Source Code

The Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga, Jeffrey Wright.

The Story:  An action thriller centred on a soldier (Gyllenhaal) who wakes up in the body of an unknown man and discovers he is part of a mission to fuel the bomber of a Chicago commute train.  

US Military helicopter pilot Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) wakes with a jolt to find himself on a commuter train bound for Chicago; last time he checked, he was a marine fighting alongside his battalion in Afghanistan.

The woman seated across from him, Christina Warren (Michelle Monaghan) seems to know him and insists on calling him Sean.

He doesn’t remember how he got here in fact; he doesn’t even know who is. The last thing Colter remembers he was coming under fire on a combat mission in Afghanistan.

When he looks into a mirror in the bathroom he sees another man's face. Eight minutes later the train explodes, killing everyone on board and waking Colter again, this time in his own body, locked in what looks like a dank cell which is leaking hydraulic fluid.

His only human connection is through a screen that broadcasts live feed from a government office into his cell. He is greeted by an agent named Carol Goodwin (Vera Farmiga) who monitors his every move and vital signs.

She is very careful to explain to him as little as possible. He learns he is part of a top secret military operation that enables him to relive the last eight minutes of a persons life.  

The military has figured out a way to tap into the final eight minutes experienced by a dead person, sending the test subject to relive their final moments in order to figure out what killed them. The theory is that each person contains a short term memory that can be explored and expanded on, and while in that eight minute cycle, you are essentially in an alternate reality that allows you to explore and interact with your surroundings.

Colter must repeatedly life through the last eight minutes of newly killed passenger Sean Fentress until he finds the bomber. If he is successful he can prevent another attack from happening that same day.

As he revisits the train time and time again he becomes smitten with Christina, even abandoning his mission at one stage to save her life. Although he is assured by Goodwin that this is impossible as she is already dead, but it doesn’t stop him trying. He is reminded that the aim of ‘Source Code’ is to change the future and not to fix the past. 

Time travel stories have been attempted more times than you could probably count in science fiction but director Duncan Jones (Moon) has made Source Code one of the more successful examples.

THE VICDICT: This science-fiction thriller, has very little to fault. It is put together brilliantly and despite the constant flash backs it is very clear to understand. Gyllenhaal is a solid leading man and plays the part of Captain Colter Stevens brilliantly.  It is extremely entertaining while also connecting emotionally with the audience. It will have you consistently confused, off guard and intrigued right to the end.

Red Riding Hood

The Stars: Amanda Seyfried, Lukas Haas, Gary Oldman, Shiloh Fernandez, Max Irons, Virgini Onadsen, Julie Christie.   
The Story: Dealing with her frowned-upon love for woodcutter Peter (Fernandez), Valerie (Seyfried) also has to contend with a wolf stalking her medieval village home.
Set in a medieval village, this dark retelling of the classic Little Red Riding Hood fable, where a werewolf has been terrorising the citizens is directed by Catherine Hardwick and bares more than a passing resemblance to her last film Twilight.

With everyone’s recent obsession with monster movies, especially vampires and werewolves, this take on the children’s classic fairytale follows the frightened people of the village of Daggerhorn.


For decades they have maintained an uneasy truce with the werewolf, who prowls at every full moon, by offering the beast a monthly animal sacrifice to quench its appetite. But under a blood red moon, the wolf changes the stakes by taking the life of one of their own.

The victim Lucy, is the older (half) sister of Valerie, a beautiful, young woman, who is torn between two men.

Valerie, who had previously looked as if she were a Renaissance fair fashion victim, accepts the scintillating red cloak from her proto-hippie grandmother (Julie Christie).

She has just found out that her parents (Burke and Madsen) have arranged for her to marry Henry (Irons), the town’s rich boy, a perfect young gent who really does not care for her.

But Valerie is in love with Peter, an impetuous, danger-loving, bad-boy type. He is the poor woodcutter she has loved all her life and unwilling to be parted, the couple plan to run away together, but, in a horrifying instant, the wolf changes everything.

