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SF: Brilliant and enjoyable movie following the start of Jackie Robinson's prolific career in baseball. Harrison Ford gets one amazing line after another, which really adds a great deal of humour. A good balance of serious issues, baseball and entertainment (after all its still a film). The acting is spot on, the production design looks authentic to me and the result is a film that leaves you feeling a little inspired. I'm only sad this isn't getting a wider release in the UK. 8/10

50Eggs: n/a

DonkeyB: What a week its been for sport films. Another film designed to appeal to the Blue Donkey. Its a terrific film because it has one at its heart a powerful and moving story about Jackie Robinson's first years in the Dodgers organisation breaking the baseball colour line. If the film does nothing else but introduce more people to the great human beings who were, Jackie and Rachel Robinson, Branch Rickey, Pee Wee Reese and Red Barber that just might be enough. They are magnificent and inspiring company during the film and  anyone who wants to know more should check out The Boys of Summer by Roger Kahn; also about the Brooklyn Dodgers. Go see the it if you can. 8/10

Overall: 8/10

Rush

SF: This film is nothing short of brilliant. Following the rivalry between formula 1 drivers James Hunt and Niki Lauda, I felt this had the right balance of racing and investment in the main characters. Not being a fan of the sport I was worried I'd be a tad bored but within ten mins I was hooked and the pace is consistent throughout. The last ten minutes of the film in Japan were so tense I almost asked DonkeyB to tell me what happens. Well worth a viewing on the big screen. 8.5/10

50Eggs: At last F1 gets a decent movie (I'm excepting Senna on the grounds that it was a documentary). More than decent, in fact it's one of the best films of the year. My knowledge of F1 only stretches back as far as Nigel Mansel so I didn't know the plot at all and consequently was enthralled. The drama is intriguing, the racing exciting and the cast is brilliant. And I don't usually notice music in a film but it really added to the racing scenes in this instance. 8.5/10

DonkeyB: I am/was a big F1 fan, and a monster history buff; so while not having been born when the 1976 season played out, I knew every detail of the story of this film before I even knew it existed. There are probably space nuts out there who were in a similar position with Apollo 13. The film is good, it's not great. It's largely accurate but I found the fake tv anchor grating, but I have to say Simon Taylor's presence was great fun and a nice nod to F1 aficionados. Taylor was in his first year as the BBC's radio commentator in 1976, and apparently he helped with the film production. It was a nice and fairly authentic touch to include him for some exposition along the way. 

There were other minor things that annoyed; Taylor pinched a Murray Walker line, the cut from Hunt joining (or re-establishing membership of) the mile high club to the pistons of his Cosworth engine was crass and they transposed the famous incident of the gear knob coming off from a non championship race in 1974 to the final race at Fuji in 1976- the story and the race are dramatic enough without that. 

I also thought they over played the rivalry, Lauda and Hunt were friends as they came up through the junior formulas. There was lots they left out which was excluded for length (not least Hunt's disqualification at the British GP) , but all these quibbles are additions which were unecessary. 

Nevertheless it is a thrilling story, well shot and Daniel Bruhn truly excellent as Niki Lauda. I think they captured the grimy glamour, spirit, speed, terror and occasional horror of what was probably the greatest season of F1. 8/10

Overall: 8.33/10

Riddick

SF: This was utterly pointless. Save your money. Essential they've made a less interesting version of Pitch Black. Except this time all the good parts were gone. I honestly kicked myself for not having a nap. Even Katee Sackhoff couldn't do anything to make this less boring. What I can't understand is why they bothered making this. Little to no plot, the acting barely registered and even the effects were merely ok. I'm only giving marks because the dog thing was cute.

3/10

50Eggs: n/a

DonkeyB: Green screened to within an inch of it's life. Misogynist and homophobic, not helped by the morons who were in the screening with us laughing along with the attempted rape scene. Also deeply, deeply boring. A film of absolutely no merit whatsoever. Comparable only to seven psychopaths in how much I hated it. 1/10

Overall: 2/10

We'e the Millers

SF: More entertaining than expected, not bad at all for a Jennifer movie. Surprisingly funny, excellent outtakes - 3 green dresses from me!

50eggs: n/a

DonkeyB: Here it is- as the poster suggests; in which Jennifer plays a stripper. Not just any stripper but a stripper with a heart. You know what? It's funny- its funnier than almost all the Project Jen films so far. Damning with faint praise? Maybe but at this point in the list beggers can't be choosers. The film's cliche, the review is cliche. Does anyone care? 3 and a half green dresses: the top half- what a shame it would be to cover up Ms Aniston's bottom after all the work she did to get it into the film.

Almost forgot- two degrees of separation news Jason Sueikis is present (again)- he's also much the best thing in the film and presumably responsible for at least one of the hilarious outtakes.

