5 Flights Up

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Welcome to the film that is basically an hour and a half of watching the Living Channel. I would give 5 Flights Up a 2.5/10.

This film was genuinely quite amusing in some places; there were lines or characters that were very quirky.

Diane Keaton, who played Ruth, embodied this worrisome older woman exceptionally well; I think her devotion to her dog's health was one of the best parts of her role in this film. Claire van der Boom, who played Young Ruth, was this ecstatic character who was so incredibly full of life; I think she played a role so closely to Keaton that it was uncanny. Korey Jackson, who played Young Alex, was quite a strong subtle performance; I like how he played up his character's nervous side and how he was the driving force behind some of the film's scenes that discussed racial issues.

However the best performance came from Morgan Freeman, who played Alex Carver. Freeman was fantastic when he was restless and unsure onscreen, he was constantly nervous about the prospect of selling his apartment and it really made the plot feel stronger. Furthermore he was a very entertaining and funny character to watch; he easily had some of the best lines in the film.

The plot for this film is really dull; there's no tension and no conflict that demands the audience's attention. As a result this was a hard film to sit through, it took forever in terms of pacing. But the worst part was that this film could have really focussed on it's racial themes but more often than not these were neglected in the story. The cinematography was so still and boring, it was exceptionally basic. The editing wasn't all that much better, with cutting being slow and dragging out the film's pace for longer. The music for this film was quite an uninteresting tone; there isn't anything memorable about it.

Cynthia Nixon, who played the Niece, was this absurdist character that really did not fit into the film at all; she just pushed to hard to be funny or more notable than she really was.

Magic Mike XXL

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If you're going along for a good film you've come to the wrong place; if you're here for Channing well you get your fair share. I would give Magic Mike XXL a 3.5/10.

This film has some brilliant dance work; I mean a film that's built on sexual dancing and body movement was always going to be impressively good in that area. Furthermore the soundtrack for this film works really well; plus adding Donald Glover and Matt Bomer's musical numbers really brought the film up.

Channing Tatum, who played Mike, was a fantastic protagonist; the great thing about Tatum is that he makes his characters feel very real and that is no different in this film. Joe Manganiello, who played Big Dick Ritchie, was the energy of this film; you felt Manganiello in the scenes that he was in and this was especially the case in the convenience store scene. Donald Glover, who played Andre, added something quite refreshing to the film; his singing was a big impact plus he was exceptionally passionate in his performance.

However the best performance came from Jada Pinkett Smith, who played Rome. Smith really brought a lot to this film, there was an exceptional amount of flirtation and temptation from her character. As the film progressed we experience the incredible leader Smith has created. Rome is a role that is rather empowering for women, she expresses the importance of how beautiful all women are several times; Smith really drives this trait home.

The problem with the plot is that it delivers a lot of moments that just happen; it's like watching Magic Mike and his crew put into skits. As such the film really suffers in it's pacing, dragging on for far too long by the time we reach the big stripper convention at the end. The cinematography was another let down in this film, movement like what's seen in this film demands to be captured by a lot of great shots which really didn't happen here sadly. Furthermore the editing was just a lot of basic cutting, there wasn't any exceptional effort put in there.

Kevin Nash, who played Tarzan, has always been an awkward performance on Magic Mike; he seems out of place and is more often than not forgotten. Gabriel Iglesias, who played Tobias, was just quite unnecessary in general; his absence was the only way he ultimately served the plot. Matt Bomer, who played Ken, had a very strange way of portraying his character's personality; his performance was incredibly artificial. Adam Rodriguez, who played Tito, was a bit of a background figure; more often than not I found myself wondering if his character was going to have any impact at all. Andie MacDowell, who played Nancy Davidson, was a really bizarre reflection of the film's audience; like she was just kind of disturbingly goofy to watch. Elizabeth Banks, who played Paris, was a really weird cameo; her purpose for being in the film was just really unclear and shouldn't have happened.

Northern Limit Line

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One of the most harrowing war films that I've seen this year. I would give Northern Limit Line a 8.5/10.

This film has a powerful story that really connects the audience to it's characters; it all leads to an incredible climax that has some fantastic raw emotion. The fact that this is a biopic made by Korea really sets it apart; we see some of the more recent conflicts and struggles within South Korea. Furthermore the special effects within this film are really good, it's not often you see a foreign film with effects to rival Hollywood.

