Summary Review:
Red Riding Hood is a surprising new take on an old folktale, creatively and terrifyingly reworked.

Synopsis:
I was not planning on reviewing Red Riding Hood, but went to the cinema with a friend I hadn’t seen in ages, who insisted on watching it, so here we are:

Red Riding Hood is set in a medieval village that has been plagued by a wolf for many years.

A travelling priest comes to the village and explains to the people that it is not a mere wolf, but in actual fact a werewolf that is attacking their village. The villagers turn on each other as they realise that the werewolf could be any one of them undercover.

Meanwhile, Valerie (Amanda Seyfried) has been given to Henry Lazar to marry, but she is really in love with Peter, a lowly woodcutter. While embroiled in this love triangle, the three youngsters are pivotal in ridding their village of the werewolf.

Red Riding Hood is directed by Catherine Hardwicke, director of Twilight, and the visual aspects of this film are very similar to those of that vampire movie, making use of sharp colour contrasts. The illicit romance between Valerie and Peter is indulged with several dream-like forest scenes of the couple.

The dialogue of Red Riding Hood is very cursory, not aiding any character development, but rather progressing the plot from one scene to the next.

Despite the melodramatic romance and the scant dialogue, Red Riding Hood has many gory moments as a horror film. It is scary and has a few unexpected twists, which make the conclusion surprising and rewarding.

Director: Catherine Hardwicke Screenplay: David Leslie Johnson Cast: Amanda Seyfried, Gary Oldman, Billy Burke, Julie Christie Time: 100min Age Restriction: 13V

Genre:
Horror

Summary Review:
The Dilemma is an awkward comedy with moral and ethical undertones about what to do with secrets you were never meant to know.

Synopsis:
Ronny (Vince Vaughan) is a fun-loving guy who can never take anything seriously. That is until he sees his best friend’s wife (Winona Ryder) kissing another man.

Now Ronny is faced with the dilemma of either keeping the secret and letting the affair continue that will destroy his friend, Nick (Kevin James) or telling Nick and being the bearer of bad news.

The Dilemma has a very interesting premise, but the film makers don’t seem to know how to conclude this story.

The unusual pairing of comedians Vaughan and James with serious actresses like Ryder and Jennifer Connelly adds to the movie’s off-kilter tone and awkward pace.

It seems the makers of The Dilemma couldn’t bring their ideas to life as they’d imagined and there will be many moments in the cinema where you’ll sit there feeling awkward and wondering what’s just funny and what’s sarcastic.

Director: Ron Howard Screenplay: Allan Loeb Cast: Vince Vaughan, Kevin James, Winona Ryder, Jennifer Connelly Time: 118min Age Restriction: 13SLV

Genre:
Comedy

Summary Review:
How Do You Know is an average romantic comedy about a love triangle between characters portrayed by good comedians in their usual roles.

Synopsis:
I had tonsillitis this weekend and so didn’t feel like watching James Franco saw off his own arm with a blunt knife in an inspiring survival story like 127 Days. That does, however, look like the most interesting new film at the cinemas.

Saw 3D needs no introduction and I believe the only way it differs from its two predecessors is that it is in 3D.

Which brings us to the third and final option, How Do You Know. I didn’t have high hopes for this movie either, but it was at least easy to watch.

Reese Witherspoon plays Lisa, a professional softball player who gets cut from the national USA team. While trying to recover from her disappointment and find a new purpose for her life, she gets embroiled in a love triangle with a professional baseballer (Owen Wilson) and a business executive (Paul Rudd) who is under federal investigation for dodgy business dealings.

How Do You Know is nothing more than a safe romantic comedy, perfect as a belated Valentine’s date.

It is not up to the usual standards of award-winning writer and director James L. Brooks, but How Do You Know will cause couples to take a deeper look at their relationships.

Director: James L. Brooks Screenplay: James L. Brooks Cast: Reese Witherspoon, Owen Wilson, Paul Rudd, Jack Nicholson

Summary Review:
Morning Glory is a funny formula comedy with the usual good performances from 3 skilled actors.

Synopsis:
Becky (Rachel McAdams) is a sweetly ambitious young TV producer who gets retrenched when the local station she works for starts making cut-backs.

Facing huge pressure from her mum to give up on her embarrassing dream of becoming a star producer, Becky applies for a position at a failing network breakfast show.

She now has the challenge of reviving this show while facing opposition from its two grumpy presenters (Diane Keaton and Harrison Ford).

Rachel McAdams is an actress everyone expected to see great things from after her performance in The Notebook. Since then, however, she has played very similar characters in a variety of films and Morning Glory is another un-challenging movie.

While a funny and easy-going film, Morning Glory is nothing exceptional.

