Review: The Five-Year Engagement

After watching The Five-Year Engagement you may feel like you've sat through at least 2 or 3 of those years - which is a shame as there's a good film lost somewhere underneath a gruelling runtime that goes over 2 hours for no good reason.

As a result of the length, the film just doesn't feel funny enough, with the gaps between laughs too long and no real drama to hold your attention in between.

On the plus side the cast are all likeable and in particular Emily Blunt and Jason Segel have a great chemistry as the lead couple - bit odd to see Rhys Ifans play another Professor so soon after Spider-Man, the sliminess is more metaphorical this time around instead of his reptilian turn in the superhero story.

Often you get comedies promoting uncut versions for DVD and Blu-Ray release, in the case of The Five-Year Engagement - a version with 30 minutes cut would arguably be a superior effort.

Review: The Amazing Spider-Man

This latest take on the Spider-Man origin story takes a darker and grittier tone than the recent trilogy of Raimi films - and although its still a world away from Batman-levels of blackness, the more realistic feel does its best to blow away any cobwebs still left after the dreadful Spider-Man 3 and Tobey Macquire's best Saturday Night Fever audition.

New lead Andrew Garfield quickly convinces as the superhero-to-be, tetchy and twitchy enough to convince as geek Peter Parker, but charismatic enough to make you believe you he'd actually have a chance with someone like Emma Stone - its no surprise the real life couple have great chemistry and Stone's Stacy is helped by being more than someone just to be rescued at the end.

However its Martin Sheen who is the real star of the show as Parker's Uncle Ben, popping up at the right moments to give the film a gravitas much like Michael Caine's Alfred and the standard does drop noticeably as Sheen's scenes come to an end - Rhys Ifans does a sound job as the villain, but doesn't have too much to work with as Sony have saved the bigger name bad guys for the inevitable sequels that will follow.

The Spider-Man origin story is a well-worn tale, but this reboot does enough things different and enough things well to make sure it comfortably exceed expectations.

Review: Mr Nice

This movie, based on Marks's 1996 memoir Mr Nice is reminiscent at times of 24 Hour Party People, thanks to the light-hearted take on the protagonist's life story and various comedians popping up throughout in several roles.

Much like Coogan did in 2002, Rhys Ifans is a much playing himself as much as he plays Howard Marks and his natural charisma carries the film throughout. There's not much plot to speak of apart from going to different countries to get drugs, but like Marks himself there's a certain charm to it that makes sure it gets away with it in the end.