2008

The most serious contender for best animated film of the year. "We do not wash are pits in the pool of sacred tears". I was in fits of laugher most of the way through this film and it just completely blew me away. I totally was not expecting it to be nearly this good. Jack Black was brilliant and I know that probably sounds weird because all he did was a voice but because he worked with the character so well you could actually picture him doing everything that Po did. This film is not just a simple animated film but a film that children will enjoy because it's fun, adults will enjoy because the comedy transcends just children and martial arts lovers will love because it's a fun take and something that hasn't really been done before. Such an amazing little film that shouldn't be missed.

A real kick ass movie, that too many people are putting down. Yes, it's brainless and about as deep as a puddle but if that is not what you are looking for then don't want films that are many solely for that purpose. I love the Matrix-esk look of the film. Some of those bullet shots were just stunning. Both Anjelina Jolie and James McAvoy were both really great. Two really strong performances. Morgan Freeman made a really great addition to the cast as well. If your after a film that you don't have to think about but just enjoy then this would be a good choice. The plot was great and I loved that the ending wasn't exactly Hollywood friendly. It didn't shy away from things that might annoy audience members which was brave. A sequel would be interesting, although I don't think it would be quite as good. One to check out when you're in the mood for a real action film.

I think it appropriate to state that I am a huge fan of Russell Brand's work. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to write a completely objective review about his first major film role. I am therefore happy to report that even with the biased attitude, I actually thought this film was very good. I don't have to lie about any of the performances or the plot. It was as good as could be expected. I think that what I just said will undermine what I am going to say now, which is that Russell Brand really was the star of the film. He was truly the funniest character in the film with all the best lines and probably the character that made me laugh hardest. I loved that the character was very similar to that of the real Russell Brand. Being a recovering drugs user meant that he brought a lot to the character. The rest of the cast were pretty good as well. Kristen Bell fitted her character very well also. Jason Segal played the pathetic but lovable boyfriend very well. The smaller roles were all very memorable, with Paul Rudd and Jonah Hill finishing the whole cast off nicely. Overall a really decent film and it really stands up despite my love of Russell Brand, he just makes it that little bit more enjoyable.

Half way through watching this film I decided that people were being a little harsh on it. It is a good comedy and I challenge anyone to say that Jack Black isn't funny because he really is. Jack Black is at his funniest when he is playing a character that is very close to what he is like on real life, in this it isn't a complete match but the essence is still there so he manages to pull the character off very well. Together with Mos Def, who is also very funny, they make a good pair with different outlooks on life and different personalities. The plot was decent right up until the ending where I decided to drop my three star rating down to a two and a half star rating. The ending was just slightly too cheesy for my liking and it kind of let the whole film down. Still, it was an enjoyable film that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys a straight up comedy.

Terrible film that bored the shit out of me. I was looking forward to seeing Josh Hartnett in his latest film but in my opinion, this was a complete disaster, and yet another low point of his career. His performance was weak and far from strong enough to carry the film. He was meant to be the leading character but it was hard to listen to anything he had to say. The character itself was uninteresting. The rest of the performances were forgettable. The plot was boring and didn't even seem to have a point. Not a film I would recommend but I would be interested to see what other people would think about it.

Adam Sandler has finally achieved his apparent goal of worst film he has ever made. Slowly but surely his films have gotten worse. This one really does hit the bottom. I was really shocked when I started watching it, at just how terrible and unfunny the whole thing was. The plot was obviously predictable right from the very beginning. Sandler's performance just seemed forced and very over the top in parts. The rest of the cast were annoying. The only part of the whole film that actually made me laugh was when he was banging the old women in the next room and the bottles were falling off the selves behind behind Alec Mapa's character but it was more the reaction on his face that made the scene funny rather than anything else. Not a film I would recommend. A complete mess that should be avoided at all costs.