Eclipse [M]

Seattle is in a state of complete panic as an army of newborn vampires are continuously slaughtering people in order to quench their thirst. Back in Fawkes, Bella is facing yet more emotional problems, as Jacob is still not talking to her, Edward is starting to get over-protective, and the Volturi could show up at any moment and see that she is still human. 

The wait is over all you fangirls: Team Edward or Team Jacob? I mean come on; we all know to whom Bella’s going to turn, even without reading the book. Eclipse was really just another Twilight movie: you either like it or you don’t. I will say though, that I did enjoy this film a little bit more because we got to learn the stories of both Rosalie and Jasper, who has always been my favourite character. 

Seattle is in a complete state of panic as an army of newborns are killing copious amounts of people in order to quench their newfound thirst. Back in Fawkes, Bella’s problems just keeping piling up. Jacob is refusing to talk to her, Edward is growing evermore protective, the Volturi could show up at any time and see that Bella she is still human, she hasn’t answered Edward’s proposal, Victoria is still out to get her, and her graduation is fast approaching. Now, with the realisation that Victoria is breeding this newborn army to bring down the Cullens, Bella’s stress levels are stretched to the absolute breaking point. With neither the strength nor the numbers to defeat the newborns, the vampires of Fawkes are forced to work side by side with the werewolves. However, this proves easier said than done. 

Admittedly there was really nothing amazing about this movie. It was just like its predecessors Twilight and New Moon. Though I will say that it does become a little darker and there is not as much light-hearted comedy involved like the others. I particularly liked this one because it wasn’t just about Bella and her bizarre love triangle. We got to learn the stories of both Rosalie and Jasper, which I loved because Jasper has always been my favourite character… screw Team Edward and Team Jacob, I’m on my own team: Team Jasper for the win! 

The other thing I liked about this movie was that there was a good battle between the Cullens, werewolves and the newborns. So there’s that action element to play against the emotional suspense and romance of the movie. 

But on the whole, Eclipse was just the same as the other movies in the saga. Filled with romance, suspense, sinister plots, bloodlust, and action, if you’re a Twilight fan you’ll love it, if you’re not don’t bother, and if you couldn’t really give a damn it’s fine to watch. As I have said before, you either like these movies or you don’t. 

A Christmas Carol [PG]

Cold-hearted and penny-pinching Ebenezer Scrooge wishes no man a “merry Christmas” at that festive time of year. Carollers turn silent when he approaches and the already snow-filled air freezes to a new low. But when he is visited by three spirits, his eyes are opened and he discovers the true meaning of Christmas and goodwill toward men.  

As an annoying marketing scheme, this version of Dickens’ classic tale has taken a year to be released on DVD. I remember it was on at the cinemas this time last year. I went to see it in 3D, which completely astounded me as the combination of the motion capture animation and the 3D made the film all the more beautiful and sometimes scary. I’m forewarning any parent who wishes to show this to their young children that it does get a little graphic and is quite grim and dark. When I went and saw it in the cinemas there was a woman in front of me with two kids: her son must have been about 6 and her daughter would only have been about 4. And after the scene where Scrooge is visited by Marley’s ghost, I heard the boy whisper to his mum, “can we go home now?” So, for any parents who have not seen this film, I recommend you either watch it with your children or view it before them and determine for yourself whether or not it’s appropriate. 

Ebenezer Scrooge is a cold-hearted, greedy, tight-fisted and penny-pinching man who wishes no man a “merry Christmas” at that festive season of the year. One bitter and lonely night he is haunted by the ghost of his old business partner, Jacob Marley. Marley tells Scrooge that he must change his attitude towards the world or else, in the afterlife, his ghost will be forever chained and full of regret. After Marley’s warning, Scrooge is haunted by three Spirits of Christmas who take him on an eye-opening journey that helps him to discover the true meaning of Christmas and goodwill toward men. 

Based on Charles Dickens’ classic tale of horror and festivity, A Christmas Carol was a wonderful film filled with horror, love, memorable characters, and heaps of festivity. 

It was filmed using motion-capture animation, similar to The Polar Express and the character of Gollum in The Lord of the Rings, which made the film all the more mind-blowing as the animated characters look quite alike to the actors providing their movements and voices. Wonderful. 

I think it’s the truest version of the story that I’ve ever seen. It hasn’t been honeyed up for young children, but includes every grim and sinister scene from the book like Marley’s jaw dislocating, the skeletal children, and other such frightening and macabre scenes. Again, I say it is not for young children and parental guidance is recommended. 

Starring Jim Carrey, Bob Hoskins, Gary Oldman, and Colin Firth (all of whom provide multiple voices), A Christmas Carol is a wonderful film based on a classic story and filled with horror, mesmerising animation, and wonderfully festive music. It’s a really stunning visual treat, perfect for that festive time of year. 

If I could work my will, every idiot who goes about with “merry Christmas” on his lips would be boiled with his own pudding and buried with a stake of holly through his heart!  

Bah! Humbug!

The Great Muppet Caper [G]

After London’s fashion queen, Lady Holiday, is robbed, investigative reporters Kermit, Fozzie and Gonzo fly to London to interview her for their paper. After the trio arrive in London, another jewel robbery takes place and Miss Piggy is framed for it. While everyone’s attention is on arresting Piggy, Gonzo manages to hear the real criminals’ plan to steal Lady Holiday’s prized possession: the fabulous Baseball Diamond. So, to clear Miss Piggy’s name, Kermit and all his friends plan to catch the real thieves red-handed. 

Filled with action, excitement, romance, villainy, comedy, and all new songs, The Great Muppet Caper is my third favourite Muppet movie. 

Kermit, Fozzie, and Gonzo are investigative reporters who set off for London when England’s fashion queen, Lady Holiday, has her jewels stolen. But upon arriving in London to interview Lady Holiday, Kermit mistakes Miss Piggy for the fashion designer and invites her to dinner to discuss the robbery. As fate would have it, Lady Holiday appears at the same restaurant where another robbery takes place, one that Miss Piggy is framed for. As luck would have it, Gonzo manages to get a picture of the real criminals and overhears their plan to steal Lady Holiday’s most prized possession: the Fabulous Baseball Diamond. So it’s up to Kermit and his friends to catch the real criminals and prove Piggy’s innocence, but unfortunately the odds are against them. 

With a simple and exciting story as its backbone, The Great Muppet Caper is a classic Muppet movie filled with comedy, all new songs, and heaps of celebrity guest stars including Charles Grodin, John Cleese, Joan Sanderson, Peter Ustinov, and Diana Rigg. 

Packed with jokes, familiar faces, romance, excitement, and heaps of coincidences, The Great Muppet Caper is a fun family film and my third favourite Muppet movie. 

