The Silence of the Lambs

UK Release Date: 31st May 1991

A young F.B.I. cadet must confide in an incarcerated and manipulative killer to receive his help on catching another serial killer who skins his victims (www.imdb.com).

Director: Jonathan Demme (Philadelphia, The Manchurian Candidate, Rachel Getting Married)

Starring: Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Scott Glenn

The Silence of the Lambs is one of a kind. A genuine masterpiece with little trouble on its side. Jodie Foster's FBI 'agent in training' Clarice Starling brings the emotion and the gritt. She may look overwhelmed by the male presence around her, but in fact she's cool, calm and collective and stands high above those who think themselves better than her. She's pitted against the infamous cannibal Hannibal Lecter (Hopkins). He's kept in a high security prison (see Red Dragon or Manhunter) and becomes infatuated with Clarice's past. In order for Clarice to catch Buffalo Bill, a serial killer who skins his victims, she must enter Hannibal in a battle of wits. Quid pro quo as Lecter says. Silence buzzes with electricity when either Foster or Hopkins is on screen. Hopkins is horrifying as Lecter, posing as a threat even behind bars with his vocabulary and his unwavering stares. Demme's debut as a director, has blown all expectations out of the water, turning a thriller into a dark, psychological powerhouse with its dark exteriors and messed up characters.

5/5 

Red Dragon

UK Release Date: 11th October 2002

A retired FBI agent with psychological gifts is assigned to help track down "The Tooth Fairy", a mysterious serial killer; aiding him is imprisoned criminal genius Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter (www.imdb.com).

Director: Brett Ratner (Rush Hour, The Family Man, Rush Hour 2)

Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Edward Norton, Ralph Fiennes, Harvery Keitel, Emily Watson, Mary-Louise Parker, Philip Seymour Hoffman

Brett Ratner astonishes the filming world by taking on a daring project unlike any he's done before. Red Dragon is not the first attempt at capturing 'The Tooth Fairy'. Being a prequel to the successful The Silence of the Lambs, RD contains neither the deep frailty felt by Jodie Foster's Clarice Starling or the powerful atmosphere. What Ratner does do is provide us with a engrossing crime thriller. Anthony Hopkins fails to prove to us that he's younger than he was in Silence, but he slips into the role so easily that all is forgotten. His psychopath cannibal Hannibal Lecter sits finely on the edge of sincerity and flippancy. We're never sure which way he's likely to sway. Hopkins is the only actor to retain his role, and is joined by Edward Norton's Will Graham, the detective who put Lecter behind bars. He seeks Lecter's help in cracking The Tooth Fairy case. Norton's convincing in his portrayal, but fails to assure us of having a 'psychological gift'. Others fair just as well, with Watson's blind Reba being the most down-to-earth, giving Ralph Fiennes normality to his psychotic persona. Red Dragon beats Hannibal, but falls short of Silence. 

4/5

The Three Stooges (2012)

UK Release Date: 22nd August 2012

While trying to save their childhood orphanage, Moe, Larry and Curly inadvertently stumble into a murder plot and wind up starring in a reality television show (www.imdb.com).

Director: The Farrelly Brothers (Shallow Hal, The Heartbreak Kid, Hall Pass)

Starring: Sean Hayes, Will Sasso, Chris Diamantopoulos, Jane Lynch, Sofia Vergara, Jennifer Hudson, Larry David

The Three Stooges have been entertaining audiences for over 90 years now. Moee, Larry and Curly's slapstick comedy is widely known, but a younger audience of the 21st century won't be familiar with their antics. 2012's The Three Stooges does little for their reputation, as the Farrelly Brothers turn up their style of humour several notches. Their satire is repetitive and the laughs absent. By the second act, when Moe (Diamantopoulos), Larry (Hayes) and Curly (Sasso) reach the city to raise money to save the orphanage they grew up in, it starts to grate and tire effortlessly. The Farrelly Brothers have got the right idea, but it's down to a time worn trio and their outdated ways that render The Three Stooges as one for the kids

2/5 

Rush Hour 2

UK Release Date: 3rd August 2001

Carter and Lee head to Hong Kong for vacation, but become embroiled in a counterfeit money scam (www.imdb.com).

