabithia
Director: Gabor Csupo
Starring: Anna Sophia Robb, Josh Hutcherson, Zooey Deschanel, Lauren Clinton, Bailee Madison
Producers: Alex Schwartz, Lauren A. Levine, David Paterson (II)
Genre: Fiction/ Fantasy/ Drama
Rating: PG
Official Website: http://www.disney.go.com/terabithia

Review: 5 out of 10
A young boy played very well by Josh Hutcherson is a loner at school who has a tough home life but escapes it all through his ability to draw. He meets a new girl in school ( AnnaSophia Robb) and together they form a friendship based on drawing and imagination. They create a special place filled with mystical creatures and the movie captures this all well and the creatures are fabulous, I loved the film
up to here but the end which I won't spoil for you, you will just have to see it, is a shocker and I know it's a famous book and they wanted to keep it as per book, but the end is so shocking, I would not let my kids see it and it belies its PG rating.

There are times when you buy the title and throw away the story and just make a great movie like many Bond movies and this was one of them. Two estranged kids who find each other, create a fantasy World of mystical creatures and go into that World could have been
the start of a great kids adventure equal to Alice in Wonderland but instead it shocks you with attempted drama that totally fails in my opinion and throws away a brilliant start that could have lead into the greatest Kids adventure movie ever made since Narnia.

A total waste of a brilliant start of a movie. Not at all suitable for kids in fact I can't see what audience they where trying to target with this. A book does not always make a good movie and lots of times you need to take just the idea and make a good movie out of it. How to have a brilliant start and throw it away with a crap ending.

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Movie: Shrek The Third
Director: Chris Miller, Raman Hui
Starring: Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy, Antonio Banderas, Julie Andrews 
Producers: Andrew Adamson, Josh H. Williams, Aron J. Warner 
Genre: Animated/ Kids/ Cartoon Movie
Rating: PG
Official Website: http://www.shrek.com

Review: 8 out of 10
Some Ogres just don't want to be King but when the King croaks, Shrek goes on an quest to find Arthur Pendragon and Merlin.
Prince Charming stages a coup and it's up to the girls to start the rebellion. Until Shrek and the others can final get back in time to save the day.

This is the third Shrek movie and although it is always hard to make sequels as good as the rest, they definitely succeed here. It is funny and never drags although a touch long for kids. I enjoyed every minute of it and it was a massive hit with the Kids. Its story stands alone with out having seen the other movies so it is a very nice well written and enjoyable family movie suitable for everyone and all the family will be laughing at this very cute little, well ogre big, green movie enchants you.

Fun for all the family and a nice outing to the movies with the Kids or borrow someone's so you can have an excuse to see it too.

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Movie: Shooter
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Kate Mara, Michael Pena, Rhona Mitra, Danny Glover 
Producers: Erik Howsam, Mark Johnson, Lorenzo di Bonaventura 
Genre: Action / War Movie/ Thriller
Rating: MA15+
Official Website: http://www.shootermovie.com

Review: 8 out of 10
Bob Lee Swagger a marine sniper who is left for dead on a CIA Black Op, loses all trust in the US government (pretty common with many Americans these days...) and hides away in on a mountain peak in the back of nowhere leading an isolated peaceful, hillbilly, hunting life with just his dog. Away from everyone and away from a corrupt society, when they call him back and play on his patriotism to come back one last time to serve his country. He reluctantly comes back as an advisor as he is a master sniper and they tell him there is a plot against the president and they need his help. He is double crossed once again and is made the main suspect in the crime that he now has to solve prove his innocence against all the forces and power of a corrupt and evil government and its agencies. They trash his house and shoot his dog so because of this he decides to get revenge as only a master sniper can. He makes them pay while the few honest people still left in the government try to help him. An action packed film well worth seeing and one of the best films I have seen in a long time. Plenty of action, plenty of double crossing evil government lackeys, spies, snipers, CIA, FBI, trust no one but your gun, twists and turns. A master thriller and illustrates why many Americans op to live outside the system and form these isolated communities and survivalist groups and reasons why corrupt power hungry government agencies want to destroy them. A very powerful performance by Mark Wahlberg and some interesting insights into how little regard these all powerful agencies have for human life or the common people they are supposed to protect. It shows the sleazy way they operate without any regard for anything but greed.

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Movie: Spiderman 3
Director: Sam Raimi
Starring: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, Thomas Haden Church, Topher Grace, James Franco
Producers: Stan Lee, Joseph M. Caracciolo Jr, Kevin Feige
Genre: Action / Comic Adaption
Rating: M
Official Website: http://spiderman3.sonypictures.com

Review: 7 out of 10
Peter Parker has finally gotten all his priorities straight- by doing such a good job, crime is almost non existant and he is going to propose to MJ. But as that is just the start of the show it is expected that everything goes wrong. Enemies from everywhere suddenly appear and even his own suit turns against him. He has to overcome his own dark vengeful side, MJ's jealousy, his best friend's betrayal plus a host of bad guys. This is a big action packed story and the special effects are very well done as they are some of the best I have ever seen. Very slick and believable as much as a man made of sand could be believable- it sure looked real to me. Lots of emotions and action, betrayal, lost love, regained love, friendship, vengeance and evil, a real roller coaster off emotions it is all very well done but does wear you out when hit with it all in just the one movie so the film does feel a bit long. Just when you think it should end more bad guys show up and more emotional ups and downs, you think will this film ever end I don't know if I can take anymore. It does end in a major special effects spectacular and it is all worth the wait but it does leave you worn out and spent- perhaps with to many emotional yoyos and too much action for one film. It feels like reading twenty full comic stories all in one go and squishing all of them into one movie so it is a bit of sensory overload. Lots of great effects and best seen on the big screen for this alone.

Comic adaptations seem to be the go for movies these days and the special effects they can do now does them justice. If you like comics or Spiderman then get to the movies and see this one its a lot of everything packed into one long slick package.