The Departed [MA]

Rookie cop Billy Costigan has grown up in crime, making him the perfect mole to be on the inside of the mob run by Frank Costello. It’s up to him to win Costello’s trust whilst simultaneously helping his detective handlers bring Costello down. But the cops aren’t the only ones who have a man on the inside. Fine and upstanding SIU Officer Sullivan has everyone’s trust, making him the perfect mole amongst the cops, leaking information to Costello. 

This was a wonderfully mind-bending mafia drama ultimately about who has the last word: the goodies or the baddies. Filled with sinister and violent twists of the plot and knockout performances from all involved, The Departed is a fantastically dark and sinister crime flick. 

Rookie cop Billy Costigan comes from a criminal family, resulting in his being well connected and known amongst the various mafia groups in the city. This also makes him the perfect mole to have on the inside of the mob run by Frank Costello, a man whom the cops have been trying to bring down for quite some time. It’s up to Billy to get close to Costello and earn his trust whilst simultaneously feeding information back to the cops and helping his detective handlers bring Costello down. But the cops are not the only ones with a man on the inside. Fine and upstanding SIU Officer Sullivan has everyone’s trust and therefore, makes a perfect mole to have amongst the cops whilst simultaneously leaking information back to Costello. 

Directed by Martin Scorsese, The Departed is a wonderful crime flick that is ultimately about who has the final word: the good guys or the bad guys. Filled with mind-bending plot twists and plenty of violence and drama, it will have you gripping the edge of your seat. 

Adding to the brilliance of the story and the drama of the film are the knockout performances from Jack Nicholson, Matt Damon, and Leonardo DiCaprio. 

Jack Nicholson, who plays Frank Costello, delivers a very moving mafia boss performance as he swiftly changes from suspicious and homicidal maniac to almost-family man. 

Matt Damon, who plays Sullivan, has a controlled and almost gloating countenance for the majority of the film. But this is slowly shattered as suspicions begin to arise and fear begins to set in. 

Leonardo DiCaprio, who plays Billy Costigan, delivers a very aggressive performance. Incapable of remaining calm for ten minutes together, it was especially moving to see his hardened and aggressive veneer melt away as things begin to get serious and his life hangs in the balance. To watch the fear, panic and desperation set was really beautiful. 

Also starring Alec Baldwin, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, Ray Winstone, and Vera Farmiga, The Departed was a violently powerful crime flick filled with brilliant twists of the plot, wonderful performances, sinister threats, and shocking ends. A truly epic and classic crime flick. 

The Rocky Horror Picture Show [M]

Brad and Janet are two ordinary, clean-cut kids. But that changes when their car breaks down and they are forced to spend the night in a creepy old castle. As the night draws on, it turns into an erotic nightmare for the two lovebirds and really drives them insane. 

Alright people, be warned: if you do watch this film, do NOT try and make sense of it… because you will go insane! A truly twisted and wonderfully demented classic, The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a particularly unique film that you must sit in front of and just let it wash over you. It doesn’t matter if you don’t understand what’s going on… that’s really the point. Just watch and enjoy because (in this film’s case) ignorance is bliss. 

After getting engaged, Brad and Janet decide to go and see their friend and ex-tutor Dr Scott. Just a couple of clean-cut kids on road trip that turns bad when they break down in the middle of nowhere. After battling their way through a storm, they come across a castle and ring the bell in the hopes that they might be able to use a telephone to call for some help. But their moral and wholesome worlds are shattered as soon as they enter that castle. Their cross-dressing host invites them to spend the night, which soon turns into an erotic nightmare that’s only going to get stranger and stranger. 

Wonderfully weird and fantastically freaky, The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a twisted homage to horror, science fiction, B movies, and rock music. Filmed on a low budget in the true style of B movies, the comedy of the film comes across in the dated effects and the overacted acting. You have to keep in mind that everything in this film is clever because it is deliberate. 

Tim Curry stars as Frank n Furter, the cross-dressing mad scientist. You may look at him today and not see much, but back in the day of Rocky Horror, Tim Curry was effing HOT!!! Incredibly sensual, he used everything at his disposal: his head, legs, arms, mouth, eyebrows, and even his groin. I’ve got no shame in saying that his performance was almost orgasmic. NOT TO MENTION HIS VOICE! OH!!!... wow it’s hot in here… 

Starring Tim Curry (a mad scientist), Susan Sarandon (a heroine), Barry Bostwick (a hero), Richard O’Brien (a handyman), Patricia Quinn (a domestic), Little Nell (a groupie), Jonathan Adams (a rival scientist), Peter Hinwood (a creation), Meatloaf (an ex delivery boy), and Charles Gray (an expert), The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a cult classic that everyone needs to watch at least once in their lives. It’s filled with action, suspense, romance, sex, bizarre love triangles, science fiction, horror, and heaps of songs. For those who don’t know, this is the film that gave birth to the Time Warp… 

It’s just a jump to the left. And then a step to the right. With your hands on your hips. You bring your knees in tight. But it’s the pelvic thrust that really drives you insane. Let’s do the time warp again. Let’s do the time warp again!... 

Oh come on, you can’t have expected me not to do that!!! But seriously, you have  to watch the film at least once!!!

Who Framed Roger Rabbit [PG]

Private Detective Eddie Valiant is down on his luck, but things take a turn when a famous cartoon rabbit, the one and only Roger Rabbit is framed for murder. Knowing that Eddie is the only detective in the world that can help him, Roger turns to Valiant, who reluctantly agrees to help when he discovers that there is more to the case than meets the eye. As the plot continues to thicken, it’s only a matter of time before Roger is caught, tried, convicted, and executed. 

Probably one of the more twisted and violent comedies that I watched as a child, Who Framed Roger Rabbit really is a timeless classic, equally in the same field as Mary Poppins and Bedknobs and Broomsticks. The combination of animated characters working alongside live human actors is fast-becoming a lost art form. 

Private Detective Eddie Valiant has been out of the field since his brother was killed by a toon. As a result, Eddie wishes to have no business with any toon for the rest of his life. This plan is interrupted when famous toon Roger Rabbit is framed for murder. Knowing that Valiant is the only person in the world who can help him, Roger turns to Eddie and begs him to help clear his name. Eddie reluctantly agrees when he discovers that there is more to this caper than meets the eye. As the plot thickens and a conspiracy unravels, it’s only a matter of time before Roger is caught, tried, convicted, and executed. 

As I mentioned earlier, this is a movie that I was brought up with as a child. Looking back at it now, it’s no wonder that I have turned out the way I have. Albeit very funny and a great story, it did get rather violent and some scenes were pretty horrific (especially the scenes towards the end with Christopher Lloyd. I just finished watching them at the age of 20 and I still got the shivers!) 

I think the brilliant thing about this film was how it was made appropriate for a larger audience of both kids and adults. You have all these familiar cartoon characters working against the backdrop of a sinister and sometimes seedy gangster flick. The contrast was just brilliant. 