Director: Brett Ratner (Rush Hour, The Family Man, Red Dragon)

Starring: Jackie Chan, Chris Tucker, John Lone, Ziyi Zhang, Roselyn Sanchez

Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker are back for another easy-going stint of antics. The first Rush Hour was a surprising hit. Rush Hour 2 follows it in similar fashion, except this time the innocence of our unlikely duo is replaced with slapstick humour and race jokes. Wise-cracking LA cop James Carter (Tucker) takes a vacation to Hong Kong with Lee, China's finest detective, but they become embroiled in a money laundering scam. Tucker is slightly subdued than last time relying on wit whern he lacks in combat. Chan is again a joy to watch. Less naive this time and more charming. Rush Hour 2 won't wow anyone, but there is enough fun to be found as Lee and Carter traverse the globe causing more chaos.

3/5

The Sixth Sense

UK Release Date: 5th November 1999

Contains mild spoiler at the the end of the review.

A boy who communicates with spirits that don't know they're dead seeks the help of a disheartened child psychologist (www.imdb.com).

Director: M. Night Shyamalan (Unbreakable, Signs, The Village)

Starring: Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osment, Toni Collette

Bruce Willis breaks out of his action mould to bring us his most compelling performance of his career. Playing a child psychologist with a cool attitude tests Willis's acting capabilities. He pulls it off in peculiar fashion aided by a wise yet extraordinary youth that has a sixth sense. Communicating with the dead is a taboo subject. Having an ability like Cole's (Haley Joel Osment) is captivating but hard to believe. Is it possible? Would anybody believe you? The Sixth Sense answers these questions through the young boy's abilities. An intelligent lad, Osment captures wonder and fascination easily. Director M. Night Shyamalan has us occupied in a wonderful line between anxiety and awe. And the ending, even if you've guessed the twist already, it's still a fitting way to close things. If you haven't, be prepared.

4/5 

Run All Night

UK Release Date: 13th March 2015

Mobster and hit man Jimmy Conlon has one night to figure out where his loyalties lie: with his estranged son, Mike, whose life is in danger, or his longtime best friend, mob boss Shawn Maguire, who wants Mike to pay for the death of his own son (www.imdb.com).

Director: Jaume Collet-Serra (Orpahn, Unknown, Non-Stop)

Starring: Liam Neeson, Joel Kinnaman, Common, Ed Harris

Liam Neeson churns out action films faster than Starbucks make coffee. Initial instincts are 'oh great, another Taken or a Non-Stop film'. Neeson may be the front-man of Run All Night, but it's thanks to a very provocative supporting cast that stop this film blending in with his others. Think Heat meets Goodfellas; Jimmy (Neeson) and Shawn's (Harris) dinner meeting feels as tense as De Niro and Pacino's similar scenario. Having the events over one night adds to the madness and explosiveness of the narrative. Jimmy will stop at nothing to protect his son, Mike (Kinnaman) whilst Shawn seeks justice by killing him. The acting is pure and the characters are full of compassion and warmth towards their audience regardless of what they fight for. Neeson, Harris and Kinnaman all have family to fight for, which is, just like Heat, why they're all felt for no matter their outcome. New York comes to life through the editing, as we're taken on a roller-coaster around the city via fast panning camerawork that connects one scene to the other. A nice touch to this action-packed story.

4/5 

The Dark Knight Rises

UK Release Date: 20th July 2012

Eight years after the Joker's reign of anarchy, the Dark Knight is forced to return from his imposed exile to save Gotham City from the brutal guerrilla terrorist Bane with the help of the enigmatic Catwoman.

Director: Christopher Nolan (Batman Begins, Inception, The Dark Knight)

Starring: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Morgan Freeman

Christopher Nolan's Batman films stand as some of the greatest superhero movies of all time. Batman Begins reinvigorated Batman's origins and Heath Ledger surprised us in The Dark Knight as The Joker. The Dark Knight Rises strips Bruce Wayne (Bale) of everything he fought for, and tasks him with rebuilding himself. Standing in the way is Bane (Hardy), a terrorist intent on destroying Gotham. The Dark Knight set the bar so high as the best of the bunch but TDKR only falls short because of Heath Ledger's libertine. Tom Hardy's villain is different, he's fueled by a torrid past. His mask, although intimidating in sound, is hard to decipher with his raspy voice. New additions Anne Hathaway and Joseph Gordon-Levitt have minor, effective roles whilst Gary Oldman's Commissioner Gordon and Michael Caine as Alfred keep the 'wise words of wisdom' coming. Bruce/Batman needs the helps of others if he's to save the city of Gotham. He's come to understand that he cannot save Gotham by himself. After the death of Harvey Dent, a can of criminal worms were opened, leaving the city in disarray. There are few trustworthy people left. Big loophole aside, TDKR is a fantastic ending to a noble trilogy and one that will stand the tests of time.

