This week's releases

Sightseers: Ben Wheatley brings a truly dark sense of humour to this black comedy about a young couple who escape their sheltered life for a weekend away in a caravan. After a while the holiday excitement wears off as they are irritated by inconsiderate locals and things go downhill from there.

Trouble with the Curve: A baseball drama starring Clint Eastwood as a veteran scout who looks to find one more top talent before finally retiring from his life in the game. He takes his daughter Mickey (Amy Adams) along with him to reluctantly teach her the trade as well as bond with her. Promising drama was ripped apart by critics upon release in the US.

Great Expectations: Dickens classic tale of triumph over adversity is given another remake this time starring Helena Bonham-Carter and Ralph Fiennes as we see as orphans rise up the ranks of the aristocracy in Victorian London.

Alex Cross: Based on the detective novels by James Paterson, Tyler Perry stars as Detective Alex Cross who battles against an extremely violent hitman who takes things to a personal level when he murders Cross' wife.

Film Review: Rust and Bone

Director: Jacques Audiard

A French language film about a complicated romance between two people thrown together by hard times and tragedy. Ali (Matthias Schoenaerts) works doing odd-jobs as well as boxing for a living whilst looking after/neglecting his son Sam (Armand Vendure). Working as a doorman in a nightclub he meets Stéphanie (Marion Cotillard) who ends up in a fight so he drives her home and discovers that she works at a local marine tourist park working with Orca Whales. But an accident at the park changes Stéphanie's life forever and she ends up trying to get closer to Ali to help deal with the depression.

Ali (Matthias Schoenaerts) and Stéphanie (Marion Cotillard)

The first thing that stands out from this movie is Marion Cotillard, she is absolutely superb as the unhappy Stéphanie. Even before the accident you can feel the desire to escape her current boyfriend who dictates what she does and then tries to piece her life back together after the accident. Matthias Schoenaerts is a relative newcomer and is disappointing in the lead role of Ali, a selfish and cold boxer who cares little for friends or even his own son at times. He seemed to portray very little aside from anger but for no reason that became apparant and was unconvincing as the film drew to its conclusion.

Jacques Audiard does an impressive job with some stunningly shot slow motion pieces of Ali's fights and Stéphanie working with the whales to a beautiful soundtrack, he also uses the camera to place you right in the middle of conversations so you feel like you are very much a part of it. Unfortunately the plot is slow and often cumbersome at times as you will the director to push the plot forward before the whole thing stagnates, then when you finally reach the finale you feel like they were unsure exactly how to end it all.

2/4 Powerhouse performance from Cotillard is let down by slow unsure plot

Film Review: Silver Linings Playbook

Director: David O. Russell

Awash with Oscar buzz, this romantic comedy was billed as having an edge over your bog-standard rom-com. It certainly did not disappoint, it is incredibly entertaining and sharply written with some standout lead performances from Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence. The film tiptoes between slightly farcical and incredibly bittersweet without over stepping the mark on either count.

Pat Solitano Jr (Bradley Cooper) and Tiffany Maxwell (Jennifer Lawrence)

Pat Solitano Jr (Bradley Cooper) is released from a mental facility diagnosed with bipolar disorder after eight months of treatment. He was forced to go there after he assaulted a fellow teacher who was sleeping with his wife. He is incredibly determined to win his wife back but first has to deal with his anger issues. His parents Dolores (Jacki Weaver) and Pat Senior (Robert de Niro) look after him whilst Pat Sr earns money bookmaking after losing his job. At a meal with friends, Pat Jr meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) who is just recovering after her husband died and they establish an incredibly strange bond.

Pat Solitano Sr (Robert de Niro)

Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence are both excellent as the lead performers in the movie, they both exhibit characters with mental issues without resorting to worn out clichés to display them. They have been mentioned amongst the Oscar buzz and it wouldn't surprise me if either was nominated and the same for Robert de Niro as a supporting actor.

The slight twist in the movie is maybe rather predictable but the plot is only part of the enjoyment of the film as the script is incredibly well written. The back and forths between Pat Jr and Tiffany are sharply written and well thought out, during the comedic moments we never lose sight of the inner turmoil that each characters is tormented with. Plus any film that has a healthy dose of chatter about American Football will always impress with me.

