Man of Steel: Should We Be Excited?

So, 2013 reigns in a fresh year of superhero's. We have the new Thor movie expected this year, a sequel to Wolverine's solo outing, Iron Man 3, and most importantly Man Of Steel. Superman flies back onto our screens for the first time since summer 2006. So, the big question is - should we be excited?

Although Superman is probably the most famous of all the superheroes he has to be one of the worst. He's just annoying. These days people like a bit of grit with their hero, there almost seems to be a craving for an antihero. Take Batman for example. Bruce Wayne is always a good guy, but he constantly seems to be struggling with his inner darkness and you always get the feeling he's treading dangerously close to the realms of evil. We most definitely do not get that with Superman and I think this could prove to be a real problem as the audience simply might not be able to engage properly with the character as a result. Our modern audience appear to relate to a sense of realism within the superhero genre and I'm afraid it might be a task too far to get that realistic feel with Superman.

However, believability can be traded in when it comes to comic book creations but only in exchange for fun. Plain, simple, enjoyable fun. Last year two of the major superhero movies that hit the cinema were The Avengers and The Amazing Spiderman. Neither of those films particularly bothered with an accurate depiction of what is and isn't possible realistically in modern day society, yet both films were a resounding success. Why? Because they were genuinely fun to watch.

That said, I can't see them going with that approach for Man Of Steel. It just wouldn't fit. Considering the crew behind the camera, the cast in front of the camera, and the script that put them all there in the first place it certainly seems as though it'll be an attempt at the gritty and realistic for Superman.

That gritty feel has to be one hundred percent authentic, because lets face it Superman is the cheesiest superhero ever. He wears a bright blue skin tight suit, a long red cape, and has a pair of red undies on show at all times just to top it off. Cheesiness at its finest! The makers of this movie have absolutely no coolness to fall back on and as a result Man Of Steel needs to be perfectly done to work. If Batman says something a bit cringe worthy you let it slide because he's dressed in an awesome black suit and has the keys to the Batmobile in his pocket. If Spiderman come's out with one of his slightly camp one liners we allow it because he's a loveable teenager who's swinging his way around New York with webs that he shoots from his wrists. If one of Tony Stark's punchlines has been pulled from the very bottom of the cringiest barrel all is forgiven because he's a genius billionaire playboy philanthropist! Superman is none of those things, not even close. This film has to be constantly on its toe's because one drop of the ball could spell disaster. Perfection is needed.

When it comes to perfection one name stands out in my mind - Christopher Nolan. So when Warner Brothers decided to invest in a reboot of the Superman franchise there was surely one name that topped their list of potential suitors - Christopher Nolan. From what I can gather there were a lot of different pitches from some well respected writers and directors but in 2010, after a discussion during writing for The Dark Knight Rises, Nolan and fellow writer David Goyer were hired to produce and write the long awaited Superman reboot. Goyer himself is a well respected man in the film industry, with a CV that boasts writing for Nolan's Batman trilogy as well as the Blade franchise and the most recent Ghost Rider installment. With Nolan taking the producers role the man sat in the directors chair will be Zack Snyder, most well known for his 2006 film 300. Recognised best for his use of long constant shots paired with slow motion during fight scenes Snyder will hopefully be able to bring a good intensity to the action in Man Of Steel without falling into the stereotypical conventions of fight sequences. Great producer, check. Great writer, check. Great director, check.

The cast on the other hand are a bit harder to come to a conclusion on. First of all you've got Superman himself, Henry Cavill. The only thing I've seen Cavill in was Immortals, a fairly decent film, in which he did impress me. Was he stunning? No. Did he bring me to tears with his raw acting ability? Not even nearly. But he was very good at what he did. His troop rallying speech was realistic and somehow remained cringe free, which I found most impressive. On top of that his action sequences were very well done and his performance as a whole quite good. His biggest advantage though to playing Clark Kent and his famous alter ego is that he looks the part. He's a handsome man with dark hair and a great physique as we'd expect from a Superman, yet he possesses a slight roughness around the edges which will really help to support the gritty and realistic feel that this film appears to be trying to create.

Secondly we have Amy Adams taking on the role of Lois Lane. Amy Adams is a really great actress so I think casting her is a great choice by the film makers, the only problem is she just doesn't look right. When I think of Lois Lane I think of a stereotypically beautiful dark haired younger woman, but that's not Amy Adams. She is however a brilliant actress who knows how to play a strong confident female character and I also happen to think she's a very pretty lady. This film will constantly be trying to win people over and I think sacrificing the stereotypical image for acting ability will prove to be a clever move.