5/5

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For

UK Release Date: 25th August 2014

Some of Sin City's most hard-boiled citizens cross paths with a few of its more reviled inhabitants.

Director: Frank Miller, Robert Rodriguez

Starring: Mickey Rourke, Jessica Alba, Josh Brolin, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Rosario Dawson, Bruce Willis, Eva Green, Powers Boothe, Dennis Haysbert, Ray Liotta, Jaime King, Juno Temple, Christopher Lloyd, Jeremy Piven

Planting a femme fatale smack bang in the heart of Sin City is a daring act from directors Miller and Rodeiguez. It pays off, to an extent, as Eva Green's Ava controls all the men around her. She's a force to be reckoned with and a character like her is heavily needed to keep A Dame to Kill For different from Sin City. Ava is the only female with resilience and independence, the rest fall under male dominance. Expect more of the same with ADtKF; it keeps its film-noir aspects, relying on black and grey hues with the occasional colour thrown in. It looks better than ever. There's another huge cast, some old, some new. The ones we're familiar with slip in to their roles like they never left them whilst the news ones add depth to the cities' stories. There's another three episodes, one from the comic and two originals. It's hard to tell which is which unless you've read the comic. Miller and Rodriguez's second effort is very much like their first: for men. The cast have no trouble keeping us entertained; ADtKF is shorter and snappier than the first.

3/5

Sin City

UK Release Date: 3rd June 2005

A film that explores the dark and miserable town, Basin City, and tells the story of three different people, all caught up in violent corruption.

Director: Frank Miller, Robert Rodriguez, Quentin Tarantino

Starring: Josh Hartnett, Elijah Wood, Bruce Willis, Brittany Murphy, Kate Bosworth, Mickey Rourke, Jaime King, Nick Stahl, Jessica Alba, Clive Owen, Rosario Dawson, Michael Clarke Duncan, Devon Aoki, Powers Boothe, Benico Del Toro

Sin City is in no way a film for women. The men are the cruising, bruising heroes (or villains), the women are either prostitutes, pole-dancers or rely on the opposite sex. Based on Frank Miller's graphic novel, Sin City follows it's paperback counterpart to the tee. It looks incredible; the black and white film-noir effect is smart and eye-catching. Every so often a streak of colour enters the mix to emphasise a point. Split into three episodes, Sin City feels like a loose sequel of Pulp Fiction, but with more violence. This and it's huge A-list cast can't stop it feeling a little boring and dragged out. Director Rodriguez should have saved the first scene til last. Mickey Rourke and the silent but violent Elijah Wood are the most engaging.

3/5 

Chappie

UK Release Date: 6th March 2015

In the near future, crime is patrolled by a mechanized police force. When one police droid, Chappie, is stolen and given new programming, he becomes the first robot with the ability to think and feel for himself (www.imdb.com).

Director: Neill Blomkamp (District 9, Elysium)

Starring: Sharlto Copley, Dev Patel, Hugh Jackman, Sigourney Weaver

Neill Blomkamp has become a great science-fiction director of the new age. Comparisons will be drawn on District 9, as Blomkamp's best work is his first. Chappie starts the same way; in the style of a documentary that moves swiftly on to its narrative. Think Ex-Machina meets Robocop. Robots make up South Africa's police force, keeping streets safe and crime low. Dev Patel's Deon is the lead developer for the company behind the robot's manufacturing and distribution to the government. One particular model, number 22, is prone to damage. Deon, without consent, programs a stand alone subconscious into 22. 22, otherwise known as Chappie, enters the hands of Ninja and Yolandi (from the rap group Die Antwoord, playing themselves), who teach Chappie how to be 'gangster'. If you're a fan of either District 9 or Elysium, Chappie will hit the spot. Sharlto Copley's voiceover and an impressive use of CGI bring Chappie to life, even if he bears some bugs. His surrogate mother and father teach him, morphing him into want they want him to be. Yolandi and Ninja are inexperienced actors, and it shows, especially when Chappie outdoes them in connecting with the audience. It's almost easy to forget that he's not real. Dev Patel and Hugh Jackman put in career best performances. Jackman's Vincent Moore works alongside Patel. His character is fueled by jealousy because his project was outdone by Patel's. Both actors are refreshing and drive the narrative forward to its climactic ending, which twists and turns in a way that's hard to have guessed at any stage. Chappie may be yet another take on AI, but it's one that brings new ideas (weird and interesting ones) to the table. There's plenty of things to love about Chappie the film, but not so much the robot.

