THE BOAT THAT ROCKED (15)
LOVE Actually screenwriter turns director for this entertaining tale of pirate radio stations which briefly ruled the airwaves during the 1960s. His story focuses on one station, run by Bill Nighy and staffed by a myriad of colourful characters.
STAR RATING: **
BOLT (PG)
OFTEN resembling a canine Truman Show, this Disney animated feature has pint-sized acting dog Bolt (voiced by John Travolta) believing he really is a mutt with superpowers like the character he plays in a hit TV series. Convinced his on screen owner Penny (Miley Cyrus) has been kidnapped, Bolt ends up on the streets of Manhattan, increasingly puzzled as to why his powers have deserted him.
STAR RATING: ***
DRAGONBALL EVOLUTION (PG)
GOOFY and awkward teenager Goku (Justin Chatwin) lives with his grandfather Gohan (Randall Duk Kim) and is viewed as a joke by his peers. Little does Goku realise that he is destined to fulfil an ancient prophecy by defeating the dastardly Lord Piccolo (James Marsters) and his snivelling sidekick Mai (Eriko Tamura), who seek seven mystical and powerful dragonballs.
STAR RATING: **
FROST/NIXON (15)
RON Howard directs this adaptation of Peter Morgan’s stage pay, recreating David Frost’s infamous interviews with Richard Nixon following Watergate. Featuring stunning performances from Michael Sheen and Frank Langella. Showing at Clwyd Theatr Cymru in Mold from Friday-Monday.
STAR RATING: ***
THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT (15)
BASED on a true story, Peter Cornwell's supernatural thriller revolves around a close-knit family pushed to the brink by unseen forces resident in their new home.
Martin Donovan and Virginia Madsen move to upstate Connecticut with their family into a beautiful home which just happens to be a former funeral parlour. Before long, evil spirits are threatening to tear the family apart.
STAR RATING: **
LESBIAN VAMPIRE KILLERS (15)
JAMES Corden and Mathew Horne from Gavin & Stacey tread the well worn path from small screen sitcom to big screen movie with a horror spoof that wedges a tongue in cheek and a stake in its heart. Unfortunately, it's a poor choice for the leads to showcase their undeniable talents. The tone throughout is juvenile, ogling the frequently topless female cast and littering the script with puerile humour and copious expletives. Lesbian Vampire Killers may be many thingsbut sophisticated certainly isn't one of them.
STAR RATING: **
MARLEY & ME (PG)
OWEN Wilson and Jennifer Aniston team up for a soppy comedy which is family friendly, has been a massive hit in the States and is an absolute cert for dog lovers as a troublesome puppy causes all kinds of problems for a childfree couple.
STAR RATING: **
MONSTERS VS ALIENS (PG)
OUT of this world computer animated adventure packed with dazzling visuals, wild and wacky characters and some genuinely funny moments. Apart from a bride to be growing to 49 feet tall, there isn’t a lot of story to it beyond what is explained in the title but this is one children’s family no fun-loving adult will object to.
STAR RATING: ***
PAUL BLART: MALL COP (PG)
SIZE matters, especially when deciding who to poke fun at, in Steve Carr's politically incorrect, comic spin on Die Hard, set in a New Jersey shopping centre under siege from armed robbers. Instead of lean, mean Bruce Willis in a sweaty-drenched vest, Paul Blart: Mall Cop places its trust in the sweaty palms of an overweight, lovesick father, whose dreams of joining the state police are thwarted by his body.
STAR RATING: **
RACE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN (PG)
ETs phone home from the Nevada desert in Andy Fickman's special effects-laden reworking of the Disney adventure Escape To Witch Mountain. Almost 30 years after the original, this slick and sprightly revamp ticks all of the boxes with ruthless efficiency, introducing a dog at the halfway point to increase the ahh factor for family audiences.
STAR RATING: ***
17 AGAIN (12A)
A MAGIC whirlpool enables thirtysomething Matthew Perry to transform into teen beefcake Zac Efron in this wish fulfilment comedy that plays shamelessly to the High School Musical crowd, even to the extent of throwing in a production number! But Efron’s effortless charm carries the movie well and he handles the comedy with consummate ease.
STAR RATING: ***
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (15)
OSCAR night glory came eight times for this phenomenal film. It has no stars whatsoever, is set on the teeming streets of India, is directed by maverick Brit Danny Boyle and has India’s version of the hit TV quiz show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? at the very heart of its story!
STAR RATING: ****
VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA (12A)
WOODY Allen’s superb latest is a sumptuously filmed tale of two American girls - Scarlett Johansson and Rebecca Hall - who spend a summer in Barcelona where their friendship with local artist Juan (Javier Bardem) points out how very different their personalities are. Featuring an Oscar winning supporting performance from Penelope Cruz. Showing at Clwyd Theatr Cymru in Mold on Tuesday and Wednesday.
STAR RATING: ***
