Diary of A Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules Review

Dancing King.......Diary of A Wimpy Kid 2

Surprisingly, Diary of A Wimpy Kid 2, manages not to succumb to the fate of most sequels. This is an enjoyable family film that leaves cinema goers wanting to see the sequel which would be Diary of A Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw. It also focuses more on the relationship of Greg Heffley (Zachary Gordon) and Rodrick (Devon Bostick). It is funnier and has less cheesy gags with Greg's best friend Rowley (Robert Capron) manages not to embarrass him. There is a Greg-in-his-pants sequence that is slightly crude but this film is enjoyable to watch and it does suck you in, and I didn't look at my watch once. A generally decent movie.


3.5/5

Pirates of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides Review

The Never-Ending Story 4.........Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz

With promises of a fifth and sixth, the laboured Pirates of The Caribbean series is turning into the Harry Potter "trilogy" or 007 saga. Johnny Depp is hooked up with both of these sequels with a long contract. This next outing, begins in Ye Olde London, where camp Captain Jack Sparrow (Depp) is gallivanting around from cart to cart trying to avoid good King George's men. Richard Griffiths plays our dear King who has set up a team to track down the fabled Fountain of Youth because he doesn't want anyone European (in this case, the Spanish) getting their hand's on it. Enter Penelope Cruz who plays Angelica, a friend or foe from Sparrow's past. She drugs him and he end's up on Blackbeard's (Ian McShane) boat, Queen Anne's Revenge on a Indiana Jone's mission for the fountain. It's pretty good for a fourth installment such as Shrek Forever After was. Let's just say, thank God they aren't making a fourth Toy Story. 


4/5

Hanna Review

I'm going in for the kill.......Saoirse Ronan in Hanna

Even with Eric Bana and Cate Blanchett in tow, this pathetic thriller fails to deliver. This confusing, bemusing silly Never-Ending Story. Irish star, Saorise Ronan stars as dodgy accented Hanna, who is raised in snowy Finland, wearing only animal fur. Then Hanna triggers a transponder and gets caught by the ginger pudding-bowl wicked witch, Marissa Wiegler (Cate Blanchett). It's a whirlwind chase through different European countries. Eric Bana plays her father who lives with Hanna but then goes out to Berlin. This is a real dog's dinner of a movie. I wouldn't recommend it. 


2/5

Jig Review

Dancing Queen(s)........Jig

This 97-minute long documentary about the 40th Irish Dancing World Championships, is heart-felt for the first hour or so, but tails off into a Britain's Got Talent/The X Factor-esque technique, with drum beats and a screaming audience. In the first 50 minutes, it shows girls, boys, teenagers and teachers talk about how they discovered Irish dancing and how good they are at it. From Moscow to Rotterdam, its shows in some cases, compelling stories about people who have made giant changes in their lives to fit in their hobby. The final is in Glasgow, Scotland and the giant, puffy wigs, spray tan by the gallon, and diamante, sequined dresses are all set to dance on stage. 

3/5

Thor Review

Power problems......Chris Hemsworth...Thor

Thor is one of Marvel's not very well know superheros. He is known as the protector of humanity, this movie portrays him (at the beginning anyway) as a greedy, power/war hungry selfish God, who lives under the toe of his ageing father (Anthony Hopkins). They live in Asgard, the (sci-fi looking) 'capital city' of the Nine Worlds (one of which is Earth and our solar system), ruling these worlds and fighting off enemies like the unconvincing Frost Giants. Thor (Home and Away's Hemsworth), is cast off for trying to reignite a war and is hit by Natalie Portman, who recently starred in Black Swan (a very big gap between genre). This film is good but Thor gets a bit too touchy too quickly. With some love, hate, cry moments this hits the high point in blockbuster movies, with it going to number one on the UK film chart. 


4/5

Rio Review

High-fly sky guy........Rio

This must be Anne Hathaway's big comeback because the last thing she was in, was Love & Other Drugs, a dribbly rom-com. This stars Blu, a domesticated blue macaw, when I Wikipedied this, a blue macaw is 'critically endangered.' He and his owner are visited by a vet who takes them on a whirl-wind adventure to Rio De Janeiro, where they attempt to get Blu (Jesse Eisenberg) to mate with Jewel (Anne Hathaway), the only supposed remaining macaw. They get taken prisoner by illegal bird snatchers and they're vicious cockatoo Nigel (Jemaine Clement), from Flight of the Conchords. Apart from several dodgy songs by Will.i.am and Jemaine Clement, this is a good-natured film for the Easter holidays.


3.5/5

Hop Review

Cute but not cuddly......Hop

Like the Easter special of Alvin and The Chipmunks, this adorable seasoned movie is set up with all the usual cliches. The Easter Bunny is always a bunny and the 'Easter Factory' is on Easter Island inside one of the Moai's. Octopus-like Russell Brand stars in this themed-movie based on one bunny about to inherit the Easter Bunny title. So he runs away to Hollywood, where all stars go from rags to riches. 'That lady who wrote Harry Potter, wrote it in a ditch' was one of the unfunny quotes the film sprouts. James Marsden plays your twenty-something slacker, who gets chucked out of his house because he doesn't have a job. Instead of picking a real actor who is 20-ish, they chose Marsden who is 37. Eventually they meet but have to save the day from the evil Bunny, Carlos (voiced by Hank Azaria) who plans to overthrow the Bunny Empire. With one or two funny moments, this film is a bad movie dusted with sugar and spice. 


2.5/5