2 GUNS

Not so long ago, the film industry was awash with the likes of Joel Silver and Jerry Bruckheimer productions - films with big names, big action sequences and loud music.

The late 80's and early 90's were the height of these "big on budget and low on script' types of film but then, like all things, their time came and went.

Well it seems that director Baltasar Kormakur doesn't agree with this.

His first foray into major motion picture territory is one that feels, looks, sounds and registers with those who were around back then as a film that was made in the early 90's and has been, up until now, lost in a storeroom somewhere in Hollywood. Your love - or toleration - of this genre will greatly affect your viewing outcome of 2 Guns.

From the get-go, we are given an introduction to The Denzel & Mark Show as the do their mis-matched cop buddy routine - and it's good.  Very good. The two banter back-n-forth relentlessly and effortlessly over such trivial things as what to order for breakfast and how much a tip should be (very reminiscent of the opening salvo from Reservoir Dogs.) And that's all in the opening sequence before the old school "one month earlier" scrawl appears and the story set-up begins in earnest.

Now the story of 2 Guns is one of no surprises to avid cinema-go'ers - there are crosses, double crosses and even at times the beginnings of triple crosses pouring out of the woodwork as the plot thickens and Denzel and Mark grudgingly try to trust each other to get to the bottom of things. This is all the while an elusive $43.125 million dollars (as mentioned by Bill Paxton channelling his nasty brother Chet role from Weird Science everytime he appears on screen) is being hunted by several groups of people from the mob through to corrupt CIA and dodgy DEA Agents. This set up of people all converging on the money casts shadows of the grand finale from True Romance which only solidifies the feeling of 80/90's cinema.

Now with such a run-of-the-mill story full of 2 dimensional baddies what starts to happen is "good guy disappearance" syndrome. Whenever The Denzel & Mark Show is not up upon the screen, the proceedings start to feel somewhat flat and protracted without their genuinely pleasing chemistry creating more back-n-forth than a ping pong championship final.

Fun but none-the-less fleeting, 2 Guns is an enjoyable ride but one that makes you want to go back and put on the likes of The Last Boy Scout to see how buddy flicks with double crosses and shenanigans should be played out. Long live the 80's!

UK release date: 16.08.13
Certificate: 15

NOW YOU SEE ME

Depressingly, trailers that excite, enthral and show some ingenuity are few and far between in an ever-increasing swirl of sequels, prequels and, to be frank, nonsense green-lit by money-hungry executives rather than memorable-making movie-makers. Of course, if such a trailer does appear, the finished product is never what you crossed your fingers for, hoping against hope for a new favourite film to add to your list.

Now You See Me delivers nearly all of this - which isn't bad considering what a tall order that has proven to be of late for other films. We're told to" watch closely" but warned that the "closer we are, the less we'll see" and to a degree, those words are spot on.

For, you see, if pay close attention and buy into the whole premise and execution of Now You See Me, you really will see less - a lesser great experience as plot holes and too-greater leaps of faith on behalf of the audience are revealed.

Maybe then, this is not a film to sit up and concentrate in then. Right from the beginning, you are not only thrown straight into the proceedings but then given a guided tour of it all for your enlightenment - and enjoyment. Part of the innate charm of the likes of Oceans 11 was its "big reveal." Within its last 20 minutes, you would sit agog as the whole plan and its complicated - and convoluted - execution were revealed through the aid of flashbacks and voice overs. This was after having sat through over an hour of mis-direction and subterfuge.

Here then, there is, in comparison to Clooney and Pitt's escapades, no waiting at all. The first 20 minutes of the film sees a fantastic illusion pulled off infront of a huge crowd which leaves all those watching it - the extras in the film pretending to be punters and the real punters in the cinema watching it alike - open-mouthed. The location, the set and the way the Four Horsemen - Eisenberg, Harrelson, Fisher and Franco - work all of the above is dazzling and, surprisingly, totally believable. It sets the tone for the whole film to come - which is both its strength and its Achilles Heel in the end.

We then are introduced to The Dark Knight reunion of Caine and Freeman who proceed to debunk the whole trick ala Oceans 11 finale and set in motion the whole "cat and mouse" scenario between the Four Horsemen and Ruffalo's strangely "constantly- angry" FBI Agent.

Although this is the backbone of the film, it's the "magic tricks" themselves that become the centre of attention and leave you guessing what the next one will be inbetween the reveals. Freeman tags along to each one, debunking them after each of them to a more-and-more angrier Ruffalo and a grumpier-and-grumpier Caine but its not them that hold your attention. Teaming up again after the excellent Zombieland, Eisenberg and Harrelson are the two stand-outs of the Four Horsemen. Eisenberg seems in trouble as being typecast as the cocky chap (think his The Social Network performance and you're there) but, once again, it's Harrelson who steals the show as the all-grinning, tongue-in-cheek mind-reader.  Fisher is left to be the eye-candy but refreshingly isn't dressed up or treated as such which is a rarity in a big budget, male-heavy film, and Franco comes off as the young wannabe apprentice who looks in awe at Eisenberg and the rest.

What then shows the "hidden card up the sleeve" trick is the films finale. Up until then, all is reasonably explained and, to an extent, reasonably plausible. Reasonably. The film has its rules and the plot and the characters follow them, helping the audience to do the same. However, it's the final "magic trick" and it's execution that asks too much of the audience to suspend disbelief and upon closer inspection, does not hold water. There are far too many variables for it to work and therefore it shouldn't, which, after the first two-thirds of believable excitement, comes as abit of a crushing blow. It ditches its only rules for the sake of spectacle and surprise which dampens both in the end.

A solid piece of entertainment that dazzles in its daring delivery, Now You See Me is a great film let down by its OTT ending and its insistence in asking us to believe in true magic rather than believing in the wonder of being deceived.


UK release date: 03.07.13
Certificate: 12A

WORLD WAR Z

And so it came to pass that the much talked about "troubled Brad Pitt movie" finally hit a waiting world. A world where zombies now are a well-worn common appearance due to in part of the success of the likes of The Walking Dead - both its TV and graphic novel existence.

With its well-publicised reshoot of its ending and delayed release date by nearly a year, could the unfilmable World War Z be worthy of attention from audiences in a packed Summer schedule?

Yes.

Director Marc Forster on paper seems an unusual choice for a sprawling story about the end of humanity. His Monster's Ball, Finding Neverland and Stranger Than Fiction are small, intimate stories of struggle and it is exactly this approach that he has brought to this tale of a global struggle for survival. Not too fear though, he's also brought his experience of set pieces from Quantum Of Solace along so that it's not just talking and walking amongst the plague of the undead.

Like the zombies depicted in the film, Forster and the 6 ( yes, 6! ) writers move straight away at an incredible pace - shuffling around aimlessly groaning is definitely off the menu here. Within the first 10 minutes an entire city is overrun with only snippets of information dropped in by news reports played out in the background on radio and TV. You meet Pitt's ex UN guy - Gerry - and his family all living happily in Philadelphia, then, before you can learn their names (which turns out to be pointless but more on that later) suddenly the streets are amok with carnage, but not awash with blood ( again, more on that later.)