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Movie: Wild Hogs
Director: Walt Becker
Starring: John Travolta, Tim Allen, Martin Lawrence, William H. Macy, Tichina Arnold
Producers: Sharla Sumpter Bridgett, Amy Sayres, Michael Tollin
Genre: Comedy
Rating: M
Official Website: http://wildhogs.movies.go.com

Review: 7 out of 10
When some middle-age buddies decide their lives are too safe, their wives are driving them mad and their children don't respect them any more, it is time to grab their bikes and go on a road trip to regain their lost mojo. Their quest for their lost youth ends up in one disaster after another which all road trips or family road holidays usually has but interestingly enough become your fondest memories. This movie is cute it and is by no means a blockbuster but I really like Travolta as an actor. To start with it all seems a bit lame and they all seem a bit wooden but their acting which is ad lib and kind of disturbing, especially Travolta as you are used to his hi-powered acting and fast action films with atomic bombs about to go off in 24 hours. Even Tim Allen who you expect to have continual one-liners zinging at you plays a boring dentist so it all is a bit disappointing to what you usually expect from these guys but just as a group of middle class, middle age friends who decide to go on a cross country ride to get the wind in their hair and have a few little adventures they seem like this is real life. In this movie they really are just a group of friends who really did just go on a ride and a few mildly funny things happened to them on the way it all seems quite real and believable as someone's real experience- well the bikey bar and battle for the Town at the end is a bit far fetched but otherwise it is just like a real story about a group of boring mid life crises married with children guys, rediscovering themselves on a trip with their mates. So the boring flat ad lib acting is appropriate as it makes it all the more realistic and believable that these are just some ordinary friends on an road trip. So if being with a group of your best mates with the wind in your hair with the freedom of the open road and having a few little misadventures on the way and a larger than life end to the tale sounds good to you, don't expect any more from this film than that and in my opinion that's all you need. It's a cute and memorable film and I liked it. It makes me think about that trip I took with my mates to Queensland when................................... of course I saved the day in the end.

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Movie: 300
Director: Edgar Wright
Starring: Gerard Butler, Lena Headey, Michael Fassbender, Vincent Regan, Dominic West
Producers: Frank Miller, Deborah Snyder, Craig J. Flores
Genre: War movie, Action, Adventure, Graphic Novel Adaptation
Rating: MA15+
Official Website: http://300themovie.warnerbros.com

Review: 10 out of 10
This movie is an adaptation of a Frank Miller (of Sin City fame)novel "300"- which I had read. It is loosely based on the historical story of one of Spartas Kings, King Leonidas and his 300 Spartans who fought an Army of one million Persians and allies, lead by their God King Xerxes. This is one amazing film- if you liked Sin City then it is even better. Historically- "It is to History as Godzilla is to Archaeology", (quote by some New York movie critic I think about Mel Gibson's Patriot movie), but it fits perfectly to this film and I wish I had of said it. Historically the true events are more legend than truth and the exact details and facts of the battle are lost in the mysteries of time, but it is one of the great stories of a small band of determined men standing up to what they think is right no matter the numbers of enemy that stood before them. Even with the corruption, religion or bureaucracy that tried to stand in their way they kept their word and battled against all odds with no regard for the consequences at a place called Thermopylae. For that alone the story and this movie is inspiring and motivating. If you like me had tears in their eyes as the Australian Light Horse charged the machine gun nests at Beersheba in the classic Australian film the "Light Horseman" all the even earlier "40,000 Horseman", when against all odds a valiant group of men do the impossible then this film will have the same effect. It sure is a bloodthirsty film and yes, you already know what the outcome is going to be and yes it is very loose with what little facts we do know but never let the truth stand in the way of a good story (or movie) and this film is an amazing piece of cinematography. How they actually managed to film it and transpose one of the all time great "Graphic Novels" onto screen is amazing in itself. The battle scenes which are continuous throughout the film are brilliantly created with all the comic book like, imagined feel and impact of real fighting in a colossal struggle between what they saw as "Good and Evil", then to be finally betrayed and every man to choose to fight to the death rather than surrender to the tyranny of a depraved tyrant. In the movie 300, the King dies at the end with his men but historically King Leonidas died in battle and his men surged forwards massively outnumbered to retrieve his body and then died to the last man rather than hand it over. Loyalty that not many of our present day politicians could imagine. This is NOT a film to be missed and is an amazing big battle film that you must see on the big screen to do it justice. So get off your couch and get to the biggest movie screen you can see it at, polish off you sword and armour and take an amazing thrill ride. "And come back with your shield or upon it", an ancient Spartan saying meaning come back dead, being carried on your shield which they used like a stretcher or if you ran and fled you would have had to have dropped your shield to run away. A sort of ancient "Death before Dishonour" if you will. This is one action packed, amazing film and not to be missed.

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Movie: TMNT
Director: Edgar Wright
Starring: Patrick Stewart, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ziyi Zhang, Chris Evans, Mako
Producers: Peter A. Laird, Francis Kao, Gary Richardson
Genre: Comedy, Kids movie, comic adaptation, animation
Rating: PG
Official Website: http://tmnt.warnerbros.com

Review: 6 out of 10
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have drifted apart after defeating their Nemesis, "The Shredder", but they have to regroup and pull together as a team once again to face the new peril to mankind as TWELVE terrifying monsters have to be captured. Living Stone Generals have to be defeated along the way with a never ending army of bad Ninjas to defeat. So their rat sensei, Master Splinter and the now back together Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, must overcome and battle all this plus more but still have time for pizza. A great kids movie with a bit of animated violence, but with giant green turtles so I don't think they would take it too seriously. The animation is the best I have ever seen and is almost cartoony but realistic, with the super computer graphics very well done. The story is lame and obviously for kids, but it is strangely compelling as you do find yourself hoping the four brothers resolve their differences and become a family again so they can protect us in the action packed battle the seemingly endless masses of bad guys. My kids loved and so did I. It's worth taking your sister's kids to the movies just for an excuse to see it. A lot of big green, pizza eating fun.

