Review: State Of Play

An intriguing thriller that is spoiled slightly by an ending that isn't anywhere near as satisfying as the 2 hours that come before it.

Much was made of the casting of the 2 leads, with Crowe and Affleck replacing Pitt and Norton at some point during the developmental process - but the real casting choice that needs to be questioned is who decided it was a good idea to hire the bloke from the Orange Ads for the role of sinister spin doctor - I kept waiting for hime to advise Affleck about the benefits of Video Messaging to prove his innocence.

Review: Monsters vs Aliens 3D

Created specifically to be seen in 3D - Monsters vs Aliens delivers on the visual front, the 3D technology used here is stunning and light years of the lame cardboard glasses technology of old.

The film itself, whilst not on the level of previous Dreamworks efforts Kung Fu Panda and Madagascar 2 - is an entertaining 90 minutes and features a comedic tour-de-force from Stephen Colbert as the President, stealing all the scenes that he turns up in.

So is 3D the future of film? Not quiet - the question of why pay extra for films that doesn't use the capabilities to the fullest hasn't been fully answered yet, as RealD seems to work best in animation at the moment

My feeling is that the latest 3D comeback is destined to remain a novelty for certain films, similar to IMAX saved for special occasions. Not until the questions of the extra cost, alongside the age old problems of double glasses and migraines are solved will 3D become a real contender to revolutionise cinema

Spot The Difference #5

The Actor Kevin Eldon

Galaxhar

Dreamworks' Monsters vs Aliens is full of nods to Sci-Fi and B Movie classics such as The Blob, Dr Strangelove and Close Encounters of the Third Kind - But who'd thought they go as far as referencing BBC2 Sci-Fi comedy Hyperdrive by making baddie Galaxhar the double of Stewart Lee stalwart Kevin Eldon.

Review: I Love You Man

With the leading lights of the 'App Pack' Will Ferrell and Seth Rogen serving up increasingly diminishing returns (the awful Zack & Miri and the abymsmal Step Brothers for example) anticipation for another buddy comedy from two of the lesser-known names of the group hasn't been exactly high.

I Love You Man far exceeds these low expectations, wisely dumping some of clichés that have began to grate in recent efforts. Here the male leads of Rudd and Seigel aren't completely moronic man-childs and the female characters are slightly more one dimensional than usual, which means the jokes stay on the right side of lewd boobs and bongs humour.

There are plenty of laugh to be had and an excellent cast support Rudd, highlights being Joe Lo Truglio's high-pitched gym buddy, Thomas Lennon playing as Jim Dangle in everything but name and an ace Lou Ferrigno cameo.

Review: The Day The Earth Stood Still

The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951)

Whilst hailed as a Sci-fi classic, its the humanity in the movie that makes it for me. It has aged remarkably well as a result of this - where other 50s Sci-Fi films focused on special effects now look dated and somewhat laughable now, focusing on the characters involved means the 1951 version is still stands above many recent efforts from the genre, including the 2008 remake.

The Day The Earth Stood Still (2008)

When Keanu isn't the worst thing about your film, you know you're in trouble. In this remake he surprisingly struggles in a role that seems made for him, that of an alien with no personality, but he is still outdone in the bad-acting stakes by the combo of Jennifer Connelly and Jaden Smith as Scientist/Shrieking Mother and eminently slappable adopted child.