Director: Roger Michell Screenplay: Aline Brosh McKenna Cast: Rachel McAdams, Harrison Ford, Diane Keaton, Patrick Wilson Time: 107min Age Restriction: 13L

Genre:
Comedy

Summary Review:
Made in Dagenham is a seriously cheering movie about the beginning of the struggle for equal pay for women in the UK.

Synopsis:
The female machinists in the Dagenham Ford factory work in a stuffy basement, sewing car seat covers day in and day out.

Not only do they get paid an unskilled-labourers wage, but because they are women they also get paid half of what the men in the same positions do.

One day Rita (Sally Hawkins), one of the ladies working as a machinist, is asked to join a union meeting with the Ford factory management, just to add a number advantage to the union party’s representation.

But when the union representative seems to be backing down on his promise to raise the girls’ wages to those of skilled workers, Rita can not believe her eyes at the raw deal the women are getting and she begins a strike action that snowballs into taking the entire UK, and eventually the world, by storm.

Made in Dagenham is a delightful film, filled with 60′s fashion and wry British wit. The cast bring the diverse characters to life, and there are several minor storylines that flesh out the characters and personalise them.

Sally Hawkins is brilliant as the shyly feminine, but boldly idealistic Rita and the film is filled with bittersweet feel-good moments, as she is disillusioned of another naïve belief in the world, but optimistically triumphs to bring justice to the situation.

Made in Dagenham is an inspiring drama with funny moments, about the underdog triumphing at something that’s never been attempted before.

Director: Nigel Cole Screenplay: Billy Ivory Cast: Sally Hawkins, Miranda Richardson, Rosamund Pike, Bob Hoskins Time: 113min Age Restriction: 13SL

Genre:
Drama

Summary Review:
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 is by far the best Harry Potter film to date and has finally managed to capture the addictive tone of the books.

Synopsis:
I am a huge fan of the Harry Potter books, but I’ve found all the movies thus far to be boring and disappointing. Until I watched Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, that is.

Lord Voldemort is now out in the open and the whole wizarding world lives in fear, knowing he has returned. Harry, Ron and Hermione are the only ones who know that the only way to defeat him is to destroy all his Horcruxes.

So, instead of packing off to Hogwarts for their 7th and final school year, they embark on an expedition to uncover and kill the Horcruxes.

Although there are a few new characters and scenes in the movie that were not in the book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 is more faithful to the book than any of the previous movies were. This is testament to the fact that J.K. Rowling worked closely with the film makers and was a producer on this movie.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 is not only a great reflection of the book; it is a good movie in and of itself.

Directed by David Yates, who also directed the 5th and 6th films, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 is beautifully filmed, with impressive special effects and cinematography.

Truly dark, with several tense moments that will keep you at the edge of your seat, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 creates moments for one to really connect with the characters, as well as incorporating the humour and danger of the book.

Director: David Yates Screenplay: Steve Kloves, based on the novel by J. K. Rowling Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson Time: 146min Age Restriction: 10V

Genre:
Fantasy/Sci-fi/Adventure

Director: Pierre Coffin, Chris Renaud Screenplay: Ken Daurio, Cinco Paul Cast: Steve Carell, Jason Segel, Russell Brand, Julie Andrews Time: 95min Age Restriction: 10VM

Genre:
Comedy/Animation

Summary Review:
Despicable Me is a riotous film that will go down in history as a classic in the archives of animated comedy.

Synopsis:
Gru (Steve Carrell) is a professional villain, although his deeds are more mean-spirited than cataclysmically evil.

He is also getting on in years and his status as a successful bad guy is being threatened by younger villains, with more techno-savvy. But Gru comes up with an outrageous plot that will ensure his place in history as the greatest villain of all time.

Despicable Me had me in stitches from start to finish. I was laughing so hard that even the kids in the cinema started giving me weird looks at my snorting.

Besides the brilliant humour and sharp dialogue, that will keep both adults and children entertained, Despicable Me also has a heart. This is slowly revealed as we discover Gru’s desperate attempts to win his mother’s approval, while three little girls barge into his life and fill it with unwelcome chaos.

Despicable Me is the first film from Illumination Entertainment, filled with a new generation humour for the new generation of film lovers.

Director: M. Night Shyamalan Screenplay: M. Night Shyamalan Cast: Noah Ringer, Nicola Peltz, Jackson Rathbone, Dev Patel Time: 103min Age Restriction: 10VM

Genre:
Fantasy/Sci-fi

Summary Review:
The Last Airbender is a long and disjointed fantasy film that’s based on a television series that is better than the movie.

Synopsis:
Director M. Night Shyamalan has always had a flair for old-school fantasy and The Last Airbender took me back to the fantasy science fiction I used to read in my adolescence.