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Movie: Hot Fuzz
Director: Edgar Wright
Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Jim Broadbent, Timothy Dalton, Edward Woodward
Producers: Natascha Wharton, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner
Genre: Comedy, Adventure, horror
Rating: MA15+
Official Website: http://www.workingtitlefilms.com/film.php?filmID=99

Review: 7 out of 10
From the makers of "Shaun of the Dead" comes another great classic "Hot Fuzz". A truly hilarious comedy. Rarely does a film make you roll around laughing but this film manages to do it and keep it up. It' s all funny with a touch of horror thrown in at the end. Nicholas Angel the finest London policeman ever makes the others look bad, so he is sent to some sleepy little village called Sandford. He gets a fat, drunk and useless but pairs up with a nice partner Danny Butterman who just happens to be the police chief's son. Nicholas sees crime everywhere and the sleepy town is soon a mess of crime and evil with the exciting times of cop chases and gun battles explodes into reality for Danny as they together blow away most of the town. Big guns, big bombs and big laughs. Much funnier than Shaun of the Dead and I liked it much more. A touch long as it did seem to be stretching, but it was very very funny. The characters where all very believable cops and the gun battle in the end is well worth the price of a ticket on its own. Hot, Fun and Fuzzy.

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Movie: Epic Movie
Director: Jason Friedberg, Aaron Seltzer
Starring: Kal Penn, Adam Campbell, Jennifer Coolidge, Jayma Mays, Faune Chambers
Producers: Aaron Milchan, Jason Friedberg, Aaron Seltzer
Genre: Comedy, movie parody, adult humour
Rating: PG-13
Official Website: http://www.epicmovie.com

Review: 6 out of 10
This movie loosely based on a parody of Narnia makes fun of a lot of movies that have recently been on like Charlie and the Chocolate factory and Harry Potter and Pirates of the Caribbean. Although it certainly does have some funny bits and is worth seeing if you want a laugh it is by no means a magical comedy and is just missing that X factor (whatever that is this) that makes a great comedy movie this one doesn't have it for me. It might appeal more to a younger audience or ones who think Adam Sandler is funny and it does have its moments of brilliance but it was overall pretty flat and disappointing for me.

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Movie: Smokin' Aces
Director: Joe Carnahan
Starring: Ben Affleck, Jeremy Piven, Ryan Reynolds, Andy Garcia, Alicia Keys
Producers: Liza Chasin, Robert Graf (II), Julia Blackman
Genre: Thriller, Action,
Rating: R
Official Website: http://www.smokinaces.net

Review: 7 out of 10
Well what can I say about this film, a massive contract is given out to kill Buddy "Aces" Israel a magician and bizarre hit men from all around converge on Los Vegas to try to cash in on it. The FBI is trying to hide him, bounty hunters are trying to arrest him and every hit man in America is trying to kill him. Well lots of gun play and violence, nudity, drug use and did I mention gun play and violence. Not for the squeamish but so much gun play at times it is almost comical. Fast paced if a little disjointed plenty of action "Crank" style but not as good as "Crank". For those who love action and guns this is your movie definitely not a family friendly movie and it is good and well made but I really didn't know wheather I liked it or not a confusing film. Buddy Aces is very well acted by Jeremy Piven who is the stand out actor in this film and totally believable as a drugged out mobster and as a old hat magician.

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Movie: Casino Royale
Director: Martin Campbell
Starring: Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Mads Mikkelsen, Eva Green, Jeffrey Wright
Producers: David G. Wilson, Anthony Waye, Callum McDougall
Genre: Spy Thriller, Action, Adventure
Rating: PG-13
Official Website: http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/casinoroyale/site/

Review: 7 out of 10
I think this was one of the first Bond books and one of the first books I ever read as a kid. It is closer to the story than the other Bond movies and instead of one big stunt after another followed by a big brawl with hundreds of ninjas this one stays a little more true to the book and is a good spy thriller. The new Bond, Daniel Craig, does a good job and is a little more dark, rugged and ruthless like a real agent would have to be to stay alive. There is no massive stunts though it is action packed and moves along at a good pace more like the old early Connery Bond films. They changed the playing of the cards to Texas Poker, I guess this is popular at the moment and he had a heart fibulator in his glove box, these things seemed out of place to the rest of the film which was set in the early days and early career of James Bond when he relied on charisma and brute strength and good spy skills rather than gadgets but the rest is good old Bond action and Bond girls and well worthy of the James Bond name.

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Movie: Flushed Away
Director: Sam Fell, David Bowers (III)
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Kate Winslet, Andy Serkis, Shane Richie, Bill Nighy
Producers: Peter Lord, Cecil Kramer, David Sproxton
Genre: Comedy, Animated Cartoon
Rating: PG
Official Website: http://www.flushedaway.com/

Review: 7 out of 10
Fabulous and funny cartoon. Not since Finding Nemo has one this good come out. Roddy St. James a pampered, house pet gets invaded by a common mouse who flushes him down into an entire city and lifestyle the sophisticated Roddy has never seen. He meets up with Rita, a common mouse, and the love interest and the fall foul of the evil Toad and his French frogs ninja, and Le Frog the mercenary and Toads other henchmen. Many adventures are had Roddy finally saves the day goes home and realises family and friends are more important than possessions and money. Very cute and very funny for all ages and very well worth seeing. Grab a couple of your young cousins or your sisters kids so you have an excuse to go and see this one. Good family fun. Good laughs whether you are 8 or 80.

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Movie: Apocalypto
Director: Mel Gibson
Starring: Dalia Hernandez, Mayra Serbulo, Gerardo Taracena, Raoul Trujillo, Rudy Youngblood
Producers: Ned Dowd, Vicki Christianson, Mel Gibson
Genre: Historic, Adventure, Action
Rating: R
Official Website: http://apocalypto.movies.go.com/

Review: 9 out of 10
A heart pounding, in more ways than one, amazing adventure set in ancient Mayan cultures. Its entirely in Old Mayan so you have to read sub titles but as it is mostly all action and not much dialog and having it in its native Mayan really adds to the authentic feel to the movie. This is one brilliant movie. A young native hunter is leading an idyllic jungle life style when his village is attacked and he is captured and taken to a massive Ancient Mayan town and nearly sacrificed to the Gods. He escapes killing a chief's son and here the action really starts as a war-band relentlessly hunt him down to revenge the killing while he just tries to get back home to his wife and child. Non-stop action keeps you on the edge of your seat. This is a masterpiece, its like watching a nature documentary gone feral. Mel outdoes himself with a very fine film. Native attacks and killings, ritual bloodletting and the cutting out of hearts and showing to the victim while it is still beating and then beheading might be a bit much for some but it is so realistically done and true to the brutality of the times, to show it any other way would be a lie. The violence doesn't overwhelm the film as it all seems natural and historically accurate. You really feel for the victims and it is so well done that you fell like you are in a time machine hovering over a real life historic situation. This is the mark of a truly great film. Don't miss it but be prepared for some pretty gruesome scenes. Maybe film of the Year.

