Before he was Professor X, he was Charles. Before he was Magneto, he was Erik. {official site}

HIS review
The X-Men series of movies are some of the better comic book adaptations around. X-Men: First Class is no exception. A great cast keep us entertained through impressive action scenes and equally intense vocal exchanges. If you haven’t seen one of the X-Men movies before then this is a great place to start. If you’re not into comic book movies, there’s probably still enough here to keep you interested.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrbHykKUfTM

You might also like:

• Iron Man (2008)
• Kick-Ass (2010)
• Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon (2011)

A single act of both compassion and arrogance leads to a war unlike any other - and to the RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES. {official site}

HIS review
After skipping the recent Planet of the Apes remake, it was nice to see a Planet of the Apes movie that looked worthwhile. This prequel holds up to the 1968 original. You’ll go into this movie expecting James Franco to be the lead character, but you’ll come out realising the real lead is Andy Serkis (Caesar). The CGI effects in this movie are second to none. The amount of emotion that comes through on Caesar’s face is breathtaking. Well worth seeing, even if Planet of the Apes isn’t your thing.

HER review
I was certainly not expecting this film to be anything like it is! It delivers on so many levels which was really surprising to me. I enjoyed the storyline, the CGI effects were out of this world (literally!) and the acting wasn’t contrived, well done James Franco for not making me cringe. Problem is I don’t know where they are going to go from here, leaving the remake as the sequel just doesn’t make sense… Loved it!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=28Z_D9Grh18

You might also like:

• X-Men: First Class (2011)
• Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon (2011)
• TRON: Legacy (2010)

The Autobots learn of a Cybertronian spacecraft hidden on the Moon, and race against the Decepticons to reach it and to learn its secrets. {official site}

HIS review
The third instalment of the Transformers franchise lives up to its predecessors in size, but is not able to draw from the successful combination of action and storyline found in the original. The movie can drag on at times, as it tries to piece together the various story lines, making it feel like a long movie. Dark of the Moon was filmed in 3D, and you can tell. Even in heavy action sequences and Transformer battles, you’re still able to enjoy the scene without getting too lost in the metal and explosions. If you’re into action and like you’re 3D viewing, this is a must see at the cinema. Not too sure it will have the same impact on the small screen. Oh, and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley does just fine at replacing Megan Fox.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHRf01Gjosk

You might also like:

• Moon (2009)
• X-Men: First Class (2011)
• Source Code (2011)

The film that cost $20,000,000,000,000 to make. {official site}

HIS review
Finally a documentary that looks at the Global Financial Crisis from beginning to present, in an easy to understand manner. It’s hard to believe what the finance industry and political leaders got away with. What’s even harder to believe is how little has changed.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzrBurlJUNk

You might also like:

• Capitalism: A Love Story (2009)

An action thriller centered on a soldier who wakes up in the body of an unknown man and discovers he’s part of a mission to find the bomber of a Chicago commuter train. {official site}

HIS review
Duncan Jones follows up his brilliant debut Moon with a slick Hollywood Sci-Fi, and not a bad one at that. I found this film to be a little up and down. There were some things that were done brilliantly and some that just weren’t. Take the ending for example. This movie had a brilliant ending, tied everything up nicely… until it kept going. This was nothing more than an attempt to be smarter than it really was, or needed to be. Overall all, a very good movie that’s unfortunately let down in places.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkTrG-gpIzE

You might also like:

• Moon (2009)
• Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon (2011)
• Inception (2010)

Right after the bachelor party in Las Vegas, Phil, Stu, Alan, and Doug jet to Thailand for Stu’s wedding. Stu’s plan for a subdued pre-wedding brunch, however, goes seriously awry. {official site}

HIS review
Is it better than the original? No, but it was never going to be. It’s the exact same storyline as last time, the only difference is what happens to the Wolfpack along the way. Is it worth seeing? Yes, especially if you enjoyed the first Hangover.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYL_T7f59o8

You might also like:

• Due Date (2010)
• Toy Story 3 (2010)
• Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (2010)

One platoon, one valley, one year. Restrepo chronicles the deployment of a platoon of US soldiers at one of the most dangerous outposts in Afghanistan. {official site}