Lee Hyun Woo, who played Medic Park Dong-hyeok, was a fantastic protagonist within this film; Woo's approach to the role meant that his character evolved in a likeable and ultimately tragic way. Kim Moo-Yeol, who played Captain Yoon Young-ha, was incredible at portraying a naval authority; His stern exterior was very well acted and seeing the moments where he dropped this exterior were incredibly rewarding.

However the best performance came from Jin Goo, who played Staff Sergeant Han Sang-kook. Goo was immensely likeable and a fun character from the start. He also had some fantastic chemistry with pretty much the entire cast; this made his role as favourite officer to the crew all the more believable. Beyond this Goo gave a very earnest performance, he displayed the care that his role felt towards others. This all lead to an incredible scene within the final battle in which Goo really steals the show.

The cinematography in Northern Limit Line is fairly basic and it doesn't show any special thought put towards creative shots. The score for this film was very similar, it didn't resonate with some of the film's more powerful scenes. The pacing of the story unfortunately drags on for a bit long, there were a few scenes that felt unnecessary.

Ant-Man

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Marvel has produced an other fantastic original feature that has quickly taken place in my top three Marvel films of all time. I would give Ant-Man a 9/10.

This film set a similar tone to Guardians of the Galaxy in terms of how they fleshed out the comedic elements but they excelled in creating an origin story that had some brilliant originality to it. This film flowed perfectly, every scene having purpose. In fact there hasn't been a Marvel solo protagonist this likeable in their own film since Tony Stark in Iron Man. The special effects within this film are jaw dropping; the way a hero who shrinks is approached is really an incredible feat and a whole new realm of imagery for Marvel. The cinematography really compliments this, looking sleek and moving swiftly to capture the seamless action sequences. The stunt and fight choreography within this film was well presented and felt incredibly natural. Furthermore the music within this movie was perfect for the overall heist tone; and I need to give a bit of credit to 'Disintegration' by the Cure for making me crack up in a half full cinema.

Paul Rudd, who played Scott Lang, was immediately one of the most charming heroes of the MCU; it's Rudd's portrayal of a father figure desperate to connect with his daughter that really spurs the film on. Evangeline Lilly, who played Hope van Dyne, was a fiercely stubborn match to Douglas and Rudd within this film; one of the best scenes of the movie was when she broke down in front of Douglas when they were talking about Hope's mother. Corey Stoll, who played Darren Cross, is one of my favourite Marvel villains to date; his arrogance and erratic breakdowns really made him quite a great villain to watch. Bobby Cannavale, who played Paxton, was a really great cop character but also father figure; I liked that this movie wasn't afraid to show how much both a Dad and a Stepdad can care for a child. Anthony Mackie, who played Sam Wilson, was a welcome return to a Marvel feature; his no nonsense banter and solid tough fighter really worked alongside Paul Rudd. Abby Ryder Fortson, who played Cassie Lang, is one of the best child actors that I've seen; she's incredibly funny and makes some quite natural quips in the film. Michael Pena, who played Luis, is easily the funniest and most entertaining character of the film; his flashback scenes are easily some of the highlights of the film to the extent that they create the best ending to a Marvel film that I've seen. T.I, who played Dave, was another really amusing character; he's definitely quick to steal the show with some fantastic lines.

However the best performance of the film came from Michael Douglas, who played Dr. Hank Pym. Douglas introduced us to a character who was abrupt and very cynical; immediately his mentor role is established an well grounded. As the film progresses we see Douglas match the rest of the cast's comedic capacity and we see the drive he puts in all of his scenes. His chemistry with Lilly is the highlight of the film and the scenes where he doesn't know how to speak to her all the more powerful for it. Douglas has created a really interesting character in Pym and I can't wait to see where this goes in the future.

My only problem with Ant-Man was that the stakes never felt too high; there was plenty of suspense sure, but it never reached a point where you feared the outcome of the plot as a whole. The ending was clear from the very beginning.

Judy Greer, who played Maggie Lang, really lacked screen presence in the film; Greer continues to struggle to act naturally and always presents a very artificial role. David Dastmalchian, who played Kurt, just lacked the comedic talent his co-stars did; beyond that he really had very little chemistry with Rudd and Pena. Hayley Atwell and John Slattery, who played Peggy Carter and Howard Stark respectively, gave one of the more humdrum cameos I've seen in a Marvel film; seeing them again had little impact as an audience member. Martin Donovan, who played Mitchell Carson, was quite a weak antagonist; he really lacked screen presence and wasn't all that interesting.