Finally we've got Michael Shannon portraying the bad guy, General Zod. Shannon himself is a good actor, as shown by his brilliant role in HBO's award winning television series Boardwalk Empire, and is brilliant at portraying an authoritative character. For any good villain to be believable they have to have a sense of dominance about them and I think Shannon will be able to bring this to the role well, but I'm not entirely convinced he's the right choice for a super villain and this may end up letting the film down. I think Shannon's General Zod will end up either being a stroke of genius, or a horrific move for Snyder and co.

Overall I think we can be excited, but very tentatively. So far things are look to be heading in the right direction for Man Of Steel and from what I can see this seems like it will be a good movie. The problem is that it's so very risky, there is absolutely no safety net for this one. After the painfully dire previous attempt at a Superman film the worlds most famous hero is teetering on the edge of the abyss, much as Batman was after the 90's. Nolan has saved one superhero for us, can he do it again? Lets hope so!





Written by Ash Davies

Seven Psychopaths

Before I delve deep into my review of this film I'd like to give a quick shout out to my friend Adam Rathbone who managed to find a cinema still showing this film and then accompanied me to see it. He also proved that it's possible, with a big enough coat, to sneak a full McDonald's meal into the cinema. Anyway, to the film review!

Unfortunately for us all when a bad script gets turned into a film they usually just pack it full of stars in the hope that this will make up for it. So more often than not when I see a film jam packed full of well known actors I'm skeptical. Seven Psychopaths made it very clear that it featured not only Colin Farrell but Christopher Walken, Sam Rockwell and Woody Harrelson on top of that. So, obviously, I was skeptical. I don't say this very often, but I was wrong. This film was brilliant.

There's a lot going on in this film, but it essentially revolves around a struggling screenwriting, played by Colin Farrell, who's friend kidnaps the beloved dog of psychopathic gangster, Woody Harrelson. Bit of a strange storyline admittedly but amazingly it works really well without feeling stupid. It remains consistently interesting and was continually gripping throughout.

In terms of whether the star names really earned their money then I'd have to say they certainly did. Colin Farrell was good, playing the standard good looking frustrated Irishman he usually does; Sam Rockwell was great, believably portraying an abnormal highly inappropriate yet always funny partner in crime for Farrell; and Woody Harrelson brilliantly portrayed a psychotic mob boss who cares about nothing or no one, except his stolen Shih Tzu. However, the standout performer was undoubtedly Christopher Walken. Maybe it's because I have an incredibly large soft spot for him, or maybe because he has the most unique voice on the planet, but throughout the whole film everything he did impressed me. I found him as hilarious and cool as I'd expected and I was pleasantly surprised at how well he tugged on my heart strings during the emotional scenes, yet all the while still giving that feeling he's got a screw or two loose. Brilliant.

I definitely recommend this film. It's well acted, brilliantly written and outstandingly filmed. The cinematography is beautiful at times and the characters have clearly been carefully thought out. It's biggest triumph though is definitely it's style. The way the narrative constantly cuts from reality to fiction, or present to past, is really cleverly done and constantly keeps you interested. I think the best way to describe Seven Psychopaths would be to says it's like a grown up version of a Tarantino film. It's got all the ruthless killing and mannerisms we'd expect in a Tarantino flick, but on top of that it has a brain. It revolves around more than the violence and almost pokes fun at itself at times.

Overall a really great film. I'd definitely recommend getting your hands on it when the DVD comes out, could become a real cult classic.




Written by Ash Davies

Star Wars Reboot News

Ever since the news first hit the public that Disney had paid a small fortune for the rights to Star at least once a week a conversation on the topic comes up. So, if you ever find yourself a bit stuck for information, here's what we know so far:


- The script has been written by Michael Arndt, the man who wrote the screen play for Toy Story 3. In my opinion a very shrewd move by the men upstairs. Arndt clearly knows what he's doing when it comes to taking a well known and much loved franchise and creating something satisfying from it. However, history suggests the story may be a bit more childish than hardcore Star Wars fans were hoping for.