Starring Bob Hoskins, Christopher Lloyd, Joanna Cassidy, and Charles Fleischer, and the winner of 4 Academy Awards, Who Framed Roger Rabbit was a fantastic family movie (provided the kiddies are about 7 or older and there is parental guidance). It is filled with familiar characters, action, romance, a sinister plot, and is just a great and original story. A real classic! 

Knight and Day [M]

A power source has been created that has the ability to power an entire city and never expire. In the wrong hands, it could be dangerous so that is why two spies were appointed to protect the source and its creator. But one spy defects and frames his partner. On the run and still trying to protect the source, things get worse as a car-repairwoman named June accidentally gets mixed up in the plot. Now it’s up to Roy to save the power source, save its creator, and save June. He’s got his work cut out for him. 

I just missed this at the cinemas and I was soo effing annoyed that I did. All I heard about it was rave reviews from friends and customers. So naturally when it came into work yesterday, I was dying to get home, grab a glass if wine, and watch it. Great flick. 

A battery has been created that is capable of powering an entire city and never expiring. But in the wrong hands, it could be dangerous and there are many people out to claim it for their own. Two spies were assigned to protect the battery and Simon, its creator. But one agent defected and framed the other, forcing him to go rogue and on the run. Still determined to protect Simon and the battery, Rogue agent Roy continues to fight, but things take a downhill turn when an innocent car-repairwoman named June accidentally becomes mixed up in the plot. Roy now has his work cut out for him as it’s up to him to protect the battery, protect Simon, and protect June, all without being caught by the enemy. 

An action film balanced with a comedy script, Knight and Day was a good romp. The thing I liked most about it was that it was filled with so many plot twists that halfway through you find yourself thinking “you can’t trust anyone in this movie.” The blame gets shifted left, right, and centre and it’s actually quite difficult to keep up on who’s good and who’s not. It definitely makes the film more interesting. 

Tom Cruise stars as Roy. I’m not really a Cruise fan, but I didn’t mind him in this movie. His character tended to change emotions quite quickly and Tom did this very well. He didn’t overdo it, which he could have easily done, and that subtlety made everything work. 

Cameron Diaz is June. I’m not the biggest Cameron Diaz fan either. I think she should be taken in small doses. In Knight and Day, she was a bit of a ditz, she spent the duration of the film either giggling, screaming, or panicking hysterically. But admittedly, you could relate to her. That is exactly how I would react if I were put in a situation like that. Playing the damsel in distress isn’t the most desirable job, but someone’s got to do it and Cameron did it very well. 

Featuring Peter Sarsgaard, Jordi Molla, Viola Davis, and Paul Dano, Knight and Day was a good action romp filled with chaos, explosions, gunplay, car and plane crashes, and backed by a light comedy script. Perfect for a Saturday night movie. 

St Trinian's [M]

St Trinian’s, the infamous school of “young ladies” is in trouble. The new Minister for Education, despite being an old flame of the headmistress’s is coming down hard on under-performing schools and St Trinian’s is facing financial ruin. Unable to depend on the adults, the girls put their talents for causing chaos and having attitude to good use to save their beloved school. 

I had no idea what to expect when I first hired out this movie from work. It looked pretty cool and had some good actors in it so I figured what the hell? I bought myself a copy the next day. It was a stylish, cool, and clever look at modern culture and a very interesting take on the original Belles of St Trinian’s. 

The “young ladies” of St Trinian’s are fine, upstanding defenders of anarchy. Excelling in wreaking havoc and having attitude, they strike the fear into the heart of every other ladies’ college. But this infamous school is in trouble. The new Minister for Education is coming down hard on under-performing schools and St Trinian’s is facing financial ruin. Unable to rely on the adults, the girls put all their chaos-creating and biting attitude to good use and rally together to save their beloved school. 

A modern adaptaion of the Belles of St Trinian’s, this movie provides a spot-on look at modern culture, in particular teenage girls and their subcultures. We meet geeks, chavs, posh totties, emos, and the smartest first years ever. 

Starring Rupert Everett (who plays two parts), Colin Firth, Mischa Barton, Russell Brand, Gemma Arterton, Talulah Riley, Juno Temple, Celia Imrie, Toby Jones, Stephen Fry, and Lily Cole, St Trinian’s is a very clever and stylish girl’s comedy about getting a job done and standing your ground.  

Pan's Labyrinth [MA]

Spain 1944. During a period of fascism and civil war, 10 year-old Ofelia and her heavily pregnant mother move to the country to live in an old mansion with her new stepfather. Upon arriving in the countryside, Ofelia discovers an ancient labyrinth and a faun who persuades her that she is a princess who belongs in the fairy world underground. In order for her to get back to her true home, she must complete three tasks to prove her worth, but when her mother gets sick, the tasks become second priority and with the deadline soon approaching, can Ofelia complete them in time? 

It took me three goes before I fell in love with this movie. The only reason I watched it was because all my friends and relatives were ringing me up and saying, “I just finished watching Pan’s Labyrinth and was instantly reminded of you!” At first, I found the film dark, sinister, and rather violent and I was sitting there thinking, “what the hell does this say about me?” But after watching it a few more times, I saw the beauty and the brilliance of the film. It’s particularly wonderful how the fantasy half of the story is just as real as the reality half, creating a perfect symmetry. 

During a period of fascism and civil war in Spain in 1944, 10 year-old Ofelia moves with her heavily pregnant mother to live in an old mansion in the countryside with her new stepfather. Intimidated by this new man, Ofelia finds herself alone, with only her books of fairy tales to comfort her. Curious by nature, Ofelia soon takes to wandering through the woods near the house and, during one such wandering, discovers an ancient labyrinth in which lives a faun. When the faun meets her, he is convinced that she is a long lost princess not of Earth, but belonging to the fantasy world Underground. As Ofelia begins to believe this, the faun explains that she must complete three tasks in order to prove her worth before she can return to her true home. But soon, Ofelia’s mother becomes very ill and the tasks become second priority. 

From director Guillermo Del Toro comes this chilling fantasy tale of innocence versus evil. As I mentioned before, the film has a wonderful symmetry to it as the two worlds of fantasy and reality are just as real, scary, and sometimes violent as each other. 

What immediately strikes you about this movie is how beautiful it is. The music, the story, the performances, the effects, and the sets were all truly beautiful. It was the winner (and rightly so) of 3 BAFTAS including Best Film No In the English Language and the 2007 Academy Award for Best Achievement in Art Direction, Cinematography, and Makeup. The entire film was a visually stunning masterpiece, especially the creation of the faun and other creatures of the fairy world. 

I simply have to draw attention to the performance of Ivana Baquero who plays Ofelia. She was absolutely beautiful. Simple, charming, she was the essence of innocence and brought light to the dark happenings of both the fantasy world and reality. Absolutely mesmerising. 