With the entire world facing this zombie holocaust, Gerry is forced to help seek out an answer in a bold and refreshingly frank ultimatum - help and we'll guarantee your families safety. Don't and we won't. This plot device of finding "patient zero" allows us to see other parts of the overrun world and also allows Forster to deliver his set pieces. South Korea, Iraq and Wales all get their time on the screen and each has their own very distinct set piece to shred the nerves and start the goosebumps. Korea gets its own Call Of Duty-esque night time manoeuvres with Pitt trying to get from and to his military plane amid a plague of zombies. Iraq gets the big budget sequence which features heavily in the trailer where you get to see exactly what a herd of fast-moving zombies can do. This part pushes the tension to new levels but it never veers into the horror territory because you never really see any consequences of the zombie attacks. Throughout the entire World War Z, you never see any blood or carnage to help you realise the brutal seriousness of what is happening all around. If they hadn't of maybe gone for the lower certificate rating, this could have been a rare thing indeed - a summer blockbuster that added "horror" to its genre listing along with "action" and "spectacle."

Instead what we have is a great thriller that wants to truly scare and unsettle but never gets the chance to fully deliver on that. The sequence involving the lab in Wales is the infamous reshot part of the film and armed with that knowledge you could be forgiven for wondering exactly what it was that they had already filmed. That's because the ending here is a very much quieter and smaller set of events when compared to the first two thirds of the film. For this reviewer however it is the most nerve wrecking of all the land-based attacks with another game called to mind - a very Resident Evil" creep around" feel to it. One that is very different to the shoot 'em up chaotic action of the Call Of Duty part at the beginning.

Those astute of you may have noted the phrase "land-based" attacks just then. There is one other sequence that beautifully captures the terror of being caught between a rock and a hard place - now known as being caught between an airline door and a zombie.  Pitt gets to show some acting chops in this part where he comes face-to-face with the epidemic and with no feasible way out that doesn't involve the death of himself and every other passenger aboard the unluckiest place since Samuel L. Jackson had some bother on his one some years ago. Pitt, as expected and as always, carries the film throughout with ease but that does mean that basically everyone else doesn't get a look in. To the extent that his own family that he's trying to indirectly save by helping find a weakness in the zombie affliction don't really register on the important radar. All that accompany Pitt on his whirlwind tour of "Zombie World" may as well be wearing the red uniforms from Star Trek as they have about the same life expectany of one of The Enterprise's security crew!

A great film that truly delivers on the tension and spectacle, it feels alittle bit short on the gore and the "World War" status - at times more like a World Skirmish In The School Playground type of thing. If the open ending and box office allows for the obvious sequel, here's hoping they go more 28 Days Later than 28 Weeks Later and really try and scare the crap out of the audience!

UK release date: 21.06.13
Certificate: 12A

THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES

Back in 2011, Ryan Gosling made the step from recognised bit actor to cool-as-hell leading man with his performance in Drive - a quiet man whose job as a stuntman allows him to use his "special skill set" to try and better the life of those he cares about.

Forward 2 years and Gosling returns to two things - the same type of character and to a director he has worked with before. This double date of destiny takes him to The Place Beyond The Pines. This time out those two points are somewhat different - subtle though they may be, they are enough to give you a whole different experience than that you may have been led to believe you would be undergoing. Here, Gosling's car expertise is replaced by that of a motorbike and the director he has reunited with is that of the small and intimate Blue Valentine - Derek Clanfrance and not Drive's Nicolas Winding Refn.

So, despite the trailer looking for all the world like a Drive sequel, this is definitely not. Not by a long shot. Here, Clanfrance has an epic tale to tell, but he chooses to do so in the small and intimate fashion that his Blue Valentine presented.

Here though the story is that of very different men at very different stages of their lives - in particular three certain individuals that will all be connected through a single action taken by one of them. What comes as a complete surprise - a welcome one but none-the-less distantly intriguing one - is that the film rather than the standard three acts (beginning, middle and end) feels like three separate movies. There's Gosling's carnival stunt rider story, Bradley Cooper's newbie cop story and then Dane Dehaan's loner school kid story.

Each of these has their own pace which only adds to the feeling of watching a trilogy edited together rather than just one film with a far-reaching story arc. Gosling, the first of the three, is all about movement - movement in the mental and physical sense. As the care-free stunt rider who learns of his fatherhood by accident, Gosling nails it as the loner who tries to do right by his new-found son and his "fling" from a year ago by resorting to bank robberies to provide for them. His momentum towards responsibility is matched with the speed of the bike sequences and the editing during the various bank jobs.

Cooper's "cop trying to do right despite corruption all around him" second storyline by comparison is a much slower and deeper experience. Especially after all the fast tension from before. Here, Cooper, along with the standard Ray Liotta "bad news/weasel" cop create a more basic tension - one that forever creeps up behind you, making you think that something will happen, but it never does.

The third story/act that belongs to Dehaan is both the harder one to explain and, quite frankly to swallow. Especially after what has gone before. This feels more like a soap opera than a movie but Clanfrance manages to avoid a total cheese-fest and keeps it out of the TV trash gutter and firmly in the "I'll go along for the ride" category.

At first cool enough to stand alongside the likes of Reservoir Dogs and Drive, it moves into Scorsese territory with bent cops and Liotta and with that switch, all it's cult status and hipness disappears. That doesn't mean that it falls flat or loses the viewer, no. It just asks you to take a very different journey from what you were expecting to take after watching the first 45 minutes of it.

UK release date: 12.04.13
Certificate: 15

TRANCE

Danny Boyle. Now officially a national treasure and icon. Before, he was just the man who made Ewan McGregor do things such as swim up through the worst toilet in the world... Now he's the bloke who made James Bond help the Queen to parachute out of a helicopter to open the Olympics.

Prepare to have yet another reason to worship at the alter of Danny.

His latest is one of those films where words are wholly inadequate to either describe what takes place or to convince you to take a seat and watch what unfolds without giving anything away. Trance is one of those manic movies - a "lean forwards in your seat and readily play 'guess the direction of the next plot twist' type of experience." Try and picture The Sixth Sense on steroids dating The Usual Suspects whilst fantasising about Inception and you will be ready to describe Danny Boyle's newest celluloid conundrum.

From the get-go, all seems to be familiar territory for those who have followed the films of Boyle. Flashes of his back catalogue are all present and correct - the stylised kinetics of The Beach, the catchy tunes of Trainspotting, the constant character reveals of Shallow Grave, the time-jumping framing of Slumdog Millionaire - all these previous sum parts make up a brand new whole to enjoy.

