What We Do In The Shadows (2014)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3416742/

This hilarious New Zealand mockumentary about vampire flatmates perfectly balances dry, dark humour with blood-spurting gore and feel-good absurdity. It's short, snappy and exciting and it looks and sounds great. So enjoyable that I am starting a campaign for a sitcom version. Watch it now.

Five stars

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2015381

Cracking! Although the characters, setting and story are all (perhaps obviously) ludicrous, Guardians doesn't take itself seriously at all and therefore I will forgive it
all the nonsense and lashings of cheese. Very funny (think Avengers Assemble) andmore violent than expected, this is my favourite superhero flick in ages.

Four stars

22 Jump Street (2014)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2294449/

A self-confessed copycat of its predecessor (with a near-identical plot) this packs all the same laughs and banter.  Hill and Tatum are again on excellent form and although some of the jokes feel a little tired, overall it's still fun and funny and if you liked 21 you'll be into 22.

Four stars

The Inbetweeners 2 (2014)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3097204/

Pitifully unfunny compared to its predecessors, upping the cringe factor but without a glimmer of intelligence. I did laugh a handful of times (hence more than one star) but it was mostly at the bit where they nearly all died and I thought maybe it was over. Would not recommend.

Two stars

Lucy (2014)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2872732/

A bold attempt to address the question of what humans could be if we used 100% of our brains, Luc Besson’s thriller looks cool and packs a serious badass-heroine punch (love Johansson as always). But both the science and the philosophy feel so hollow that it’s hard not to scoff.

Three stars

Charlie Bartlett (2007)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0423977/

Perhaps an attempted homage to Ferris Bueller, this falls short of the mark.  Rich-kid Charlie tries to fit in at “public school” and achieves this through offering psychiatry to his peers.  The downright quirky bits are tremendous (Charlie’s mother!!) and it’s laugh-out-loud in parts but also monstrously cheesy and clichéd.

Three stars

Frozen (2013)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2294629/?ref_=nv_sr_1

With all the winning elements of classic Disney (dead parents, underdogs, hilarious comic relief character, unexpected-but-actually-totally-expected romance, catchy songs), what’s not to love?  Well, it’s missing a really bad baddie and plot-wise it’s no Lion King* but it’s as emotional and fun as you could hope for in the 2010s.

Four stars

* Feel free to replace with your favourite pre-millennium Disney film

Get Low (2009)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1194263/?ref_=nv_sr_1

This quirky tale of an old hermit’s quest for a “funeral party” begins well with a folksy vibe, twangy soundtrack, bright and crisp cinematography and Bill Murray.  But Murray is wasted and the initially funny and mysterious plot later descends into a boring and sappy story of love and guilt.

Three stars