HIS review
I haven’t seen a war documentary quite like this. A unique look at a platoon in Afghanistan, spared of political point of views and commentary, we hear directly from the soldiers in the thick of it. Chilling video footage lets us see how the soldiers spend their time between missions, anxiously waiting for the outcome and whether they will make it back alive.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DjqR6OucBc

You might also like:

• Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010)

The 1993 classic, What’s Love Got to Do with It, is about the rise to fame of Ike and Tina Turner and their abusive and drug induced downfall. The movie stars Angela Bassett as Anna Mae Bullock, a young woman with a huge talent, who later goes on to become Tina Turner. Laurence Fishburne plays Ike Turner, a guitar playing musician who discovers Tina’s talents. Tina and Ike Turner become an overnight sensation. They are opening venues all over the country and in the mist of it all; Tina and Ike have a baby and get married.

The constant traveling and stress overcomes Tina and she winds up becoming extremely unhealthy, but that is no worry to Ike, because he needs to get her back on the road and recovered to keep them successful. Tina recovers, and instantly jumps back on the road to tour. Ike in the mean time has picked up a new drug habit and takes out his frustration for the lack of stardom he is receiving on Tina. There are a number of scenes throughout the movie, where the domestic violence between Ike and Tina is disturbing. There are numerous scenes where if he is not physically abusing her, he is emotionally abusing her.

Tina puts up with the emotional and physical strain for a number of years before she realizes that it is just not worth it anymore. One defining moment in the movie is when Ike and Tina had just had a huge physical fight in a limo outside their hotel and Tina waits until Ike is sleeping and leaves the hotel. She flees to another hotel where she tells the manager who she is and about her situation and without hesitation he takes care of her. That is the deciding moment where Tina knows she is leaving Ike.

The following scene is in a court room and a huge moment in the scene is when the judge asks Tina what she wants to keep from their marriage and she responds that she wants nothing, “Except my name. I’ll give up all that other stuff, but only if I get to keep my name. I’ve worked too hard for it, your honor. The movie ends on a positive note by showing Tina doing her own shows and becoming a success all on her own, without the power and control of Ike. Overall, the movie was a good look at the real life story of Tina Turner. I would rate this movie a 8.5.

Mollie Campbell
Communications Major/ Writing for Publication Minor at Colby-Sawyer College

You might also like:

• Shutter Island (2010) – Guest Review
• Date Night (2010) – Guest Review
• Tomorrow When The War Began (2010) – Guest Review

The movie stars Leonardo DiCaprio in the lead role as Teddy Daniels who suffers from the loss of his family at a personal level and follow his call of duty too. There are other important characters to the plot played by Sir Ben Kingsley as Dr. John Cawley and Mark Ruffalo as Chuck Aule. The movie tells the story of Teddy trying to find the reality of a sanatorium for criminally insane people, which he thinks is actually a medical facility for trying to capture the power of human mind and using people almost like robots under mind control experiments.

In the midst of discovering all of this, he discovers another truth about his life and his current situation, which he has to accept or else he will get in further trouble then he already is. I don’t wish to give anything away about the story that might spoil the fun of it, as the movie is full of surprises almost every moment of it throughout. The movie is also well directed and well-acted by all the actors. Especially Leo does a great job with his performance. He should have been nominated more than he was for this particular movie, and of course, should have won the awards too.

The movie has a mystery within a mystery. Watch it especially with lights off and enjoy a thrilling ride through the whole experience. The movie also deserves to be had in one’s collection according to me. I have got my copy, go get yours too.

You might also like:

• Shutter Island (2010)
• What’s Love Got to Do With It (1993) – Guest Review
• Date Night (2010) – Guest Review

The run up to the Oscars is almost over, as we prepare for the show on the 27th February. Check out the full list of the nominees. We’ve listed some of the key awards and our predictions below. What do you think?

Best Picture

Actor in a Leading Role

Actor in a Supporting Role

Actress in a Leading Role

Actress in a Supporting Role

Animated Feature Film

Directing

Music (Original Score)

Visual Effects

You might also like:

• BAFTA Winners 2011
• The Oscars Roundup
• The Oscars Preview