As the townspeople hunger for revenge, famed werewolf hunter Father Solomon (Oldman) is summoned to Daggerhorn to kill the beast once and for all. His character comes to town to warn the locals that the hound of hell that has been killing their children is actually one of their neighbours. No one is above suspicion.  


As the death toll rises with each red moon, panic grips the town tearing apart the once close-knit village.  

But it is Valerie who discovers she has a unique connection to the wolf that inexorably draws them together, making her both suspect and bait as the villagers attempt to trap the wolf.

The Verdict: One of the classic fairytales filmed as a sexual fantasy for teenage girls especially those Twi Hards who cant wait for the release of Breaking Dawn. The similarities are plain to see, with duelling hot young males and Twilight’s Billy Burke as Valerie’s father.

 The gothic re-imaging of the fairy tale is not the horror film you would expect from the trailers but rather a supernatural teen drama right along the lines of this directors previous offerings. 



I AM NUMBER FOUR

I Am Number Four" directed by D.J. Caruso ("Eagle Eye," "Disturbia") is an action-packed thriller about an extraordinary young man, John Smith. Based on the young adult novel by Pittacus Lore, 20-year-old British actor Alex Pettyfer plays the handsome alien, dubbed "Number Four” who is one of nine teen aliens from another planet called Lorien.

These aliens, who closely resemble humans, flee their home planet to hide on Earth, and are slowly being hunted down and killed by another alien race, The Mogadorians.The invading species, have destroyed their planet, and have followed them to Earth.

Each of the nine aliens is given a guardian to protect them from the evil. Raised separately, each castaway has a mentor, Henri (Timothy Olyphant) looks after John. In order to stay alive and avoid being found by the Mogadorians they are constantly on the move.

As they become adults, they develop superhuman powers called Legacies to protect and ensure their race’s survival. John has powers ranging from super strength to telekinesis.Each of the nine has been assigned a number and these last children of Lorien can only be killed in the sequence of their numbers.

With Number 3 dead John and Henri are on the move again and end up in Paradise, Ohio where John enrols in the local high school where he tries to blend in, in an attempt to hide from his pursuers.
He immediately connects with Sarah (Dianna Agron, Quinn from TV's "Glee") a sweet Midwestern girl who is a photographer. After being on the run his whole life, Number Four falls in love and now has something to stand up and fight for.
Sarah has a possessive jerk of an ex-boyfriend, Mark (Jake Abel), and by making a connection with Sarah, John's set himself up as a target of bullying by Mark and his football buddies.
He is quickly befriended by another victim of the school bullies, Sam (Callan McAuliffe), a loner who prefers reading up on aliens to interacting with his fellow students. The two hit it off, although at first Sam is totally unaware his new friend is in fact an alien.

This tale of a hunky teen alien trying to fit in at a small town high school benefits from a fine young cast and thrilling action scenes. Much better than the romance-heavy commercials make it out to be “I Am Number Four”, though aimed at the teen crowd doesn't totally alienate adult sci-fi fans.

With the Glee star delivering a fine performance as Number Four's love interest this sci-fi hit is a very entertaining boy-meets-girl film with some truly incredible fight scenes and special effects.
With the Twilight Saga drawing to a close, “I am Number Four” looks set to be the start of another series of Teen action movies that will keep this audience fulfilled with the same highly charged mix of action and romance that they’ve become obsessed with and they will leave wanting more of the eternal story of personal survival.

The Kid

BASED on the best selling autobiography by Kevin Lewis, ‘The Kid’ is directed by actor and filmmaker Nick Moran. Growing up on a poverty-stricken London council estate during the 70’s and 80’s Lewis escapes a life of horrific child abuse at home. He is locked in his room and beaten by his mother for the smallest offences, so it’s impossible to not feel for him. After being bullied at school and abandoned by the Social Services he worksas a bar manager before becoming a bare knuckled boxer, earning money for small-time crooks.