Learning To Drive

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This film really explores culture, American racism and a woman regaining control of her life incredibly well. i would give Learning To Drive a 5.5/10.

This film is grounded in some really intricate themes which I really want to praise. Firstly we see a woman who's marriage falls apart and as an audience it is incredible to see her work towards finding a place of security again in such a real and convincing way. Further than this we are given a lot of knowledge and perspective around Sikh culture; there's an incredible subplot around arranged marriage that really drives the second half of the film. Another strong theme was the underlying American racism towards different cultures; many times we are presented moments of racism or stories of cultural difference that are some of the best scenes of the film. I also really enjoyed the cinematography within this film, the camera moved and focussed upon different things depending upon other people's perspectives.

Ben Kingsley, who played Darwan, was an incredible protagonist within this feature; Kingsley presents a character who is inherently quite calm and charming but who can also be enraged and beaten down. Sarita Choudhury, who played Jasleen, gave a fantastic subtle performance within this film; she presented the struggles of being in a foreign country without knowing the language or the people. Avi Nash, who played Preet, was a source of a lot of the film's comedy; Nash also presented the intense problems of being a foreigner in a country that has deep fears of terrorism.

However the best performance of this film came from Patricia Clarkson, who played Wendy. Clarkson has some incredible moments of grief and disorientation when we first see her within this film. But as the feature progresses she becomes quite a funny and cynical character. Her grief and loneliness is still very much there but we can see her healing. It takes a lot to portray such natural progression in a character but Clarkson manages it with ease. Her chemistry with Kingsley is perfect, in fact the pair together onscreen is the real highlight of the film.

The film itself does have pacing issues, it drags on a bit too long or pays too much attention to subplots or unnecessary scenes. Furthermore the editing within this film is very basic and takes away from the inspired cinematography; the cutting moves in a very standard way. The music within this film falls into the background and is very forgettable; the dull tone makes the film boring in places where it should be intense.

Grace Gummer, who played Tasha, had very little screen presence; she lacked connection with Clarkson and was very dull as a character. Jake Weber, who played Ted, lacked chemistry with Clarkson; he gives quite a pitiful performance and swiftly forgotten in the grand scheme of the film.

Ted 2

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I used to say Seth MacFarlane could make fantastic films even if I didn't like his shows; I have to say that I don't think I'll be saying that ever again. I would give Ted 2 a 3.5/10.

The parts of this film that were really enjoyable were the skit comedy moments; I use that term loosely and in the same way that you would describe Family Guy. Often enough there's a great piece of comedy or a pretty powerful message in Family Guy but you wouldn't describe the show as good. That's the exact same manner in which i would say the comedy and themes in Ted 2 were presented as good.

Mark Wahlberg, who played John, was a great main character; he brought a more grounded yet entertaining aspect to the film. Seth MacFarlane, who voiced Ted, was a great protagonist; he really drove the film and his comedy was phenomenal. Amanda Seyfried, who played Samantha, brought a really powerful presence to the film; in fact her defense of Ted was one of her best scenes in the film. Morgan Freeman, who played Patrick Meighan, was one of the stand out performances despite his minor number of scenes; Freeman gave a very strong character who could also be quite amusing. Patrick Warburton and Michael Dorn, who played Guy and Rick respectively, were really funny characters; they also portrayed a really half decent couple. John Slattery, who played Shep Wild, was perfect as a ruthless lawyer; he gave an incredibly engaging performance in one of the best scenes of the film.

However the best performance came from Liam Neeson, who played the Customer. Neeson parodied his classic action roles in a really funny way. There was nothing gratuitous about it, it was just a hell of a lot of fun. It's great to see that Neeson can parody himself in a light and amusing way. It also speaks volumes for the film that it's best performance came from a cameo to be fair.

The story of this film lost it's way, it didn't focus upon it's themes but rather it's low brow humour. This was an unfortunate direction for the film and was ultimately the reason it felt like it dragged on for an incredibly long period of time. The soundtrack for this film was all over the place, there were some amusing choices but the pick and choose nature of the songs wore thin. The cinematography was very basic, there wasn't a hell of a lot special about the choices made there. furthermore the special effects of Ted himself didn't stretch beyond what we've seen before; these were some incredibly basic 3D animation models.