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Movie: Night at the Museum
Director: Shawn Levy
Starring: Ben Stiller, Carla Gugino, Robin Williams, Dick Van Dyke, Steve Coogan, Patrick Gallagher, Ricky Gervais, and Mickey Rooney
Producers: Chris Columbus, Stephen Sommers, Bob Ducsay
Genre: Comedy
Rating: PG
Official Website: http://www.nightatthemuseum.com/

Review: 8 out of 10
A divorced and out of work Dad takes a job as a night guard to impress his son and earn his respect. The old guards are not all they seem and are played by Dick Van Dyke and Mickey Rooney. Dick Van Dyke steals the show and is very, very good, where has he been all this time. Robin Williams is Teddy Roosevelt and also does a good job. The museum comes to life at night and monkeys, lions, Attila the Hun, Cave men and of course a T-rex run amok and poor Ben Stiller tries to get it all under control. I thought it was all pretty funny. My kids loved it so definitely a good family show for all ages. Ben Stiller isn't brilliant but puts in a good funny performance and the others all do a fine job. No one stands out except perhaps for Dick Van Dyke who is a charismatic as he every was and has hardly changed since being a chimney sweep in Mary Poppins a million years ago. But it all just seems to work and the filming is just brilliant it all looks just so real, they can do anything these days with computers. Brilliantly filmed and very fun, great entertainment for all the family. A cute little film, my favourite was the Easter Island statue he's hilarious.

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Movie: Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
Director: Larry Charles
Starring: Sacha Baron Cohen, Kenneth Davitian, Luenell, Pamela Anderson, Pat Haggerty
Producers: Monica Levinson, Dan Mazer (II), Jay Roach
Genre: Comedy
Rating: R
Official Website:

Review: 7 out of 10
A very funny film about Borat better known as Ali G. Unfortunately I had seen so much of it on TV and on YouTube that little was left to shock me but it was still a very funny film. A little gross in a lot of places but 100 points for making fun of Americans who take themselves WAY too seriously and need someone like him and Norman Gunston to show them just how anally retentive they really are. It zooms along at a steady pace and is really just a lot of Borat skits put together, but if you like Ali G then this is non stop laughter if not then you will probably be pretty offended as he goes out of his way to offend every one equally. This is definitely no classic, but is pretty fun and I smirked all the way through and was impressed by just what this guy gets away with- especially in America where they pull out guns and shoot you if you look at them funny. He must have come close to being shot on many occasions there. He definitely pushes the envelope and the real bear in the van with the kids is extremely funny. The bizarre Christian cult he goes to is just plain scary as are the people there I don't know where he found all these people but I am sure a lot of them are suing him now and the real Kazakhstan probably has a hit man out after him. That could be a whole movie in itself- a 007 agent type from Kazakhstan anyway Borat Sagdiyev Kazakhstan's sixth most famous man and a journalist from State run TV , shows you his home in Kazakhstan and the running of the Jews then travels to the U.S. to make a documentary put falls in love with Pamela Anderson travels to LA and tries to kidnap her to marry her. What more can I say. Hail Kazakhstan.

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Movie: The Prestige
Director: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, David Bowie, Scarlett Johansen
Producers: William Tyer, Chris J. Ball, Valerie Dean
Genre: Horror, Drama, Suspense, Period, Thriller
Rating: PG 15
Official Website:

Review: 9 out of 10
This is a period piece in turn of the century London times about the lives of two waring Magicians. At first I was apprehensive that this could keep my attention but was pleasantly amused to find it was a lot more than I had bargained for. This is a masterpiece of writing and direction which really gets you in and pulls you along. It is almost H.G.Wells like and plays out like the Time Machine or one of his masterpieces- it is that good. They start out as apprentice magicians and one accidentally kills the other's wife and then the rest of their lives is spent in Magical rivalry and vendetta against each other an obsession of stealing each others tricks, women and destroying each others lives until it all leads to the total destruction of both. Twists and turns and unexpected events play this out with such feeling and reality and in such an unreal world of magicians that it is totally captivating. HG could not have written it better and this is a movie well worth seeing as it is truly something very different with good performances by all to make it all very believable and one of the best films of the year. The story is based on both of their journals telling events how each other sees them from their eyes, based on a novel by Christopher Priest.

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Movie: The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause
Director: Michael Lembeck
Starring: Tim Allen, Martin Short, Elizabeth Mitchell, Judge Reinhold, Wendy Crewson, Eric Lloyd
Producers: William W. Wilson III, Jimmy Miller, Brian Reilly
Genre: Family, Comedy
Rating: G
Official Website:

Review: 6 out of 10
In this sequel Mrs Clause is pregnant and wants her family around her but they must disguise Santa's work shop in the North pole as Canada and Santa (Tim Allen) as a Canadian Toy manufacturer so the secret of Santa doesn't get out. A fun family movie with the evil Jack Frost played by Martin Short tries to take over. Fun for all the family and great to take the kids to see. Not too much plot or to think about- bad guy Jack Frost, good guy Santa. Santa wins in the end just in time to get all the presents to all the kids. Not Oscar winning but enjoyable enough for the kids.