RATING 3.25 Green Dresses

Elysium

SF:  After District 9 I wasn't sure if Neill Blomkamp had another original sci-fi in him. Elysium is a good film but sadly predictable. The story has been done, I spent a great deal of time being reminded of the excellent Battle Angel Allita and even a bit of In Time as well as a few other films of a similar ilk. Having said that I did enjoy the film and thought the acting was well executed, Sharlto Copley is outstanding, I almost didn't recognise him. However the camera is far to shaky on much of the action which tends to annoy me. Also I don't think the film has enough focus or emotional investment in the main character. Lots of potential, enjoyable, but sadly lacking 6/10

50 Eggs: This is a lot like the directors previous effort, District 9; an interesting concept film that becomes increasingly violent and action oriented.And whilst I thought D9 was overrated, I actually enjoyed Elysium more. Some of the images are striking and there are a few great sci-fi moments. I felt a little short changed by the second half where the story takes a back seat, but it's worth a watch. 7/10

DonkeyB: n/a

Overall: 6.5/10 

Project Jen- We're the Millers

This film presents 3-4-1 with exiting synergies, to present our end users with best practice recommendations from a reduced number of belly buttons to push. We can showcase for all our users an improved matrix of options within the same core envelope of current distributions.

That's right it's the first theatrical release of a film starring Jennifer Aniston since the start of Project Jen! Two birds one stone people!

Look out for our review in the next few weeks.

Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa

SF: I've only ever seen clips of Alan Partridge so didn't have major expectations. The last Steve Coogan film I watched was Around the world in 80 days, a painful horror of a film. Fortunes smiled on this one, thoroughly funny from start to finish. The plot wasn't amazing but worked fairly well, the cast was fantastic and the jokes plentiful. Well worth a watch 7.5/10

50 Eggs: The Alan Partridge series are in my top 5 all time sitcoms. This is essentially the same formula but it didn't quite do it for me. It keeps everything that is good about the series, but for some reason loses the feel of it. I've got a horrible feeling that the thing that might be lacking, strangely, is the canned laughter. Still a good way to pass a couple of hours. 6/10

DonkeyB: More than funny enough. Iannucci is transforming his comedy stylings to film with great effect. I'm afraid it was still a little televisual, but I did feel a little like that might have been my own prejudice rather than the film's fault: there were a few scenes at the start in Alan's car which felt too eerily familiar. Perhaps this was to reassure long term fans, I didn't need it. Maybe because I trusted all involved so implicitly- I had forgotten around the world in 80 days existed. 7.75/10

Overall: 7.25/10

Despicable Me 2

SF: I only recently saw the first Despicable outing and rather enjoyed it. I have minion love so was looking forward to this but not expecting much. The story is ok here, nothing amazing but does well to be different from the first one. Plenty funny and lovely animation but there is a lot better out there. Still very enjoyable so 6.5/10

50 Eggs: The problem this sequel has is that it's whole 'raison d'etre' was covered in the first film: Evil genius turns good. Finished. Done. There's really nowhere else for this to go, which is why it was never going to be as good as the original. It all just feels a bit unnecessary. That said, there are some funny jokes, the animation is colorful, and the minions are good value. But how come this gets a sequel while Pixar continue to ignore the potential of the brilliant Incredibles...and at the same time taunting us by making rubbish like Cars 2! 6.5/10

DonkeyB: n/a

Overall: 6.5/10 (for once we agree!)

Now You See Me

SF: One word for this film - Entertaining. Does pretty much what it sets out to do, a few magic tricks, twisty plot and a tiny bit of intrigue to keep you guessing. Mark Ruffalo and Morgan Freeman are excellent as usual  and Jesse Eisenberg does pull off the smugness (reminiscent of The Social Network). It's not going to win any awards and you might not watch it again but still enjoyable and there are a few laughs. 6.5/10

50 Eggs: Stupid and clever at the same time, but as long as you're not out to pick holes you'll enjoy this. The script isn't bad at all, but its the cast that raise it up a notch into the 'pretty good' category. Isla fisher is the least believable, with her screechy shouting voice she uses on stage, but with pins like that, who is going to argue. I'd heard the ending was a cop-out, but I thought it was just fine. 7.5/10

DonkeyB: It has a great cast, which was the main reason to see it, but somehow I had managed to miss the fact that Mark Ruffalo was even in this film. I always like Mark Ruffalo. As SF has said it won't win any awards but it is never boring, there is always something to look at (no snickering about my Isla Fischer obsession), unfortunatley too often for a film about magic this is big film effects. Melanie Laurent deserves a mention as the best performance in the film, standing out amonst this strong group is notable. I'm always impressed when anyone acts in a foreign language- I can hardly order a pizza! 6.5/10

Overall: 6.75/10

Monsters University

SF: Pixar set a high bar, so with a sequel there are a lot of expectations. having said that I enjoyed this as much as Monsters inc which is the most praise I can give. Great sense of humour, amazing animation, fun plot - everything you would want. Charlie Day surprised me, excellent voice to monster matching. Look out for all the little in jokes. Go enjoy yourselves 8/10

50eggs: n/a

DonkeyB: Disappointing. At their best Pixar make beautiful films, with strong traditional stories which somehow still manage to surpise. Unfotunately, this lacks much of the charm of the original and is a basic Campus comedy of which we have all seen quite alot. It is essentially exactly the same film as Pitch Perfect but nothing like as funny. I'm sure the kids will love it, but it has much less for the adults than some of Pixar's best efforts. 5/10

Overall: 6.5/10