Jessica Barth, who played Tami-Lynn, was a character who was all over the place in terms of her motivation and connections with other characters; this was very much an instance where they wasted an opportunity with a character who could have played a strong role. Giovanni Ribisi, who played Donny, was baffling to me; why they decided to bring him back as the main antagonist stupefies me. Sam J. Jones, who played Himself, was no longer the entertaining cameo that he was in the last film; now he was just a victim of MacFarlane's numerous crude jokes. John Carroll Lynch, who played Tom Jessup, was merely there to give Ribisi purpose; he wasn't a great antagonist or screen presence.

Terminator:Genisys

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Forget that dinosaur movie; this is the film that is really bringing an amazing franchise back to life. I would give Terminator: Genisys a 7.5/10.

This film boasts an incredible story that really revitalises the Terminator franchise; it delves into some very heavy and long winded explanantions but ultimately it just makes for some fantastic viewing. This film is incredibly well paced, the story progressing quite naturally. Furthermore this film has some of the best special effects that I have seen all year. The cinematography goes hand in hand with this, moving the film along with incredible shots. The score for this film was brilliant, really harking back to the classic terminator films of old.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, who played Pops, is really the heart and soul of this film and franchise; his presence in fight scenes or his comedic ability really serve this film for the better. Matt Smith, who played Skynet, was a fantastic new progression of the Terminator films; he brings the A.I. antagonist to life in a way that is quite terrifying and unique. Byung-hun Lee, who played the T-1000, brought a classic antagonist back to life; it's not easy to make a character who has maybe two lines seem cool but Lee brings a lethal force to life in the T-1000 role.

However the best performance came from Jason Clarke, who played John Connor. In fact Clarke gave the best John Connor performance out of all the Terminator films (and yes that includes the kid from Terminator 2). Clarke really built up a character who was enigmatic but who had a strong presence as action hero and leader in the beginning of the film. This established his strong chemistry with Courtney and made the scenes in the future some of the best. Clarke then moulded Connor's transformation to antagonist; creating a role that was still likeable and unpredictable but who also was incredibly lethal. One of the most interesting characters and plot developments of the series Clarke has truly left his mark upon the franchise.

One of the let downs of this film was that there were too many unnecessary action sequences, it really did look cool but it took away from the engaging plot. The fact that we had two sequences where the heroes wound up in police custody as well as two fights with John Connor before the final act was ridiculous.

Emilia Clarke, who played Sarah Connor, was one of the more disappointing leads in this film; she felt artificial in the role as if she was forcing the break away from the damsel in distress role (which frankly Sarah Connor already did way back in Terminator 2). Jai Courtney, who played Kyle Reese, was another disappointing lead for the film; he had very little chemistry with Emilia Clarke and it almost felt like they forced Kyle Reese back into having a significant role in the films. J.K. Simmons, who played O'Brien, wasn't a bad actor in this film so much as he was a redundant presence; it was annoying to see an Academy Award winning actor in a role that had no impact at all to the plot of the film. Dayo Okeniyi, who played Danny Dyson, was a nice reference but had no screen presence; essentially he had a fun scene with jason Clarke and was little more than a plot point.

Inside Out

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The animated film that will make adults cry. I would give Inside Out a 7.5/10.

The animation within this film is incredible; making a world out of a human mind by blending such vibrant colours and shapes. I think the design and presentation of the film on it's own is enough to really speak for the film. However beyond this we are shown a well paced film with some very engaging characters. The story itself is an incredibly metaphorical story about the human psyche and about growing up (as well as Depression and a whole list of incredible themes). This worked best when it stopped acting like a children's film and worked as an incredible story for all ages.

Amy Poehler, who voiced Joy, was an incredible lead; she really embraced her emotion but led the character's progress to the extent that we see her embrace Sadness as an emotion. Richard Kind, who voiced Bing Bong, was one of the most memorable characters of the film; in fact you grow so attached to him that when he is 'forgotten' it's remains as one of the saddest moments in the film. Mindy Kaling, who voiced Disgust, was an incredibly entertaining and amusing character; in fact she was such a sassy and strong comedic presence within this film. Kaitlyn Dias, who voiced Riley, was a fantastic viewpoint in this film; she showed what was happening within her mind in a really fantastic and engaging way. Diane Lane and Kyle MacLachlan, who voiced Mom and Dad respectively, are some really engaging characters within this film; the chemistry with Dias is incredible and it works to the advantage of the human element of this film.