- Reports suggest that the new films will feature the original cast as older versions of their characters. Hopefully meaning a big ol' slice of Harrison Ford for us all! Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill and Mr Ford himself have all supposedly expressed interest in reprising their iconic roles, as have Billy Dee Williams aka Lando Calrissian, Samuel L Jackson, and Ewan McGregor.

- In a November's premiere of Seven Psychopaths it appeared that Jason Flemyng answered the question on everyone's lips: who's directing? Guillermo Del Toro, Quentin Tarantino, J. J. Abrams, Steven Spielberg and Jon Favreau were all linked with the job. But from what Flemyng was saying it appears as though his good friend Michael Vaughn has got the golden ticket. When asked about Vaughn's name being linked with the job Flemyng replied "Me and Matt have done nine films together, so I'm sure I'll get the call for Star Wars." Although this of course in no way a definitive confirmation of Vaughn getting the job, the speculation was further fueled when the Kick Ass director unexpectedly pulled out of shooting for the new X-Men movie in October. Could he be our man?

- Finally, there is one plot that seems to have been thrown up all over the internet. Luke Skywalker returning to Yavin 4 to start up a Jedi Knight school was widely reported to be the storyline of Star Wars Episode VII, yes really. Painstakingly boring is the word that jumps to mind. Thankfully writer of the original article, Mike McDonald, said he made a "mistake" claiming he "misunderstood what the fan clubs told me". I think I speak on behalf of all Star Wars fans when I say THANK GOD!




Written by Ash Davies

Nightwing: Yes or No?

You'd be hard pressed to find someone who genuinely didn't enjoy Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy, so when it finally came to an end it was a sad day for us all. However, the sneaky devil decided to leave a little hint right at the very end to wet our whistles with anticipation. The emergence of Detective Blake, or should I say Robin, being led to Bruce Wayne's bat cave was clearly a nod to the idea that maybe Robin could have his own spin off. For those of you who don't know when Robin flies solo he becomes the fearsome Nightwing. So will Nolan make a Nightwing move, more importantly should he?

In terms of whether he will or won't as far as I'm aware Nolan is undecided. Neither he nor Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who played Blake in the final Batman installment, seem opposed to the idea of a Nightwing film. But neither have they expressed any real desire to make it happen. So it seems for now all we can do is wait and see if it does eventually catch Nolan's attention.

Whether or not it's a good idea is a whole 'nother kettle of fish.

Lets be honest, the Batman trilogy was incredibly cool. It was perfectly cast, perfectly written, it had interesting story lines and was an innovative take on a classic comic book character that had seemed all but dead after the drivel George Clooney and Val Kilmer had displayed. So surely with Nolan's secret formula he could rustle up the same level of incredible coolness for Nightwing! As one of the most talented directors of his generation it seems that everything Nolan touches turns to gold and I'm almost certain if this film was made it would be great, simply because I have so much confidence in Nolan and his usual crew.

Also Nightwing is a fresh concept. As far as I'm aware there hasn't already been a film about him and if there was I'm sure there is a reason I've not heard of it, that reason probably being that's it's terrible. So apart from genuine comic book fans there will be an air of excitement as no one knows really what to expect from the character himself. It's very rare to get that these days with a superhero film.

It does however possess a variety of different problems. As much as it's nice to have a fresh concept to sink our teeth into, at the end of the day Nightwing isn't very well known and it seems as though people have only taken the time to learn about him as a result of The Dark Knight Rises ending (myself included). This could be because Batman steals all the headlines away from an underrated character, or it could very well be simply because Nightwing is painfully forgettable.

Also the expectation will be through the roof for this film and I worry that it might not be able to live up to it. The Batman trilogy, as I may have mentioned a few times, was just sensational and is certainly up there with the great cinematic sagas. So if people were to purchase their cinema ticket for this film they wouldn't be crunching away at their popcorn excitedly waiting for Nightwing, they'd be crunching away at their popcorn excitedly waiting for the new Batman film. It's the same story as the Hobbit. The amount of times I've winced as people have claimed they've just been to see "the new Lord of the Rings film" in the past month is frightening, and that's exactly what would happen with a Nightwing film unfortunately.

All things considered I find myself craving this creation, despite it's problems. I love Joseph Gordon-Levitt, I love Christopher Nolan and I love his innovative take on the Batman franchise. As long as he does what he does best I would have full confidence that a Nightwing film would be really good, but it won't be Batman. For me, it's a YES to the prospect of Nightwing hitting our screens.