Starring Ivana Baquero, Sergi Lopez, Maribel Verdu, Doug Jones, and Ariadna Gil, Pan’s Labyrinth was a visually stunning and chilling fantasy about the power of innocence. Filled with warfare, violence, amazing creatures, haunting music, and with a magnificent story as its backbone, it is a must-have in any film buff’s collection. 

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 [M]

Things in the wizarding world are as bad as ever. The Dark Lord has followers intimidating and terrifying people left, right, and centre. Non-magical folk are being slaughtered mercilessly. All supporters of Harry Potter are under attack. And Harry himself has four more Horcruxes to find and destroy. With Death Eaters and Snatchers looking for him everywhere, for Harry Potter nowhere is safe. 

I have just come out of the cinema literally bubbling with excitement and awe. After a very dramatic week, seeing an early session of the new Harry Potter film seemed the perfect remedy for my nerves. Without a doubt, this is my favourite Harry Potter film (so far). I have only heard bad reviews about it from TV and radio critics and all I have to say to them is: “you have no freaking idea what you’re talking about!” These people have obviously not read the books and do not appreciate the art of filmmaking; analysing the effect of every tiny trick of the camera, sound effects, or scenery. As far as I am concerned, this film was effing brilliant! It had a healthy balance of dark and sinister scenes, action and battle sequences, and light-hearted comedy. It was remarkably true to the book (truer than any of the other films have been actually) and everything about it was absolutely perfect. 

Things are as bad as ever in the wizarding world. The Ministry of Magic is crawling with supporters of the Dark Lord. Muggles are being slaughtered mercilessly. All over the country, mixed-race wizards are being abducted and stripped of their magical rights. All supporters of Harry Potter are under attack. And the Chosen One himself has been set an impossible task of finding and destroying four more Horcruxes. But with half the wizarding world after him, the other half too terrified to help him, and the giver of his wisdom no longer with him, for Harry nowhere is safe. 

There were so many things right with this film that this review will probably be my longest post yet. Let’s first start with the setting and on-location scenes. We finally get to see more of the hills and forests and valley and the way they were filmed, mainly with aerial shots, wide and long shots, not only took in the spectacular scenery, but also impressed upon the audience the feeling of insignificance and loneliness that the heroes feel all the while. The marriage of the locations and the camera work was a match made in Heaven really. 

Now let’s talk about our three central heroes: 

Daniel Radcliffe delivers possibly his best performance in this movie. Going through a diverse range of emotions, he conveys each one with power and precision. Dan’s performance was really moving in this film. Rock on Dan! 

Rupert Grint, bless him, is still providing the comic relief. Hey, it’s a noble job. As a girl, I could not help but notice how much he had broadened out in the chest area… oh my goodness, is it hot in here? Aside from his physical delivery, his performance was admirable. He has a tremendous sense of timing and that really helps when he has to break some of those awkward silences. But it’s not all laughs. There are a few sinister and almost violent scenes in which Rupert did wonderfully. My hat goes off to him.
And Emma Watson was lovely. I’ve (admittedly) always found her acting to be a little too indicative. Too heavy breathing, too shrill a shriek, too powerful gestures. But I swallow my words after watching this film. Her performance was mesmerising. Every emotion, she conveyed with a certain subtlety that has not manifested itself in the other films. 

More than often, the simpler things in life are far the more memorable and Emma’s performance was practically perfect as it was a little more toned-down and not so indicative as it has been. You go girl! The other thing I loved about this film was the clever use of camera tricks and visual illusions. As I mentioned before, the wide aerial shots successfully created an atmosphere of insignificance and there are other camera tricks that create the feeling of panic and flight. In one particularly tense scene, we find our heroes running for their lives and the cameraman is running right behind them. That hand-held camera style perfectly creates the feeling of flight or fight that comes with panic and an adrenaline rush. It’s always little things like that that stay with you. Another visual illusion that I liked was the illusion of Hermione’s beaded bag. Any time our heroes reach for anything in this bag, they reach so far down that the bag covers up to their shoulders, while still looking like it would not fit a hand. A classic visual illusion that is right up there with the lake scene in Dogma or the bathtub scene in Nightmare on Elm Street. 

As if all this were not enough, the amount of stars is this film was mind-blowing: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Thompson, Ralph Fiennes, Robbie Coltrane, Tom Felton, Alan Rickman, Helena Bonham Carter, Jason Isaacs, Brendan Gleeson, David Thewlis, Julie Walters, Bonnie Wright, Evanna Lynch, Rhys Ifans, Bill Nighy, James and Oliver Phelps, Richard Griffiths, Harry Melling, Fiona Shaw, Timothy Spall, Mark Williams, Clemence Poesy, Frances de la Tour, John Hurt, Matthew Lewis, Imelda Staunton, Warwick Davis, Miranda Richardson, and Michael Gambon. 

Filled with romance, suspense, sinister plots, amazing sets, knock-out special effects, touching and tear-jerking performances, familiar faces, and a bit of light-hearted comedy, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 has become my favourite Harry Potter film to date. It had absolutely everything right, was miraculously true to the book, and was practically perfect in every way. 

Get Smart [PG]

Maxwell Smart is a CONTROL analyst who dreams of becoming an agent. And when KAOS attacks and compromises all of CONTROL’s field agents, Max finally gets his chance. Working with the beautiful Agent 99, Max is out to uncover nuclear material and stop KAOS before they can do something less than friendly. 

I have never seen an episode of Get Smart, but when my mum and dad saw this movie, they said that it was very true to the original characters. So there’s authenticity taken care of. Filled with slapstick comedy, action and explosions, car chases, and dance scenes, Get Smart was a fantastic movie, perfect for any family movie night. 

Maxwell Smart is an analyst working for the government security sector known as CONTROL. Although Max is fantastic at what he does, he dreams of becoming an agent and working in the field instead of in the office. When a terrorist threat known as KAOS infiltrates and compromises the identities of all of CONTROL’s field agents, Max finally gets his chance to work in the field. Partnered with the beautiful and deadly Agent 99, Max sets out to uncover nuclear material and stop KAOS before they can do something less than friendly to the nation. 

This film had everything right. It had the perfect balance of action, romance, plot twists, and comedy. It was a real crowd-pleaser. For all the folks who have grown up watching the show, the film’s characters are very much like the originals and there is even a cameo from the original Siegfried. 

I think what made this film so immensely funny was the timing. All the actors had deadly timing. From Steve Carell to Terence Stamp, everyone paused at the right moments and kept the pause going for the perfect amount of time. Just the way everyone spoke his or her lines was absolutely killer. 

I have to say it’s really good to see old-fashioned slapstick comedy back on the screen. Most comedies at the moment are centered on sexual innuendos, gore gags, violence, and things of a really crude nature. But Get Smart was clever and used physical humour that went hand in hand with the timing of the actors. Brilliant. 