4/5

Safe

UK Release Date: 4th May 2012

Mei, a young girl whose memory holds a priceless numerical code, finds herself pursued by the Triads, the Russian mob, and corrupt NYC cops. Coming to her aid is an ex-cage fighter whose life was destroyed by the gangsters on Mei's trail.

Director: Boaz Yakin

Starring: Jason Statham, Catherine Chan, James Hong, Reggie Lee

Safe sees Statham in his sans pareil. He's been playing it safe for quite sometime now. Statham has grinded himself deep into the typecast pit but manages to perform consistently. Not a lot of actors can say the same thing, so he deserves credit where credit's due. Safe would've been a generic action film if it wasn't for its formidable cast (Statham isn't the only one on form), choreography (the action is fierce) and benign ambiguity. The story is confined yet strong enough to keep an audience in need of some action happy. It's an all-out war between the Triads, the Russians and the police, and Statham's in the thick of it, saving the skin of a young Chinese girl who needs just as much help as he does. Boaz Yakin's Safe is gripping and almost too quick to end.

4/5

The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

UK Release Date: 26th February 2015

As the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel has only a single remaining vacancy - posing a rooming predicament for two fresh arrivals - Sonny pursues his expansionist dream of opening a second hotel.

Director: John Madden (The Debt, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel)

Starring: Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Bill Nighy, Celia Imrie, Penelope Wilton, Ronald Pickup, Tina Desai, Dev Patel, Lillete Dubey, Richard Gere, Tamsin Greig

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel isn't the type of film to have a sequel, but it surprisingly works. The name isn't very original. It's just as strong as the title suggests. It helps to be familiar with these characters heading into The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. This film centres on Sonny (Patel) and Suniana's (Desai) wedding. Maggie Smith guides us when it was Judi Dench before. One vacancy remains at the hotel, and two people want it. One is British talent Tamsin Greig, the other, the infamous Richard Gere. Sonny suspects Gere's Guy is an important man willing to invest in his potential new hotel. Other, smaller stories revolve around Sonny's matters, like Evelyn (Dench) and Douglas's (Nighy) unresolved feelings for one another (still??) and Celia Imrie's fling with two very wealthy natives. TSBEMH's main plot and sub plots are quaint and heart-warming, even if their treading on familiar territory. Special mention goes to Smith. Her character is a cut above the rest, engaging us in important matters we can all relate to. Her dry sense of humour (which in hindsight is plain rudeness) invokes shocks but adds layers that bring out Smith in ways that were missed in the first film. There's hope yet for a third installment. In the right hands a third best exotic marigold hotel could work.

4/5

Jeff, Who Lives at Home

UK Release Date: 11th May 2012

Dispatched from his basement room on an errand for his widowed mother, slacker Jeff might discover his destiny (finally) when he spends the day with his unhappily married brother as he tracks his possibly adulterous wife.

Director: Jay Duplass, Mark Duplass

Starring: Jason Segel, Ed Helms, Susan Sarandon

The Duplass Brother's film is centred on a man child still living at home with his mother. He's a bit of a bum, and you can tell by his thought process that he's baked. Jeff (Segel) is a lovable rogue but not your typical, empathetic lead. The narrative is shaped around his philosophy, that everything happens for a reason. Answering a phone call that turns out to be a wrong number sparks this motivation when the caller is after a Kevin. Whilst on an errand for his mum, Jeff stumbles upon the name and subsequently finds his destiny (or a series of coincidental events?). He bumps into his brother, Pat (Helms), who's every bit his opposite. Together they spy on Pat's wife, who they believe is cheating on him. In it's running time (a whole 80+ minutes), not an awful lot happens, at least nothing that's remotely interesting. Their mother's below standard and unstimulating sub-story fills up the duration of Jeff, Who Lives at Home, chopping up the narrative that drives the story. It lacks engagement and any sort of enthusiasm, even if Helms and Segel are in their comfort zones.