The best performance within this film comes from Lewis Black, who voiced Anger. At first we see Anger as a source of comedy, albeit a bit darker than some of the lighter comedy in this film. However beyond some of the exceptional comedy elements this character presents where are shown something else entirely through Black's performance. Black guides a role that acts where an antagonist would normally act but who is entirely a protagonist in how they treat Riley. Anger takes us to some of the worst points for Riley and creates a fantastic third act.

Where this film suffered was where it fell into appealing to it's younger audiences; ultimately this was treated as a children's animated feature. But throughout you came to expect more from it than simple humour and moments, this film could have been a lot more powerful if it had moved away from dumbing down the story and the characters. The music within this feature is quite tame and falls into the backdrop more often than not, it certainly isn't something you come to remember strongly.

Phyllis Smith, who voiced Sadness, has a truly annoying voice; her character evolves little over the course of the film and brings the Joy plot down. Bill Hader, who voiced Fear, was a role that had little impact upon the story; in fact his over the top performance merely undermined some good scenes.

Love And Mercy

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While not the most incredible biopic I've ever seen, Love and Mercy is still an incredible feature. I would give Love and Mercy a 6/10.

This film excelled in dealing with Brian Wilson's psychology (both in the present and in the past); it really studied him as a character to a very thorough depth. The editing for this film was amazing, the sudden cutting or the way sounds were distorted to go hand in hand with the mentality of Brian Wilson was amazing. Beyond that the music for this film was brilliant, not a wild surprise as this was the biopic of a musical genius.

Paul Dano, who played Brian Past, presented one of his best performances to date; his constant falling into mood swings or bouts of psychosis are some of the most pivotal moments of the film.

However the best performance came from Paul Giamatti, who played Dr. Eugene Landy. Giamatti is an incredible actor who has embodied a wide variety of roles in his lifetime and was recently my favourite performance in San Andreas too. But this is probably one of his best in my honest opinion. He has this incredible precision in the film; often acting calm while honeying his words. But what really sets him apart are the incredible outbursts and fits of rage he has. This is a stand out performance and probably the best thing to watch within the film.

The narrative's pacing was definitely dragged out; not to mention that the cutting between present and past grew tiresome as the film moved onwards. Particularly because the present storyline was helmed by two characters who displayed very little chemistry. The cinematography for this film didn't have the same creativity that the editing displayed; in fact the shots for this feature were very basic to look at.

Elizabeth Banks, who played Melinda Ledbetter, had some very bad chemistry with Cusack in this film; their lack of chemistry and the fact that banks shouldn't have been footnoted as some romantic interest is a big reason why her performance really wasn't up to par in this film. John Cusack, who played Brian Future, was a terrible leading role; his over-exaggerated performance and gimmicky acting proved he didn't have the capacity to perform such an intense role. Jake Abel, who played Mike Love, had very little presence in this film; he just appeared from time to time in the past plot without much impact. Erin Darke, who played Marilyn Wilson, probably should have had more of a role than she did; ultimately she was just placed back into the plot where she absolutely was required. Bill Camp, who played Murry Wilson, was just a boisterous constant drone when he was in a scene; he had very little impact upon the film as a whole.

Far From the Madding Crowd

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This is without a doubt one of the worst period films this year. I would give Far From the Madding Crowd a 4.5/10.

What you have to admire about this film is the cinematography; it's a spectacular visual film and really it's quite artistic in the way it was shot.

Matthias Schoenaerts, who played Gabriel Oak, was a fantastic leading man; he had a very strong but subtle presence within this filme and always brought incredible emotion to every scene he was in. Jessica Barden, who played Liddy, was quite a great comedic character; Barden had a lot of chemistry with Mulligan and brought a high spirit to this film.

However the best performance easily came from Michael Sheen, who played William Boldwood. Sheen really put a lot into progressing his role from recluse to exuberant, nervous romantic. I think it took a lot to make a character so defined, he felt very natural and that natural feeling went hand in hand with his development as a character. Furthermore Sheen had incredible chemistry with everyone onscreen, his scenes always being the best. My particular favourite was the duet he had with Mulligan, he displayed an incredible voice that only added to his display of talent.