The people of the world are divided into four Nations according to the four elements: air, water, earth and fire. In each Nation there are a select few who have a paranormal control over their element – these people are known as “Benders”.

In every generation there is only one person in the entire world who can “bend” all the elements. Called the Avatar, this person can communicate with the spirits and is responsible for ensuring harmony and unity amongst the Nations.

But 100 years ago the Avatar disappeared and in his absence the power-hungry Fire Nation has begun a war, conquering the other Nations. The Fire-lord has also wiped out the nation of Air Nomads, from whom the Avatar originates, in a bid to prevent the reincarnation of the Avatar, who will put a stop to Fire’s world domination and bring harmony once more.

But in one of the Southern Water tribes, a brother and sister, Sokka and Katara, find a young boy, Aang, who seems to be the Avatar and together these three young ones go on a journey to fulfil Aang’s destiny as peace-keeper of the world.

The Last Airbender is based on an animé television series and is the first in a trilogy of films. As such, the story has been drastically condensed to fit into the running time, but the movie feels like it goes on forever.

With so much being cut out of the story I, who have never seen the TV series, had to make a lot of assumptions about what was happening and why. As such, the informative dialogue also serves more as a caption to what we’re seeing than as proper conversation.

Furthermore, the cast of actors, whose youth already limits their acting capabilities, are not given much to work with in terms of credible lines and character development. Nevertheless, they plunge into the story with earnest naïveté and I often had to suppress a giggle at how serious they are about this wild, patchy story.

The special effects are super cool and Shyamalan does create a sense of innocent wonder at this elemental world. As always with his films, there are also nuggets of deep human truths that show through – in this case about the sacrifices that come with responsibility, the power of unity and the importance of empathy and understanding in a world of people who are all different.

If you like fantasy films, you might want to check out The Last Airbender, although I’ve been told that the TV series is way better than the movie. For everyone else, you’ll feel let down by this movie.

Director: James Mangold Screenplay: Patrick O’Neill Cast: Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz, Peter Sarsgaard, Paul Dano Time: 130min Age Restriction: 13LV

Genre:
Action/Comedy

Summary Review:
Knight And Day is a watchable action movie that feels like a re-run of an old favourite.

Synopsis:
June Havens (Cameron Diaz) is rushing to get on a plane to arrive in time for her sister’s wedding when she accidentally bumps into Roy Miller (Tom Cruise).

June and Roy end up being on the same flight together, but June gets scared when everyone on the plane ends up dead and they start plummeting to the earth.

As it turns out, their meeting was not as coincidental as it seemed and June is dragged into a life-threatening

Knight And Day does not have anything new to offer. The plot is vapid and flimsy, just stringing along the different scenes.

The chemistry between Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz is empty, failing to make you believe in any connection between their characters.

Although the many one-liners are sharp and the action is enjoyable – there are some excellent chase scenes – Knight And Day is nothing we haven’t seen before and compared to the special effects employed by every other action movie nowadays, it is quite disappointing.

Director: Thor Freudenthal  Screenplay: Jackie Filgo, Jeff Filgo, Jeff Judah, Gabe Sachs, based on the novel by Jeff Kinney Cast: Zachary Gordon, Robert Capron, Devon Bostick, Chloë Moretz Time: 94min Age Restriction: PG13

Genre:
Comedy/Children

Summary Review:
Diary Of A Wimpy Kid is a smart and funny film that shows insight into the character of children and addresses the issue of popularity that many carry into adulthood.

Synopsis:
Greg Heffley (Zachary Gordon) is just about to start middle school and his older brother, Rodrick, has told him a number of nightmare stories about what his first day is going to be like and how he can survive the year.

But Greg is not intimidated, on the contrary, he is confident that he will make it to the top of the popularity list by the end of his first week. Unfortunately, becoming popular is not quite as simple as Greg anticipated, especially not for a nerdy kid like him.

So he embarks on a series of tactics to become a “class favourite” – the popular elite, who feature prominently in the school Yearbook. His plans are, however, repeatedly and inadvertently foiled by his desperately uncool best friend, Rowley Jefferson (Robert Capron).

Based on a series of cartoon books by Jeff Kinney, Diary Of A Wimpy Kid is a nimble comedy film, filled with the intelligent, but sarcastic humour of a geeky pre-adolescent. Greg Heffley is a likeable protagonist, despite his shallow ambitions, and the cast of children’s characters will take you right back to your own school days.

The cinematography is standard, but cleverly mixes the live-action sequences with partly animated cartoons, and Diary Of A Wimpy Kid features a good, nostalgia-inducing soundtrack.

It is a bit sophisticated for very young children and not all adults will be amused by the innocent humour, but Diary Of A Wimpy Kid is a charming movie with an underlying message of loyalty, friendship and being yourself.