Circle of Pain, 2010. Directed by Daniel Zirilli. Starring Tony Schiena, Dean Cain, Bai Ling, Heath Herring and Kimbo Slice. SYNOPSIS: When a friendly sparring session between an MMA champion and his best buddy goes horribly wrong, a ruthless promoter discovers a golden opportunity to set up a lucrative ‘dream clash’ between him and the […]

Gary Collinson selects his Essential Movie Supervillains… If there’s one thing any good superhero needs it’s a strong nemesis; someone who can push them to the very limits as they set about realising their diabolical plans for world domination. From the A-listers of Batman’s Rogues Gallery to classic Marvel bad guys such as Doctor Doom […]

Family Guy: It’s a Trap! Directed by Peter Shin. Featuring the voice talents of Seth MacFarlane, Alex Borstein, Seth Green, Mila Kunis Mike Henry, Patrick Warburton and Dee Bradley Baker. SYNOPSIS: Return of the Jedi gets the Family Guy treatment as Han Solo (Peter), Chewbacca (Brian), Princess Leia (Lois) and Luke Skywalker (Chris) continue their […]

Fish Tank, 2009. Directed by Andrea Arnold. Starring Katie Jarvis, Michael Fassbender, Kierston Wareing and Rebecca Griffiths. SYNOPSIS: A 15 year old girl’s life is turned on its head when her mum brings home a new boyfriend. Fish Tank is a gritty and real film, driven by its rough setting and well realised characters. It’s […]

With his latest feature Black Swan currently on release in North America, Trevor Hogg profiles the career of filmmaker Darren Aronofsky in the first of a two-part feature… “When I was a kid, me and my sister and friends used to put on these little shows,” recalled American moviemaker Darren Aronofsky, the son of two […]

TRON: Legacy, 2010. Directed by Joseph Kosinski. Starring Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund, Bruce Boxleitner, Olivia Wilde, Michael Sheen and James Frain. SYNOPSIS: Investigating the disappearance of his father Kevin (Jeff Bridges), Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund) is drawn into the digital world of ‘The Grid’. Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund) is looking for his father, Kevin (Jeff […]

The Disappearance of Alice Creed, 2010. Written and Directed by J Blakeson. Starring Gemma Arterton, Martin Compston and Eddie Marsan. SYNOPSIS: Two men abduct a millionaire’s daughter and demand a ransom but it soon becomes apparent that not everything is going as planned. The Disappearance of Alice Creed is the sort of film that it’s […]

With the acclaimed mini-series The Pacific released this year, Santosh Sandhu presents an updated look at the influence of World War II on filmmaker Steven Spielberg’s body of work… Steven Spielberg’s father was a pilot in World War II and his stories formed a strong part in his son’s upbringing. Spielberg began making movies at […]

The Reef, 2010. Written, Directed and Produced by Andrew Traucki. Starring Damian Walshe-Howling, Zoe Naylor, Adrienne Pickering, Gyton Grantley and Kieran Darcy-Smith. SYNOPSIS: Four friends embark on a sailing and snorkelling trip round the Great Barrier Reef, but things are far from idyllic when their boat capsizes and their only chance is to swim through […]

In the Loop, 2009. Directed by Armando Iannucci. Starring Peter Capaldi, Tom Hollander, Chris Addison, Mimi Kennedy, Gina McKee, Steve Coogan, Anna Chlumsky and James Gandolfini. SYNOPSIS: An MP inadvertently stirs tensions over a conflict in the Middle East and finds himself caught in the middle of the pro- and anti-war factions on both sides […]