All seems straight forward with the opening salvo of McAvoy breaking the fourth wall and explaining directly to the viewer the challenges facing anyone thinking of trying to steal high-priced art. A quick flashback shows how easy it was to do a "snatch n grab" - all you needed was brawn and balls back in the day. As we, and he, find out, you still need those qualities but a whole lot more to pull off a heist nowadays. Here McAvoy emulates Boyle's original protege (McGregor) from Shallow Grave - all Scottish charm and smirks with an unhealthy dose of hysteria when the shit hits the fan. It's after this that things really do get intense, intriguing and immersive.

By saying that there's twists aplenty does ruin the possibility of the viewer letting it all just appear on their radar as the film makers intended. Knowing that there's a twist makes the audience purposely look out for it rather than have it unfold before their eyes but Trance constantly changes the ground under your feet so that even if you think that you're that clever, you will not be able to spot anywhere near half of them that present themselves during its 101 minute running time. Not unlike an Ocean's 11 plotline, the heist has several things going on simultaneously that only fall into place when all (well, mostly) is revealed just before the end credits roll. And just before that, all manner of clues and hints that were vaguely present before, become relevant and eye-opening as the secrets are viciously torn apart. Those "blink-an-you'll-miss-em" clues suddenly start to fall into place as the domino's, the cast and the walls of perception fall one-by-one.

Of course, plotline's alone do not a fantastic film make. Cassel and Dawson are superb in their roles as both victim and victor (depending on which part of the twist is being unveiled) and Boyle lets his eye and camera deliver angles and accents that only help add to the blissful confusion. Who else could make the M25 and other roads look like a red neon sign to the Devil from up above?

Brilliant and baffling in equal parts, this is Boyle back on form that anyone will love. Just like he has done on all of his efforts in the varied fields he's attempted, this is a top notch example of how a genre film can be. Go see, then see again. And then once more for the hell of it.

UK release date: 29.03.13
Certificate: 15

STOKER

The genre of horror has dramatically changed over the years - originally  they were all about fear and suspense, whereas now it seems that the key factor is gore and how grizzly the deaths can be.

Recently, the likes of The Woman In Black has gone back to the "good old days" where mounting tension and off-camera scares are pushed to the fore to create the desired effect from the audience. This movement towards old school continues with an unlikely source - the director of the violent and kinda-gory vengeance trilogy (Oldboy, Lady Vengeance and Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance.)

Director Park Chan-wook brings to this Western tale of a family and its secrets a very Asian flavour, bringing to mind the creepier moments of the likes of the Ring, The Eye and The Grudge franchises. Just like those cult classics, every image seems to have been contemplated and dissected before it's inclusion in the final film. Nothing it seems has been left to chance in either those films or here too. Imagery is key. For story purposes and for fear-inducing purposes.

The point here is fear caused primarily by uncertainty - of what's happening and of what some of the characters will do next. Imagine the various family members of say The Munsters, Beetlejuice or The Addams Family - condense them into just a handful of characters, and then mix in a decidedly 18 certificate feel and you will be someway to realising the Stoker family. Chan-wook, along with his (alien-to-him) English-speaking cast has delivered some of the more weirder individuals to be placed upon the silver screen in recent memory. This, along with striking visual imagery and a book ending of the film with the same scene, helps the events that unfold take on a certain "troubling dream-like" quality. The opening credit sequence starts this off with its imaginative placing and removing of the names not unlike those of Night Watch where the images upon the screen - Mia Wasikowska standing by the roadside - affects the words and their visibility. This use of imaginative imagery also shows such striking dissolves as Nicole Kidman's brushed hair blending into a field of wind-swept grass, and Wasikowska's tiny frame walking along the middle of a highway followed by her just discovered Uncle Charlie in his open-top Jag, into her walking up her driveway still followed by the ever-increasingly strange Uncle Charlie in his open-top Jag.

Kidman, who is no stranger to sexually-charged but emotionally-fragile roles (think of Dead Calm,  The Others and To Die For) nails it as the recently widowed Evelyn who becomes more-and-more enamoured with Mathew Goode's Uncle Charlie. Goode delivers the perfect amount of smiles and uncomfortably long stares towards Wasikowska's just-turned-18 and greiving daughter - India - who seems to be channeling a mixture of young "angsty" Winona Ryder within the looks of a young Claire Danes. Running throughout the entire Stoker, as with these three characters, nothing is at all what it seems.

With its swings-and-roundabouts plotline of just exactly who Uncle Charlie is and his connection to the recently widowed Evelyn and emotionally-closed down India, the film boasts a not-too obvious story arc that has a great but disturbing flashback in it that breaks the mainstream cinema taboo of killing children which still doesn't fully shed light on events that will unfold afterwards.

Intriguing, interesting, inventive, imaginative and incestious, Stoker is a rare breed of film that mixes its horror with thriller and adds dysfunctional family as well just to create a more heightened emotion to it all. You'll never view distant family members in the same light again.

UK release date: 01.03.13
Certificate: 18

CLOUD ATLAS

And so it seems that the time of "unfilmable books" turning into films continues. After the huge success of Life Of Pi we now have another piece of monumental movie making mountaineering to climb. This time however it was not the technology holding things back like Lee faced with bringing a Bengal tiger to life in the confined space of a drifting lifeboat, but of the multi-layered and many plot lines of the source novel itself.

The team that brought the now immortal line of "I know kung fu," were not the people that would easily spring to mind to be able to handle such a time-spanning and worldly-hopping experience such as those that unfold during the many centuries of Cloud Atlas but attempt it they did.

And succeed they have.

Along with Tom Tykwer - the man responsible behind the almost equally multi-layered plotting of Run, Lola Run, The Wachowski's and he have both adapted David Mitchell's novel for the screen and then, just to add to their plate, directed it too. This is by no means an easy task. There are 6 different stories that take place all in different time zones, different locations, different dialects and, spoiler alert, different planets entirely.

To do this, the trio have taken the source novel and its framing and, although nodding to whilst keeping true to it, have opted for a more novel but satisfying cinematic approach to the stories and their inter-connectedness. This doesn't mean that they have made it an easier experience for those who do not wish to or who are not used to having their films demand things from them such as attention, retention and suspension. Some may not like the idea of "souls" moving through time and continuing their journey towards their respective goals - continuously "meeting again and again in different lives and different ages,"- but to help the viewer make this connection, the trio have devised a plan.

And a rather cunning one it is at that! The central actors all play different parts in all of the six stories that weave across the silver screen, however, they are not the same characters. Some are not even the same gender. This gives way to a nice little side line during the films just-shy-of three hours running time - spot the Tom Hanks/Halle Berry/Jim Broadbent/Hugo Weaving/Jim Sturgess/Doona Bae/Ben Whishaw in all of the six stories. They are all there, even in the background, so if you feel the time-jumping, soul-swapping stances of the film itself are slipping away from you, you could always play the Where's The Actor until the end credits reveal them to you.

The actors themselves seem to have a great time, revelling in the different types of challenges that their characters face in the seemingly different styles of genre film-making presented - a futuristic The Handmaidens' Tale-esque world which is the closest to The Wachowski's The Matrix where all is not what it seems and revelations of The One who is to open every ones eyes to the truth; a 1970's conspiracy thriller of Watergate proportions; a 1930's tale of forbidden love and doomed souls due to society and its constraints - all these and the others are presented together yet very much apart.