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Movie: Flags of our Fathers
Director: Clint Eastwood
Starring: Ryan Phillippe, Adam Beach, Jesse Bradford, Jamie Bell, Ben Walker
Producers: Clint Eastwood, Steven Spielberg, Robert Lorenz
Genre: Drama, War, American Propaganda
Rating: MA 15+
Official Website: www.flagsofourfathers.com

Review: 8 out of 10
A powerful film about the American Marines that fought and put up the famous flag on Iwo Jima. The battle scenes are good but intersected by American propaganda and American drivel passed off as the American version of WW2 . The story is slightly interesting about how they had to lie and fake all the American crap to raise money for war bonds and they were not even the original ones who put up the flag (as most historians agree their's was a staged second raising for the cameras). Although it is slightly interesting, it is not enough to make a film about, the real power is in the battle scenes on Iwo Jima as these are very real and depicts a dreadful event showing America blundering into it sacrificing thousands of its young men for a meaningless island. Although these men are treated liked ultimate heroes,  they where exploited by the ruthless American war machine and have trouble getting jobs post war and die crappy deaths as America had moved on and they where yesterday's heroes.

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Movie: Crank
Director: Mark Neveldine, Brian Taylor
Starring: Jason Statham, Amy Smart, Jose Pablo Cantillo, Efren Ramirez, Dwight Yoakam & Carlos Sanz
Producers: David Scott Rubin, Eric Reid (III), Michael Paseornek
Genre: Comedy, Action, Thriller
Rating: MA 15+
Official Website: www.crankfilm.com

Review: 9 out of 10
Chev Chelios is a hit man who has been injected with a lethal cocktail to kill him. If he keeps his adrenaline up high enough he can stay away from death for an hour. One action packed hour to kill all those who where responsible for his death, see his girlfriend one last time and say goodbye to friends. If all this sounds like a lame excuse for a non-stop action, B-grade kill-a-thon, then you are correct and it's fantastic. Fast cars, beautiful women, (Amy Smart from Ratrace), non-stop fighting action, car chases, car crashes and when it slows down and starts to die he revs up the action again. This film has to be the best fun, B-grade movie made in a long, long time. A good lesson for Australian cinema. If you can't make a blockbuster or have a spare 900 million to make Lord of the Rings then make an outstanding B-grade spectacular movie with next to nothing but with a great story and good B-grade actors that is a pleasure to watch and thrills you from the first frame to the last. Go see it, it's a whirlwind adventure that is worth the price of a ticket. Why there isn't more good entertainment like this one is beyond me.

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Movie: Step Up
Director: Anne Fletcher
Starring: Channing Tatum, Jenna Dewan, Rachel Griffiths, Mario, Drew Sidora
Producers: Bob Hayward, David Garrett (II), John Starke
Genre: Musical, Drama, Teen, Dance
Rating: PG

Review: 7 out of 10
Tyler Gage a rebel from the wrong side of the tracks who thinks he is a black American homie (but is reall a great dancer) that gets caught and has to do community service in an elite performing arts school where he meets a privileged and rich girl named Nora. The predictable happens and the bad boy and the privileged girl, (sounds like Dirty Dancing), "get it on" to become the greatest dance show and hottest couple ever. Its is pretty lacking in plot but the dancing is what it is all about and this is spectacular all the way through. Thoroughly an enjoyable family film. The story is OK and the couple look good but are not great actors although the dancing in the suburbs as well as other moments of enjoyable comedy all add up to an enjoyable time at the movies. Wish I could dance like that. If dancing is your thing or you like to see good dancing then this is a movie for you.

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Movie: Monster House 3D
Director: Anne Fletcher
Starring: Steve Buscemi, Nick Cannon, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jon Heder, Kevin James
Producers: Bob Hayward, David Garrett (II), John Starke
Genre: Kids, Family, 3D, Cartoon, Animation
Rating: MA 15+
Official Website: www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/monsterhouse/

Review: 7 out of 10
Although no adults will believe them, with a baby sitter from Hell, three children realise a neighbour's house is really a monster made up of a dead man they killed accidentally. The House starts to eat balls, then people, then police until finally they decide they have to go in and investigate and what they find enables them to finally defeat it. Great 3D. It really looks good with good effects. The kids loved it. It is an animation which goes to digital 3D easily. A fantastic family film and if you have little kids its worth taking them because this is one of those rare kids films that adults will like also. To tell you more would only spoil it, take the kids and have a good time yourself.

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Movie: Clerks 2
Release Date: August 2006
Director: Kevin Smith
Starring: Andy Wachowski, Larry Wachowski
Producers: Scott Mosier, Kevin Smith
Genre: Comedy
Rating: MA 15+
Official Website: www.clerks2.com/redband/index.html

Review: 8 out of 10
If you liked the First Clerks and thought it was a masterpiece then this movie will not disappoint you- more of the same and even more outrageous if that's possible. If you didn't like the first then this is not going to win you over as it is an extension of the first ten years later in the lives of our favourite loser clerks.

It's hard to make a sequel as good as the first especially when the original was such a cult classic, but they have succeeded. Smith does a brilliant job of continuing the lives of Dante (Brian O'Halloran) and Randal (Jeff Anderson) and you can almost feel that although ten years have gone by, they are still the same old clerks and you haven't really missed much. After burning down the original Quik Stop they used to work in, they moved onto working at Mobby's Fast Food outlet. However, Dante has a plan and is going to change all that when he gets married to a girl who has rich parents which leads to a move to Florida and a new life as a winner and break out of the loser life he had fallen into. But is that really what he wants? You will have to see what unfolds as Dante's plans to leave are interrupted by his new gorgeous boss Becky (Rosario Dawson).

Silent Bob and Jay as usual, steal the show and it really is amusing to see how much they have changed- born again, ten years older yet somehow all still just the same.

I really liked the film and laughed right through, I loved the original Clerks movie and thought I'd be disappointed, but it was a believable continuation of the same old lives in Jersey - the American equivalent to Australia's Wollongong. Clerks 2 also has good cameo appearances from "My Name is Earl'" Jason Lee, Ben Affleck, Wanda Sykes and Kevin Weisman.