The film, which is hard to watch at times, opens with a young Lewis played by the brilliant William Finn Miller, being savagely beaten by his mother Gloria, played by the nearly unrecognisable Nastascha McElhone before being taken into care by social services. His upbringing leads him to react violently at the least provocation and he’s eventually taken into a foster home. McElhone is well supported by Con O Neill, her on screen alcoholic and epileptic husband Dennis.

After years of foster homes and a short time at a children’s home he finally settles with a lovely family, Alan and Margaret (James Fox and Shirley Anne Field).


Finally things start to look up for Kevin as he gets his life on track. However when Alan dies and Margaret emigrates, Kevin decides to buy the house which ends up leaving him with a crippling mortgage. Forced to take up bare knuckle boxing, he is savagely exploited by a bunch of underworld hardmen he had previously regarded as friends. Aged just 17 when he started he was nicknamed ‘The Kid’, and despite his horrific upbringing Kevin survived to make a better life for himself. Today Kevin Lewis is an acclaimed crime novelist.   


This truly touching film is heartbreaking, raw and absorbing with outstanding performances by everybody involved. Rupert Friend gives a fantastic interpretation of the mild mannered Lewis, with the high pitched voice. This seems out of place until real footage of Kevin Lewis appears at the end and you realise he is spot on. Everybody should see this remarkable story of one mans wretched upbringing and courageous determination to not just survive but to shine. For lovers of ‘True Stories’ this is definitely one to see.

Jonah Hex

Based on a DC comic series, ‘Jonah Hex’ is a permanently disfigured cowboy, who has survived death after being saved by Crow Indians. Since his near death experience, Hex (Josh Brolin) is left with supernatural powers enabling him to speak with the dead. Directed by Jimmy Hayward (“Horton Hears a Who!”) this film is set in the Wild West and follows a bounty hunter whose horrifically scarred face and sarcastic personality hides his honourable nature.

Western Fans will probably appreciate this film more than Superhero fans. Set in the aftermath of the Civil War, Jonah Hex is a story of betrayal and redemption. His violent background is steeped in myth and legend. His only human connection is with prostitute, Leila (Megan Fox) in a New Orleans brothel. Though she is obviously devoted to him, as a love interest for Hex, this relationship just doesn’t work. From his point of view its simple, he pays her for sex. She might as well have been cut out of the movie altogether, not because of her bad acting but because there’s no reason for her character to be in the movie at all.


However Jonah’s past is about to catch up on him when the U.S military makes him an offer he can’t refuse. In exchange for his freedom Jonah must help them stop dangerous terrorist Quentin Turnbull (John Malkovich), a former Confederate Officer, who is ready to unleash hell on the US government. Turnbull is also Jonah’s oldest enemy and he is out for revenge since Turnbull killed his wife and child and left his face brutally scarred.    

This was never going to be one for the purists. Not a great script and some of the performances leave a lot to be desired but Brolin who is terrific in the lead brings a charm to Hex. At a mere 81minutes and given its 15A/15 certificate the best parts of this movie may have been left on the cutting room floor.   

The Switch

Directed by Josh Gordon and Will Speck this Romantic Comedy stars Jennifer Aniston as Kassie, a fun loving, smart, unmarried 40 year old woman who wants a baby by any means possible, and Jason Bateman as her best friend Wally. The pair have been friends for a number of years even after an attempt at a real relationship.

However things change when Kassie decides to get pregnant. Despite Wally’s objections she chooses to go it alone with the help of the perfect donor, handsome and charming married man Roland (Patrick Wilson).   

At a party to help celebrate the insemination thrown by Kassie’s friend Debbie played by Juliette Lewis, Wally in a drunken state ‘Hijacks’ Kassie’s pregnancy unbeknown to her. The next day he remembers nothing. From here on the direction of the movie is predictable but that doesn’t take from the enjoyment for the audience.

This story has been played out dozens of times on screen but the cast carry it off very well. Aniston is right at home in this role, which has a sitcom feel to it. Her fans know exactly what to expect from her and here she delivers. Some critics may accuse her of playing it safe here but ‘if it ain’t broke….?’.