2/5

Cold in July

UK Release Date: 27th June 2014

When a protective father meets a murderous ex-con, both need to deviate from the path they are on as they soon find themselves entangled in a downwards spiral of lies and violence while having to confront their own inner psyche (www.imdb.com).

Director: Kim Mickle (Stake Land, We Are What We Are)

Starring: Michael C. Hall, Sam Shephard, Don Johnson, Vinessa Shaw, Wyatt Russell

Cold in July is a odd name. It has no relevance to its plot, and it's a contradiction unto itself. The momentum of this film shifts in patterns, at least thrice it slows after a series of major events. If feels like a few episodes of a crime/thriller series sewn together. Richard's (Hall) world is turned upside-down when he shoots down a burglar in his house. He's led to believe he's killed one person when in fact the police are covering up a conspiracy. The father of the 'supposedly' dead person stalks Richard and his family.  This is where the direction changes as Richard teams up with the father (played by Sam Shephard), the treacherous cops are done away with, only to be replaced with Don Johnson's private detective, who helps Richard and Russel unearth the truth. Although Cold in July's narrative is disjointed, the formidable cast and their yearning to see this to the bitter end is truly magnifying. Jim Bob (Johnson) is too late of a character coming in, but Shephard's unwavering, cool exterior and Michael C. Hall's conflicted nature (his motif is still uncertain) with what he's doing and thinking he's exacting justice is intriguing to the very end.  

3/5 

It Follows

UK Release Date: 27th February 2015

For nineteen-year-old Jay, Autumn should be about school, boys and week-ends out at the lake. But after a seemingly innocent sexual encounter, she finds herself plagued by strange visions and the inescapable sense that someone, something, is following her. Faced with this burden, Jay and her friends must find a way to escape the horrors that seem to be only a few steps behind (www.imdb.com).

Director: David Robert Mitchell

Starring: Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist, Olivia Luccardi, Lili Sepe, Daniel Zovatto

The greatest aspect of a tenacious horror film is its ability to scare its audience with the smallest detail. It Follows manages to hone in on all the ethereal details. Jay (Monroe) is plagued by a spiritual being that follows her to no end. The boy she had a fling with transferred via their consummation. The only way she can be rid of its presence is by passing it on to someone else. It won't stop following her, and if it touches her, it'll be the end for her. The creature's presence, whether on screen or off screen, is felt utterly an entirely.  Doesn't sound very harrowing, but throw in some chilling music (a soundtrack similar to the 80's), painstaking jumps and the scares and the young, naive cast and It Follows is a spine-chilling pleasure.

4/5

The Boy Next Door

UK Release Date: 27th February 2015

A newly divorced woman falls for a younger man who has recently moved in across the street from her, but their torrid affair soon takes a dangerous turn (www.imdb.com)

Director: Rob Cohen (The Fast and the Furious, xXx, Alex Cross)

Starring: Jennifer Lopez, Ryan Guzman, Kristin Chenoweth

The Boy Next Door has plenty of promise, but falls the opposite direction when it hits its peak. Jennifer Lopez is an aspiring lead, getting the best out of an uninspiring storyline. The 19 year old youngster she has her wicked way with looks about 30, so her worries feel somewhat exaggerated. The-cat and-mouse chase between the idiosyncratic 'boy next door' (Guzman's Noah) and the susceptible Claire (Lopez) is distressing and uncomfortable to watch. After their one night stand, Noah's Freudian obsession become fully psychotic within a matter of days. The Boy Next Door attempts to abuse our ignorance with its implausibilities.

2/5

Paul Blart: Mall Cop

UK Release Date: 20th March 2009

When a shopping mall is taken over by a gang of organized crooks, it's up to a mild-mannered security guard to save the day (www.imdb.com).

Director: Steve Carr (Next Friday, Dr. Dolittle 2, Daddy Day Care)

Starring: Kevin James, Keir O'Donnell, Jayma Mays, Bobby Cannavale, Stephen Rannazzisi

Paul Blart: Mall Cop is your average, run-of-the-mill movie. Think Die Hard without the tension and the tenacity, and in a mall instead of the Nakatomi plaza. The humour will either dead-pan or thrill, depending on your taste. The story's simple, an easy-going security guard of a mall gets locked in with a group of bmxing and free-running criminals who are powered by their greed for money. They've taken hostages, and they won't give them up until they get what they want. Blart (James) is there to save the day. It takes a good third of the film to get the ball rolling, Kevin James makes a better lead than the monotonous Sandler we expect to front every Happy Madison production. The script relies on James' clumsy demeanour. Awkward conversations are his forte and trips and falls are his get out clause. Still, there's nothing like seeing a nice guy winning, especially after watching pen-geek Stuart (Stephen Rannazzisi) bully's Blart so much it's cruel and even awkward to watch. Blart kicking some ass though, is far exceeding in choices of viewing these days. 