The key to this is the editing of the film itself and of the six plots. A significant reveal or image on one story quickly cuts to another with that point carried over thus helping you to not only make the connection but to keep it and then keep track of it when the next jump takes place, whether it be on a ship in the 1800's or on a hover-bike in the far-flung future. This type of confidence in their work and in the capacity of the viewer to not only to connect but to enjoy is both brave and rewarding for all involved. The only big leap of faith that the trio have taken is with the dialogue - in particular the dialect that bookends the film. The story of a world where the earth is inhabited by the peaceful tribes of Tom Hanks and the cannibalistic tribes of Hugh Grant has its own futuristic language which is at times hard to follow and can create a distance between the viewer and events, but overall the message does break through that barrier and balance is easily restored.

A film that shows that when given the chance, The Wachowski's along with Tykwer can deliver a complex story and not let it get crushed under its own message - part two and three of The Matrix trilogy to be exact. All whilst utilising effects to help rather than hinder the overall experience, Cloud Atlas is a brave piece of movie-making and one that is well worth the time and effort that it asks of you.

UK release date: 22.02.13
Certificate: 15

ZERO DARK THIRTY

Think back to a time, not that long ago, when females were mainly allowed only in front of the camera, and not behind it. That began to change when Kathryn Bigelow started to deliver the likes of Point Break and Near Dark. Then, not only did she fully prove that a woman could direct, but that they could also encroach on territories normally associated only with men - action-based films - and that they could also win awards whilst doing so. Her The Hurt Locker put her up against her ex - James Cameron - at the Oscars, and she won.

Now Bigelow has returned to the genre that placed her firmly on the map and once again delves into the world of modern warfare. Except this time she's bringing abit more realism with her - more fact than fiction.

Not unlike TV's Homeland, here we have a strong female character with what appears to be a lifelong obsession that dominates her every waking and sleeping hour. On the small screen, Claire Danes' agent is driven by the feeling that she could have helped avert 9/11. Here upon the silver screen, Jessica Chastain is seeking closure on 9/11 by wanting to help close the book on the worlds largest, and what feels like as the events unfold, the longest manhunt ever.

Based on reports, accounts and documentation from relevant sources, here the story is not a simple search and destroy mission full of adventure. Instead, we have years of trawling loads of leads with most of them becoming dead ends. At times Chastain's characters frustration can be felt by the audience as information about similar sounding possible terrorists is presented again and again with what feels like little or no purpose or resolution. But then, what should we expect from a depiction of a true life manhunt that took thousands of days and millions of dollars to complete? Here, it's not a" trace a mobile phone call" and send in Jack Bauer once the relevant info has been uploaded to his PDA. Sources appear and disappear, clues are proven and disproven. Leads are followed and some too late - the London bombings being one of the attacks that is, as we know, not prevented.

Here, all is presented in a very straight forward fashion, almost to the style of a documentary. Many countries are visited but as they tumble across the screen, some begin to blur into others as the seemingly fruitlessness of the investigation begins to take hold. Then, after around two hours of this, Bigelow stops with the documentary and goes all Point Break action on the audience.

With stealth helicopters, night vision POV's, gunfire and expendable Bin Laden protectors, the last 40 minutes feels like a totally different film from what has gone before. She also, whilst ramping up the action and the tension, sneaks in a brave but ingenious factor of doubt as you watch these Marines perform their duty -  is it as honourable as it should have been? Some actions are questionable but is that acceptable in the circumstances? The question is not answered but presented for you the viewer to make up your mind about it.

Great but not as powerful as The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty is a worthy addition to the ever-expanding and most welcomed cannon of Kathryn Bigelow.

UK release date: 25.01.13
Certificate: 15

TOP 20.1/2 FILMS YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN THIS YEAR - 10 through to 5

Now with the clarity that can only come from people having to get ready to go back to work and having detoxed from alcohol after New Year's celebrations, it's the perfect time to look back upon the year that was 2011 and the films that graced our screens...

BEST 20.1/2 FILMS OF 2012 - 10 thru to 6

10. Silver Linings Playbook

A film that not only dealt with its two main characters both suffering from different forms of mental illness, it portrayed them with respect and humour but never once belittling them and their personal battles or dumbing things down for fear of alienating the audience.

Silver Linings Playbook was one of those experiences that made you feel all the better for having watched it. It also helped that both Cooper and Lawrence gave outstanding performances and the supporting cast surprised all by DeNiro not coming across as if he was "phoning it in" and Tucker not going OTT.

9.Brave

 From the people that can seem to do no wrong, it was none-the-less a big step for Pixar to have their latest concern itself with people as leads rather than in the background AND to have a female as the central character.

They and audiences needn't have worried. Brave showed that Pixar is still king when it comes to characterisation and fun for everyone of all ages - jokes for the older folks and quips for the kids were still present and correct.

8. Argo

 Remember the time when Affleck was just one of the other halves of either Damon or Lopez? Well those days are truly long forgotten as Affleck delivered another fantastic piece of film with his "based on a true story" drama that had bucket loads of suspense, drama and nostalgia.

Awards will be headed his way no doubt.

7. The Cabin In The Woods

From the mind of Whedon, this was a film that played up its teen slasher premise to the extent that its true nature may have been lost on those who went to see it thinking it was just a teen slasher movie!

Clever, funny and subversive, this was a film that refused to be pigeon holed into a category and left those without an open and quick mind behind in its wake.

6. The Raid

A Welsh man and an Indonesian walk into the movie making industry... Sounds like the beginning of a joke but it was infact the beginning of a wonderful relationship that gave those lucky enough to see it a truly breath-holding experience.

Relentless and genius, this showed the big budget makers how to make a movie that could please all.

The countdown will continue with 5 through to 1.... What have you seen and what do you think should be included?

TOP 20.1/2 FILMS YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN THIS YEAR - 15 through to 11

And so here continues the countdown of my top films of the year...

15. Headhunters

If you didn't get to see the little film that had big ideas and a nail-biting plot, then see the original before the inevitable Hollywood remake. Clever and damn funny, it proved that good actors and not A-list stars can keep an audience enthralled hook, line and sinker.

Slickly cool, if only short (watch it and you'll understand!)

14. The Descendants

Is there nothing that the Clooney cannot do? Yet again, him off of E.R. proves that he is not only bankable but dependable in this quiet tale of a husband having to reconnect with his family after his wife slips into a coma. Heart strings are deliberately pulled but in such a way that you don't care - you only care about the people up on the screen.... and that's quality film making.

13. Beasts Of The Southern Wild

Despite looking like a documentary, Beasts Of The Southern Wild wasn't. This little film that stood head and shoulders against all the action and adventure faire at the cinemas - a feat not unlike its central character. If you failed to fall in love with the little girl who lives with her daddy in The Bathtub during a massive flood, then go see your local mortician!

12. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

The expectation for Peter Jackson's return to The Shire was hard to quantify - it had been so long coming that there could be a fear that the film wouldn't stand a chance of living up to the hype. Nonsense dear boy! The wizard wasn't late - he arrived in our cinemas att exactly the time he wished to and blew all out doubts away! So, fly you doubters!

11. The Hunger Games

Who would have thought that a book aimed at young girls could be turned into a successful film? Yes, Twilight did that. However, The Hunger Games proved to pull off an even more impressive trick... boys liked it too!

With something for everyone, the box office receipts led the way to the second and third books being green lit into films as well. Katniss and Peter's story will continue, and the world will be watching!

So, onto the next batch....

JACK REACHER

The internet. For some it has broadened their horizons and opened up new worlds and new possibilities. For movie makers, it seems to have opened up more efficient ways of piracy and placed upon them the "power of the angry geek." Films have found themselves under attack even before the cameras have started to roll.

The first big screen outing of author Lee Childs' best selling anti-hero came under such fire when Cruise was announced as playing the part of drifting investigator Jack Reacher. His height, his looks, his frame - all were dragged into the mud-slinging arena. It was Interview With The Vampire all over again.

They were wrong then, and they're wrong now.

In the hands of first time big screen director McQuarrie, who is best known for his penmanship rather than his camerawork (writer of Valkyrie, The Usual Suspects, The Tourist and here on Jack Reacher) we clearly get to see that he  knows how to set up good characters with great introductions. After an unusually nail-biting opening sequence where a sniper opens fire on seemingly random members of the public  (unusual because not only are men targeted, but women and girls carrying children...yes, you read that right, children!) he smoothly moves onto the task of introducing our anti-hero. Not unlike the intro to Indiana Jones, the beginning shots of Cruise's Reacher  doesn't show his face, just his back of head and side shots. The only thing we get to see is the reactions by every female that interacts with him - something fun that runs throughout the entire film with women trying to contain their desire for him. This clearly is a man with presence despite not being 6"5" as described in the books.

The tone is then further set with a "you can see it coming but it's funny nonetheless" sequence where Oyelowo's cop and Jenkins DA brood over how impossible it is to find a man like Reacher let alone ask him for help after reviewing his file only to have him....well, you can guess the rest. These kind of smile-inducing moments are scattered throughout the films 130 minute running time but none are more so delightful than Reacher blending into his surroundings to avoid capture from Oyelowo's men after a slightly overlong but enjoyable car chase through the city.

The saving grace and the Achilles Heel for the film though lies squarely with its villains. Courtney is a believable match for Cruise in the shooting and hand-to-hand combat sequences (so maybe there IS hope for A Good Day To Die Hard after all then as he plays McClane's son in the fifth outing) but it is the big boss - an underused and very sketchily written Herzog - that feels flat. With a "hinted at" and hastily drawn out back story, Herzog's big bad boss no more elicits fear from the audience than what Reacher feels when he goes up against 5 paid thugs in a bar. There's no need to even break a sweat.

So, with 17 books out in the public domain concerning Jack Reacher, no doubt the studio is hoping that this could be their next new franchise. Of course, only time will tell whether Jack's reach can extend to a sequel but with Cruise seemingly making films left, right and centre and with an already block busting franchise up his sleeve (Mission: Impossible), a return to Reacher could be a hard thing to come by unless of course the ticket stubs go extra crazy for it.

Fun, witty and enjoyable to watch - both the film and it's female lead, Pike - it's worth a trip to check it out but do yourself a favour.... let the whole height thing go if you've read the book and just sit back and take it all in. You'll be pleasantly surprised!.

UK release date: 21.12.12
Certificate: 12A

KILLING THEM SOFTLY

The genre of small, or independent, film seems to have never had it so good. Over the recent years, big stars and recognised directors have dabbled in the field. Some even alternate between the big studio pictures and the small indy flicks - Clooney and Soderburgh are prime examples. There is, to use Yoda's words, another - Pitt.

A champion of the non-multiplex mainstream machine, Pitt has frequently crossed over and in doing so, has delivered some of his most respected work. The last venture between him and director Dominik gave us the visually beautiful and character driven The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford. Five years later and the two have collaborated again for another tale of those that operate outside of the law.

Sadly though, this is no The Assassination Of Jesse James. This latest offering would seem to be much more influenced by a different kind of "bad guy flick" altogether. Killing Them Softly is the (or at least wants to be) the younger cousin to Reservoir Dogs.

Tarrintino's debut immediately showed his love for dialogue - a mixture of the irrelevant and instantly quotable classic. His characters would endless talk about nothing and "shoot the shit" about things that had nothing to do with the plot itself. Here, Dominik - both director and screenwriter - seems to have followed suit as rambling conversations about kind-hearted prostitutes and the like litter the short-in-reality running time film but which make it ultimately make it feel like that so much longer. Normally these excerpts of dialogue would flesh out characters and make them more real for audiences to connect to, but here they just make the proceedings drag somewhat.

The other glaring resemblance to Dogs is its reliance on the more obscure choices of music and off-screen chatter. Dogs had its radio - a DJ linking tunes together whilst events unfolded upon the screen - and here the race for Presidency provides the chatter with what can only be described as an eclectic mix of tunes that blare out from the car radios. The Presidency race involving Obahma is surely to emphasis the state of the America seen on the screen that our characters are facing - decaying, degraded, dying - but this social commentary only helps to slow down the films pace and muddles the basic story of a contract killing that takes place to keep illegal gambling up and running. It's unnecessary, and at its worst, annoying.

Liotta, is, as you would hope to expect, perfect as the slimy and shady individual who causes the events to transpire, whilst Jenkins continues to clock up all the best supporting roles this year as the representative of the consortium who have to be "hand held" throughout the whole contract killing process. However, this is squarely Pitt's baby and when he's not up on the screen, he is sorely missed. Pretty much all of the films humour comes from the two "short of brain cells" criminals that are hired to rob the card game that starts events in motion, with Mendelsohn's Aussie junkie being the standout of the two. There is a scene where he and McNairy are high after the successful robbery that tries to depict the state of highness that, not unlike the whole film, is interesting but continues on so long that it loses any impact and momentum that it had.

Not like the trailer makes it out to be, Killing Them Softly is ok but not as half as cool as it wants or needs to be.

UK release date: 21.09.12

Certificate: 18

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LAWLESS

Not too long ago, it seemed like the little-visited genre of the gangster/western had eventually had its time. Despite the star power of Johnny Depp, the well-publicised Public Enemies did not fare well at the box office, and the genre once defined by the likes of The Untouchables seemed destined to play the part of a ghost town once again.

It would appear that this is not what John Hillcoat wants. Having already directed The Proposition and the short Red Dead Redemption: The Man From Blackwater, Hillcoat still has a need to scratch his Old West itch. And praise the Lord that he did!

