Fifteen years after the release of the groundbreaking Toy Story (1995) and eleven years after the release of the arguably superior Toy Story 2 (1999), Pixar are back with the next (and potentally final) instalment to the Toy Story trilogy. Director of both prequels, John Lasseter, hands the reigns to first time director Lee Unkrich,…

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★★★☆☆ It’s no surprise producer Robert Rodriguez and director Nimród Antal stressed that they wanted this film to be seen as a sequel only to the original Predator (1987) movie which starred Arnold Schwarzenegger. With their simplified plots and cartoon-like feel, it was also no wonder that Predator 2 (1990) and the two spin-off Alien…

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As a horror fan, it is tempting to defend what has come to be called ‘Torture Porn’ if only because the sub-genre has dominated the horror market for the last six years, and also because the genre has its genesis in Saw (2004), a genuinely commendable film that pioneered a new kind of horror, forcing…

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★★★★★ When first released, Donnie Darko (2001) screened in a handful of cinemas across America for little over a month, crippled by a low budget, a lack of interest and the recent trauma of 9/11. Now, nine years later, Donnie Darko prepares to enter the cinematic Valhalla as Richard Kelly’s debut cult classic is rereleased…

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★★☆☆☆ After the disappointment of Shrek the Third in 2007, there wasn’t much expectation for a fourth Shrek movie. Many felt that the franchise was tired and the anti-fairytale formula was exhausted. Nevertheless, DreamWorks Animation obviously thought there was life in the old dog yet; the final instalment of the franchise saw its release last…

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★★★★☆ When we’re dreaming, time moves differently. We don’t notice while we’re sleeping, but it does; a second of real time can feel like minutes, or even hours, in dream-time. It’s a concept that’s taken to its thrilling logical conclusion in Inception (2010), as writer/director Christopher Nolan spins out a tale of action, love, loss and…

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Based on the novel by C.D. Payne, Arteta’s direction sets the premise for an intelligent and witty take on the plight of the teen, and a strong supporting cast including Zach Galifianakis, Steve Buscemi and Justin Long should have surely elevated Youth in Revolt (2009) to the heights of success. Unfortunately, the film struggles to become much…

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