Mini Reviews
Contagion (out now) shows the world degenerating into a mass panic after a deadly flu epidemic breaks out. It's interesting but at the same time, we've seen this story before and I'm not sure this Steven Soderbergh drama offers much in the way of a fresh perspective. Its documentary-type style also creates an unnecessary distance between the audience and the characters. Still watchable. Grade: B.
Paranormal Activity 3 (out now) has some scary moments but it's still peddling the same old stuff. It's about time this series introduced a plot. There's a glimpse of it in the final stages but can they develop it in a fourth film if they're limited to hand held cameras? I don't know. Grade: B.
The Three Musketeers (out now) is really, really, really bad. No, really. Laughable dialogue. Awful special effects. Dreadful acting. Pathetic fight sequences. Ridiculous story. Grade: C-.
What's Your Number? (out now) wasn't as bad as I thought it would be (especially for a romantic comedy). Anna Faris is too much of a klutz but I enjoyed some of the banter between herself and Chris Evans. Grade: B.
Midnight In Paris (out Oct 20) is about a struggling writer who discovers something magical whilst on a holiday in Paris. That's about all I'm willing to reveal since the trailer gives nothing away. It's a simple story but Woody Allen's latest is charming, delightful and enthralling. If you don't leave the cinema with a smile on your face, I'll be very surprised. Grade: A-.
Red State (out now) is not what you might expect from director Kevin Smith (Clerks). Three teenagers find themselves abducted by a group of religious fanatics. It's a topic ripe for discussion by the way in which the story continually changes tact (through a series of surprising twists) didn't work for me. The ending was unsatisfying. Grade: B-.
TT3D: Closer To The Edge (out Oct 20) is about the famous Tourist Trophy motorcycle races that are held on the Isle Of Man each year. The amazing footage highlights the danger that the riders face on every lap. The ending is a little messy and some of the interviews a touch dull but the rest is riveting stuff. Grade: B+.
The Thing (out Oct 13) is good value for a thriller. A group of scientists travel to a remote part of Norway and find something buried deep in the ice. The story is suspenseful, the characters act rationally, and the "thing" looks very freaky (thanks to great special effects). Grade: B+.
Norwegian Wood (out now) is a complex love story set in Japan that centres on two people who have had their lives forever changed by the death of a close friend. It's trying to be different (which I endorse) but it's too long and left a few unanswered questions. Grade: B-.
Johnny English Reborn (out now) can't match the first two Austin Powers movies as a spy spoof but there were a surprising number of moments that left me chuckling. Rowan Atkinson does a good job portraying English as mistake-prone as opposed to be a complete moron. Grade: B.
Project Nim (out now) is a documentary that looked at interesting experiment that took place in the 1970s - could a chimpanzee be trained to live like a human? The whole "nurture v. nature" debate is explored with interest. Grade: B+.
