Reviews by Kyle Ellis

I thoroughly enjoyed the first two Batman movies, and although Tim Burton didn't return and replaced by Joel Schummacher I decided to give Batman Forever a chance. The film isn't as good or as dark as the first two films, but it is a huge improvement over Batman and Robin, the less said about that film the better. Anyway, this film is quite possibly the fastest and the funniest of the series, but despite all this there are some hit and miss elements. Chris O'Donnell is annoying and lifeless as Robin, the script has its weak spots despite some terrific lines from Jim Carrey and while Nicole Kidman was bearable, her character could have been written better. However, it is stylishly filmed with Oscar-nominated photography and excellent special effects, the direction is surprisingly more efficient and the action hurls along at an exciting and breakneck pace. The acting is good on the most part with Val Kilmer brooding as Batman and Michael Gough perfect as Alfred. The villains steal the show though, while Tommy Lee Jones is excellent as usual as Two Face Jim Carrey is the one with the best lines and delivery as the Riddler. Overall, hit and miss but a decent entry in the Batman franchise. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Actually, Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls is not quite as bad as this summary suggests. Though that is not to say that this film is good, for me it isn't. The film does look good, it was interesting to see the likes of Simon Callow and he especially does bring some dignity and like in the first Jim Carrey does a fine job carrying the film. However the plot is very predictable and flimsy, and the direction lacks the energy and imagination of that of the first. The film also could have done with being longer consequently some of the characters lacked credibility. Also the pace is not as snappy and smart, when the humour fell flat(like it did one too many times) it felt like a balloon had been popped. The slapstick is very juvenile here, while the script is more childish than sophisticated and for me that was a bad idea. Overall, disappointing but thanks to Carrey it is at least watchable if nothing to go wild about. 4/10 Bethany Cox

While Ace Ventura:Pet Detective is not my favourite of Jim Carrey's movie, it is a lot of fun. It may be a tad too short, and some of the silliness is overdone. But even with any problems, that still doesn't change the fact that I enjoyed this film immensely. The film looks good with the cinematography and scenery top notch. The script is incredibly funny and I like to quote it too. The story is quite silly, but it is a nice one too, and the film is also very snappily paced. Tom Shadyac's direction is also very energetic and imaginative. This was the film that made Jim Carrey an overnight sensation and a fine one it is too to receive that honour. He is excellent in this film, his style of humour mayn't be for everybody, but when he is at his best he is funny or nicely understated as he is in his dramas. All in all, fast, furious and fun. 8/10 Bethany Cox

I like comedy when it is funny. I have to admit though, apart from Punch Drunk Love, Reign Over Me, Spanglish, The Wedding Singer, 50 First Dates and Happy Gilmore I have never liked Adam Sandler. I often find his acting style irritating, his characters unlikeable and apart from five or six exceptions his films poorly written with not much point to them.

As much as I didn't think much of Little Nicky, You Don't Mess With the Zohan, Funny People and I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry(generally Anger Management, The Longest Yard, Click and The Waterboy I had mixed feelings on) neither of them are as painful to watch as this one. The trailer was enough to make me wish the ground had swallowed me up, and the film managed to be every bit as bad.

So why did I see Jack and Jill in the first place if I didn't like Sandler? One reason really. Al Pacino. I consider this man a great actor, and this is not just The Godfather, Dog Day Afternoon, Scent of a Woman and Carlito's Way as I consider his performance in Godfather Part II one of the all-time great male performances.

When I saw the movie on Tinyurl, having an inkling it would be bad but Pacino would be at least decent, in my opinion this is as awful as I was hearing. This is not just Adam Sandler's worst film, but also one of the worst of the year and one of the worst I've seen recently.

Jack and Jill is a cheap-looking movie, with not much attention to slick editing or continuity and the lighting also manages to be dull. Of Sandler's movies, Jack and Jill is perhaps the worst-directed, because the director throughout seemed to be rushing through it. The soundtrack at best is forgettable, and doesn't seem dynamic with what's going on on screen.

The acting is awful. Adam Sandler is a big part of the film's problem. None of his characters are likable, instead they are very annoying and Sandler's performance is samey and irritating throughout. Not only that, Jill is introduced too quickly with a severe lack of build-ups, and Sandler as a woman in all honesty is not pretty, sorry I had to say.

I was hoping that Al Pacino would elevate just a little bit, as he was the only redeeming quality of Gigli, another example of a bad film. Alas, he spends the entire movie looking bored, almost as if what am I doing here, and the performance reads very much of him playing himself. The cameos don't engage either, they are not funny, in fact pretty much nobody seems to have a sense of comic timing, and just come and go. Nicky Swardson fares best, surprising seeing as I don't regard him very highly either.

Worse are the script, characters and story. In regards to the script and the humour, Jack and Jill fails utterly. The dialogue is atrocious, very immature and hackneyed, while the physical and visual humour just left a bad taste in the mouth. I get that it was meant to be funny and not to be exactly subtle, but the poop jokes for example got really embarrassing and left me more disgusted than amused.