 Written by Ash Davies

Best Films Of 2012

The Avengers

Superhero film have gone from strength to strength in the past few years. So when an all star group assembled to create the ultimate arse kicking team, people were excited. It. Was. Awesome. I'm sure the cynics of the world saw a popular movie full of big Hollywood names and automatically assumed that this would be nothing but drivel. Wrong. This film was incredible! It was shockingly funny, packed full of action, with brilliant special effects, good acting and a great storyline. Great film, definitely one of the best this year.

The Dark Knight Rises

I think it's fair to say that the Batman trilogy will go down as one of the greatest film saga's in history, up there with Star Wars and Lord of the Rings. It was always going to be tough to complete such an epic set of films, but Christopher Nolan went above and beyond in creating the perfect ending for our beloved Batman. Replacing the Joker was a tall task but Tom Hardy's Bane was equal to it, delivering a powerful and creepy take on the lesser known villain. Anne Hathaway performed surprisingly well as Catwoman, but the standout performer in my eyes was Michael Caine. Overall a truly stunning film and for me it was the best 2012 had to offer.


The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

I have a very detailed, opinionated and interesting, if I may say so, review on the Hobbit further down on this blog. But if I were to just some it up briefly I'd say go and see this film. It's spectacular. Amazing looking, outstanding special effects, brilliant acting and a very interesting story. It has problems however. There are a fair few pointless bits that really didn't need to be there and I felt as though it had more to do with this history of Tolkein's works and less to do with the actual story The Hobbit. Still though, this is a brilliant film. Definitely one of the best this year.


Skyfall

The James Bond franchise celebrated its 50th anniversary in some style. Skyfall is now the highest grossing film in British history and for a very good reason. This film is a close to perfection as a Bond film can possibly get in my opinion. Craig delivers a stunning performance, matched by his counterpart Javier Bardem, as well a brilliant storyline and one hell of a Bond song. I loved this film more than I can possibly put into a short review, it was simply everything that is good about James Bond. Just a quality film, a 2012 classic.

Looper

It shocks me how few people seem to have seen this film. It was outstanding! Joseph Gordon Levitt took the lead in this original science fiction twist and for me it worked on every level. I've heard a few critics claim it had plot holes, but none were so noticeable that it impaired my ability to enjoy the film. The special effects were brilliantly used to make Levitt look like Bruce Willis, the older version of his character, and the story was incredibly interesting from start to end. What a film. Honestly, if you didn't get a chance to see it then go and buy the DVD, sit down, and just enjoy one of the best sci-fi films you're likely to watch in a long time. Brilliant addition to a great 2012 for films.





Written by Ash Davies

The Next Bond

Although Daniel Craig has reportedly signed a fresh new two film deal with MGM, there will always be speculation about who will be next to slip into the shiny shoes of James Bond. Craig should have called it a day after Skyfall, purely because it was a close to perfection as he is ever likely to get and you should always try and end on a high, but that's not to say I won't be looking forward to seeing him once again grace our screens as 007. However, inevitably it will be time for him to pass the role on and here are a few of the candidates who have been linked with our nation's greatest secret agent:


Christian Bale, 38.
Known for: The Batman Trilogy, American Psycho, The Fighter
Born: Pembrokeshire, Wales

Bale would be a very interesting choice for the role but very risky. There is no denying the fact that the man is a phenomenal actor and can more than fill the boots of a legendary character, as shown by his stunning portrayal of Batman. The problem is he's just too gritty. On the whole people didn't take to Timothy Dalton's dark a serious take on Bond, and I worry it would be the same story if Christian Bale got the role. Wonderful actor, but can you really imagine him making quick witted quips at Moneypenny?

Idris Elba, 40.
Known for: Prometheus, Thor, The Wire
Born: London, England

This name has cropped up a lot in the past few months, especially after Skyfall star Naomie Harris publicly backed Elba to get the role. I'd be more than happy to make the statement that racism isn't a problem, and the viewpoint of a small handful of bigoted fools out there are certainly not held by most people. However, there is no escaping that James Bond isn't black. Neither is he blonde though. I think the world is more than ready for a black Bond and I think that Elba would do a very good job of it. That's not the problem. The problem is he's 40. There is usually at least a two year gap between Bond films, meaning that given the fact that Craig is signed on for two more films it would be at least six years before Elba even got onto our screens. In my opinion that's just too old to stamp your mark on the character. Unfortunately it appears that Elba left it a little too late.