Starring Steve Carell, Anne Hathaway, Dwayne Johnson, Alan Arkin, and Terence Stamp, Get Smart was a fabulous comedy filled with action, romance, dance scenes, car chases, explosions, terrorist threats, sky-diving, slapstick comedy and a few cool cameos. Please allow let me end this review with a scene that shows the stupid cleverness of the movie… 

Siegfried - How do I know you’re not CONTROL? 

Max – If I was CONTROL, you’d already be dead. 

Siegfried - If you were CONTROL, you’d already be dead. 

Max – Well neither of us is dead so I’m obviously not from CONTROL… 

CLASSIC!!!

Toy Story 3 [G]

As Andy prepares to go to college, Woody, Buzz and the rest of the gang is feeling the strain of no playtime. But this is about to change. They soon find themselves in a box being donated to Sunnyside Daycare. Their dream of playtime soon turns into a nightmare as they are subjected to the rough “playtime” of toddlers. After one day they are desperate to get back home to Andy, but there are some toys that will see to it that they never get home. 

I just missed this at the cinemas and I was so annoyed at myself for doing so. But when it came into work the other day, I was so excited I can’t tell you. Renting it for family movie last night, I went back into work and bought myself a copy today. Needless to say I loved it! All our favourite characters are back in the biggest adventure of all toydom. 

As Andy prepares to go to college, Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and the rest of the gang are feeling the strain of no playtime. But this soon changes when they are accidentally thrown into the garbage. Managing to escape a grim fate at the dump, the gang takes refuge in a box of other toys that are being donated to Sunnyside Daycare. While Woody is persistently trying to convince them that they need to get back home, the others are too excited by the idea of playtime to pass up this opportunity. They’re playtime dream soon turns into a nightmare as they are subjected to the rough playtime of screaming and physically abusive toddlers. After one horrific day of torture and torment, the gang is desperate to get back home to Andy. But there are some toys in the daycare centre that will see to it that they never get home. 

Out of all three films, this one was definitely the most moving. I didn’t just cry, I bawled. I had had a couple of drinks, but that’s beside the point. “Hard-hearted Hannah” actually bawled in a film! 

The script was very funny and witty and some of the visual gags were just downright hilarious. I have to say that it’s really nice to see a movie that’s the third in a series and still feels like its predecessors. I’ve been watching sequels recently and quite a few of them have been lacking, not feeling like the first one: St Trinians 2 Legend of Fritton’s Gold and Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang are two films that immediately spring to mind that have been a disappointment. But Toy Story 3 felt exactly like the other two: lighthearted and funny with a real sense of loyalty. Lovely. 

Featuring the voice talents of Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Ned Beatty, Jodi Benson, and Michael Keaton, Toy Story 3 was a wonderful film filled with action, suspense, romance, Spanish, and brilliant animation. It really went to infinity and beyond.  

St Trinians 2: Legend of Fritton's Gold [PG]

The new term at the school of St Trinians is starting off with a bang as the girls stumble upon an ancient gold ring and a legend that causes them to embark upon a good old-fashioned treasure hunt. But the girls aren’t the only ones after the legendary Fritton treasure; A secret society of women-haters known as AD1 are out to stop the girls from St Trinians from getting to the treasure at whatever cost. 

Ultimately not as good as the first one, St Trinians 2: Legend of Fritton’s Gold was really just a bit of fun after a hard and mentally draining day at work. Many of the actors from the first film reprise their roles (in Rupert Everett’s case, more than one), but the film did not feel quite like St Trinians. At some points it just got downright silly, but I won’t deny that it did achieve a few laughs from me and put me in a much better mood than what I was in when I sat down to watch it. 

The girls of St Trinians are back for another term and Annabelle Fritton has been appointed Head Girl, a very high honour. Whilst Annabelle is feeling that she’s not up to the task of being Head Girl, her classmates stumble upon an ancient ring that soon causes them to embark upon a good old-fashioned treasure hunt. Upon learning the legend of the Pirate Fritton’s gold, the girls set their sights on finding the treasure and using it to buy all their most desired dreams. But the girls soon find out that they are not the only ones after the treasure; A secret society of women-haters known as the AD1 are out to stop the girls from finding the treasure first at whatever cost. Undeterred, the girls of St Trinians show these men just what women are made of by outsmarting and outshining them in every way. 

I wouldn’t say that I was disappointed by this film, but there was something wanting. On the whole it just did not feel like St Trinians. The first movie was more about the girls being defiant, but with a sense of patriotism, and here it was just selfish impulse. 

Quite a few of the characters seemed to have been toned down or completely changed and there wasn’t a threatening vibe about the school, just a sense of chaos. It was all a little too diluted. 

Having said that, the film did have its moments in the form of Rupert Everett’s many roles and Colin Firth’s swashbuckling swordfight. 

Starring Rupert Everett, Colin Firth, David Tennant, Gemma Arterton, Talulah Riley, Sarah Harding, and Tamsin Egerton, St Trinians 2: Legend of Fritton’s Gold was a fun movie, but nowhere near as good as the its predecessor: St Trinians. It really was a little too watered down for St Trinians, which is a bit of a shame because I absolutely loved the first film. 

Austin Powers Goldmember [M]

In the final showdown between Austin Powers and Dr Evil, a Dutch maniac called Goldmember has kidnapped Austin’s father Nigel Powers and is hiding him in the year 1975. While Austin is out to save his father, Goldmember is working with Dr Evil to build a tractor beam that will pull a meteor made of solid gold to Earth, causing a global flood. Now it’s up to Austin to defeat Dr Evil and save the world…for good this time. 

As much as I love the Austin Powers movies, Goldmember got a little strange and a bit too edgy for my liking. With seedier jokes (a few of which were used in The Spy Who Shagged Me) and more famous cameos than either of its predecessors, Goldmember was slightly edgy but still very funny “on the whole”. 

Dr Evil is concocting another plan to take over the world, but very early in the piece, he gets captured by Austin Powers and sentenced to 400 years in prison. Meanwhile Austin’s father, Nigel Powers, is kidnapped by a Dutch maniac called Goldmember, who is hiding him in the year 1975. While Austin is back in the 70s rescuing his dad, Dr Evil escapes from prison and flees to a new hideaway to begin preparations for his new plan to take over the world. With the help of Goldmember, Dr Evil plans to construct a tractor beam that will pull a meteor of solid gold to Earth and cause a global flood. With more determination than ever, Austin returns from the 70s to rescue his father, defeat Dr Evil, and save the world… this time for good. 

In all honesty, Goldmember was a bit of an anticlimax to the whole Austin Powers phenomenon. The film was made up of jokes that had featured in the previous movies, flashbacks to scenes from the previous movies, and samples of Star Wars, Annie, and Silence of the Lambs. Quite a bit of the toilet humour crossed the line and there was even some double-jointed gags that should not be viewed when one is eating or if one has a really weak stomach. 

As I mentioned before, this film has heaps more star cameos than either of the other two films, including Tom Cruise, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kevin Spacey, Danny DeVito, Quincy Jones, Steven Spielberg, Burt Bacharach, Britney Spears, the Osbournes, and John Travolta. 