3.5/4 funny yet touching rom-com

Upcoming films that I'm excited about

Only God Forgives: Nicholas Winding Refn and Ryan Gosling reunite after the simply superb Drive, its all been very secretive about this latest movie which is set in Bangkok. Gosling plays Julian who runs a thai boxing club but is distraught as his brothers death and is sent by his mother Jenna (Kristin Scott-Thomas) to find and kill the people responsible. I think the synopsis that has been released is deliberately making the film sound like a simple revenge movie but will actually take on a different form as Refn said there may be a slightly supernatural element.

Django Unchained: Quentin Tarantino latest film features many actors he is familiar with like Christoph Waltz and Samuel L. Jackson. This ensemble cast comes together for a Western which sees Django (Jamie Foxx) saved from slavery by Dr. King Schultz (Waltz) but only if he can kill the brittle brothers will he be set free and also given the opportunity to rescue his wife. Expect the same slick dialogue synonymous with Tarantino.

Flight: Denzel Washington returns playing a role that he knows best, a top man in his field with a troubled personal life. In this action drama he plays a pilot who saves the passengers on a plane by landing the plane in a field upside down as the engines fail and the jet nosedives. He becomes a national hero for saving so many lives but is then threatened with 30 years in jail after alcohol was found in his blood after the crash.

Anchorman 2: The plot for the return of your favourite news quartet has been kept very quiet, over 10 years since the original was released and became a cult hit with people all quoting the numerous great comedy lines held within. Director Adam McKay said that the film may be about a custody battle and bowling but nothing has been decided for definite, this was back in May 2012 but nothing has been revealed since. Will this live up to the original or just be another cash-in sequel? The former hopefully.

Alan Partridge Movie: Aaaaaah, after numerous returns on a live tour as well as new TV episodes like Mid-Morning Matters. Steve Coogan and Armando Iannucci take Alan Partidge onto the big screen which will not see Alan going to Hollywood or anything cliché like that. Iannucci confirmed the plot will revolve around Alan's local digital TV station, North Norfolk Digital, being taken over by a big media conglomerate and recalled Shape to which he is completely against. He takes a stand against the take over this and it all disintegrates from there. Coogan's more recent runs with Partridge certainly haven't lived up to the original two series and its unlikely the film will either but it has to be given a chance.

Film Review: A Streetcar named Desire

Director: Elia Kazan

Based on the play by Tennessee Williams, I decided to see this movie after going to watch Orpheus Descending at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester. It was one of his less known works but was mesmerizing and introduced me to the works of Tennessee Williams. After learning that he lived a very unhappy life it comes as no surprise that there is strife throughout his works although even I was still surprised at the plot for this movie. The film won three oscars out of the four acting categories although Marlon Brando was the only one nominated who didn't win.

Set in the stifling heat of the French Quarter in New Orleans, Stella Kowalski (Kim Hunter) and Stanley Kowalski (Marlon Brando) are a married couple who are expecting a baby when Stella's sister Blanche (Vivien Leigh) arrives from Mississippi. Her pretentions to virtue and culture mask some deep rooted problems that cause her clash with Stanley, whose violent temper was a reason that Stella fell in love with him, and worries Stella who is torn between her sister and husband.

Stanley Kowalski (Marlon Brando) and Blanche DuBois (Vivien Leigh)

I was quite simply blown away by the acting performances especially from Marlon Brando (shocked he didn't win an Oscar) and Vivien Leigh. They are both simply outstanding and have been understandably praised by critics ever since for landmark performances. The inner torment portrayed by Leigh must surely have been ground-breaking for the time and left the audience guessing to exactly what is happening with her as the story unravels.

The film is set mostly within the flat that Stella and Stanley share which is humid and claustrophobic, Brando is visibly sweating throughout the film which adds a lot to the intensity and angst between the characters. The tension in the early stages is palpable and gradually rises until tempers become flared producing a fascinating finale that leaves you a little dazed and uneasy. Without a doubt Tennessee Williams is one of the greatest playwright of all time and its credit to the production of this movie that it lives up to the screenplay.