When Kassie falls pregnant she leaves the hustle and bustle of city life and moves to Minnesota to raise her child. She keeps in touch with Wally through Christmas cards etc but seven years later they are reunited when Kassie returns to New York with her seven-year-old son Sebastian played by the adorable Thomas Robinson.

Kassie also re-connects with Roland, now divorced who she starts a relationship with. Wally who feels more towards Kassie than ‘just friends’ must find a way of letting her know while also coming clean with his seven year secret.  After spending a lot of time with Sebastian, Wally forms a bond with him and starts to recognise lots of similarities between them.

Based on the short story ‘Baster’ by Jeffrey Eugenides who is best known for his two novels ‘The Virgin Suicides’ and the Pulitzer Prize winning ‘Middlesex’, The Switch is an easy watching entertaining, feel good film with great performances by Aniston and Bateman.
The Switch may not be in the running for next years Oscars but for Aniston fans its still a great night out, with a good helping of laughs thrown in by Bateman.   

The Green Hornet 3D

A classic character of  film, television, radio, and comic books returns to the big screen in Columbia Pictures’ feature film The Green Hornet, starring Seth Rogen as the vigilante crime-fighter.

Directed by Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) from a screenplay written by Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg (Superbad, Pineapple Express),it is based upon The Green Hornet radio series created by George W. Trendle, and produced by Neal H. Moritz (The Fast and the Furious).

In this 3D action comedy, Britt Reid (Seth Rogen), is the hard-partying son of LA’s most prominent and respected media magnate James Reid ( Tom Wilkinson) who single-handedly built a media empire, but unfortunately his industrious genes weren't passed down to his son.

Heir to the largest newspaper (The Daily Sentinel) fortune in Los Angeles, Reid is a rich, spoiled playboy who has been happy to lead an aimless life.

When his father mysteriously dies, Britt is left with the vast media empire. He strikes up a friendship with his father’s former mechanic and coffee maker Kato (Chou). Britt sees a chance to do something meaningful in his life: fight crime. In order to get close to the criminals, the pair set about cleaning up the streets of LA with a plan to ‘pose as villains but act like heroes’.

Using Kato’s technical expertise and amazing fighting skills and Reid’s money to fund their actions, Britt becomes the vigilante Green Hornet, protecting the law by breaking it, as he and Kato (his unnamed sidekick) hit the streets.

Driven by the murder of a close friend and the realization that his media empire is infested with ruthless heroin smugglers, Britt Reid, and his human weapon Kato jump into action on a heart-pounding quest to rid the city of this mob once and for all.

With the help of Britts resourceful secretary, Lenore Case (Cameron Diaz), who unknown to her is the brain of the operation, they begin to gather intelligence on the notorious underworld.

They begin hunting down the man who controls LA’s gritty underworld, Benjamin Chudnofsky (Christoph Waltz) a criminal who holds the entire city in the palm of his hand, and represents everything that Britt's father fought against.

So far as police are concerned, the Hornet is himself a criminal. This misunderstanding enables Reid to operate "outside the law" to battle criminals and racketeers with his faithful valet Kato, the only living person who knows the true identity of the Hornet.

The Hornet spends his off hours thwarting criminals with his Black Beauty, an indestructible, crime fighting car with every weapon and gadget imaginable. As the public's fascination with the mysterious crime fighters hits an all-time high Chudnofsky has plans of his own, to swat down The Green Hornet once and for all.

While he may not be familiar to movie audiences yet, Jay Chou who plays Britt Reid’s sidekick Kato is already very popular in the Far East as a very well known singer, actor, director and producer. To help audiences get better acquainted him, Columbia Pictures has released a short interview with Chou in which he discusses working with writer, producer and title star

Seth Rogen in The Green Hornet and how it feels to be stepping into the shoes of the man who made Kato famous, Bruce Lee.

This is not the funniest or best action movie you will see but it is still very entertaining and doesn’t fail to deliver. The makers of The Green Hornet have jumped on the 3D band wagon with this one but apart from Kato’s vision sequences and the odd fight scene it is more of a distraction than anything else.