Mike Myers is back playing four roles this time: Austin Powers, Dr Evil, Fat Bastard, and Goldmember. Trying to fit a life’s worth of acting into one movie? 

Starring Beyonce Knowles, Mindy Sterling, Seth Green, Robert Wagner, Verne Troyer, and Michael Caine, Goldmember was packed with toilet humour, the colour gold, kickstand jokes, dodgy shadows, fart analysis, and the biggest mole to grace our screens. It definitely had its moments, but (I’ll say it again) it was a bit of an anticlimax to the trilogy. 

Austin Powers the Spy Who Shagged Me [M]

After narrowly escaping capture by cryogenically freezing himself, Dr Evil is back with an all-new plan to take over the world. Convinced that Austin Powers’ “mojo” is the only reason why his world domination attempts have never worked, Dr Evil develops a time machine and travels back to the sixties to steal Austin Powers’ mojo. With the hero then out of the way, he can focus his attention on taking over the world. Without his mojo, can Austin still defeat Dr Evil, save the world, and get the girl? 

This one is my favourite movie out of the Austin Powers trilogy. With more eccentric characters, more jokes, and more stars, I find myself quoting this film more than the others. 

After cryogenically freezing himself to avoid capture, Dr Evil has come out of orbit and returned to Earth with an even dastardlier plan to take over the world than before. He is convinced that the only reason Austin Powers has thwarted his plans so many times is because he has “mojo”: “the libido, the essence, the life force, the right stuff, what the French call a certain… I don’t know what.” So, in order to remove Austin Powers from the scene, he develops a time machine and travels back to the sixties when Austin was frozen and steals his mojo. With Britain’s hero out of the way, he then turns his attention to taking over the world with a giant lazar on the moon: “you see I’ve turned the moon into what I like to call a “Death Star.” Determined to get his mojo back, Austin also travels back in time to face Dr Evil. But, without his mojo, can he defeat Dr Evil, save the world, and get the girl? 

I found Austin Powers the Spy Who Shagged Me to be much funnier and cleverer than the first one. By now we must all get that the movies are Bond spoofs, which makes the title of the film all the more worth tittering at. This film is filled with really memorable jokes including the world’s greatest penis joke, a couple of Star Wars samples, a whole new way of seeing silhouette illusions, and even an episode of Jerry Springer. Genius! As I mentioned before, we get introduced to even more memorable characters in The Spy Who Shagged Me. 

Obviously all our favourites are still with us like Austin Powers, Dr Evil, Frau, Scott, Number 2, Mustafa, and Basil, but we get to welcome some new faces like Fat Bastard: one of Dr Evil’s more sizable henchmen, and Mini Me: Dr Evil’s clone that is one eighth his size. There is also some new eye candy in the form of Felicity Shagwell: special agent from the CIA. Mike Myers reprises the roles of Austin and Dr Evil, but he also plays the part of Fat Bastard, more is the humour and comic genius. Starring Heather Graham, Mindy Sterling, Michael York, Robert Wagner, Rob Lowe, Will Ferrell, Seth Green, Verne Troyer, Gia Carides, and Elizabeth Hurley, Austin Powers the Spy Who Shagged Me is packed with action, romance, time travel, toilet humour, space adventure, brilliant costumes, and features cameos from Burt Bacharach, Elvis Costello, and Jerry Springer. 

Funnier with more original and memorable jokes than the first film (some of which should not be watched while eating) it definitely has to be my favourite Austin Powers movie. 

Austin Powers International Man Of Mystery [M]

Austin Powers, International Man of Mystery, swinging bachelor, famous ladies’ man, and Britain’s number one spy is out to defeat his arch nemesis Dr. Evil. After thirty years of being cryogenically frozen, Dr. Evil has returned to take over the world. Now, thirty years after the swinging sixties, it’s up to Austin to defeat Dr Evil and save the world, but can he do it when he’s missed out on the last thirty years? 

Like Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, or The Goonies, the Austin Powers movies have no expiration date. Filled to the brim with memorable characters and backed by an even more memorable script, years after watching the films you’ll find yourself quoting them in random conversation. No matter what type of comedy you like, Austin Powers will always make an impression. 

It’s London in the swinging sixties and one man is at the height of fame. He’s Austin Powers, International Man of Mystery. A swinging bachelor, famous ladies’ man, and Britain’s number one spy, Austin has it made. But every great secret agent has an archrival and Austin’s is a man by the name of Dr Evil, whose goal in life is to take over the world. After his attempt to assassinate Austin Powers is foiled by the man himself, Dr Evil has himself cryogenically frozen and escapes by orbiting the Earth for thirty years. Knowing that the world has not seen the last of Dr Evil, Austin volunteers to have himself cryogenically frozen so that when Dr Evil does return, Britain will be ready for him. Now, thirty years later, the two are at it again. Dr Evil has concocted a villainous scheme to achieve world domination and Austin is determined to stop hip. But can he do it when he’s missed out on the last thirty years? 

I think what makes Austin Powers such a brilliant movie is its use of physical and visual comedy. The bright colours and visually eccentric characters go hand in hand with the way certain lines are said to achieve a response from the audience. The subject matter of the humour is a little crude; sexual innuendos, toilet gags, and a couple of political jokes sneak in, but it’s the way that everything is said that makes it all so funny. 

The characters are a delightful mixed group of the strange and the sexy. You have Austin Powers with his velvet suits and bad teeth, then there’s Dr Evil with no hair, a droopy eye, and pouting lips, he’s really a big baby. There’s the sexy and too perfect Vanessa, the one-eyed number two man, and the fez-clad weapons designer. It’s a delightfully eccentric mix. 

Mike Myers plays the duel roles of Austin Powers and Dr Evil. What a comic genius! Between his constant exclamations of “does it make you horny?” and “oh behave baby” in a British accent and his “throw me a frickin’ bone here” in the whining voice of the villain, Mike does not miss a beat and seems to be able to turn anything into a sexual innuendo, it’s a gift really. 

Featuring Mindy Sterling, Elizabeth Hurley, Robert Wagner, Michael York, Seth Green and Will Ferrell, Austin Powers International Man of Mystery is a timeless comedy classic filled with action, romance, sexual innuendos, toilet humour, fantastic costumes, bright colours, and possibly the greatest villain in cinema history. It deserves a spot in any film buff’s collection because it’s a flick that you can always come back to and enjoy. Love it! 

The Apartment [PG]

C.C Baxter knows the way to succeed in business…it’s through the door of his apartment. Providing the perfect hideaway for philandering bosses, the ambitious Baxter is rewarded with undeserved promotions. But when Baxter lends the key to the top dog, Mr Sheldrake, he not only advances in his career, but his love life as well for Sheldrake’s mistress is the beautiful Fran Kubelik: elevator girl and angel of Baxter’s dreams. Now Baxter has to make the most important executive decision of his career: lose the girl or lose his job. 