Despite it's great visuals this film was let down by it's blocky editing, poor cutting really took away from the aesthetic of the film. Furthermore the music wasn't great, aside from one duet scene between Mulligan and Sheen. The story itself was quite contrived with characters who often did acts that seemed very out of character, with a protagonist that wasn't very likeable or engaging at all. The film's pacing was incredibly bad with at least half an hour too much screen time.

Carey Mulligan, who played Bathsheba Everdene, was an awful protagonist; she constantly changed the way her role acted but in a way that wasn't so much character development as it was a complete undercutting of her own performance. Tom Sturridge, who played Sergeant Francis Troy, was an awful antagonist with a tendency to over-exaggerate his performance; his 'return from the dead' was a cringe worthy choice of plot development. Juno Temple, who played Fanny Robbin, was a character who served the plot when needed and otherwise had little presence; she was extremely frustrating as a character to watch.

Minions

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The latest in Dreamworks' downward spiral this 2015. I would give Minions a 4.5/10.

The thing that Minions did really well was have a constant string of fairly funny moments; it was the hilarious scenes that made the film any good.

Sandra Bullock, who voiced Scarlett Overkill, was quite a fun antagonist; her role was vicious but also incredibly entertaining in her major scenes. Michael Keaton and Allison Janney, who voiced Walter Nelson and Madge Nelson respectively, were hilarious as the modern American family turned criminal; the whimsical way they portrayed their characters really worked in tandem with the criminal element of their roles. Steve Carell, who voiced Young Gru, was one of the best things to happen in this film; his cameo embodied everything good and entertaining in the Despicable Me franchise.

However the best performance came from one of the characters Pierre Coffin voiced; Bob the Minion. Coffin's voice work on Bob was much better than the general noise of all the other Minions. in fact this film was only as entertaining as it was because of the way he portrayed Bob. Bob was immediately the more adorable character, with his fixation on his teddy and pet rat becoming scene stealers. He was also slotted more and more into the story as a main driving force, presumably because he was far more likeable than other Minion characters.

The story for this film was all over the place, the storyline kept jumping from random scenario to the next random scenario. As such the pacing for this film was pretty bad, you were left wanting the film to be over twenty minutes in. The animation for this film is another example of why Dreamworks is lagging behind these days; it's just all the same stuff they really don't work to have a new distinct look. Furthermore the soundtrack was terrible, I'm all for using music from the era the film is set in; but this film really struggled to create an original sound to it.

Jon Hamm, who voiced Herb Overkill, was a really annoying voice in this film; his character was kinda worthless without Bullock's but he clearly had no chemistry with her. Jennifer Saunders, who voiced The Queen, was just plain awful; it was annoying listening to such an over-exaggerated voice for the royal figure and it wasn't very original. Geoffrey Rush, who voiced The Narrator, was one of the worst choices they could have made to lead the story along; his tone wasn't exciting and it actually took away from the film more than anything. Pierre coffin, who voiced The Minions, really just made a lot of noise; despite his work on Bob the rest of the minion cast was just annoying and cheap gag humour surrounded by pretty generic noise making.

Man Up

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A film that is classic British comedy at it's finest. i would give Man Up a 7.5/10.

This review flaunts a perfect balance of comedy as well as charming romance plot; there is a sense that the film understands where it needs to be mature and where it needs to be immature. The movie is paced incredibly well, always progressing at a very natural pace. The soundtrack for this film was well picked with every track accompanying scenes flawlessly.

Lake Bell, who played Nancy, is a fantastic protagonist; while you take a bit to get used to her performance you soon realise that she has created a character that is natural and charming and awkward all unto herself. Ken Stott and Harriet Walter, who played Bert and Fran respectively, are incredibly sweet and have a ton of chemistry in their scenes; their characters are always the constant silver lining of the film.

However the best performance came from Simon Pegg, who played Jack. In this film Pegg brings a character to life who is incredibly natural and who works with Bell's performance in every way. His awkward charm makes him incredibly likeable from the get go but beyond that we see so much progression from him. His anger and frustration, even vindictiveness when he discovers Nancy's secret is well portrayed. It's only triumphed by the scene where he breaks down after meeting his ex-wife at the bar. A truly inspired performance.

Man Up really suffered from it's cinematography and editing, the film played it quite safe with it's shots and cuts. It didn't have a visual style that stood out.

