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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 is a Fantasy Action Adventure and the penultimate entry to the Harry Potter Film series. Directed by David Yates, the film stars Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley and Emma Watson as Hermione Granger.
On a whole, the film is generally well shot and there is many an occasion when the immersive and engaging cinematography helps grab your attention and pull you into the world of the film. For example, there is one particularly interesting and engaging sequence involving the telling of the Deathly Hallows story.
X-Men: First Class 
X-Men: First Class is a Science Fiction Action Adventure and the fifth instalment in the Comic Book Movie franchise, which started with the original X-Men back in 2000. Directed by Matthew Vaughn, the film stars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult and Kevin Bacon.
First Class is a prequel to the original X-Men trilogy that explores the origins of the X-Men but focuses primarily on the relationship between Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and Erik Lehnsherr (Michael Fassbender) and their shared story over the course of the film.
War Horse 
War Horse is an action adventure directed by Steven Spielberg and stars Jeremy Irvine as Albert. It is an adaptation of the Michael Morpurgo novel of the same name.
The story centres around the relationship between a young man and his horse and the journey they go on, both together and on their own. The story follows them as they both journey across the world and become separated and then reunited with each other over a period of many years. Although being a simple concept, the story is executed brilliantly as we as the audience are able to follow both of their lives over the course of a long period of time and it feels as if we are on that journey…
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol is the latest instalment in the Action thriller franchise, directed by Brad Bird and starring Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt.
Although being the fourth instalment in the on going film series that started almost 20 years ago, Ghost Protocol feels like a fresh start to the franchise and the beginning of a new trilogy. The film also marks Pixar regular Brad Bird’s directorial debut of a live action film and he more than delivers. Despite only ever directing animated films before this, he proves himself to be a great director of live action, combining smart, well-executed action with a gripping fast paced story.
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is the sequel to 2009’s solid action adventure, which successfully reinvented the franchise as a big action blockbuster while still retaining the classic crime-solving mystery drama.
A Game of Shadows is directed once again by Guy Ritchie and stars Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law who return as Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson.
Despite the first film not being an origin story is still had to set up the world of the film and introduce us to certain characters which caused it too slow down in pace at certain moments.
Chronicle
Chronicle is a Science-Fiction Thriller directed by Josh Trank (his directorial debut), written by Max Landis and based on a story by both. The film stars Dane Dehaan, Michael B. Jordan and Alex Russell as three teenage friends who after discovering an unusual object become imbued with extraordinary telekinetic powers. The film was an unexpected hit and as a result, Trank was given the reigns of the new Fantastic Four reboot due to be released Summer 2015.
I have to admit, I was late to the game with Chronicle having only seen it for the first time recently. I was aware of the film and knew a lot about it, I just wasn’t in any rush to see it.
The Woman in Black
The Woman in Black is a modern remake of the 1989 horror thriller and is directed by James Watkins and stars Daniel Radcliffe.
Daniel Radcliffe stars as the main character, solicitor Arthur Kipps; a young widowed father who is forced to leave his young son in order to complete some important work at an abandoned house in a remote countryside town. Radcliffe does a commendable job in the role, bringing pain and heartbreak to the young man who lost the love of his life and is forced to constantly work away from home in order to provide for his young son.
Wrath of the Titans 
Wrath of the Titans is the sequel to 2010’s fantasy adventure Clash of the Titans. Directed by Jonathan Liebesman who takes over from Louis Letterrier and starring Sam Worthington who returns as the demigod Perseus.
The film follows Perseus who is forced to leave his young son and embark on yet another perilous adventure which sees him battling many monsters and teaming up with son of Poseidon Agenor and Queen Andromeda in order to journey to the Underworld and rescue his father Zeus from the wrath of Hades and Kronos, who are determined to wipe out mankind and take over the world.
John Carter
John Carter is a Sci-Fi Action Adventure, directed by Pixar regular Andrew Stanton (his first live action movie) and stars Taylor Kitsch in the titular role. It is the first big movie adaptation of the story “A Princess of Mars” written by Tarzan writer Edgar Rice Burroughs almost a hundred years ago. As one of the first big Sci-Fi stories of its time, it undoubtedly inspired and influenced many other Science Fictions over the following years including Star Wars, Avatar and Superman. Unfortunately as it has taken so long before a movie adaptation of the story has been made, it has been unfairly compared to these other Sci-Fi movies that weren’t even conceived…
The Hunger Games
The Hunger Games is a Dystopian Action Thriller, directed by Garry Ross and stars Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen and Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark. It is an adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ teen drama novel of the same name, which is set in a near future and involves a higher society that have taken control over the country, forcing its people to give up their own children in a fight to the death turned reality TV show.
I was initially unsure of whether I wanted to see The Hunger Games, I knew that the books were really popular and that the film was highly anticipated by the fans, but I was doubtful…
The Avengers
The Avengers is a Science Fiction Action-Adventure written and directed by Joss Whedon and stars Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston and Samuel L Jackson. The Avengers was a culmination of phase 1 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe that started back with Iron Man in 2008. It was preceded by five other films that introduced us to the main characters before they all came together and assembled in the Avengers. It was the first time ever in the history of cinema that six superheroes, all from their own franchises came together in one big film.