I have only recently gotten into black and white movies of the “classic” genre and my mum has been at me for a while to sit down and watch The Apartment. I’m glad I finally heeded her advice. I loved it. It had a wonderful story, beautiful performances, and a big handful of characters that you just want to hit. 

C.C “Bud” Baxter knows the way to succeed in business… through the door of his apartment. Working as an insignificant accountant on the 19^th floor, Bud gains popularity among the men in power by lending them the key to his apartment so that they can bring their mistresses and fling inconspicuously. By providing this service, Bud is rewarded with a series of undeserved promotions, some that would take a hard-working employee years to achieve. But Bud gets more than he bargained for when he lends the key to the Big Boss, Mr Sheldrake. He not only advances in his career, but in his love life too because Mr Sheldrake’s mistress is the lovely Fran Kubelik: elevator girl and angel of Bud’s dreams. Now Bud must make the most important executive decision of his career: lose the girl or lose his job. 

A perfect film from start to finish, The Apartment was filled with beautiful performances, a moving story, the right levels of drama and comedy, and filmed in black and white, which just makes everything all the more elegant. 

Jack Lemmon stars as Baxter and he was brilliant. Delivering a very moving performance, he was loyal, moral, kind-hearted, and incredibly charming. I think any girl would fall in love with him after watching this movie. 

Shirley MacLaine played Fran and she was simply beautiful. Her performance was a real knockout. Deeply stirring, tear jerking, elegant, and quick-witted. I have to say that her timing was absolutely impeccable. 

I have to say at this point that The Apartment was a classic example of a movie that is moved forward by its actors. The story may be the backbone, but it’s the performances that keep that story moving forwards, getting from situation A to situation B with all the drama in between. 

Filled with drama, suspense, romance, comedy, dirty old men, and heaps of betrayal, and winner of five Oscars including Best Picture, The Apartment was a wonderful film, a true delight from start to finish and well deserving of a place in any film tragic’s collection. 

It's A Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie [G]

Tis the night before Christmas and the Muppet Theatre is in danger of being torn down unless the Muppets pay off their debt before 6pm. And when bad goes to worse and everything seems to be lost, Kermit begins to think that the world would be a better place if he had never been born. But with the help of some Heavenly intervention, a Christmas miracle opens Kermit’s eyes and makes him see just how important he and his dreams are. 

Like The Muppet’s Wizard of Oz this movie was one that I came across at work and was amazed that I had never heard of it before. Filled with new songs, alternate realities, a very clever script, and a few famous faces, It’s A Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie is another holiday classic that will get you into the spirit of the season. 

Tis the night before Christmas and the Muppet Theatre in grave danger. The new owner, Ms Bitterman, plans to tear down the place and put up an edgy and seedy nightclub to quench her thirst for the one she believes in: money. Things go from bad to worse when the Muppets are prevented from delivering their outstanding debt on the theatre before the deadline. Believing that all is lost, Kermit begins to feel that his friends and the world would have been better if he had never been born and had his dreams. But with the help of some Heavenly intervention, Kermit’s eyes are opened to the importance of dreams and he sees that it may not be easy being green, but it’s harder to live in a world where no-one follows their dreams. 

A classic Muppet movie with a very powerful message, It’s a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie was particularly brilliant in that it was very true to the Muppets. By that I mean that there were a lot of jokes and certain things that had been used in previous Muppet movies, like Doc Hopper’s fast food franchise and the Muppet Theatre itself just as it was when the Muppets first put on the Muppet Show. Authenticity, I guess is the word you’d use. 

I also have to mention, at this point, the very funny Star Wars gag in the film. We see Kermit meet with another character who knows it’s not easy being green: Yoda. I mean come on, knowing that Frank Oz, the voice of Miss Piggy, also does the voice of Yoda, how can you NOT find that funny? The film was full of little jokes like that. There was even a Grinch joke (I’m not giving anymore away, you’ll have to watch the film.) 

Featuring David Arquette, Matthew Lillard, Joan Cusack, Whoopi Goldberg, William H Macy, Carson Daly, Kelly Ripa, Joe Rogan, Molly Shannon, the Voice of Mel Brooks, and the cast of Scrubs, It’s a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie is a holiday classic with all new songs (including Moulin Scrooge), famous faces, wonderful jokes, and a powerful message. Tis the season to be jolly and this flick will make you so. 

The Muppets Take Manhattan [G]

When Kermit and his friends graduate from college, they entertain their classmates with a musical of their own creation. Upon hearing their classmates say that the show should be taken to Broadway, Kermit decides “why not”? But things take a negative turn when they reach New York. As each producer rejects them, the Muppets realise that they can’t keep relying on Kermit to pull them through and they each go their separate ways. Kermit becomes determined to get the show on Broadway and bring all his friends back. Will it happen? 

Upon seeing it again since childhood, I have come to the conclusion that this was one of the lesser Muppet movies made. Unfortunately that’s the way of the world isn’t it? What you remember being really excellent as a child turns out to not reach those lofty standards when you’re an adult. Oh well. 

Upon graduating from college, Kermit and his friends the Muppets, entertain their graduating classmates with a musical of their own creation called Manhattan Melodies. When one classmate asks if he’ll see the Muppets on Broadway, that gets Kermit and the Muppets thinking why not take the show to Broadway? Before you know it, they’re in New York City persistently pitching their musical to every Broadway producer in town. But as the rejections begin to pile up and their short supply of money runs down, the Muppets begin to realise that they failed and it’s not fair for them to keep relying on Kermit to solve their problems. So it’s with heavy hearts, but for the greater good, that they say their farewells and go their separate ways. Determined to bring all his friends back, Kermit still stays in New York and hatches a three-stage plan to get Manhattan Melodies onto Broadway. 

Starring all our favourite characters: Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Rolph, Scooter, Gonzo, Camilla, Dr Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, and Rizzo the rat, The Muppets Take Manhattan is a cute, yet somewhat average movie. Much better suited to have stayed in one’s childhood. 

Filled with new songs, a sometimes funny script, a cheesy ending, and a couple of surprise cameos, it’s a film that I enjoyed, but if I were going to have it in my collection, I would not spend more than $10 on it. 

Grown Ups [PG]

Just because you grow older doesn’t mean that you have to grow up! When a group of childhood friends reunite at their coach’s funeral, they take a holiday weekend to remember the good old days. Bringing their wives and kids along for the ride, everyone’s about to get a taste of what it means to be a “normal kid.” 

A new release, we only got it in today, it’s got recognisable names in it, I figured it’d be a bit of fun that wouldn’t require much concentration. I was right and it was exactly that. 

Childhood friends, now important businessmen and husbands, are reunited at their basketball coach’s funeral and decide to take a weekend holiday to remember and re-enact the good old days. Who says you’re only young once? Bringing their kids and wives along for the ride, the boys teach everyone what it means to be a “normal kid”. 