Story-wise, Jack and Jill lacks any kind of structure, it all feels very broken and rushed. As for the characters, they are either annoying, shallow or both, I finished the film not only not caring for them but also forgetting them.

All in all, Sandler's worst movie and one of the worst(I think only Bucky Larson: Born to be a Star, a movie I saw out of curiosity with little else to do, was worse) of a very hit-and-miss year. 0/10 Bethany Cox

I love Pixar and feel they have been pretty consistent. True I do prefer Toy Story over Cars and Finding Nemo over Ratatouille, but I find their films amazingly animated and thrilling. I thought that after the first two Toy Story films, that Pixar wouldn't be able to make a film to top them. WALL-E, yes I loved it, came pretty close, but in my opinion Up is Pixar's masterwork. And why do I say that? Because it is widely imaginative and astonishing in its emotional range.

First of all, the animation is stupendous, beautiful backgrounds, beautifully drawn characters and stunning colours. The scenery and sights are just fantastic, down to the colour and visual detail that went into the film. Michael Giacchino's music is stunning as well, simple yet melodious and sublime. And I do have to concur with the majority about the opening montage; Finding Nemo had some beautiful moments and WALL-E's haunting isolation moved me close to tears but this opening montage was so poignant and utterly heart-breaking. It is quite simply one of the most beautiful and effective beginnings ever to an animated film.

I have heard complaints that the story meanders when the talking dogs are introduced and that they were irritating. Can I respectfully disagree? What I loved about Up was how widely imaginative it was, in short why shouldn't a dog talk? It's an animated film, why does it have to COMPLETELY realistic? Elephants don't fly, look at what Disney did with Dumbo.The story, back on target was well written, thrilling and startling with a sense of adventure with enough action and high-flying escapism for kids and adults. The script had some truly hilarious and surreal moments, while Toy Story had wonderful sophisticated dialogue, the dialogue in Up made me laugh and it made me cry.

And finally the characters, I loved them all, grumpy old widower Carl, stowaway Russell, eccentric adventurer Charles Muntz, the big bird and the hilarious Doug. Russell may be a tad annoying at first, but he grows on you. The voice acting is exceptional- Carl is voiced with real demeanour and depth by Ed Asner and Christopher Plummer, the wonderful underrated actor he is, is superb as Charles Muntz. But I do have to give mention to Bob Peterson, he is simply brilliant as Doug, he is really funny when he needs to be and never overdoes it.

Overall, this is a wonderful film. There may be controversy over how Beauty and the Beast is no longer the only animated film to be nominated for best picture. Beauty and the Beast has been and always will be my favourite animated film and one of my favourite films of all time (The Lion King is a very close second), but Up is a great film and does deserve an award of some kind. 10/10 Bethany Cox

I know this movie is long, but it is a timeless musical nonetheless. The thing i loved most was the songs by Rodgers and Hammerstein. They are amazing, and make the movie what it is. Another reason why I love it is the magnificent performance of Julie Andrews as Maria, a young woman who wishes for a better life, I suppose. Maria is pretty, with a beautiful voice, mixed with brashness and sadness, all the qualities that Andrews gives to her performances. The only film she disappoints slightly in is Thoroughly Modern Millie. The choreography is superb, as well as the supporting cast, from the likes of Christopher Plummer and co. i can't pick a favourite scene, but who can forget the opening and the "Do ah Dear" sequence? i also thought the children were sweet and the film had a number of clever subplots, like Liesels's secret love. 10/10 for a musical, that should be in the top 250. It was number 2 on the Greatest Musicals, losing out to Grease. Bethany Cox

This absolutely delightful film has everything I love in a musical, and is definitely one of the greatest musicals ever made.(I love them) I personally think the film's main merit is the electrifying choreography, evident in the songs, Make Em Laugh, Roses, Good Morning and especially Broadway Melody.As for the songs, they are superb, and quite rightly some of the finest in the history of musicals, and somehow they remind me of Easter Parade. The performances give a rare sense of energy and charm, particularly Gene Kelly as Donald Lockwood, also co-director. His rendition of the title is possibly the most famous scene in the movie, and is pretty extraordinary. Donald O'Connor is hilarious as Cosmo and Debbie Reynolds, with her lovely appearance and fabulous voice is perfectly appealing. Jean Hagen is quite hysterical as Lina, the source of the film's ongoing joke, that her character can't act, dance or sing, and her acting in the talkie was intentionally laughable. Also nice to see the beautiful long-legged Cyd Charisse and Rita Moreno. (best known for Anita in West Side Story)The plot mayn't be the best merit of the film, but with everything else so good, it is such a minor criticism. All in all, a wonderful film, that is well worth watching for the song and dance numbers alone. 10/10 Bethany Cox.