As many will atest to, the phrase "Based On A True Story" (when it comes to the cinema at least) can lean inevitably towards a huge helping of a cheese-fest with a dollop of "I don't believe it!" on the side. Fear not, for there will be no cause of indigestion by cheese here on Hillcoat's latest - your more likely to try and hold your meal down due to the violence that rears its head throughout its running time rather than corny-itis and eye-rolling.

To help you better understand where Lawless sits, try and picture a Hillbilly version of Goodfellas and you're pretty much there. The Ray Liotta role of "wannabe respected and feared manboy" is taken by the fresh-faced LaBeouf who, like his Italian American cinematic cousin, narrates his way through the proceedings for us. It is he that introduces his two older brothers - the two that he so desperately wants to impress and eclipse. Clarke  - the eldest brother - takes the Pesci role of the unhinged individual who you can count on, but only when it suits him and his moonshine intake. His violence is mentioned throughout the film but the acts of silent and deadly aggression that spill blood out onto the screen that is the most disturbing all belong to Hardy's middle brother, Forrest. The brains of the brothers, Hardy mixes the menace of his Bane (The Dark Knight Rises) with the confidence of his Eames (Inception.) LaBeouf may be telling the story but Hardy steals it. Completely. Despite wearing a natty grey cardigan, attached to a whisper of a voice and a grunt that equates to half of his dialogue, Hardy portrays a coiled tension which, with the aid of a knuckle duster hidden in his cardigan, breaches the still waters of conversation like a Great White. When he erupts, best step back and watch from a distance.

Of course it's not all about the violence. Cave's script is able to make the occasional nod to matters both relevant back then and now - racism, greed and corruption. These are supplied by the support cast of Oldman - a small part despite his billing but a significant one as it is he that sets LaBeouf off on the path to wanting to be a "Wild West Goodfella" - and Pearce, the dark heart of the film. Picture the albino that kills Connery's Irish cop in The Untouchables and the Secret Service Agent from The Frighteners and you've nailed Pearce's creepy, gloved, no-touching Special Agent from the Big City. Yes, he may be a walking cliche so as to help you side with the boys who are technically on the wrong side of the law, but he does it so well that it can be overlooked or at least forgiven. You will want his comeuppance before the end credits roll and you'll want it as painful as possible for him!

Overall, fans of Goodfellas may think it just alittle too close for their liking - LaBeouf even falls for and tries to impress the girl who knows she shouldn't be with the boy from the wrong side of town but can't help loving him, especially as he flashes the cash and shows her the sights - but its music and actors pull it away enough to have it as a side thought in your head rather than a stick stuck in your throat. The female cast do struggle somewhat to shine as bright as their male counterparts - Wasikowska plays the preachers daughter that falls for the youngest sibling and for the most part just has to look alluring-yet-innocent enough to keep him and the audience interested. It is Chastain that has the meatier of the two female roles but even then she seems destined to be the love interest for Hardy's tongue-tied man who can't act even when it's handed to him "on a plate."

Entertaining and engaging, Lawless is able to keep you right up to its end narration, with a smile-inducing moment involving the legend of the invincible Bondurant Brothers which just goes to show that some "true life stories" are stranger than fiction but nothing is invincible in the end....

UK release date: 07.09.12

Certificate: 18

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THE SWEENEY

Out there now, there is a whole generation who won't understand that driving a Ford Cortina through boxes and litter "makes the car look good." These individuals will not know the joys of sitting infront of the goggle box and watching Thaw and Waterman show the BBC how gritty cop shows could be - all violence and curse words and a huge disrespect for rules and regulations, guv'nor.

The ITV series ran from 1975 - 1978 and showed how The Flying Squad had to go beyond the law to uphold it. It may sound like nothing radical now with "loose cannon cops" frequenting everything from the small to the big screen but back then it was a sight to see.

Forward 34 years and it's the turn of Regan and Carter to feel the big boot of the remake squarely up their Sergent's motor, courtesy of director Nick Love. With the ramped-up macho likes of The Football Factory, The Business and The Firm on his CV, Love seems like the perfect companion to bring the two secret detectives and their "no shit-taking ways" to the silver screen.

The answer is NO, with a side order of YES.

The problem isn't so much with Love and his direction, but with the script and its inability to bring itself kicking and screaming into the present - and then sit comfortably there. Other attempts at old TV shows being reimagined have realised that their premise or feel may have been unique to its original time period and have compensated accordingly - Starsky & Hutch and Dragnet! went tongue-firmly-in-cheek whilst The A-Team and Mission: Impossible went big budget and ultra-modern, leaving behind any traces of their out-dated ideals and feel. The Sweeney attempts neither of these tactics and maybe the non-comedy route was wise but the keeping of the ideals and feel however was not. The way that Winstone's Regan and Drew's Carter act and react to people and situations - indeed their roles and ethos - are outdated and do not ring true or feel correct and plausible in today's society. It may be a great line but "you're nicked sunshine" doesn't fit right anymore.

On the other hand, what does work in its favour is its commitment to the big-boy/hard-nut buddy-movie that normally takes place across the pond with one cop who's nearly past his prime and his younger partner who's sometimes wet behind the ears. The lads strut around satisfactorily enough telling everyone who isn't part of their team to "**** off" but their story arc and their words don't match up. Love films London like it's an American city with camera swoops and aerial shots that wouldn't go amiss from a Bruckheimer production and he even gets one of the leads to "hand over their badge and their gun" from a demanding desk-jockey Boss. The only thing missing is the sound of Detroit in the background whilst they glare at each other through bouts of shouting.

One Americanism that Love has managed to make his own though is what appears to be his homage to Heat. Michael Mann's cat-and-mouse movie saw his criminal crew make an ultra slick retreat from an L.A. bank job gone wrong in a breath-holding sequence where the pattern of "covering fire, reach cover" repeated itself over and over again in a hypnotic cacophony of gunfire and running. Here, Love takes this scene, its pacing and mentality and places it amongst the backdrop of Trafalgar Square in broad daylight, making it all the more impressive and provoking thoughts of "how did they do that?!?!" from anyone who's been around London during the day.

An OK cop movie, The Sweeney lets itself down by never acknowledging its origins or trying to adapt that origin to a believable modern setting. The other tv-to-cinema adaptations did so and mostly came through unscathed but here you really do wonder why did they even bother to call it The Sweeney and not just something like London's Calling, You Slag.

UK release date: 12.09.12

Certificate: 15

TOTAL RECALL

For those of you counting, or old enough to remember, it's been 22 years since Arnie told himself to "get your ass to Mars." Those who do recall (sorry) Paul Verhoven's OTT interpretation of the short story We Can Remember It For You Wholesale may find themselves smirking as the beginning credits flash up on the screen - "Original Films presents Total Recall." Original? Hah! Another stale cash-in from a "fresh out of ideas Hollywood" more like!....

And you'd be both right AND wrong. As a film that isn't compared to either its original source material or the 1990 Schwarzenegger-starrer, this is an average, run-of-the-mill Summer blockbuster that follows all the rules for popcorn-punters and ticks all the necessary boxes - sexy stars, big action sequences, good effects, ludicrous-but-easy-to-follow plot all rolled into an enjoyable 2 hours running time.

