Insurgent

UK Release Date: 19th March 2015

Beatrice Prior must confront her inner demons and continue her fight against a powerful alliance which threatens to tear her society apart with the help from others on her side (www.imdb.com).

Director: Robert Schwentke (Flightplan, RED, R.I.P.D)

Starring: Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Kate Winslet, Miles Teller, Ansel Elgort, Jai Courtney, Zoe Kravitz, Octavia Spencer, Naomi Watts

Insurgent follows where Divergent ended. Divergents Tris (Woodley) and Four (James) are on the run from Jeanine's (Winslet) tyrannical charge in post-apocalyptic Chicago. Taking solitude with the Amity faction, the couple, along with Peter (Teller) and Tris's brother Caleb (Elgort), hide out until the time comes to strike back, and seek vengeance on those who've killed Tris's parents. Nowhere is safe and the five faction's ideologies are torn. Neither are right or wrong, expect for the malicious Jeanine and her intention on using and abusing Divergents. The deeper the story goes, the more implausible it becomes. Why was this society divided in the first place? Why are the Divergent such a threat? Hopefully this questions will be answered. Woodley's tremendous acting distracts us from suspending judgement, struggling with her past decisions. Winslet is satanical yet serene as the villain, Miles Teller has moments of redemption and Theo James is more than eye candy this time round. Everyone else misses their mark, just like every gunshot misses theirs. Insurgent is a 12A film that plays it safe where nobody's in any real danger.

4/5  

Tammy

UK Release Date: 4th July 2014

After losing her job and learning that her husband has been unfaithful, a woman hits the road with her profane, hard-drinking grandmother (www.imdb.com).

Director: Ben Falcone

Starring: Melissa McCarthy, Susan Sarandon, Kathy Bates, Nat Faxon, Toni Collette, Sandra Oh, Dan Aykroyd

Melissa McCarthy gets up to her usual tricks in Tammy. Taking her out of this equation would be an absolute shambles. Dumped by her husband and fired from her job, Tammy (McCarthy) sets out on an adventure to escape the burdens in her life. The only person who has a car is her crazy grandmother Pearl (Sarandon). The two of them never stray too far from home. The laughs are absent and replaced with awkwardness and raised eyebrows. Sarandon looks old enough to be McCarthy's mother, let alone her grandmother. Director and real life husband of McCarthy Ben Falcone relies heavily on McCarthy, and apart from a memorable robbery of a fast-food shop, McCarthy has little room to show off her moves.  

2/5 

The Gunman

UK Release Date: 20th March 2015

A sniper on a mercenary assassination team, kills the minister of mines of the Congo. Terrier's successful kill shot forces him into hiding. Returning to the Congo years later, he becomes the target of a hit squad himself (www.imdb.com).

Director: Pierre Morel (Taken, From Paris with Love)

Starring: Sean Penn, Jasmine Trinca, Javier Bardem, Ray Winstone, Mark Rylance, Idris Elba

Sean Penn spearheads this new action thriller by Taken director Pierre Morel. He's got backbone and spunk. He's a hench force to be reckoned with, and he makes it known by wearing tight clothing or being shirtless. It's a shame then that this heads down a route with no franchise. The story is all over the place, getting lost with each city Terrier (Penn) heads to. For a simple revenge story it's easy to lose track of what's going on. Penn holds the pieces together with love interest Jasmine Trinca, and the action is just as raw and well thought out as Morel's debut, but the star-studded support have little to do other than talk. That said, The Gunman could push Penn's action hero status to new levels.

3/5 

Crazy, Stupid, Love

UK Release Date: 23rd September 2011

A middle-aged husband's life changes dramatically when his wife asks him for a divorce. He seeks to rediscover his manhood with the help of a newfound friend, Jacob, learning to pick up girls at bars (www.imdb.com).

Director: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa (I Love You Phillip Morris)

Starring: Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Julianne Moore, Emma Stone, Marisa Tomei, Kevin Bacon

A formidable cast have come together and provided us with what can only be described as a man's chick flick. It doesn't follow the formula seen so many times before. The main couple's relationship has already hit its peak. It comes crashing down within seconds when Emily (Moore) says to her husband Cal (Carell) that she's slept with someone else and wants a divorce. This is a punch in the gut for every loving couple out there. Crazy, Stupid, Love follows Cal dealing with what's hit him and the relationships that surround him, including his son's love for his babysitter (he's 13, she's 17) and Ryan Gosling, the womaniser he meets at a bar he drowns his sorrows in. Gosling's steers Cal into the world of the single man. Gosling is at the forefront of every scene he's in, up until the point he falls in love. It's lighthearted and fun up until it ups the severity. Smaller parts from Tomei and Bacon add flare to this heartwarming film. Apart from a little straying off, CSL is strong enough to be the best romantic-comedy out there because of its differences and loving characters.

4/5

Tron: Legacy

UK Release Date: 17th December 2010

The son of a virtual world designer goes looking for his father and ends up inside the digital world that his father designed. He meets his father's corrupted creation and a unique ally who was born inside the digital world (www.imdb.com).

Director: Joseph Kosinski (Oblivion)

Starring: Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund, Olivia Wilde

With Tron: Legacy looking gorgeous and Daft Punk providing an excellent soundtrack, what more could you ask for? Quite a bit actually. This remake has the guts of a mighty blockbuster, but that's all a facade, as it lacks emotional connection and raw power. Beautiful on the outside and tasteless on the inside. Legacy will appease the fans of the original and gains a few more with its unique look. A completely new story has been created that does little to offend the 1982 version. The story is most interesting and pleasurable when Sam (Hedlund) discovers his father's digital world. Feelings of wonder and excitement gather. The games he's forced in to are energetic and hold no bars. T:L takes a backwards turn when Sam meets Clu (Bridges) and his father (also Bridges). The younger, AI copy of Bridges looks computer generated, but it does match the world they're in. Olivia Wilde's digital-born Quorra brings life to a regimented world. Bridges, on the other hand, struggles to live up to Legacy's looks.

3/5

Pitch Perfect

UK Release Date: 21st December 2012

Beca, a freshman at Barden University, is cajoled into joining The Bellas, her school's all-girls singing group. Injecting some much needed energy into their repertoire, The Bellas take on their male rivals in a campus competition (www.imdb.com).

Director: Jason Moore

Starring: Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Skylar Astin, Benjamin Platt, Brittany Snow, Anna Camp, Elizabeth Banks

Pitch Perfect; think Glee but bigger, stronger and wittier. This dramedy draws in a wider crowd thanks to some tenacious cast. The entertainment, similar to films Step Up and Street Dance, is refreshing, funny, with a tinge of seriousness. It's just the right blend. The singing is a tad cheesy but mostly catchy. Kendrick is sublime as new girl Beca. Rebel Wilson steals the show with her raucous newcomer. 'You call yourself Fat Amy? Yeah, so twig bitches like you don't do it behind my back'. They spice up the The Bellas, which includes different stereotypes that are cliche yet never feel like they are. The events inbetween the songs, duels and music keep things ticking smoothly, with The Bellas struggling to adapt and the Astin/Kendrick wobbly romance adding to PP's light yet serious feel. This film, after all, is for all, not just Glee enthusiasts.

4/5