For all you older people who liked the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy but read it and was over it all 20 years ago and are annoyed by the
"we just reached puberty and discovered LOTR and it rules our lives how come it doesn't rule yours" new converts, will find Randal's merciless panning and teasing of the young "any fries with that, mister" junior worker kid Elias (Trevor Ferhman) quite amusing with his obsession of Transformers and the Lord of the Rings Trilogy.

Randal has some of the best LOTR put downs and an obsoletely hilarious imitation of the three LOTR movies that all "Bored of the Rings" people will love. It's worth seeing Clerks 2 just for this alone. Overall a great fun time, very outrageous as you would expect, so don't go if you are easily offended by in your face language or outrageous shocking scenes as the movie sets out to give you plenty of both.

The movie begins outrageous and then steadily goes beyond that point which is as you expect from these guys. Clerks 2 have funny unexpected twists and turns and appearances from you old favourites from the first film and some famous Hollywood cameos but just when you think they have sunk as low as possible they manage to drain a little more from the pit of good taste with the farewell party and the infamous "Kelly and the Donkey". The ending (inside jail), tries for some more serious drama with reflections on their unexciting lives, friendship and relationships which do make you reflect on what you achieved yourself in last ten years and where have you gone in these same areas. Enough said, go see this one if you are a Clerks fan or just like to be offended... a lot.

Not one to take your mother or children to- but a good "bad taste" laugh with your mates. It was rated "R" in America.

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Release Date: March 17 2006
Studio: Warner Bros Pictures
Director: James McTeigue
Starring: Andy Wachowski, Larry Wachowski
Starring: Hugo Weaving (Mr. Smith from the Matrix), John Hurt, Natalie Portman, Stephen Rea, , Sinead Cusack, Stephen Fry, Tim Pigott-Smith,
Genre: Modern Political SciFi, Thriller, Action - Matrix style film.
Rating: MA
Official Website: www.vforvendetta.com

Review: 9 out of 10
Hugo Weaving - Mr. Smith from the Matix fame is in this brilliant piece of film making. Only very few times does a movie get everything right and this is one of those rare times when it is more than a movie it is a masterpiece. The actors , the plot, the writing, the direction, the effects, the lighting, the action scenes, the sound, the soundtrack - everything is perfect and faultless and this is how a movie should be made.

Hugo Weaving known only as "V" is awesome in the speed and delivery of his lines of prose as a Shakespeare reciting master
of unarmed combat. He wants to bring down the British Government who has become a total police state and blow up Parliament
as per Guy Faulkes to bring down a corrupt government. Run by a tyrant dictator using fear of terrorism fear of Viruses and fear of disappearing to the secret police in fact Fear itself to totally control the population.

America has fallen to pieces due to is wars on everyone and its crazy religious fanaticism and Britain is a complete Police state with monitoring, listening devices, video monitors, informants (fingerers), and secret police. A total curfew is in place and this is how the movie begins. To tell you any more would spoil it, just to say you must see this film. R rated in America - it is how a movie should be made.
The direction and writing is inspired , based on the brilliant graphic novel "V For Vendetta" by Alan Moore with lots of surprises and twists and unexpected turns, the dialog is fast, intelligent and poetic. The story is brilliant and the warnings about what our governments are becoming is very timely. The people can stand up and say NO more. We just need a leader. The fight scenes are beliveable and truly amazing in an outstanding Matrix style in fact all the effects are so masterfully well done it is all totally believable and will blow you away. So much is happening and so many messages and the effects and actions is so fast and furious it leaves you breathless ands stunned. This is a film to be seen over and over and will do very well as a DVD as well. Apparently it is in IMAX format as well. Now that would really be something.

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Release Date: March 2006
Studio: MGM - Sony Pictures
Director: Shawn Levy
Starring: Steve Martin, Kevin Kline, Jean Reno, Beyonce Knowles
Genre: Comedy
Rating: PG
Official Website: www.sonypictures.com/movies/thepinkpanther/

Review: 6 out of 10
The Pink Panther is a classic oldie redone. I liked it, it was funny, but no one can replace Peter Sellers. I like Steve Martin and he is very funny but seems a little wooden as Inspector Jacques Clouseau but is still good and he nearly pulls it off. He has made some very funny films, his worst is Cheaper by the Dozen which is a terrible film and this is the same director. It does seems disjointed and not as funny as it could have been. The giant world crashing into things should have been a running gag through out the entire movie, especially the end. They need to take a lesson from Wylie Coyote or let the Zukka brothers direct it, it definitely needed more zany comedy, so it was just good but not great as it could have been and as some of the originals where truly brilliant a lot of people will be disappointed. I also like Kevin Klyne who is good as Chief Inspector Dreyfus but he has never been as good as he was in "A Fish called Wanda". He was so brilliant in that film that he is always a bit of a disappointment in other films. Jean Reno is fabulous and is French so comes off well as a French police man. He is great in all his films and he really steals the show in this one as well. So it was funny in parts, not as funny as it could have been. My kids loved it but you could only think Peter Sellers would have done it better and it was hard to blank him from your mind as he made this role his own. Steve tried hard and there where a few chuckles but too few. It need a different director and to be more zany a bit of "Flying High" mixed in. Still a fun family film and that is a rare thing these days to be able to sit with all the family and everyone enjoying themselves at a film everyone wanted to see.