Men in Black 3
Men in Black 3 is a Science-Fiction Comedy and the third instalment in the Men in Black film series that started back in 1997 with the original Men in Black and continued with Men in Black 2 in 2002. Directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, who returns to the franchise he created, the film stars Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones who return as Agent J and K as well as new cast members including Josh Brolin as a young Agent K, Jermaine Clement as Boris the Animal and Emma Thompson as Agent O.
Ten years on from the previous instalment, I find myself wondering why it took them so much time to release the next film in the franchise and as a result…
Snow White and the Huntsman
Snow White and the Huntsman is a Dark Fairy-tale Adventure and a live-action remake of the classic Disney original. Directed by Rupert Sanders, the film stars Kristen Stewart as Snow White, Chris Hemsworth as the Huntsman and Charlize Theron as Queen Ravenna.
Going in to Snow White and the Huntsman I was expecting it to be good. It wouldn’t normally be a film I would want to see, but after watching the trailers I thought the film looked rather good, so I decided to give it a go and check it out. Unfortunately, I was very disappointed and I really didn’t like the film at all.
Prometheus
Prometheus is a Science-Fiction Horror Thriller and a prequel to the original Alien film, directed by Ridley Scott who returns to the franchise after starting it all off with Alien back in 1979. Prometheus stars Noomi Rapace as the lead character Elizabeth Shaw as well as Michael Fassbender, Guy Pearce, Idris Elba, Logan Marshall-Green and Charlize Theron.
Despite being set in the same universe as Alien, Prometheus is not a direct prequel to the original film. There are ties and connections to Alien, but they are minimal and don’t play a huge part in the film. I’m personally really glad they did this because although I am aware of Alien…
The Amazing Spider-Man
The Amazing Spider-Man is a 2012 Comic Book Movie and a reboot of the Spider-Man franchise. Directed by Marc Webb, the film stars Andrew Garfield as the titular hero, with Emma Stone, Rhys Iffans, Sally Field and Martin Sheen. The film retells the classic origin story of how Peter Parker becomes the superhero known as Spider-Man.
Even though the film was relatively good, it suffered in the respect that it felt very familiar as a Spider-Man origin story had already been told on screen ten years beforehand and the last Spider-Man film in the Raimi trilogy was released only five years prior to this 2012 reboot.
The Dark Knight Rises
The Dark Knight Rises is a Crime Action Thriller and the third and final instalment in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy, which started with Batman Begins in 2005 and was followed up by The Dark Knight in 2008. Directed once again by Christopher Nolan, The Dark Knight Rises stars Christian Bale who returns as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Michael Caine as his trusted butler Alfred and Gary Oldman as Police Commissioner James Gordon. New to the cast is Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle/Catwoman, Tom Hardy as Bane, Marion Cotillard as Miranda Tate and Joseph Gordon-Levitt as John Blake.
Looper
Looper is a Science-Fiction Action Thriller, written and directed by Rian Johnson and stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt as young Joe, Bruce Willis as older Joe and Emily Blunt as Sara. In the film, time travel is invented by the year 2074 (although it is immediately outlawed) and is used by criminal organisations to send those they want killed into the past where they are killed by “Loopers”, assassins paid with silver bars strapped to their targets. Joe, a Looper, encounters himself when his older self is sent back in time to be killed.
One of the things I liked most about Looper was that it was a wholly unique and original film…
Dredd 
Dredd is a Science Fiction Action film based on the Judge Dredd character from the 2000AD Comics, directed by Pete Travis and written and produced by Alex Garland. Karl Urban stars as Judge Dredd, a law enforcer given the power of judge, jury and executioner in a vast, dystopian metropolis called Mega-City One that lies in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Dredd and his apprentice partner, Judge Anderson (Olivia Thirlby), are forced to bring order to a 200-storey high-rise block of flats and deal with its resident drug lord, Ma-Ma (Lena Headey).
I have to admit, I was late to the game with Dredd having only seen it relatively recently.
Cloud Atlas
Cloud Atlas is a Science Fiction Drama written and directed by Tom Tykwer and the Wachowskis and is based on the 2004 novel of the same name by David Mitchell. Actors (Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent) take on multiple roles in an epic that spans five centuries. An attorney harbors a fleeing slave on a voyage from the Pacific Islands in 1849; a poor composer in pre-World War II Britain struggles to finish his magnum opus before a past act catches up with him; a genetically engineered worker in 2144 feels the forbidden stirring of human consciousness — and so on. As souls are born and reborn, they renew their bonds to one another throughout time.
Skyfall
The 2012 James Bond film Skyfall is the 23rd instalment of the longest running film franchise in history and the third film to feature Daniel Craig as the lead hero, James Bond 007. Directed by Sam Mendes, the film stars Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris and Judi Dench who returns as M.