4/4 superb performances held up by an intriguing yet claustrophobic plot

Film Review: Brassed Off

Director: Mark Herman

A British drama that was sponsored by Channel 4 and The Guardian newspaper, it was expected to be a very low profile film which might garner some support over time as people who relate to the issues of the mines closing around the UK begin to see it. Nobody expected it to become the huge hit that it became and is now revered as a classic British movie.

The film is set in the fictional mining town of Grimley in the mid-1990's, which is based on the real town of Grimthorpe. The local workers all work as miners but also play in colliery brass band which includes Andy (Ewan McGregor), Phil (Steve Tompkinson) and passionate conductor Danny (Pete Poslethwaite). Gloria (Tara Fitzgerald) re-appears in the town to investigate the viability of keeping the coal mine open on behalf of the management at British Coal after having grown up there. She becomes torn between her feelings for the local people and being honest with her bosses about the pit.

Grimley Colliery Band

A moving drama which lightens the mood with some well placed comedy. It is a film about one communities fight against the sweeping change that is happening throughout a nation and changing the landscape forever. The local communities realise that the closure of the mine would mean the death of jobs and an economy in the town, something that still hugely affects many towns around Yorkshire and Northumberland especially. Behind the sweet moments involving Andy and Glorida there is a lot of anger and anti-conservative sentiment at the way the Thatcher regime broke the trade unions and destroyed people's way of life.

The acting performances are genuinely impressive especially from Pete Poslethwaite, who you can see takes huge pride in the success of the brass band. He hides his anger when mistakes are made or member turn up drunk but shows all his emotion when things go right. It's a superb movie that has you rooting for the miners from start to finish.

4/4 funny yet unmistakeably bleak and real

This weeks releases

End of Watch: Action thriller following two LA cops who get on the wrongside of a drugs cartel after arresting one of its members. They must survive a hit put out on them as they have the opportunity to put the cartel out of business forever. Starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Pena.

Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger: Teacher Mr Peterson (David Tennant) enters his underachieving primary school in the 'song for christmas' competition and goes head to head with his twin brother who works at a private school. Mostly a road-trip movie on the way to the competition.

Gambit: An art expert needs to a can a richman into buying a fake Monet painting so enlists the help of an eccentric Rodeo champion from Texas in this comedy starring Colin Firth and Cameron Diaz.

Film Preview: A Good Day to Die Hard

Bruce Willis just keeps coming back, rolling back the years to return as John McClane and save the day! Willis was 57 when the shooting for this movie took place proving to the BBC that you can still be popular even in old age on TV and film. There were many actors considered for the role of his son Jack including Chris Hemsworth (thank god he wasn't picked), Aaron Paul and James Badge Dale before settling on Jai Courtney. Not much else is known about this movie after two teaser trailers were released but with comedy and action rolled into one movie again I'm sure it will be a hit at the box office.

Movie Poster

In this movie, McClane returns to action when his son Jack (Jai Courtney) gets into trouble in Moscow, Russia and whilst bailing him out becomes embroiled in a bigger terrorist plot.

A Good Day to Die Hard is released in the UK on 14th February 2013 and the trailer is embedded below:

Film Review: The Silence of the Lambs

Director: Jonathan Demme

Based on the book of the same name by Thomas Harris, this was a second attempt at making a film version of a book from the series by Harris after the film Manhunter was released with Brian Cox in the role of Dr. Hannibal Lecter. The role of Lecter was originally going to be taken by Gene Hackman who would also direct but he pulled out due to the graphic content of the screenplay.

Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins)

The lead performance from Jodie Foster is superb as the new FBI agent who deals in Behavioural Sciences and is tasked with interviewing the intelligent yet cannibalistic serial killer Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins who is also superb). The interviews and conversations between the characters are incredibly intelligent and leave you questioning the ulterior motives of both characters, they are truly fascinating to watch which is a testament to the acting performances as well as the direction.

Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) interviews Hannibal Lecter to try and gain an insight into a killers mind as the FBI try to hunt down a man nicknamed Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine) who skins his female victims after he has killed them. Lecter plays a game of quid quo pro with Starling so they exchange information for which they are both interested in and means that Starling gives out information from her past that she is not supposed to discuss. As Buffalo Bill takes a senator's daughter, it's a race against time to try and catch the serial killer.

Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster)

Despite not being an instant success, it steadily grew in popularity and then became a huge hit sweeping many awards including Oscars for Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Actress. It is a truly terrifying film in both Lecter and Buffalo Bill providing incredibly haunting qualities whilst the screenplay is arguably one of the greatest ever written.

4/4 an absolute classic horror-thriller

Film Review: Juno

Director: Jason Reitman

A comedy-drama about a teenage pregnancy that catches out the main character Juno (Ellen Page in the role that made her famous). The film won an Oscar for Best Screenplay and was even nominated for Best Picture in 2007 but was beaten by the Coen Brothers and No Country for Old Men.

Juno is a sixteen year old in high school when she becomes pregnant by her long time friend Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera playing himself). The film then takes a fun twist on the serious issue of pregnancy and the difficult issues surrounding possible abortion or possibly giving birth to the baby then giving it up to a more suitable home. We continue to see the emotional strain the entire episode has on Juno as the film develops.

Juno MacGuff (Ellen Page)

Once again many believe I am dead inside for not liking this movie, something which people also said when I disliked Little Miss Sunshine. I think the main issue stems from the fact I didn't like the stylish trendy teenage dialogue which made the characters loveable and funny which just leaves it as a film about unplanned pregnancy. On that note it takes the issue of abortion too lightly which is supposed to be the drama half of the film and I found that to be very disappointing given the opportunity.

An issue I have discussed many times in film is the problem of expectations, a movie like this has become over-rated by many so by the time I saw it long after its run in the cinema I had very high expectations so I'm probably more critical than I should be. It does have a few funny moments but my lack of interest in the clichéd main characters meant I didn't feel anything for them during the more emotional moments.

1.5/4 disappointingly shallow film

This week's releases

Amour: Michael Haneke's powerful and moving film about an elderly couple (Anne and George) whose marriage is put under severe strain after Anne has a number of debilitating strokes. The care for Anne creates tension amongst the extended family. Won the Palme d'Or at this years Cannes Festival.

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2: The dramatic conclusion to the film franchise, based on the books by Stephanie Meyer, which is probably only dramatic if you are a teenager and are immune to feeling uncomfortable watching acting of the lowest order.

Mental: Telling the tale of the ultimate dysfunctional family, this comedy shows a mother (Toni Collete) try to deal with 5 unruly sisters whilst looking out for her unfaithful husband.

Film Preview: Lincoln

Steven Spielberg certainly likes to keep busy and not just retire out of Hollywood quietly, this year his film for Oscar consideration is a biographical drama about the life of Abraham Lincoln. The film is based on the book Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns which is an extremely lengthy biography on Abraham Lincoln. Originally in 2005, Liam Neeson was going to take the role of Lincoln as Spielberg liked him from when they worked on Schindler's List but by 2010 he decided he had grown too old for the role. Shortly after Daniel Day Lewis was chosen to replace Neeson and began to fully immerse himself into the character of Lincoln and the movie has been described as "incredibly character-driven."

Daniel Day-Lewis as Abraham Lincoln

It has been confirmed by DreamWorks that the film will focus on the road to the end of the Civil war and hopes to show what Lincoln was like as a person as well as just a president from history. Spielberg stated that the original book was far too big to all be converted into a film so he just worked off one part of it.

Lincoln is released in the UK on 25th January 2013 and the trailer is embedded below:

Film Re-Review: The Shining Extended Cut

Director: Stanley Kubrick

I complained last time of having forgotten about The Shining when I did my top 10 favourite films of all-time and after re-watching it again I am still completely sold. I was invited to a double screening of The Shining extended cut, which featured around 25mins of footage that was omitted in Europe but was shown briefly in the early release in America, followed by Room 237 which is a documentary discussing possible themes and meanings. It mostly revolved around the backstory of the family and Danny talking more with his imaginary friend Tony, Kubrick also had a final scene at the hospital physically cut out of print by projectionists where the family learn that Jack's body was never found.

