An Education (2009)

I knew after just two minutes of hitting the play button that I was going to enjoy An Education, and that even if it didn't wound my heart completely it would at least leave a lasting footprint or two in my sand.
It's a coming of age drama set in London, 1961. Schoolgirl Jenny (Carey Mulligan) has a bright future, but love gets in the way, as it often does at that age. The focus of her affections is the older and more worldly David (Peter Sarsgaard), a well-dressed cad who deems it appropriate to date schoolgirls.
Carey Mulligan is phenomenal as the youth who makes adult decisions based on feelings and intuition. She reminded me of a young Jenny Agutter in many ways, channelling the same kind of captivating sincerity and believability. To experience her performance is reason enough to watch it, but there's the added draw that it was scripted by author Nick Hornby.

4 French phrases out of 5

NEED FOR SPEED [2014]

Breaking Bad's Aaron Paul gets fast and furious in director Scott Waugh's film adaptation of Electronic Arts' long-running video game series Need For Speed.
In this car porn road flick, a car-mechanic gets out of prison to race across the country to avenge his friend of whom he was framed for the death of.
If it's quality plot and well-fleshed characters, then you're obviously not smart enough to know this ain't the film to turn to and perhaps it is right for you after all.  If it's ridiculously entertaining inane fun you're seeking out then you've come to the right place.  Unlike it's rival Fast Car film series, the large majority of stunts and FX are all practical making for less cartoony action sequences but still keeping up with the outrageousness of it all.
It's runs a bit long but you'll hardly even notice if you've come prepared right and proper the type of film it is.

3 bus bus buses out of 5

DRACULA UNTOLD [2014]

Director Gary Shore's Dracula Untold is Universal's first step to get on Marvel Comics Universe bandwagon and make up a huge film franchise by gathering up all the classic Universal monsters into one cinematic world.
Twisting around the classic story of Dracula, this film starts with Prince Vlad as a mere human who trades his soul to protect his kingdom from those nasty Turks.  It's by no means a horror film and relishes in being a hokey action flick riddled with plotholes galore.  It has flashes of being quite entertaining but seems to fall flat all too often to make it a worthwhile guilty pleasure.  Visually the film is quite pleasing and Charles Dance is an absolute delight as he chews up any scene he's in.  If you're open to the character of Count Dracula being neutered than you might find it more forgiving than I did.

2 one man armies out of 5

THE DEVIL'S DOUBLE [2011]

Director Lee Tamahori's biographical film The Devil's Double feels like they had something really great but it was got lost somewhere in the mix.
Dominic Cooper delivers an amazing performance in dual roles as an ex-Iraq soldier and as Uday Hussein, son to Saddam.  The film provides an intriguing story but unfortunately for whatever reason, they decided to film the entire thing in English which really detracts from the realism and impact of it all.  No matter, I'd highly recommend the film on Cooper's performance alone.

3 electric carving knives out of 5

ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER [2012]

With Timur Bekmambetov directing and Tim Burton producing the big screen adaptation of Seth Grahame-Smith's novel Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter I was expecting some campy, ridiculously violent fun with some dry wit about it.

Instead, it takes an overly serious route that is both dull and boring, with the exception of two entertaining action sequences.  Shame.  A waste of a potentially dumb, fun popcorn flick.  

1 horse-tossing vampire out of 5

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER [2011]

Marvel comics continues it's set-up for 2012's The Avengers, with this final chapter in the prelude series.
Chris Evans is charming and believable as Captain America aka Steve Rogers, while Hugo Weaving looks to be having a ball as the villainous The Red Skull.
The first 2/3's of the film are light-fared, entertaining fun however it's in the final act where it all falls apart. The action becomes boring and doesn't really give you the feeling that there might be actual danger afoot. In the end, it's the performances and the all around retro-feel to the film is what makes it worth the visit.

3½ Indy Jones inspirations of out 5