Review: Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince

First, an admission: I've not read the Harry Potter books. Go ahead: take me out back and shoot me. I've seen the films and enjoyed them as passing distractions, but never felt obliged to comment, given that they're so clearly aimed at the hardcore fans – trying to review them would be like pretending to support a football team ...

Review: Ice Age: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs

The first Ice Age was one of the first indicators that Pixar had some serious contenders in the animation department. Ice Age: The Meltdown came along soon after and proved that the busybodies at Fox were still a threat with a much improved sequel. Now, the whole gang is back for a third instalment of the animated franchise, tak...

Review: Coraline

There's something deeply disturbing about button-eyes. Maybe it's the lack of reflection or emotion that leaves a certain 'deadness' about them. But if your Other Mother is more loving and attentive than your real mother, surely that's a good thing? Even if she has button eyes, right? Coraline (Fanning) is an adventurous but ...

Review: Monsters Vs Aliens

Like so many brides to be, Susan Murphy’s wedding day consisted of getting up early to be faffed and fluffed over; sneaking off to see her groom before the ceremony; being squished by a quantonium-laden meteorite and subsequently transformed into a 49-and-a-half-foot government secret codenamed Ginormica. It's a timeless tale. ...

Review: Bolt

In recent years, there have been two types of animated movie released by Disney. You have the Pixar movies, loved by all and heralded as works of genius; think WALL-E, Finding Nemo and Toy Story. Then, on the other hand, you have the rest of the crap. Think that’s unfair? I give you The Wild and Chicken Little. Bolt, coming from...

Review: Space Chimps

In a computer-animated world where Pixar and Dreamworks are Kings, it can be tough for little guys like Vanguard Animation to get much of a look in. With the likes of WALL·E and Kung Fu Panda dominating the box office and holding parents to ransom over the school holidays, this cheap and charmless little film about monkeys in sp...

Review: Angus, Thongs And Perfect Snogging

Director Gurinder Chadha’s success with Bend It Like Beckham and Bride And Prejudice rested on the juxtaposition of frivolous rom-com gloss with a serious undertone of class and racial tensions. Angus, Thongs And Perfect Snogging sadly is just the rom-com gloss. Whereas Chadha’s previous films have held an appeal across age grou...

Review: Meet Dave

As sickening as it may sound, Eddie Murphy is officially the most successful movie star ever. With almost $3.5bn of box-office bounty to his name, Murphy tops cinema's all-time biggest earners league. How? A steady mixture of his raucous '80s output, no-holds barred stand-up routines and family friendly films of the '90s and bey...

Review: Mamma Mia!

If the words ‘ABBA medley’ conjure up images of Alan Partridge Aha-ing his way through an ill-advised TV duet, then this meticulously-crafted jukebox of disco hits might be enough to change your mind. Adapted from the stage musical - which has raked in over $2 billion in just under ten years - it’s a winning mix of feel good flo...

Review: Journey To The Center Of The Earth 3D

This isn’t a direct remake of the classic Jules Verne tale that we all know and love (I for one had a cracking animated version of it on video when I was younger. It was bloody fantastic). Instead, it’s a bang up-to-date story of a familiar journey that features mobile phones, PSPs and Google, referencing the original story in d...