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Release Date: November, 2005
Studio: Warner Brothers
Director: Mike Newell
Starring: Daniel Racliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Tom Felton, Matthew Lewis, Devon Murray, Jamie Waylett, Joshua Herdman, Alfie Enoch, Oliver and James Phelps, Chris Rankin, Robbie Coltrane, Michael Gambon, Robert Hardy, Shirley Henderson, Jason Isaacs
Genre: Horror, Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Rating: PG
Official Website: www.harrypotter.warnerbros.com/gobletoffire/

 Review: 7 out of 10
 Well Harry is off on another adventure. I must be one of the few who doesn't get the Harry Potter experience. It's OK fantasy , pretty childish and a cheap copy of Dungeons and Dragons. Wish I had of thought of it and had all the money it has generated. Richest woman in England I believe. Great computer graphics, Harry competes in a tournament he doesn't really want to be in and of course wins. Didn't see that happening. Bad guys try to stop him but Harry wins out of course in the end with the aid of his friends , didn't see that happening either. Lots of magical adventure which pretty much blurs into all the other Harry Potter movies I have seen although this one did tend towards the horror side more than the others. I have never read the books so I am definitely deprived in my life or so I am told so can only judge by the films which are OK lots of Dungeon and Dragons type fantasy adventure. Lots of money spent on the effects so they are very good but very thin plots and this one was hard to understand in places , not the plot the actors voices where hard to hear in lots of places. So to all the Harry Potter fans out there he is more of the same. My kids loved it with such special effects it is hard not to be amazed , which brings the question when does film fantasy become too real when especially kids can't tell the difference between real and fantasy. Hollywood is making it so real these days it must be hard for kids to distinguish real from make-believe, us oldies didn't have such a problem in our day with say Thunderbirds or Captain Scarlet , with TV shows like Charmed and movies like Harry Potter will this create problems in the future I have met a lot of kids who really believe Harry is real and awesome effect films like this one surely reinforce this in children's minds. Don't know only the future will show.

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Release Date: October 29, 2005
Studio: Universal Pictures
Director: Andrzej Bartkowiak
Starring: The Rock, Karl Urban, Razaaq Adoti, Rosamund Pike, Richard Brake, Yoa Chin, Ben Daniels, Dexter Fletcher, Deobia Oparei, Al Weaver
Genre: Horror, Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Adventure
Rating: PG-15
Official Website: www.doommovie.com/

Review: 6 out of 10
Doom the Movie- well the Game is one of the best I have ever played and the Movie was also a good take off of the Game. The base on Mars has gone bad. No communications and a quarantine rating of level 5 only the Rapid Response Tactical Squad tough Space marines who are about to go on leave but have just one more mission, have the firepower and the skills to handle this emergency. The Sarge (the Rock) gets orders nothing is to get out alive and the mission begins. Pinky half a technician helps the squad as they patrol the corridors and dark rooms of the base on Mars. Much the same as the game although the game if anything has a lot more suspense and use of simple things like a pipe suddenly bursting and steam pouring out made me jump two feet in the air in the game and although the Movie was good especially towards the end where just the Gun leads like in a computer game was well done and a novel effect in a movie. The Game is so good at setting the suspense and creating uneasy feelings and making you jump out of your seat that a lot of people will go into it expecting too much from the Movie. Its a good adventure Movie and if you had never played Doom you would think the movie was great but as a Doom the Game lover and with its so high standards in effects and story and suspense you can't help but be a little disappointed by the movie especially the end where it is suddenly over and the credits are rolling you are left feeling , oh that's it? the end could have been a bit more spectacular with few twists where you think the bad guy is dead but wait hes not really and he suddenly appears back from the dead for another final last struggle to the end or something like that is more the ending you expect but alas not so. So go, NOT expecting too much and forget completely about the game and comparing the Movie with the game and just enjoy the Movie for the Movie itself and you will enjoy it and not be disappointed.

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Release Date: September 29, 2005
Studio: Universal Pictures
Director: Joss Whedon
Screenwriter: Joss Whedon
Starring: Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk, Morena Baccarin, Adam Baldwin, Jewel Staite, Sean Maher, Summer Glau, Ron Glass, Chiwetel Ejiofor
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, - Western.
Rating: PG-13
Official Website: www.serenitymovie.com

Review: 9.5 out of 10
Joss Whedon- the Oscar and Emmy-nominated writer and director who is best know for 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer"  and "Angel" wrote what must be the best Sci Fi since the Original Star Trek called "Serenity" and just like the original Star Trek the stupid studio that owned it didnt realise what "GOLD" it was holding onto. The original serious was so good anyone who has seen it was an instant fan except the idiots who owned the studio who dumped the series. Like throwing away the formula for Coke "whos gona buy this black stuff". You got to wonder why they hire these idiots who obviously wouldn't know good TV if it fell on them. "Yea lets make another cop show".

  The fans screamed so loud and the DVD of the series was so popular Universal Pictures go the rights to what is going to be one of the biggest smash hit movies of the Year. Just ask all the people of "Jane Town". You must see it if you like Sci Fi or Westerns.

  For those of you who haven't be hooked yet by this amazing Sci Fi get or hire the DVD set called "Firefly" and then see the Movie to see what every one is talking about. Captain Malcom Reyonolds is a veteran soldier who was on the losing side of a galactic civil war who decides to buy an old space freighter and head to the outer rims the last frontier where this Cowboy in Space Opera takes place.

  He gets together a small crew and together they smuggle and trade and ship freight, even cows to the outer planets. They are all a mismatched family and Mal is their eccentric father figure who will do anything and everything for his crew. In their ship Serenity they try to stay out of trouble but Mal attracts trouble, like a ship attracts meteors in a meteor storm, so they battle and wit their way from one situation to the next. With the Alliance troopers on one side and the Reapers on the other and their ship "Serenity" in the middle.

  The audience in the session I was in applauded so long and loud at the end of the movie none wanted to go home we all wanted to see it again. Never have I ever seen anything like it in a cinema. No one wanted to leave. I only hope they go back to making the series.

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Release Date: 27th September, 2005
Director: Mike Mitchell
Screenwriter: Paul Hernandez and Bob Schooley & Mark McCorkle
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures

Starring: Michael Angarano, Danielle Panabaker, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kurt Russell, Kelly Preston, Steven Strait, Dee Jay Daniels, Nicholas Braun, Kelly Vitz, Bruce Campbell, Lynda Carter
Genre: Kids-, Super Hero
Rating: PG-13


Review: 6 out of 10
 I love Kurt Russell from "Big trouble in Little China" fame and my favourite actor Bruce Campbell from the "Evil Dead" movies for which he should have received multiple academy awards, in my opinion anyway. This is a light comedy about Kids growing up and going to a High School for super Heroes and the nerds only become Side Kicks but in the end the sidekicks prove them selves. The usual American school kids theme with a Super Hero backdrop. Must be a lot of nerds in America who became directors and movie writers as this is the same old "nerds are useful" and win in the end crap Americans always go on with. Bruce Campbell is brilliant as always and steals the show while the ageing Kurt Russell was a bit flat and disappointing to his fans and even a few scenes with Lynda Preston, "Wonder Woman" , everyone else was average and OK and this was a cute little film with a few giggles that kept it amusing. The kids liked it and it had great visual effects. It needed more Bruce Campbell as he as always stole the show and even a small part from him was great to see. Needed that little something more and a more interesting plot and the not so cliché "don't pick on nerds as nerds win in the end" "and are real people too" and it could have been a great film especially with the cast it had. But it was cute and worth seeing.