He's always been the caretaker, Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson)

Stephen King was unhappy with the extra 25mins that were cut as it provided critical points about the backstory, the book spends a lot more time detailing their regular home life in Bolder before they even move up to the Outlook Hotel. With regards to the film it doesn't add much to the overall plot but someone who hasn't read the book may certainly gain something from these extra scenes being included.

Two scenes that always stick in my mind are when Jack meets Delbert Grady and they go into the red bathroom, it is a superbly written scene and darkly macabre but in a very subtle way. The presence of red being a huge theme throughout the movie. The second being the most retaken scene ever as Wendy backs up the stairs away from Jack, Kubrick had this scene shot 127 times which is a record for a scene involving spoken dialogue. The film is still an absolute masterpiece which is being analysed today as seen in the documentary Room 237.

Film Review: Argo

Director: Ben Affleck

Following on from the success of Gone Baby Gone and The Town, Ben Affleck returns as director for this thriller that is loosely based on the work of Tony Mendez during the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis. Affleck also co-produced the movie with George Clooney and assembled an impressive ensemble cast.

By Hollywood standards, this is quite an accurately depicted film of a real life event. You can tell in the early part of the film that Affleck and the producers wanted to make this film reasonably accurate rather than go down the Pearl Harbour route.
*possible spoilers ahead but shouldn't be anything you didn't see in the trailers*

Jack O'Donnell (Bryan Cranston) and Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck)

After a deposed Shah from Iran is allowed asylum in America, the Iran people rebel in the streets of Tehran and storm the US embassy to take the workers hostage so that the US government will return the Shah to face trial. Six workers sneak out of a secret exit and end up on the streets of Tehran so escape being taken hostage but are then forced to stay at the Canadian Ambassadors (Victor Garber) house until they can find a way for them to escape the country.

Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) is in charge of getting them out and uses the idea of making a fake movie as a guise for the 6 workers being in Iran in the hope of getting them out before the Iranians discover they are missing and think they are spys. He hires John Chambers (John Goodman) and Lester Siegl (Alan Arkin) as a make-up artist and director respectively to lend credibility to the movie.

The six escapees from the raid on the American Embassy in Tehran

The film is racked with tension that slowly builds as the film develops; the scenes shot on the streets of Tehran look incredibly realistic and intensely claustrophobic. Amongst the tension there is a darkly funny side to this film; Alan Arkin is excellent as the foul-mouthed and cynical movie director. This film is mainly a narrative driven movie with many characters dipping in and out of the plot at different times, this could be a criticism but with such a tight plot that is totally absorbing for the most part it is only a good thing.

The ending is a bit contrived unfortunately as some parts are slightly un-needed and the storyline involving Mendez being estranged from his wife was woefully under-developed that it might as well have just been cut from the film to save 5mins. That is nit-picking though at what is actually a very good movie.

3.5/4 absorbing thriller which is surprisingly accurate to real life

Film Review: Room 237

Director: Rodney Ascher

A documentary film made in 2012 which discusses the film The Shining which was directed by Stanley Kubrick (review here). The film speaks to 5 different people who have spent years analysing the film and looking for hidden meanings based on what they have seen within the film. They all display their case for the film being about the slaughter of Native Americans, the Holocaust and Kubrick being involved in a cover-up regarding the early moon landings. Another critic discusses his thoughts on the film being played forwards and backwards simultaneously to see what can be drawn from that.

Danny playing with his trucks in the famous patterned carpet

Some incredibly interesting theories are raised and the link with the native Americans is something I had read about before and seems quite plausible due to them being mentioned in the film and prominently displayed throughout the hotel. In other cases you are required to take a giant leap of logic to draw some of the conclusions that are drawn by other fans, the idea that Kubrick used this film to secretly admit he helped film faked moon landing shots was extremely far-fetched in its ideology (Saying that capital letters ROOM N for Room No helped spell it out as only Room and Moon can be spelt with those letters).