What is evident whilst watching Len Wiseman's fourth foray into directing, is that alot of time has been spent in discussions about what the future would look like. It wouldn't be surprising to find out if there was a "think tank" (not unlike Spielberg used in creating the look and feel of Minority Report's world) used here for Total Recall - but more about Minority Report later. The "phone in the palm of your hand" (a genius idea and so desirable) along with Police "energy harness guns" and essentially a skyscraper-sized lift that runs through the Earth's core between the films two locations, are believable but also breath-taking at the same time. The hover cars have been done before (still not at Minority Report just yet!...) but with the storyline stating that Earth has, through its ignorance, misuse and wars, has depleted most of its habitable land, thus housing has built upwards and the hover cars can magnetically float above and below the raised "roads."

Now, for those that are familiar with the previous efforts/incarnations of Doug Quaid's "who the hell am I?" exploits, there is alot of changes to deal with. In a refreshing, and somewhat surprising turn of events, in this tentpole Summer Blockbuster, there is NO America! We have the UFB (United Federation of Britain which contains the UK and Europe) and The Colonies (Australia). A tunnel that runs through the Earth's core that links them via a massive lift is what the "downtrodden workers" of The Colonies have to use to keep the UFB's in the lifestyle they have become accustomed too which is home to the films grand-ish finale. Up to, and including that point, Wiseman's version sets itself apart by trying the more recent favoured style of "grittier" film making. Gone are the jokes, wisecracks, one-liners and absurd feel and in are the handheld camera shake, moody looks and tortured souls trying to fathom out there place in life. Farrell may act the pants off of Schwarzenegger, but with his turns in Horrible Bosses and In Bruges, it's clear that he could have been given and easily pulled off a little light relief to increase the films enjoyment levels. He does hold the film together but for the most part, it is he and Beckinsdale that share the responsibility of not only moving the ridiculously-fast-paced story ever-forward, but keep you engaged throughout. She as his "wife" has a much more expanded role and easily replaces Sharon Stone that qualified for "a divorce" back in 1990 and takes up the role of the original Quaid hunter filled by Michael Ironside.

There are some nods to the original cinematic adventure - look out for the "two weeks" lady at the border control and of course the three breasted call girl that makes Quaid wish he had three hands - but that's your lot. It seems that there are two other movies that have more than a nod, or passing resemblance, to. The area of The Colonies is straight out of Blade Runner - all rain, neon signs, Asian crowds, see-through umbrellas and an overall feel of disrepair, decay and despondency. The UFB on the flipside is straight out of Minority Report - an expanse of impressive architecture linked by multiple levels of roads that have thousands of fast hover cars zipping across them with suited Police-types that carry amongst their arsenal non-lethal weaponry - even to the point where the cinematography matches that of Spielberg's sci-fi hit with lens flare abounding throughout scenes filmed in that location. This dies tend to somewhat draw the comparisons away from the original Total Recall but to replace it with two recognised classics such as Blade Runner AND Minority Report, wasn't maybe such a clever idea! They even have a sequence where a confused and weary Farrell sits tickling the ivories of a piano in exactly the same way that a confused and weary Ford does in the unicorn dream scene from Blade Runner! Brave, bizarre but blindingly foolish.

Better than it should be due in part to Farrell but especially Beckinsdale - all others are wasted (Cranston and Nighy) or sketchy (Biel) - and the impressive detail in the tech side of things, it could have done with abit more tongue-in-cheek than stares-into-distance plus it could have done with a huge dollop of "is this real or rekall?" rather than action sequence after action sequence.

UK release date: 29.08.12

Certificate: 12A

PROMETHEUS

Event movies seem ten-a-penny nowadays - every other week there's an "epic conclusion to the saga" or the "further adventures of..." demanding your attention and your cash. However, there's one filmatic event that has quietly been building up by word-of-mouth and loyal fan-base hysteria as bit-by-bit, clues about it have leaked out into our world.

Not labelled as a prequel to Scott's original game-changer Alien back in 1979, instead, his return to the sci-fi universe has been referred to as having the same DNA as his franchise-spawning horror where "In space no one can hear you scream." It turns out that this isn't just pompous marketing propaganda, but quite accurate - DNA is key to Prometheus. Alongside with the question of faith and how far would you go and what you would experience before you lose yours. Yep, Scott is back walking around on deep territory.

For those of you who have invested in the franchise that Scott unwittingly started some 33 years ago, you may find yourself in Marmite land - you'll either love it or hate it. This ultimately will give hints and suggestions to the questions you never knew you had in you regarding the Alien mythology rather than answer them directly. Prometheus straddles the divide between "stand alone film," "existing franchise builder" and by the end credits, a possible "new franchise starter." For people willing to open up to the possibilities that there can be more questions to Alien related films other than "where did they come from?" and "who's the new Ripley?" they will be rewarded with a plethora of, admittedly more left-of-field conundrums such as "what the hell?" and "where's the Space Jockey with the burst-through ribcage?" This is definitely not a direct prequel. Nor is it a horror set in space.

Dark, abandoned and unloved corridors are not present to have you gripping your armrest - here the varying degrees of terror comes from not being chased by the unknown but by one of the greatest fears around - man's own stupidity, ignorance and desires. Like Burke "fucking people over for a goddamn percentage" in Aliens, it's what the crews intentions and reactions are that drive the moments of nail-biting. Now, with an extended crew count here - listed as 17 on the ships log - Prometheus does suffer somewhat from in-depth characterisation that the smaller body counts of Alien and Aliens had. There's not enough time for all of the crew to step into the spotlight to have you care enough about them when the shit hits the fan. So when two characters make the ultimate sacrifice, their act does not have the impact it should have had due to them being left on the side-lines once the landing on the planet and the discoveries start to unfold. The emphasis is on the few rather than the many.

The few central characters however are given more than ample time to win you over or to be despised for either their lack of humanity or intelligence. Rapace, the nearest thing to Weaver's female-empowering Ripley, is the films more-theological anchor to the "why are we here?" plot as opposed to Weaver's more survival-instincted "how do I get away from here?" female heroine. The more self-preservation aspect is secured to Theron's seemingly ice-cold corporate executive who represents Weyland Corporation aboard the ship. Her stand-offishness allows for uncertainty about her intentions and origins and one of the films many surprisingly funny moments - her one being with Elba's no-nonsense Captain and the most unusual way of asking for sex committed to recent celluloid memory. The biggest surprise is Fassbender's artificial David - a perfect mix of Holm and Henriksen's "artificial person" that wiles away the years of hyper sleep by basketball-cycling and developing his A.I. to levels that could prove disastrous to everyone onboard. An enquiring mind, regardless of whether its composed by wires or synapses and not bound by a fear of consequences  is a dangerous mix, especially on an unknown planet with a collection of vases that hold either death or re-birth, depending on your point of view.

