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Men In Black 3

It’s not a sequel that needed to be made, but thanks to the charm of its leads and a tone that harks back to the wit and humour of the original, it’s a pretty enjoyable trip.

Bel Ami

The excellent female support cast saves this patchy effort, which is let down by its leading man and a flat screenplay.

The Dictator

A disappointing, often repulsive and mean-spirited mess of a film with seemingly only one real criterion on its agenda: to shock and offend.

The Woman In Black

Packed with atmosphere, this old-fashioned but deftly told ghost story delivers ample chills and thrills.

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Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows (Film)

by Annette Basile | November 16, 2010 10:11 | Edited November 16, 2010 10:16

The latest installment is a darkly thrilling ride punctuated by moments of humour and surprise.

Did the final Harry Potter installment really need to be split in half? No - they're bleeding this fat franchise down to the last magical monetary drop. But frankly, the fans won't give a damn. This is a cracking piece of entertainment. It may sag in the middle of its near two-and-a-half hours; there's no map for latecomers; and when the already reported Potter pash happens, there'll be laughs that director David Yates, who helmed the last two Potter flicks, did not ask for. Yet Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows: Part 1 is, for the most part, a darkly thrilling ride, which, surprisingly, feels self-contained.

Potter's roaring success lies largely in its casting, with the loveable trio - Daniel Radcliffe as Harry, Rupert Grint as Ron, and Emma Watson as Hermione - once again giving their all, supported by a crème de la crème of British thesps, including Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman and Imelda Staunton, to name a handful.

The story happens outside the walls of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, with Harry on a continuing quest to dethrone the evil, fascist-like Lord Voldermort (a deliciously wicked Ralph Fiennes). There are moments of genuine humour and surprise, while the Ministry Of Magic set and an animated sequence - a story-within-a-story - are magnificent. The seamless special effects are perhaps not quite as impressive as previous offerings, but they're still wondrous.

If there's any trouble with Harry, it's in the storytelling. It lacks clarity. Potter movies hardly require excessive brain work, but anyone hazy on the mythology is advised to brush up.

The penultimate Potter isn't, however, about plot. It's about people - specifically Harry, Hermione and Ron. If you've gone the distance with this franchise, you already care about them. But here, you'll care that much more.