Other critics had actually watched the film in the hope of drawing up plans for the layout of the hotel based on Danny's rides around the hotel on his big wheel and where characters go when they move from room to room. Naturally with Kubrick, rooms dont always lead where they should and as the film progresses it shows that Danny's rides don't always end where you believe they should as he moves up a floor in the final ride without ever taking the stairs. A shot of the exterior shows that the re-creation of the hotel made at Elstree studios isn't the same but is this deliberate? It's clear that the hotel seems to shift in shape throughout the movie somehow. Some of the effort to put these ideas together must have been incredibly painstaking to analyse but in many cases throughout this film they are misplaced.

2/4 Interesting ideas but many were tenuous at best

Film Review: Snatch

Director: Guy Ritchie

After the run away success of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, there was no stopping Guy Ritchie when he decided his second film would be of a similar ilk but with a bigger budget and a well renowned cast. It cleverly interweaves two separate plots about a diamond heist and a small-time boxing promoter all set against the grimy underworld of London.

Turkish (Jason Statham) with boxer Mickey O'Neil (Brad Pitt)

Two stories come together as Turkish (Jason Statham in the role that made him famous) who works with his underling Tommy (Stephen Graham) as a boxing promoter for underground fights. They work for Brick Top (Alan Ford, funny yet hateful in a superb performance) who always likes to rig his fights so his bookies win. After their fighter gets knocked out with one punch from Irish Mickey O'Neil (Brad Pitt) they agree for him to take their fighters place in a rigged fight but O'Neils refusal to follow orders puts them in trouble.

Whilst a purchase of diamonds by Doug 'The Head' (Mike Reid) from Franky 'Four Fingers' (Benicio Del Toro) but as the diamonds are already stolen from a bank in Antwerp, there is a lot of double-crossing as many people want the diamonds and money for themselves.

Brick Top (Alan Ford)

A funny film straight out of the mould of Ritchie's previous effort, the similarities in plot and setting could detract from the film which many critics agreed upon but it still doesnt fail to impress.
Ritchie clearly feels most comfortable in dealing with movies that deal with shady underworld deals and people looking at the films he's been involved in. Although none of his more recent works live up to this or Lock, Stock.

Brad Pitt is excellent as the incomprehensible Irish traveller Mickey whilst Alan Ford is also darkly funny as the opinionated and ruthless crime boss Brick Top. But these are only two names out of many who put in impressive acting performances. It's certainly not a film that is to everyone's taste, Sir Richard Attenborough called it ''crap'' but it's Britain's answer to the Tarantino films.

3.5/4 harsh yet funny film achieves cult status

This week's releases

Argo: Ben Affleck's third film as director which sees him develop a true story of the escape of six American hostages during the Iranian hostage crisis using a daring escape plan.

Full Preview here

Keep the Lights on: A sexual journey to the heart of a real relationship which in this case is a homosexual one. We see the rise and fall of Erik and Paul as they find love but then suffer through relationship problems as well as addiction problems. Can two impulsive people really co-exist?

Here comes the Boom: Kevin James stars in this ''action comedy'', he plays a biology teacher who needs to raise money for his school so he takes up martial arts and fights in UFC (no holds barred cage fighting basically). Nothing novel here but Henry Winkler does co-star!!!

The Sapphires: Chris O'Dowd stars after his successful role in Bridesmaids, it was only a matter of time really. Based on a true story and set in the 1960's against the back-drop of the civil rights movement (popular period of time for movies at the moment), the all-aboriginal group called 'The Sapphires' are spotted by Dave (O'Dowd) and become popular after entertaining the troops in Vietnam.

Latest Oscar Buzz

With the end of the year fast approaching and everybody now going completely barmy for Christmas, I thought it would be a good time to look at what the latest rumblings are in Hollywood regarding the Oscars and the award season in general. Now is the time that films that hoped to be considered for the Oscars will be released and will move release dates to be included as well as maximise the opportunity to be noticed.