Skyfall is the continuation of the on-going James Bond franchise, but also the continuing journey of the Daniel Craig James Bond who first appeared in Casino Royale. The 2006 film Casino Royale was not only a great starting off point for Daniel Craig as James Bond but it was also…
Argo
Argo is a Political Drama Thriller starring and directed by Ben Affleck. The film also stars Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin and John Goodman in supporting roles. The film is adapted from U.S. Central Intelligence Agency operative Tony Mendez’s book The Master of Disguise and Joshuah Bearman’s 2007 Wired article “The Great Escape: How the CIA Used a Fake Sci-Fi Flick to Rescue Americans from Tehran.” The latter deals with the “Canadian Caper,” in which Mendez led the rescue of six U.S. diplomats from Tehran, Iran, during the 1979-1981 Iran hostage crisis.
Going in to Argo, I had no idea what to expect…
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is an Epic Fantasy Adventure and the first of three prequels to The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Directed by a returning Peter Jackson, the film stars Martin Freeman as the title character Bilbo Baggins, Ian Mckellan who returns as the Wizard Gandalf the Grey and Richard Armitage as the Dwarf Prince Thorin Oakenshield.
Going in to The Hobbit I was extremely excited. The Lord of the Rings are some of my favourite films of all time, so it was safe to say that I was highly anticipating The Hobbit and expecting something great.
Life of Pi
Life of Pi is an Epic Adventure Drama based on Yann Martel’s 2001 novel of the same name. Directed by Ang Lee, the film stars Suraj Sharma as a young Pi Patel, Irrfan Khan as an older Pi Patel and Rafe Spall as the writer. The storyline revolves around an Indian man named Piscine “Pi” Patel, living in Canada and telling a novelist about his life story and how at 16 he survives a shipwreck in which his family dies, and is stranded in the Pacific Ocean on a lifeboat with a Bengal Tiger named Richard Parker.
Going in to Life of Pi, I really had no idea what to expect…
Les Misérables
Les Misérables is an Epic Musical Drama based on the musical of the same name by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg which is in turn based on the 1862 French novel by Victor Hugo. Directed by Tom Hooper, the film stars Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried and Eddie Redmayne. The film tells the story of Jean Valjean, an ex-convict who, inspired by a kindly bishop, decides to turn his life around. He eventually becomes mayor of a town in France and owner of a factory in that town. He is always alert to the risk of being captured again by police inspector Javert, who is ruthless in hunting down law-breakers…
Oblivion
Oblivion is a Science Fiction Action Adventure, directed by Joseph Kosinski and stars Tom Cruise, Morgan Freeman, Olga Kurylenko and Andrea Riseborough. In the year 2077, Jack Harper (Tom Cruise) works as a security repairman on an Earth left empty and devastated after a war with aliens. Jack has two weeks left before his mission ends and he joins his fellow survivors on a faraway colony. However, Jack’s concept of reality comes crashing down after he rescues a beautiful stranger (Olga Kurylenko) from a downed spacecraft. The woman’s arrival triggers a chain of events that culminates in Jack’s nearly single-handed battle to save mankind.
Iron Man 3
Iron Man 3 is a Science Fiction Action Adventure and the third film in the Iron Man series as well as the seventh instalment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe following 2012’s The Avengers. Directed by Shane Black, the film stars Robert Downey Jr, Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce and Ben Kingsley. Plagued with worry and insomnia since saving New York from destruction, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), now, is more dependent on the suits that give him his Iron Man persona — so much so that every aspect of his life is affected, including his relationship with Pepper (Gwyneth Paltrow).
Star Trek Into Darkness
Star Trek Into Darkness is the latest instalment in the Science-Fiction franchise and the sequel to the hugely popular and highly successful 2009 reboot, which effectively reinvigorated the franchise. Directed once again by J.J. Abrams, the film stars Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg and Alice Eve. The crew of the Starship Enterprise returns home after an act of terrorism within its own organization destroys most of Starfleet and what it represents, leaving Earth in a state of crisis. With a personal score to settle, Capt. James T. Kirk leads his people on a mission to capture a one-man weapon of mass destruction…
The Walk
The Walk is a Biographical Drama adapted from the book To Reach the Clouds by Philippe Petit. It is based on the true story of French high-wire artist Philippe Petit’s walk between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center on August 7th 1974. Directed by Robert Zemeckis, the film stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ben Kingsley, Charlotte Le Bon, James Badge Dale, Ben Schwartz, and Steve Valentine.
Going in to The Walk I was really excited. I had seen the documentary Man on Wire which was released back in 2008, but as it had been so many years since I saw it…
A Quiet Place
A Quiet Place is a Horror Thriller and the third feature film from director John Krasinski. Directed by and starring Krasinski, the film also stars Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe. The plot follows a family of four who must live life in silence while hiding from creatures that hunt by sound.
Before I begin my review I think it’s important to say straight off the top here that I’m not usually a big fan of horror films. In fact, I think I’d even go as far as to say that Horror is my least favourite genre. However, although I may not be the biggest fan of horror…
O'Sullivan Reviews 