Rory Kinnear, who played Sean, was probably one of my least favourite performances in this film; his acting way exaggerated going so far as to create a character that didn't even remotely feel real. Olivia Williams and Stephen Campbell Moore, who played Jack's Ex-wife and Ed respectively, gave very stiff performances; they shared little chemistry and Williams herself had no chemistry at all with Pegg. Sharon Morgan and Henry Lloyd-Hughes, who played Elaine and Daniel respectively, weren't exactly the centre of attention in this film; even when they were onscreen they lacked presence and swiftly faded back into the background. Ophelia Lovibond, who played Jessica, felt completely artificial; she had a habit of acting in a way that wasn't very realistic or grounded at all.

Hot Pursuit

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A comedy film that really isn't all that funny. I would give Hot Pursuit a 5.5/10.

What was good about this film is that they spent a lot of attention to the plot, constructing character development as well as a great amount of cause and effect scenarios.

Reese Witherspoon, who played Cooper, was a strong protagonist who played to the story a lot more than she did the comedy; I think Witherspoon had some beginnings in the field of comedy but is now meant for bigger things. Robert Kazinsky, who played Randy, made what could have been an annoying subplot actually quite good; the romance element of the film didn't feel forced and he presented quite a genuine role. Richard T. Jones, who played Detective Jackson, died far too quickly for my liking; his performance was fun but also showed the strong presence in an action scene that made his character so great.

However the best performance of the film came from Sofia Vergara, who played Daniella Riva. Vergara's role seemed ditzy at first and she played that up well. She also had a great amount to offer when it came to engaging in the more comedic moments of the film. However I think it was when we saw her character develop from her stories of her dead brother to a story of vengeance that we finally see why this film was more drama than comedy. it was because both of these actresses have a lot of talent and commitment to their roles but the film itself is not on the same level as Vergara or Witherspoon.

This film really suffered in it's lack of strong comedic moments, opting instead to focus solely on the plot and abandon it's genre at times. furthermore the pacing for this film felt really stretched out, which isn't a good thing for a short comedy film such as this one. To top this the soundtrack for the movie was very forgettable and didn't bring much to the scenes. The cinematography and editing for this film was very basic and standard shots and cutting; the was no effort to do anything outside the box.

Matthew Del Negro and Michael Mosley, who played Detectives Hauser and Dixon respectively, were just glorified henchmen; they has screen time enough to have a presence in the film but strongly lacked one; it really just felt as if they were placed into scenes then left the film untilm they were next needed. Joaquin Cosio, who played Vincente Cortez, was a major let down as the film's major antagonist; he wasn't intimidating and he hadn't been dealt enough scenes for us to care about his role in the film. John Carroll Lynch, who played Captain Emmett, was the plot twist no one cared about; his sudden betrayal was nowhere near enough to make the character exciting and Lynch made the role feel mundane.

Jurassic World

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While it is an incredible film, Jurassic World falls just short of the hype. I would give Jurassic World a 7.5/10.

This film is a huge trip of nostalgia to anyone who watched the original trilogy, the great amount of references is what makes this film a solid part of the Jurassic series. Not to mention some of the big scenes that this film built to standing out as some of the bigger blockbuster moments of the year. The cinematography was an incredible thing to behold, gifting us with the expansive views of the park as well as giving some sharp and fast shots with the high action. The special effects were incredible, the dinosaurs looked very realistic. And then you have that score that sends you back in time; despite not matching the mood of the scene in some places the score of this film is something to really appreciate.

Chris Pratt, who played Owen, is a fantastic lead; not to mention his scenes with the raptors are some of the more treasured in the film. Irrfan Khan, who played Masrani, was one of the best performances of the film; his light and candid nature really made him quite relateable and his death was the one that hit home the most. Ty Simpkins, who played Gray, is one of the best child actors upcoming in Hollywood; his role balances comedic but also this incredible intellect that is refreshing to see in a younger character. Jake Johnson, who played Lowery, was without a doubt the funniest character in the film; you look at his t-shirt or the toy dinosaurs or even the almost a kiss scene and you'll easily see why.

However the best performance in the film came from an actor who wasn't even in it much; BD Wong, who played Dr. Henry Wu. Wong created a character you couldn't easily predict, which really developed the mystery around him. His arrogant but proud scientist really stole scenes. But the best aspect about him was how he pointed out the corporate flaws with the park as opposed to the flaws with the science. I hope we see him again in an inevitable sequel!