The first movement was to bring forward the release date of Silver Linings Playbook (preview here) which stars Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper, capitalizing on the lavish praise from critics it has opened early and is hoping to be a real contender during awards season. It is a film whose chances of success are certainly trending upwards which is in stark contrast to Denzel Washington's latest film Flight (preview here) which is suffering due to many fans of Denzel's organising a boycott of the film. Realistically it is unlikely to affect his stock to adversely but the boycott due to the stereotypical nature of Denzel's character certainly won't help.

Tradition dictates that Steven Spielberg will release a film ahead of awards season for consideration, last year it was War Horse that garnered a shocking number of nominations at the Oscars and Golden Globes but fortunately didn't actually win any. I'm pretty sure if you take Spielbergs name off the film and it would have gone nowhere. This year looks more promising though with Lincoln starring Daniel Day-Lewis as America's 16th president but is looking more likely to win a Best Actor gong than a Best Picture.

Other films that have been mentioned are Anna Karenina, Life of Pi and even the final Twilight movie but realistically these are unlikely to feature due to the mediocre reviews from critics and the predictable nature of the films. Saving the best for last, Untouchable (review here) is the French foreign language entry to this years award season and is proving that last years success for The Artist wasn't just a fluke. I seriously believe that Untouchable will be a real contender for the main categories at the Oscars and am currently tipping it for Best Picture..............watch it fail!

Film Review: Beasts of the Southern Wild

Director: Benh Zeitlin

In a Bayou community called 'the bathtub', we find our setting that appears to be off the coast of Louisiana and the levee. A surreal world is created featuring Hushpuppy (Quvenzhané Wallis) who is 6 years old and her Dad who is called Wink (Dwight Henry), there world is all changed when the polar ice-caps begin to melt during a storm which means that their entire village is washed away. They stubbornly resist being placed in a shelter home as they try and maintain their way of life.

Dwight Henry owned a bakery and deli before this movie and had never aspired to be an actor but got involved after many of the producers used to visit his deli regularly. Unfortunately you can tell he isn't an actor as his passion is often misplaced and over the top, he is familiar with the subject matter having been involved in Hurricane Katrina. Whilst Quvenzhané Wallis performance as the young naive Hushpuppy is impressive, it certainly isn't worthy of the excessive praise being lavished in the media.

Hushpuppy (Quvenzhané Wallis) and Wink (Dwight Henry)

Sometimes it's hard watching the film that is half surreal and half real, you feel you get handle on the film and then it does something quite unexplainable within its own world. The plot has scarcely enough material to cover an hour which means that it feels like a long drawn out movie despite a run time of approx 90mins. It is clearly a film inspired from the events of Hurricane Katrina and the fact that the people in the region had their way of life taken from them by not only the storm but by the local authorities too. But it largely runs out of ideas in the second part especially during a bizarre scene at a local brothel where the children dance and play with the woman.

1/4 lacked the magic it promised and suffers from a lack of direction in the plot

Film Review: In the Loop

Director: Armando Iannucci

In this day and age, the cinema is king in terms of profitability when ranked against TV programmes. Especially in the UK where we have already seen hit TV shows like  and The Inbetweeners with an Alan Partridge film also in the pipeline for release in 2013 (also directed by Armando Iannucci). In the Loop is a big screen version of the superb The Thick of it which will air its final series quite soon.

The film satirises Anglo-American politics and is widely believed to based around the start of the war in Iraq in 2001. Simon Foster (Tom Hollander) is the Minister for International Development who on a Radio 4 show says that a war in the Middle-East is ''unforeseeable''. He then makes a catalogue of errors in trying to cover his tracks for not remaining neutral on the subject, much to the ire of Malcolm Tucker (Peter Capaldi believed to be based on Alastair Campbell). They then have to deal with a war committee in Washington who also have differing opinions on the war.

Malcom Tucker (Peter Capaldi) and Lieutenant General Miller (James Gandolfini)

The first thing that stands out is Peter Capaldi's performance as Malcolm Tucker who is Director of Communications. His foul mouthed tirades are clever, funny and very realistic based on the knowledge we have from inside Downing Street and parliament. The whole film works well as it subtly mocks the ''special'' relationship the UK government has with the Americans. It is a cynical film when looking at the world of politics that suffered at the box-office in America as it coincided with Barack Obama being made President which meant the Americans weren't in the mood for political satire.

