The Campaign

Director: Jay Roach (Meet the Parents & Austin Powers)
Starring: Will Ferrell & Zach Galifianakis
Running Time: 85 mins

"My heart is beating so fast it's like a phonebook in a dryer!" Don't ask me what that means but expect more of those 'gems' throughout the film. Off the bat I gotta say that Ferrell & Galifianakis' chemistry is great but I was hoping for a little more. I preferred his 'tangos' with Sascha Baron Cohen and even Mark Wahlberg but I think sticking two high profile comedians deft in the art of ad-libbing together in one film, was too much. If you've watched the trailer, you've pretty much seen all the funny parts. There were a few surprise cameos for me though including the 67 year old, John Lithgow. Kudos should also go to Dermot Mulroney who is brilliant as the underhanded campaign manager. Overall it's a fun movie with a few laugh out loud moments but I think I'd rather see the two of them in separate movies from now on.

Taken 2

Director: Olivier Megaton (Transporter 3 & Colombiana)
Starring: Liam Neeson (Schindler's List & The Grey); Famke Janssen (X-Men & Taken)
Running Time: 91 Minutes

With an opening weekend in the US of $50m, there should be no doubt in your mind that wanting to go and watch Neeson kick some ass is a priority! It's the same 'plot' per say however this time, Neeson get's kidnapped! Before you know it though, he's out of the pickle and starts his rain of beat downs and monotone dialogue on the baddies all with some help from his daughter. It was overall a very enjoyable but fairly predictable movie that came to an end pretty quickly. My only gripe, the fight scenes were shot badly. I wanted to see exactly how he disarmed the thug, snuck his fist into his left nostril and broke his right leg all at the same time...but alas, you're left feeling dizzy from the short, sharp shots! Pity. I'm not gonna give you anything more about the story but I will leave you with this quote that sends shivers down my spine everytime I remember it: "If I kill you, your other sons will come and seek revenge and I will kill them too."

Dredd - The Judge has returned

Director: Pete Travis (Vantage Point & Endgame)
Starring: Karl Urban (Star Trek & Red); Lena Heady (300, Game of Thrones); Olivia Thirlby
Running Time: 95 mins

Judgement has come! Finally after over 15 years, Dredd, the way he was intended, has come to save the world. Ok, it's only one building so far. There's not a moment to breath as the movie opens with a high speed car chase along Johannesburg's M1 through swarms of taxis and Putco busses. Oh sorry, I didn't tell you, Dredd was shot mostly in Joburg and Cape Town. Once the first perp is caught, it's almost non-stop, gut spewing, head exploding, cheek ripping, eye gouging gratuitous violence from there. Dredd (played by the relatively unknown Karl Urban) is a no-nonsense judge who has no qualms dishing out beatings and death sentences on the spot and along with his psychic rookie partner, Anderson (Olivia Thirlby) they follow an extremely simple storyline to catch the baddy. The baddy, Ma-ma, is played by Lena Headey (you'll remember her as the incestuous Cersei Lannister from Game of Thrones) and even with her scars and rotten teeth, she's still sexy. Not too keen on the performance though. Nonetheless, if you're up for a proper hour & a half escape with guns, killing and slo-mo, then you're gonna enjoy this. My best parts of the film, when people inhale the drug 'Slo-mo'...the 3D effects really are very pretty. And apparently this might just become a trilogy...that's all for now.

To Rome With Love (as funded by Romans)

For some reason I've never been a fan of Woody Allen movies, maybe it's because I've felt intellectually inferior, however I decided it's finally time to grow up and go watch one of his films. The result, pleasantly surprised. To Rome With Love is wonderfully written and the performances were equally as enchanting. From the opera singer who can only perform in the shower to the wide eyed 'country girl' who faces the dilemma of wanting to sleep with a famous actor. From the man who wakes up famous (yes, literally) to Penelope Cruz's character as a prostitute. Now, if, like me, you have never been to Rome, then best you get yourself to your closest cinema because this has to be hands down one of the best guides to Rome out there. Which is not surprising seeing as though the movie was basically funded by Roman investors. I'm glad to see that those little cobblestone alleyways and hanging plant baskets do actually exist. Picturesque! My only gripe...it's just a wee bit too long with a running time of 112 minutes. By the end of it you're like please just wrap things up. Oh yeah, and Alec Baldwin's role...I'm still confused.