3/5

The Wedding Ringer

UK Release Date: 20th February 2015

Two weeks shy of his wedding, a socially awkward guy enters into a charade by hiring the owner of a company that provides best men for grooms in need (www.imdb.com).

Director: Jeremy Garelick

Starring: Kevin Hart, Josh Gad, Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting

Kevin Hart, you've got to love him or hate him. In previous roles (Ride Along, Grudge Match) he's a full-on eccentric, like he's permanently electrocuted up the jacksy. Thankfully The Wedding Ringer sees his hyperactive state toned down to a more natural one. It's an interesting concept, a groom hiring a best for his  wedding, and it's one that's pulled off well, with the hired best man Hart and groom Josh Gad making a delectable duo. The antics they get up to are amusing, and the lying they continue to uphold throughout the film is even funnier. Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting's bride has little going for her other than her looks. It's obvious to see that Doug (Gad) is pushing well above his weight (yes, pun intended) but that's not the issue. There's one clear loophole from the get go: what bride-to-be doesn't know their fiance's friends? It's a difficult one to get past, but The Wedding Ringer is good fun if you can.

3/5

Blackhat

UK Release Date: 20th February 2015

A furloughed convict and his American and Chinese partners hunt a high-level cybercrime network from Chicago to Los Angeles to Hong Kong to Jakarta (www.imdb.com).

Director: Michael Mann (Heat, The Insider, Collateral)

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Viola Davis, Wei Tang, Leehom Wang, Andy On

Michael Mann is back in the director's seat after 6 years off the scene. 2009's Public Enemies did not receive the reception it desired. We expect a lot from the man. Blackhat is no exception. It opens with a camera panning and zooming around circuit boards of a computer. The user is doing his or her business, intent on doing no good. It doesn't seem like much, but it emphasises the rush and the adrenaline not expected with computer hacking and nerds. Hemsworth's main man, Nick Hathaway, is out of prison to help find a cyber-criminal whose intentions are unclear. One sentence sums up his past. Not enough for us to feel his pain. Hemsworth seems like an odd choice for this role but he more than stands on his own two feet. Crimes in the cyber world are elusive and ambiguous. It's only known to those who've studied computing, so it's easy to get lost in the technical mumbo-jumbo. Thankfully a tight script and astute acting help us with our ignorance. What Mann excels in is turning the mundane into something utterly engaging. Blackhat sounds boring on the outside. It's easy to get lost in the technical mumbo-jumbo and all the keyboard tapping, but throw in some of Mann's signature gun battles and a host of physicality you'll find a few treats to appreciate.   

4/5 

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone

UK Release Date: 15th March 2013

A veteran Vegas magician tries to revive his career after his longtime partner quits, he gets fired from his casino act, and an edgy new "street magician" steals his thunder (www.imdb.com).

Director: Don Scadino

Starring: Steve Carell, Steve Buscemi, Olivia Wilde, Alan Arkin, Jim Carrey

Now You See Me is the only film about magicians to spring up in recent years. The Incredible Burt Wonderstone has nothing of NYSM's pazazz or cleverness. Instead it takes the mickey out of itself. Long time partners Burt (Carell) and Anton's (Buscemi) show at Bally's casino, Las Vegas is boring and out of date; shadowed by street magician Steve Gray (Carey, in unusual but cool form). What should follow for Burt, after losing everything he has, is a sense of direction. Scriptwriters Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley add too many factors to follow, whether it's finding the magician he idolises (Arkin), a romantic partner (Wilde), mending the friendship with his best friend or taking on Carey's contemporary magician. TIBW juggles them all at once, loosing vigor and strength on the way. The laughs are few, mainly because Carell's character is a nonchalent arsehole to everyone around him. Buscemi and Carey do well in a hit and miss script as most of the laughs coming from them.

2/5