The film was nominated for an Academy Award in 2010 for Best Screenplay which is an impressive accolade; the screenplay is extremely clever and has all the hallmarks of something Iannucci has helped to write. Another key man involved in the writing is Jesse Armstrong who also co-wrote the immensely popular Peep Show. It is the writing that makes this film what it is.

3/4 witty and funny satire just lacks the legs to last for a full movie.

Film Preview: Cloud Atlas

Based on the book of the same name written in 2004 by David Mitchell (not the British comedian from Peep Show), David and Lana Wachowski have written and directed the movie adaptation along with Tom Tykwer. After they created the Matrix trilogy there is always a lot of intrigue about any movie involving the Wachowski's although this one has been marred by the 'racism' allegations about hiring Caucasian actors to play Chinese characters using makeup and prosthetics which feature heavily around the eyes.

Movie Poster

The film looks at 6 different stories and shows the impact of our lives on the past, present and future of the world. The 6 worlds are the Pacific Ocean in the 19th century, Edinburgh in 1936, San Francisco in 1975, UK in 2012, Seoul in South Korea in the 22nd century and a beautiful ocean island in a distant post-apocalyptic world. Slowly these stories are revealed and are pulled together to form one narrative.

The trailer is embedded below and the movie comes out in the UK on 22nd February 2013 despite already being released in the US.

Film Review: Tyrannosaur

Director: Paddy Considine

Having heard quite a lot about this film through word of mouth, I was expecting a lot from this film that promised not to be an easy ride. Even with that in mind I was shocked by how harrowing and depressing Tyrannosaur proved to be, certainly not a film I'd rush to go back and see but that doesn't deny that it's a superbly realistic spectacle. This was Paddy Considine's first feature film and he pulls no punches in this drama set in the North of England in an un-named town.

Joseph (Peter Mullan) is a widower who lives on his own without a job; his life is plagued by alcohol and violence which includes fighting with random youngsters in a pub over noise. He is desperate to change his ways and ends up befriending Hannah (Olivia Colman) who is a religious charity shop worker, their friendship steadily increases before a secret in Hannah's private life threatens their bond.

Joseph (Peter Mullan)

The first thing to note is that the leading performances are superb by Peter Mullan and Olivia Colman, they both create characters of real depth and sorrow which pull you into caring about their world. Whilst Eddie Marsan as Hannah's husband James is also impressive in a supporting role that helps to build around Hannah's character which is actually the more complex of all. Joseph is a troubled soul but is much easier to understand as he purely acts on impulse but Hannah's actions are much more intriguing.

The subject of rage being linked to alcoholic consumption in a town with a very bleak outlook is something increasingly overlooked in today's society. The film is clearly set around a struggling town in Yorkshire judging by the accents but could easily be applied to towns throughout the North of England where there is little hope for the future. It is quite often a bleak film and I have seen it described as a hopeless tale but that certainly isn't true, underneath it all there is something to cling to.

3.5/4 brutal and harrowing look at two troubled lives

This week's releases

Rust and Bone: A tragic love-story which tells the story of Ali (Matthias Schoenaerts), who is forced to look after a young son he barely knows so decides to move him to sunnier climbs for a better upbringing. There he meets Stephanie (Marion Cotillard) who he believes will make his life complete again.

The trailer looks very good for this and I would recommend you go see it.

The Master: Phillip Seymour Hoffman plays a World War Two veteran who returns to the USA to start a new religion with the help of a persuasive drifter (Joaquin Phoenix) which slowly grows into a cult. Although things turn sour when the members start questioning the groups purpose and the real intentions of the master.

For a Good time, Call........ : Two cash-strapped flat mates (Ari Graynor and Lauren Miller) decide to start their own phone sex line in this romantic comedy. They find it a fun way to make more money than they could ever dream of and the film is billed as a 'no-holds barred' account of what happened next. Also starring Justin Long (Dodgeball).