ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS (U) (Vue, Cheshire Oaks, weekend matinees)

ALVIN and the Chipmunks are something of a phenomenon in the States where they have managed to produce more than 10 albums of squeaky voiced pop. Jason Lee leads the otherwise unknown ‘human’ cast while Alvin himself is voiced by Justin Long.

STAR RATING: **

THE BANK JOB (15) (All major cinemas)

A BOND director at the helm, the creators of Porridge providing the script and action man Jason Statham on home turf in London, this is a promising crime caper about a reformed crook who is tempted into carrying out a job which has massive implications for national security.

STAR RATING: ***

BE KIND REWIND (12A) (Vue, Cheshire Oaks)

LIKE much of director Michel Gondry’s work, this has the potential to be a love it or hate it affair, this time based on whether or not you find an over the top Jack Black remotely amusing and whether you buy into the concept of Black and Mos Def remaking such blockbuster movies as Robocop and The Lion King after Black inadvertently erases every tape in a video store.

STAR RATING: **

BLACK SUN (PG) (Clwyd Theatr Cymru, Mold, Thursday only)

GARY Tam’s documentary about painter and film-maker Hugues de Montalembert who was blinded in a random attack while living in New York.

STAR RATING: ***

BRICK LANE (15) (Clwyd Theatr Cymru, Mold, Saturday-Monday)

SARAH Gavron’s film, based on Monica Ali’s best selling novel, follows the fortunes of an Asian family living in London.

STAR RATING: ***

THE BUCKET LIST (12A) (Vue, Cheshire Oaks)

TWO old men (Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman) dying of cancer decide to travel the world on a thrill fest, ticking off items on a list of things they always wanted to do before they kick the bucket.Romero is one of the few working in the genre who is also keen to engage minds while still pandering to the desire for gross style gore.

STAR RATING: **

THE GAME PLAN (U) (All major cinemas)

EX-WRESTLER The Rock, as part of his transition into the actor Dwayne Johnson, stars in this by the numbers Disney family movie about an ace American football player whose perfect life is disrupted when he finally encounters the eight year old he never knew he had.

STAR RATING: **

HANNAH MONTANA/MILEY CYRUS: BEST OF BOTH WORLDS 3-D (U) (Vue, Cheshire Oaks)

IF YOU don’t have a family member who fits the appropriate demographic, Hannah Montana is the biggest star on the Disney Channel, idolised by armies of pre-teen girls and played by Miley Cyrus, daughter of Billy Ray Cyrus who had a hit with Achy Breaky Heart in the 80s. This 3-D film sees the young star belting out forgettable pop tunes.

STAR RATING: **

HORTON HEARS A WHO! (U) (All major cinemas)

JIM Carrey returns to the world of Dr Seuss for the first time since playing The Grinch but this time we only get to hear him in this animated treat. He gives voice to hero Horton of the title, an elephant who discovers a tiny world exists on the top of a clover.

STAR RATING: **

I DO (15) (Clwyd Theatr Cymru, Mold, Tuesday-Wednesday)

ERIC Lartigau directs this romantic drama starring Alain Chabat as Luis, a happily single 40-something whose mother and five sisters are driving him crazy with their schemes to find him a wife.

STAR RATING: **

JUMPER (12A) (Vue, Cheshire Oaks)

HAYDEN Christensen makes his most determined effort yet to avoid Mark Hamill syndrome and find a career beyond Star Wars with this action oriented vehicle based on a popular series of novels by Steven Gould.

STAR RATING: **

JUNO (12A) (Vue, Cheshire Oaks)

SMART, witty comedy about teenage pregnancy, starring the remarkable Ellen Page as a 16 year old who decides one day that it’s time to try sex and recruits best pal Michael Cera for the purpose. Inevitably, she ends up pregnant.

STAR RATING: ****

LA VIE EN ROSE (12A) (Clwyd Theatr Cymru, Mold, Friday only)

MARION Cotilliard beat a strong field to the Best Actress Oscar for her searing portrayal of the legendary Edith Piafin Oliver Dahan’s biopic of the singer’s remarkable but tragic life. Also starring Gerard Depardieu.

STAR RATING: ***

MEET THE SPARTANS (12A) (All major cinemas)

THERE are really only two things you need to know about this lame spoof: 1. It is a belated parody of last year’s surprise hit action epic 300 which was so camp itself that any single unintentional moment of hilarity was funnier than any of the intentional ones here; 2. The team behind it were also responsible for Spy Hard, Epic Movie and Date Movie and so therefore are still seeking their first genuine big screen laugh.

STAR RATING: *

NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (18) (Vue, Cheshire Oaks)

HAILED as the greatest picture Joel and Ethan Coen have made to date – which is saying something – and that reputation has been further enhanced thanks to its four Oscar successes.

STAR RATING: ****

THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL (12A) (All major cinemas)

THE idea of an innocent Scarlett Johansson and a flirtatious Natalie Portman as the Boleyn sisters Mary and Anne vying for the attentions of lusty Eric Bana as Henry VIII is positively irresistable.

STAR RATING: ***

PENELOPE (PG) (Vue, Cheshire Oaks, weekend matinees)

AN UGLY Duckling tale lies at the heart of this curiosity about a young woman (Christina Ricci) from an eccentric family who was born with a pig’s nose due to an old curse.

STAR RATING: **

SEMI-PRO (15) (All major cinemas)

A BASKETBALL comedy will always have its work cut out finding a decent audience in the UK even with Will Ferrell as its star. What’s more, it’s a period piece which deals with a time in the 70s when two big basketball leagues decided to join forces.

STAR RATING: **

THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES (PG) (All major cinemas)

PROMISING family film based on the best selling books in which twin brothers and their sister find themselves pulled into a world of faeries and other magical creatures.

STAR RATING: ***

STEP UP 2 THE STREETS (PG) (All major cinemas)

THE raunchy poster tends to suggest this is a hot and steamy street wise look at hip hop dancing, likely to be punctuated by scenes of sex and violence. In fact, so innocent are the protagonists and so safe the scenarios they play out, it might as well be street dance according to Disney.

STAR RATING: **

10,000 BC (12A) (All major cinemas)

THE man who made blockbusters like Independence Day and The Day After Tomorrow takes centre stage with this absurd but entertaining romp through the Ice Age.

STAR RATING: **

UNDERDOG (U) (Vue, Cheshire Oaks, weekend matinees)

DISNEY delves into the archives of 60s TV to revive a fondly remembered (in the States at least) cartoon comedy series about a stray dog who gets a DNA zap and is transformed into a mutt with super powers.

STAR RATING: **

UNTRACEABLE (18) (Vue, Cheshire Oaks)

FANS of Seven with a strong stomach will enjoy this serial killer thriller which manages to be intelligent while still satisfying the Saw bloodlust market.

STAR RATING: ***

VANTAGE POINT (12A) (All major cinemas)

A SENSATIONAL cast find themselves at the centre of a movie that lives or dies by the audience’s acceptance of a gimmicky device you are likely to love or hate. Set in Spain during a US Presidential visit, the main event takes place right at the start when there is a massive explosion and President Ashton (William Hurt) is shot.

STAR RATING: **

THE WATER HORSE (PG) (All major cinemas)

HIGH quality British family film which plays fast and loose with the Loch Ness legend but does it so delightfully, you won’t hold it against the picture.

STAR RATING: ***

COMING SOON

April 4: NEVER BACK DOWN (Amber Heard)

April 4: SON OF RAMBOW (Jessica Hynes)

April 11:

Dates subject to change.