What’s it about?
Violet (Emily Blunt) and Tom (Jason Segal) meet, fall in love and get engaged. But something always seems to come in between them and their big day.

What did we think?
It’s never a good sign when you find yourself thinking that a film feels long while you’re still watching it. However, a great beginning and great ending mostly make up for the pace problems in the middle. The chemistry between Blunt and Segel is a delight to watch and Alison Brie steals the show as Blunt’s hilarious sister (demonstrating a ‘so cute it’s ridiculous’ British accent in the process).

Despite the fact that the movie isn’t quite gross enough for Apatow fans and will be a little too silly for those expecting a straight-up rom-com, it’s still worth a watch, especially for Segal/Blunt fans.

What’s it about?
This flick follows the key people at a financial investment firm over a 24-hour period, during the early stages of the financial crisis.

What did we think?
The reviews that call this “the best Wall Street movie ever made” are not unfounded. It’s a taut, fast paced thrill of a film that has you shaking your head in disbelief at just how the hell Capitalism ever led to this.

Loved the fact that the positions of the actors in the company reflected their Hollywood cred from the big boss veteran Jeremy Irons, through middle man Paul Bettany, right down to underlings Penn Badgely and Zachary Quinto. Powerhouse performances by all.

What’s it about?
Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D. brings together a rag-tag team of super humans to form The Avengers to help save the Earth from the demi-god Loki and his army.

What did we think?
Half an hour of exposition followed by two hours of rollicking comic action. Great fun. Some minor problems here and there but the ride is so much fun you simply don’t care.

Mark Ruffalo steals the show as the Hulk and it seems inevitable that Joss Whedon will get a greenlight for a sequel. And perhaps Ruffalo’s performance means yet another Hulk movie.

What’s it about?
Five friends go for a break at a remote cabin in the woods, where they get more than they bargained for. Will they discover the truth?

What did we think? 
The Cabin In The Woods isn’t quite what it seems on many levels. It’s not quite a light comedy and not as two-dimensional as it tries to make itself out to be. Nor – despite the premise of college kids going away to a cabin in the woods for a weekend – is it cliched.

Sometimes playful, often funny and without excessive gore, The Cabin In The Woods quite simply isn’t your run-of-the-mill flick. It’s an intelligent film that simultaneously mocks and pays homage to the genre and shouldn’t be missed by any horror fan.

What’s it about?
An elite team of Navy SEALs embark on a covert mission to recover a kidnapped CIA agent.

What did we think?
A bizarre mishmash of recruitment ad and feature film. Military enthusiasts will no doubt enjoy a realistic look inside some interesting operations but the average viewer may struggle with the staccato plot.

The discordance is heightened by the occasional switching to first person shooter view (ala Call of Duty games). The use of real Navy Seals has pros and cons but the fact it was often difficult to tell the two wooden main characters apart just shows how generic and cliched this movie is.

What’s it about?
A fleet of ships is forced to do battle with an armada of unknown origins in order to discover and thwart their destructive goals.

What did we think?
With characters that are both cliched and two-dimensional, a loose plot, a very clumsy forced tie-in with the boardgame of the same name and transformer-like alien ships… Battleship is more advertisement loosely disguised as a feature film.

And yet if you’re interested in mindless action over quality then there might actually be something here for you. Not for the discerning movie goer but it’s not a total shipwreck.

2.5/5

What’s it about?
A pair of underachieving cops are sent back to a local high school to blend in and bring down a synthetic drug ring.

What did we think?
A remake of a classic 80s TV show sounded like a bad idea. Making it a B grade comedy sounded like an atrocious idea. The trailer left me seething. And yet somehow this actually works.

With intelligent B-grade writing and some very insightful commentary about society and youth today, it turned out to very entertaining even as it respectfully mocked the series it’s based on. I liked it. Dammit.

B Grade but quality B Grade.

What’s it about?
Transplanted to Mars, a Civil War vet discovers a lush planet inhabited by 12-foot tall barbarians. Finding himself a prisoner of these creatures, he escapes, only to encounter a princess who is in desperate need of a savior.

What did we think?
Is it perfect? No.
Does it flow perfectly? Not quite.
Is it fun? Yes.
Is it a good story? Definitely.

Ignore the critics – this is a fantasy delight that all sci-fi fans should see. Not just because it’s a text that inspired so many of the ‘classics’, but because it’s an old-fashioned romp. It not only transported John Carter to Mars, it took me back to my childhood with the Edgar Rice Burroughs books that captured my imagination.

What’s it about?
Perseus braves the treacherous underworld to rescue his father, Zeus, captured by his son, Ares, and brother Hades who unleash the ancient Titans upon the world.

What did we think?
A messy celebration of poor film-making which proves special effects aren’t enough by themselves.

Why anyone thought a sequel was warranted is beyond me. Why they served this up boggles the mind even more. They certainly didn’t learn from their mistakes.

What’s it about?
An evil queen steals control of a kingdom and an exiled princess enlists the help of seven resourceful rebels to win back her birthright.

What did we think?
Like a shiny red apple the lovely scenery and gorgeous star are enticing, but true to the original story the fruit leaves you feeling a bit off. The aesthetics are wonderful and Julia Robert’s wicked turn as the witch entertains but the re-imagination just never quite gels.

In a year of Snow White overload (Once Upon A time, Mirror Mirror and the upcoming Snow White & the Huntsman), this is not the Charming we were looking for. 2.5/5