Mama

 

Again this wasn't my first choice but I couldn't see Cloud Atlas due to 'Warm Bodies'... erm... still being warm so to speak.

I haven't seen a horror film since 'House At The End Of The Street' last year. This was a 15 certificate too and with Guillermo del Toro's name attached my expectations were raised slightly. You could see his influence here and there and it was genuinely creepy at times. 

It started off with a father murdering his wife (off screen I might add), and then taking off with his two kids. Cut to 5 years later and the kids are found abandoned in a dodgy looking wood cabin (aren't all cabins dodgy??).  There were the obligatory jump out loud moments along the way (and the person in the row behind me shook the seats in fear at one point!)

This reminded me of old school horror. There wasn't the usual array of plot twists that have become the norm these days.. This is the first time I've really noticed Jessica Chastain, and she put in a good performance as a rock chick reluctantly becoming a step mum.. I haven't seen Nikolaj Coster-Waldau since 'Headhunters' last year and here he played the father at the beginning and his twin brother who takes on the kids...

Overall it wasn't a bad film and I'd rate it ***1/2

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Warm Bodies

This one wasn't my first choice but it was the earliest showing of a 'non kids film'

The basic synopsis goes thus... The (not too distant) future earth has been over run by zombies. During an altercation our narrator and lead zombie (Nicholas Hoult) falls for non-zombie Julia (Teresa Palmer) ... And much shenanigans occur..

As it turned out it wasn't that bad. My synopsis probably doesn't do it justice. There was plenty of humour and not much gore (thus the 12a certificate).

I'm a fan of Teresa Palmer after her stint in 'I am Number 4' and here she makes a perfectly acceptable 'love interest'.. Once you get over the talking zombies it's an enjoyable hour and a half.

Overall ***

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A Good Day To Die Hard.

... What can I say about this movie.. Well for starters I booked this one on-line and collected the ticket from the machine in the entrance hall (thus the blue). There's no real plot as such.. Bruce goes to Russia to find his son.. Find's him.. Much action ensues.. The end.. I'm not sure if it was the heating in the cinema or the movie in general but I did find myself nodding off...

To be honest this film was dreadful. Recently Bruce Willis appeared on The One Show and was derided for his lack of enthusiasm towards the movie. Having watched it I can see why. I got the impression he just didn't want to be in it.  It was if he just couldn't be arsed! In fact the whole tone of the movie was 'couldn't be arsed!' It went from one overblown set piece to the next overblown set piece. At no point did you feel any emotion whatsoever.. You know, fear, anticipation, sadness, excitement... It just plodded along... 

This has the potential to be the worst movie of the year.. Nothing touches it so far.. But then it is only February!

On the plus side it started off with an amusing car chase through the streets of Moscow. And for that reason it gets one *...

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