Much Ado About Nothing (1993)

The thought of Brian Blessed in an adapted-for-film Shakespeare tale is an exciting prospect for me, but, alas, Blessed's character (Antonio) is merely a supporting one. To the fore (eventually) are the bickering duo of Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson as Benedick and Beatrice, respectively, both of whom liven up the material, particularly Branagh's soliloquies, such as the one during the eavesdropping moments that give the story its best scene(s).
The playful matchmaking and wilful deceptions that skilfully upend the narrative are easy to follow, moving it along at a delightful pace. If you're a fan of Much Ado and prefer the bard's works in a faithful setting with the original language, then you'll maybe enjoy it as much as I did.

3½ hey nonny nonnies out of 5

HARRY POTTER & THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX [2007]

Director David Yates steps in for his first of four (and final) Harry Potter films, The Order of the Phoenix.
After Lord Voldemort (exquisitely played by Ralph Fiennes) came into full physical form in the previous installment, no one believes Harry, forcing him to band together a secret rag-tag army of Hogwart's students to help him fight in the inevitable war of magics ahead of them.  The film is a great deal different from it's source material, seeing as the book is the longest in the series but the film is the shortest of the eight cinematic outings.  No matter, Yates & co. carefully stick to it's heart, core themes and main story arcs resulting in a wonderful dissection of the British school system and a comparison of similarities & differences of adult and youth.  It's the most grimly sinister of the series so far yet and let's us know it's only going to get darker and more grave as the body count begins piling up more and more.  I'm squeamish with delight.

4 horrifying Maggie Thatcher/Queen Lizzie II hybrids out of 5

Shakespeare in Love (1998)

Gwyneth Paltrow and Ben Affleck in the same film is enough to have me running hurriedly in the opposite direction, but there are exceptions to every rule, even when the rules are of my own making.
Shakespeare in Love is a costumed comedy of romance set in the days when just walking under a window was a hazardous activity. Will (Joseph Fiennes) is without a muse and his writing is suffering. His patrons are without a play to stage and their pockets are shrinking. Everything hinges on the bard overcoming his block, but instead of turning his attentions to paper and quill, like fortune's fool he turns them instead toward a woman he can’t have.
The excellent script weaves a fanciful reality with literary fiction, causing lateral friction for everyone and never once overstays its welcome.

4 stolen measures out of 5

MALEFICENT [2014]

FX Guru Robert Stromberg makes his directorial debut with Maleficent, Disney's reinterpretation of their own Sleepy Beauty, which in turn was a  reinterpretation of a combination of old folktales.  
Obviously with Stromberg at the helm, one can expect a gorgeous looking film that is like watching a masterpiece painting come to life.  Unfortunately one can also expect that the rest of the film will sorely lack in any real substance.  From a distance you get a colorful looking fantasy film but under the microscope it's very much a date-rape revenge film that bounces between the conflicts of two different societies, one run by capitalism and the other socialism.  Angelina Jolie shines through the wooden script with a diabolically riveting performance that turns the title-character into a anti-hero of sorts.  As for the rest of the impressive cast?  They have absolutely nothing to work with and that's where it hurts the film the most, almost to the point of no recovery.

2 iron allergies out of 5

THE GIRL [2012]

Coming out the same year as the Anthony Hopkins led Hitchcock is a bit unfortunate for director Julian Jarrold's Alfred Hitchcock biopic The Girl.
While Hitchcock covered the relationship between The Fatman and Janet Leigh on the Psycho set, The Girl explores the director's bizarre obsession with Tippi Hedren while making The Birds and Marnie.  Unlike Hopkins & co, Toby Jones and Sienna Miller never really distract you with their starpower and instead allow the viewer to believe in the parts they're playing.  Unfortunately the film doesn't really do a great job at evenly juggling the two leads and instead fails in really letting us inside the lives of either of them.  Still, it's better than Hitchcock but could have benefited from not feeling so rushed.

3½ mechanical birds out of 5

THE AWAKENING [2011]

I love a good ghost story, especially the ol' fashioned types like The Orphanage and The Others.  They never cease to give me the wiggins something fierce...until now.
Nick Murphy's The Awakening is light on the creepy factor and resorts to cheap jump scares a bit too much.  Apart from some great performances from Rebecca Hall and Dominic West and the beautifully haunting photography, this uneven yawner challenged me to stick around till the end.  Surprise, surprise.  There's a nonsensical twist that seems pretty formulaic when it comes to these stories.  M. Night would roll his eyes.

2 creepy singing bunnies out of 5

THE PIRATES! BAND OF MISFITS [2012]

Director Peter Lord & Aardman Animation brings Gideon Defoe's The Pirates! books to life in The Pirates! Band Of Misfits.

The colorful characters and gorgeous sets are beautifully animated with the always dazzling stop-motion technique. With a wonderful voice cast and rousing music, The Pirates! manages to entertain leaving a smile on the face from beginning to end.  It's not particularly up to par with Aardman Animation's other feature but it's still pretty darned fun.

3 monocles on monkeys out of 5