Damien Lewis, 41.
Known for: Homeland
Born: London, England

Probably the least well known actor on the list, which is a shame because he's really quite talented. Lewis has risen to prominence after some outstanding performances as the lead role in American television series Homeland. The man has one hell of a British accent, he can pull off a suit, he's fairly handsome and you can firmly imagine him coming out with cheesy yet funny one liners. He has his fair share of problems though. Firstly, his hair. Ginger has always been a controversial colour in the head department and although the nation has come to love a blonde Bond I'm not sure a ginger one would sit quite right. Also he's hardly the tough type. I can hardly see him punching bad guys with any conviction. Finally, at 41 he's too old. I think Lewis would've made a good Bond, but I'm afraid the role shouldn't be heading his way.

Sam Worthington, 36.
Known for: Avatar, Man On A Ledge, Clash Of The Titans
Born: Surrey, England

This is a tough one. Sam Worthington, although starring in quite a few really big films, isn't the most well known actor. He was fantastic in Avatar, there is no doubting that, and a lot of his roles have been in action films so he wouldn't look out of place in a fight. I get it on good authority that Worthington is a bit of a "heart throb" and by the time the role opens up he should be at the right age for it. His problem is that he just lacks any sort of personality. I can't imagine him looking slick, I can't imagine him coming up with anything witty and I just can't see him as Bond. It'd be an interesting choice, but not one I'd particularly believe to be the right one.

Tom Hardy, 35.
Known for: The Dark Knight Rises, Warrior, Inception
Born: London, England

Hardy certainly appears to be a bit of a favourite with most of the people I've talked to. He was stunningly good in Christopher Nolan's final Batman installment, as well as being one of my favourite characters in award winning Inception. Tom Hardy has the posh English accent and certainly has the looks for the role. Also has the toughness that I think any Bond should possess. However, the problem with Hardy is that he's possibly too tough. I can't really see him looking smooth and fixing his tie with a girl on his arm. All I see is him smashing someones teeth out with his bare fists. That said, there's no denying that Hardy is a great actor and could probably change his demeanor to suit 007. Overall Hardy would make a great Bond and age isn't an issue. I'd be more than happy to see him ordering himself a martini shaken not stirred. He'd need to slim down a bit though.

Michael Fassbender, 35.
Known for: Prometheus, X-Men First Class, Inglorious Basterds
Born: Heidelberg, Germany

A German Bond would certainly be a strange one. Not strictly a proper German, Fassbender and his family moved to Ireland when he was two. So you don't have to worry that he'd be drinking his martini from a stein. Fassbender himself is a really great actor and seems to have no problem fitting a role from any nation. He also looks great in a suit. At only 35 age shouldn't be a problem as it would be for some of the others. James Bond should always be smooth talking and a good ladies man, something Fassbender possesses in abundance and more importantly should be believably tough, again something I don't think would be an issue. All in all I think Fassbender would be a great choice for the role. Definitely one to watch.

James McAvoy, 33.
Known for: Last King Of Scotland, Wanted, X-Men First Class
Born: Port Glasgow, Scotland

James McAvoy is a really hard one too judge. I really like him as an actor and I can't really remember him being in anything I didn't think he was good in. The world's best Bond was Scottish, so I'll always root for a man north of the border, and I think it's fair to say he's a handsome lad. As the baby of the bunch he's the most likely to be able to maintain the role for the longest until the grey sets in. The problem is that he's a bit of a dribble. It's not that I can't see him getting into a fight with an armed guard whilst he tries to escape a room full of sharks, it's just that I can't imagine him winning. If you were a Pierce Brosnan fan I'm sure McAvoy would be fine, but as I've made clear I like a tough Bond. So, as much as it pains me to say it, I'm afraid I don't think McAvoy would be right for the role.




 Written by Ash Davies

3D-Day

Like most people, I may have enjoyed reigning in the New Year a little too hard. As a result, my opening day of 2013 consisted of sitting on the couch and nursing a quite severe hangover. After watching more than my fill of Red Dwarf, I decided to delve into the depths of my Sky planner upon which I had three 3D films recorded which I'd been meaning to get around to watching. Perfect match! I thoroughly enjoyed all three films and almost completely forgot to feel sorry for myself. Here's my thoughts on each one:




The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn (2011)

Stunning is the word that comes to mind when I think of this film. Maybe not in script and story, but visually the only word that can do this film justice is STUNNING. Steven Spielberg took the helm in attempting to recreate this classic comic for a modern audience and in my opinion he did a pretty good job.