The characterisation maybe uneven where all the cast is concerned but where there is no inconsistency is the visuals and the tech throughout the film. The rundown, low paygrade levels of Alien and Aliens have been replaced by Weyland Corporations trillions of dollars investment to explore new worlds and new possibilities at the behest of its creator - Pearce's ages-old Peter Weyland. Everything is sumptuous and eye-dazzling to the point where the less-tense, more talky sequences can still hold the viewers attention with the ingenious tech in the background or scenery throughout. Although the glorious tech actually helps rather than distracts in one of the more nerve-shredding sequences where an emergency operation is required that is frankly, outstanding in the field of horror/thriller.

So, just like The Phantom Menace seemed to have nothing to do with the events of A New Hope, Prometheus seemingly is light years from its DNA sibling Alien. However, with its open-ending and some small but significant  irregularities - the planet is LV223 and not LV426; the Space Jockey is absent from his chair - there is still a bridge to build from this foundation that should span from here to there. As David says before he wittingly unleashes hell -"big things have small beginnings." And those words not only ring true but have an even greater emphasis once we hopefully see what happens after the events of LV223 are brought back to the big screen.

UK release date: 01.06.12

Certificate: 15

THE RAID

Martial arts movies - once sneered at by critics and ignored by the masses, they have carried on bringing "oohs" and "ahhs" and "ouchs" to its fans throughout the years. Some have even tried to bring layers to the genre to open up its appeal - Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon broke the critic and box office barriers allowing the likes of crazy Kung Fu Hustle to reach a wider audience.

Now, it would seem that the art of kicking and punching seven bells out of people is about to be championed by the most unlikely source, but that could be exactly what's required... A guy from Wales!

Director/writer Evans has something that most of Hollywood has been trying to create/reproduce/bottle for years - the ability to deliver expected cliches and spectacle-driven scenes whilst making it feel like a whole new experience for the viewer. Hours after seeing it, you may reflect upon similarities between The Raid and other films, but believe me, you won't be doing that during its fingernail in palm-digging, wince-inducing, recoil-startling, breath-holding 101 minutes running time. Once it all kicks off (pun intended), you'll find yourself subconsciously waiting and needing for any moments of calm to to digest and get over the events that have just forced their way into, and onto, your nerve endings.

The mix of Welsh writing and Indonesian fighting has created the "why has it never been done before?" mix of Assault On Precinct 13 and Die Hard - two films that wowed and wooed both audiences and critics alike. This phenomenal combination will replicate the same success if there is any justice. Just like Willis' "wrong place, wrong time" cop that was hopelessly outnumbered, with little support and able to feel and show pain and fear, Uwais' rookie cop who's fighting to stay alive to return to his pregnant wife, shows human emotion when the adrenalin has left his body in between fights. These scenes of slight "normality" not only help you to connect to, and root even more so, for his outnumbered character, but really do give you the time to take a breath and process the fight sequences that you've just witnessed. This needs to be done as a small part of you realises that there was no CGI at play here - what you see upon the screen, it what was filmed. Every back-breaking, neck-snapping, leg-contorting move was choreographed and carried out - and it shows!

Evans has eschewed the norm camera techniques since Saving Private Ryan introduced it to directors and audiences alike - there's no fast editing or hand-held shaky camera work to add to the impression that you're in the thick of it. The camera is placed in new locations - up above at a neck-straining angle, upon the blood-soaked, body-littered floor - and the buy-in from the audience is achieved purely from the moves executed against one another, and not from quick cuts.

As said, there is elements of "done before" within The Raid, but not like this specific combination. You may have lines such as "we go in, we take him out" delivered all macho-like, but then you get "no guns....pulling the trigger is like ordering takeout," just before two experts square off for a behind-closed-doors, Mano-et-Mano fight to the death.  And these fights involve everything around - fridges, florescent lights, tables - not unlike Jackie Chan's style, but there's no comedic value here... just raw survival instincts.

A rarity where its open end has you demanding a sequel, this is a film like no other that has been released this year so far, nor will be. A perfect weekend evening flick with friends, even if you don't do subtitles, you should stop that nonsense and make a date to visit the worst building to be stuck in since John McClane "came to the coast, to have a few laughs..."

Awesome!!!

UK release date: 18.05.12

Certificate: 18

MOVIES AND THE "WOAH.. DEJA VU!" MOMENT

With the medium of movies in existence for over 100 years now, it doesn't take a degree in rocket science to realise that an aspect of repetitiveness may occasionally creep in from time to time.

Your favourite actor or actress may have a certain catch-phrase, or a certain look that they pull off that traverses some of their films; a director may continuously have his camera move in the same way to add a certain sense of gravitas to the situation, but the actual act of "seen it before" goes way deeper than that!

As with some of the greatest - and dumbest - discoveries of the recent age, the combination of access to the internet AND what would appear to be an infinite amount of spare time on their hands, people have found the "glitches in the matrix" - or to non Matrix fans, all those moments where a tiny voice screams in your head that you've heard/seen it all before.

So, here for your perusal, are some of the situations that, dependant on your frame of mind, could be classed as either: homage, lazy writing/acting, classic-making cinema, or proof that film makers need to up-their-game if they truly want their pieces of art to be classed just as that - classic, cult art - and not on a shop shelf gathering dust...


BREAKING THE FOURTH WALL

My personal favourite, be it TV or cinema, is when the character looks directly at you - just you. This act cements the link between them, the do'er, and you, the viewer. It draws you in, letting you in on their joke, their pain, their love, their life. Known as "Breaking The Fourth Wall," here is a collection of your heroes, your villains, your stars, talking to you personally. How many do you recognise?





SON OF A BITCH

Growing up, things that were considered wrong, or naughty, have, over the years, become either more tolerable or acceptable. Some have even become non-existent! What was once a swear/curse word back in the 70's and 80's, are now commonplace - some have even changed into greetings or a way to express a moment of clarity or disguised adoration. "Son of a bitch" is just such a phrase! Look for yourself....

YOU JUST DON'T GET IT, DO YOU?

So, here's the one that should divide the people - is this a great way to propel the story along OR is it just damn lazy writing? At over 8 minutes long, I'm guessing that most people will come down on the side of "lazy writing" rather than fantastic screenplay motivation, after watching this montage. But then again, I could be wrong - maybe I just don't get it....





IT'S GONNA BLOW!

So, you're about to spend a huge amount of your budget on blowing up something infront of the camera and you just know (fingers crossed!) that it's gonna look cool. What do you do to let the audience know this so that they can be prepared for it and revel in its awesomeness?.... So that they don't miss a single second of what probably took months in planning and execution to pull off?.... Easy! Get one of the dumb characters to tell everyone!





Recognise any of the above? Did it put one of your fave films in a new light? Have you dug out that script you were writing - you know, the one that you've been working on for a few years now, the one where the protagonist learns a few valuable lessons along the way etc - and a full bottle of tippex and changed a few lines of dialogue perhaps?.... If so, then "happy trails Hans!"