Jurassic World's flaw was that it struggled with it's pacing. The start took way too long to get under way, then there was a long middle where a lot of action happened but the ending was very abrupt and filled with ridiculous plot twists. Not to mention the fact that the antagonist of the film felt like something out of a Godzilla film with the writers combining a t-rex and a raptor rather lazily into one baddie.

Bryce Dallas Howard, who played Claire, was an awful leading lady; her serious controlling scientist personality kept mixing with this weird flirty sudden badass motherly role. Vincent D'Onofrio, who played Hoskins, can only be described as anti-climatic as an antagonist; the purpose of his character was kind of unclear and he seemed to just make bad calls for the hell of it by the end of the film. Nick Robinson, who played Zach, was the token teenager who looks at hot chicks; half of the film he was just looking at girls to the extent that you just didn't care when he started developing into something else. Omar Sy, who played Barry, had very little screen presence and lacked chemistry with most of his fellow actors; you stopped paying attention to him in the scenes he was in. Judy Greer, who played Karen, had one of the most over the top performances in the film; she treated her role like pantomime and was easily the worst performance.

Entourage

This review may contain spoilers!

Without a doubt one of the better comedy films to have come out this year. I would give Entourage a 7/10.

This film is a shining example of how you translate a tv show to film, effortlessly pacing it's main story while paying attention to the numerous subplots that were constantly being dealt. The comedy within this film was complemented by a rather well thought out plot and so worked in tandem extremely effectively. The soundtrack for this film was very well utilised, displaying comedy as well as setting up some of the film's best moments. The cinematography of Entourage was another great point, there were some incredible shots that really earnt this film a grand scale look.

Adrian Grenier, who played Vince, was a great leading protagonist; his performance was exceptional in the scenes he was in but he knew how to step back and let others play more pivotal roles where need be. Kevin Dillon, who played Johnny Drama, was one of the film's chief comedic talents; the bravado of his character mixed with the cocky suave performance made him one of my favourite characters in the film. Jerry Ferrara, who played Turtle, was a very charming role; Ferrara really embodied this sweet and likable character incredibly well. Haley Joel Osment, who played Travis McCredle, was a fantastic antagonist; his rude and arrogant 'rich kid' really became a character that you disliked as an audience member. Ronda Rousey, who played herself, was one of the more interesting people to watch in this film; her role was very charming and she had some great chemistry with Ferrara. Alan Dale, who played John Ellis, stole the show in the couple of scenes he was in; his sour executive really stood strongly against Piven's fantastic performance. Billy Bob Thornton, who played Larsen McCredle, really works well as a man with power; Thornton brought a feeling of power to the role while also grounding the character with some excellent values. Thierry Henry, T.I, Gary Busey, Jon Favreau, Mike Tyson, Pharrell Williams, Liam Neeson, Kelsey Grammar, Chad Lowe, Mark Wahlberg, David Spade, Jessica Alba, Armie Hammer and George Takei, who all played themselves, were highlights in this incredible film; the constant slew of cameos really set this film apart from many others that came out this year.

However the best performance came from Jeremy Piven, who played Ari Gold. Piven was perhaps the character with the best lines as well as line delivery; making him one of the funniest talents attached to the film. Piven also proved to be the figurehead for the plot, really driving the film in a way that made him the most memorable. It was clear that Piven had fantastic chemistry with his co-stars in whatever scene he was in. All in all an incredible performance.

Entourage was disadvantaged by it's constant sexual referencing and offensive language, there was too much and it took away from some of the more witty comedy in the film. I also thought that there wasn't much in terms of surprises in the film, every twist was incredibly predictable. The editing in Entourage didn't stand as a testament to the incredible cinematography; instead there was nothing but quite basic cutting.

Kevin Connolly, who played Eric, was a very timid performance to watch; he was far too restrained and didn't have the energy that the rest of the main cast did. Emmanuelle Chriqui, who played Sloan, wasn't a very interesting love interest; her pregnancy was quite a forgettable subplot. Perrey Reeves, Debi Mazar, Rhys Coiro and Constance Zimmer, who played Mrs Ari, Shauna, Billy Walsh and Dana Gordon respectively, were all clearly characters from the tv show that weren't going to translate well to the big screen; basically being shoehorned into minimal roles in the plot. Rex Lee, who played Lloyd, was rather annoying to watch; he often went and overexaggerated his performance which completely pulled me out of whatever scene he was in. Emily Ratajkowski, who played herself, was a terrible love interest and ultimately felt more like a plot device than a well developed character.