The story basically revolves around a young reporter, and his loyal dog Snowy, embarking on an adventure to figure out the secret of Sir Francis Haddock and his sunken ship "The Unicorn". Along the way befriending the hilarious drunkard Captain Haddock, all the while being chased by villain Ivan Ivanoitch Sakharine, voiced by Daniel Craig.

As a fan of the comics when I was younger, I was slightly skeptical at first and admittedly it does take getting used to. The story line is a bit flimsy and things seem to escalate very quickly all of a sudden without much time to really settle into the characters or surroundings, however things do eventually come together and you begin to become engrossed in the film.

None of this particularly matters all that much as the animation is just so mind bogglingly brilliant, so good that there were times I genuinely forgot it wasn't real. The colours are eye catching, with fantastically realistic textures, and you almost feel you cut touch every ridiculous follicle of hair on Tintins head.

Some good voice casting also helps this film, Andy Serkis' as Captain Haddock the standout performer showing of his impressive vocal talent with a flawless Scottish accent. Loveable duo Simon Pegg and Nick Frost voice the Thompson twins, doing a great job in adding a bit of comedy to the film.

 Overall this is a good film, not brilliant, but really very good. I would recommend this film just on the grounds that the animation is (you guessed it) stunning.

Toy Story 3 (2010)

From what I gather I appear to be the only person in the world who hadn't seen this film. Being a 90's kid I was madly in love with Toy Story, to the point where I attempted to write my own name on the shoe's of my own toys. So quite how I managed to let this film slip through my fingers for a year and a half is beyond me! However, that how now been rectified.

First things first I loved this film. How could you not? Michael Arndt delivered an outstanding screenplay, given the amount of expectation on his shoulders, and overall this film worked perfectly. It tugged on your heart strings, tickled your funny bone, and in the end left you satisfied after an eleven year wait.

The last installment to the trilogy tells the tale of Woody and co being trapped in the Sunnyside Daycare Centre after years of being unused by Andy, now 18 and off to college.

It looked exactly as Toy Story should and it felt exactly how Toy Story should, sticking with the quality core of original characters. The new additions were also a resounding success - Ken, played by Michael Keaton, my personal favourite. From the homage to Wayne's World in his opening scene, to his fashion show for Barbie, Ken was brilliantly funny. The comedy is childish enough to attract younger viewers, but with mature gags for the older generation to enjoy.

This film is truly brilliant and incredibly emotional. Any small doubts I had about whether this would be a fitting end to a beloved piece of my childhood were quickly quashed and I would happily watch this again. Great film.


Megamind (2010)

Possibly the most risky of the lot, not an arty film like Tintin nor building upon a classic like Toy Story. However, this film is quality. A genuinely funny film that had me laughing like a kid, jam packed with loveable characters, and one of the best soundtracks I can remember in a kids film.

The movie is essentially a spoof superhero comedy, but the main protagonist is an evil genius called Megamind. However, during the film he becomes an anti-hero and, bit of a spoiler but it's a kids film what do you expect, end up saving the day and getting the girl.

I make no secret of the fact that I am a massive Will Ferrell fan, I find him hilarious in almost everything. So when I saw that he was voicing the title character I was instantly persuaded, along with the the knowledge that my younger cousins are in love with this film. I was more than pleasantly surprised at just how good this film really was. Ferrell manages to add some classic Ferrellisms to his character, David Cross' strange incredibly American voice fits perfectly with Megamind's accomplice Minion, and Tina Fey brilliantly voices Megamind's love interest. The only member of the cast that I felt didn't quite fit was Brad Pitt as Metro Man, Megamind's arch nemesis, as I was expecting more of a Patrick Warburton voice. However, you can't really complain too much about a bit of Brad Pitt in your film can you? The man's a good egg.

Megamind himself is the ultimate rock star of the villain world with a brilliant array of suits, including "the black mamba", and a set of backing tracks that put a massive smile on my face every time they came on.

I genuinely cannot tell you how much I enjoyed this film, it was a resounding success in my eyes. It's not particularly clever, or full of fantastically dazzling animation, it's just good. It's funny, entertaining, and has Will Ferrell in it. For me that's all you need for a good night in!




Written by Ash Davies