   
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Release Date: 1st October 2005
Director: Jay Chandrasekhar
Screenwriter:  John O'Brien
Studio: Warner Brothers

Starring: Johnny Knoxville, Seann William Scott, Jessica Simpson, Burt Reynolds, Willie Nelson, M.C. Gainey, David Koechner, Lynda Carter
Genre: Kids-, Super Hero
Rating: PG-13


Review: 5 out of 10
A lot of bad stuff has been said about this film but I liked it. If you liked Jukes of Hazzard the TV show then this was just more of the same. Hot cars, leaping through the air like BMX bikes, one wonders how many they wrote off, with Johnny Knoxville from Jackass in the lead role one has to expect plenty of stupid pranks and "guy stuff" , and the Armadillo helmet was hilarious. Fast cars, lots of smashes, guys being guys, ok performances from most including Burt ( I thought he was dead) Renolds, the first and last on screen performance from Jessica Simpson, but as she was sooooo bad she was funny, a movie targeted at 17 year old males and older who can still remember when they where 17. I laughed all through it and especially at Jessica trying to act and the "safe behind the car" scene and the "armadillo hat" had me rolling on the floor. So if you want some hi-class French artty farty movie forget this if you just want to see "good old boys" driving and acting like a couple of care free idiots with lots of giant car leaps then this film is for you. I got exactly what I expected to see and more as some scenes where very funny. So for a few hours of "good old male fun" with lots of car crashes, jumps and car chases, good looking girls, this movie is no thriller or "Sixth Sense" and doesn't give you to much to think about, which is pretty much how I remember the TV show, I thought it was good blokey fun and well worth the price of a ticket.

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Release Date: 6th October 2005
Director: Robert Rodriguez
Screenwriter:  Marcel & Racer Rodriguez
Studio: Miramax

Starring: Cayden Boyd, Taylor Lautner, Taylor Dooley, George Lopez
Genre: Kids-, Family , Action 3D.
Rating: PG-13

Review: 6 out of 10
 Written by Rodriguez's son Racer then aged 7 it is a great kids adventure though not really up to the standard of Spy Kids 3D. The 3D is not very good an not used as well as some 3D movies use the 3D effects so it is a wonder why he made it in 3D at all. I have seen good Imax 3D movies with great glasses so I wonder why modern 3D movies dont use this far superior Imax 3D effect glasses and effects. Max a small school kid and a dreamer who keeps a dream journal meets a bully at school called Linus who takes his journal a tornedo hits the school and it is Shark Boy and Lava Girl from the Planet Drool which is in doomed if Max doesn't come there and save the Planet from the grips of Mr. Electric who steals the show I really liked this evil character who also plays Max's teacher. Lots of adventures with Ice Princesses, Dogs made of electric cords, Lava, brains, the Train of Thought and a robot named Tobor. In general a wild colourful adventure very similar in ways to Spy Kids 3D but you don't feel the warmth and fuzzy feeling you did for the Spy Kids characters, the characters in this left me pretty flat and I liked the bad guy Mr.Electric who was the only one with any real personality. The Kids liked it and thats where it was aimed at although the din't rave about it like Spy Kids so kids do have hidden sophisticated taste and tried formula movies still have to have something special to really win them over. Not a bad Kids film the effects where amazing the characters a little flat but a great Bad guy and a good family outing although adults may be a little bored and offended by the poor 3D glasses when they didn't really require it to be 3D.

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Release Date: August 2005
Director: Tim Burton
Screenwriter:  John August
Studio: Warner Brothers

Starring: Johnny Depp, Freddie Highmore,  David Kelly, Helena Bonham Carter, Noah Taylor, Deep Roy, Christopher Lee, Annasophia Robb, Julia Winter, Jordon Fry, Philip Wiegratz
Genre: Kids-, Family , Horror.
Rating: PG-13

Review: 7 out of 10
 Great effects and a well crafted movie. The story is very strange and I have seen the first version , or bits of it, many times as my son loves it and is always playing it. But I always thought it was a bit odd and dark and almost not suitable for children the very dark way Gene Wilder played the character and as for the story or the message I just don't get it? But Johnny Depp was great instead of the dark almost evil character that Wilder portrayed , he is a much sweeter, gentler, (I'm just a bit confused and been isolated in my factory with out much outside contact but I'm still a nice guy) , shy Willy Wonker. He never came over as menacing and evil as Wilder and the kids appear again at the end where in the first they just disappear which did use to upset my little girl who was always worried about what happen to the kids. I think the second is a much better film as Willy Wonker sends out gold passes to see which children can come and see his factory. The factory is full of fantastic inventions and sweets and a chocolate river. The squirrel scene is practically funny and there is always the Oompa Loompas , ( I need some of them to replace my workers), who work for chocolate. You cant help the feeling that Johnny Deep based his character on Michael Jackson with several of the same mannerisms and the soft speaking voice and the parallel to the Chocolate Factory and the Neverland ranch seems to be there also. A colourful , psychodelic ride, Johnny always gives a special performance and his portrayal of Willy is much more likable in the role than Gene Wilder ( although I love Gene Wilder in other films like "The Producers") and the movie is much more colourful and fun although I thought the Oompa Loompas songs where much better in the first movie but this is the only thing I thought was better in the first movie. Again the Kids loved it and Johnny's performance and Tim Burtons direction made it all an enjoyable and visually pleasing time. Even if I still don't get it?

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