Starring Adam Sandler, Ron Schneider, David Spade, Chris Rock, Salma Hayek, Kevin James, and Steve Buscemi, Grown Ups was a mediocre comedy that admittedly had its moments. 

Much of the humour is in the form of sexual references and slapstick comedy, but the film does bring an important point to the surface about today’s youth. Adam Sandler’s kids in the film are depictions of modern youth, always playing with their technology: texting, playing violent video games, and not doing any physical activities for recreation. I do think, though, that this was the only valid and entertaining part of the film. 

Although there was humour and I did laugh a couple of times, the film ultimately was jagged, filled with abrupt stories and twists of the plot, and sometimes held no point at all. It’s an alright film for those who just want to stare at the screen and not think about anything at all. 

All the guys seemed to work well together, their reactions to everything was very believable, but I have no desires to add this film to my collection. 

On the whole, I really don’t know what I was thinking when I hired this film. It was a pretty average comedy that ultimately did not have a moral or a strong point that it was trying to convey to the audience. Everything seemed kind of carelessly thrown together. No urges to watch it again for a while. 

The Muppets' Wizard of Oz [G]

Dorothy wishes for nothing more than to get out of Kansas and become a superstar singer. And when a nasty twister uproots her house and dumps her in the Land of Oz, she finally gets a chance to make her wish come true. Armed with sparkly silver shoes, Dorothy sets off to ask the all-powerful Wizard of Oz to grant her wish, but along the way she’s going to learn there is a big difference between being a star and being a singer. 

Yet another adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s classic tale, The Muppets’ Wizard of Oz is an interesting take on the story, cleverly twisting it so that it reflects the Muppet’s personalities. I’d never even heard of it until a few years ago when it was released on DVD. I knew then and there that I just HAVE to have it my collection. 

Dorothy Gale wishes for nothing for than to get out of Kansas and be a superstar singer with an exciting life. When Kansas is hit with a nasty twister, Dorothy finds herself, Toto her pet king prawn, and her house uprooted and then stranded in the middle of the magical Land of Oz. When a good witch learns of Dorothy’s ambition to be a superstar, she recommends that Dorothy go and see the Wonderful Wizard of Oz to make her dream come true. Armed with magic and sparkly silver shoes, Dorothy heads off to see the wizard, being careful to avoid the West as the Good Witch’s evil sister lives there and would pry the shoes from Dorothy’s cold dead carcass if she learnt that Dorothy inherited them. Following a road of yellow brick and meeting new and needy friends along the way, Dorothy sets off on the adventure of a lifetime in order to make her dreams come true. But somewhere down the track, she’s going to learn that there’s a difference between being a star and being a singer. 

As I mentioned before, the Muppets’ version of Baum’s classic story is cleverly twisted so that it applies and relates to the personalities of the Muppets. As such we have Fozzie Bear playing the Cowardly Lion who, here, dreams of being Oz’s best stand-up comedian, but suffering from severe stage fright. Miss Piggy, the diva who will not be denied, plays the parts of all four witches (could you expect anyone else?). Some of the alterations to the story are obviously aimed for a more modern audience, e.g. the Poppy Fields is actually a psychedelic nightclub where Dorothy and Lion fall under the sleep-inducing power of the flower. 

As I mentioned before, the Muppets play many of the roles in the film. Piggy plays all four witches, Kermit is the Scarecrow, Gonzo is the Tin Thing, Pepe is Toto, and Fozzie is the Lion. Appearances are also made by Sam the Eagle, Scooter, Dr Bunsen Honeydew and Beaker, Statler and Waldorf, Dr Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, Rizzo the Rat, and Sweetums. 

Alongside the Muppets are a number of human stars including Jeffrey Tambor, Queen Latifah, David Alan Grier, Quentin Tarantino, and Ashanti as Dorothy. 

Backed by a very funny script and filled with new songs, memorable characters, great special effects, and a happy ending, The Muppets’ Wizard of Oz is a classic “Muppetational” take on the original classic. Well worth watching if you’re a fan of The Wizard of Oz or the Muppets. 

Some Like It Hot [PG]

When Joe and Jerry, two struggling musicians, accidentally witness a gangland shooting in Chicago, they quickly board a southbound train to Florida disguised as Josephine and Daphne: the newest and homeliest members of an all-girl jazz band. They’re cover is perfect until Joe falls for Sugar the singer in the band and an ancient playboy falls for Daphne. With the mob after them and now two potential lovers, can the boys keep their heads as well as the charade? 

Some Like It Hot is a classic comedy. I mean a real classic comedy. Even though it’s in black and white (and personally I think everything is better in black and white), the film has no expiration date. Filled with gender-bending, duel role-playing, jazz, and liquor, it’s a film that I can watch and enjoy time and time and time again. 

Joe and Jerry are two struggling musicians and best pals trying make ends meet in the city of Chicago. They can’t seem to hold down a gig and they have debts that need paying all over the town. After another gig goes bad, the boys accidentally witness a gangland shooting and, worried that they’re going to be next, they quickly board a southbound train to Florida disguised as Josephine and Daphne: the two newest members of an all-girl jazz band. They’re cover is all too perfect until Joe falls for Sugar the lead singer of the jazz band and an ancient playboy falls head over heels for Daphne when they arrive in Florida. With Joe pretending to be both Josephine and the man that Sugar deserves and Daphne trying to avoid her ancient stalker at all costs, the charade becomes harder and harder to keep up. And when some unexpected, but horribly familiar faces turn up in Florida, it looks like the boys have banged out their last tune. 

Some Like It Hot had everything right. It was a wonderful story, had a brilliantly funny script, there was jazz music, and heaps of eye candy provided by the beautiful Marilyn Munroe who plays Sugar. She’s truly gorgeous isn’t she? Delivering a beautiful, romantic, and sometimes comic performance, she lights up the screen each and every time. Not to mention that she sings some wonderful songs in the film. 

The handsome and talented Tony Curtis stars as Joe: the man with the plan. Turning in not one, not two, but three performances, Tony Curtis really makes his presence known in this film. Playing Joe, then playing Joe who is playing Josephine, and then playing a fake millionaire in order to woo Sugar, there is nothing in this film that Tony Curtis does not do. A delight from start to finish. 

Jack Lemmon plays Jerry/Daphne. He was simply genius. Providing the majority of the film’s comic relief, Jack had all the best lines and really made the film his own. Whether he was in bed with 20 other girls or dancing the tango with an overeager dirty old man, Jack made everything he did in the film funny, but at the same time believable. 

Filled with jazz music, cross-dressing, 20s style outfits (which so should be brought back today, show off those curves girls!), action, and romance, Some Like It Hot is a classic off-centre comedy that will have you tears time and time and time again. 

Look at that! Look how she moves. That's just like Jell-O on springs.