I'm not interested in reviewing everything but I will take the time to write if I come across something really special. So don't expect to find bad reviews here. On the other hand if it is here it's worthy of some extraordinary praise.

Madagascar Escape 2 Africa - Animated feature film - 30th Nov 2008

I was a big fan of the first Madagascar, and this is no disappointment. It has great animation, fun characters and lots of laughs. It touches on a deeper plot line but it's not the Lion King and it stays pretty light hearted. At one point they drop an adorable squirrel off an airplane and for some reason in this universe it's ok... don't worry the squirrel comes back before the end of the movie. The audience was laughing out-loud throughout, as was I, so it's not short on jokes. I love the visual style, and the textures looked even better this time around (that could have been the fact that I saw the first one on DVD and this one in a Digital Cinema). Anyway, highly recommended.

Running Scared - Feature Film - 27th September 2008

This is the tale of a right hand man within a criminal organisation who's actions reveal him to be a much better man than you'd at first give him credit for. Gripping action, character's you care about, twists and turns around every corner and no-one is as black and white as they seem. A cracking film! I particularly liked all the symbolism and clues left for the audience to follow. It's wrapped in these fantasy like bookends, with interspersions of graphic moments throughout the action. The bookends are accompanied by a musical theme that tugs at the heart strings and resonates with classic hero movie scores in a way that makes you realise who this man really is. Well worth a look.

Wall-E - Animated feature film - 20th July 2008

I haven't been to many screenings with that many people cheering, clapping and staying for the credits. Although admittedly it was the Empire in Leicester Square on opening night at 8pm... positively the best time and place to see an animated film, as all the fans and animator's are there. Never the less it was a really good, well crafted piece of (almost) silent cinema. The environmental message was appreciated, and I'd love to be able to have the luxury of turning a company like Pixar towards the goal of making a good piece of entertainment that also delivers a strong message like that. Ultimately it's not a complicated story though, unless you count all the 'procedure' that all the machinery goes through (which occasionally took me out of the story, as it wasn't always that interesting in of itself). My biggest criticism isn't a flaw of the film so much as it's a flaw of the media, like Finding Nemo and Shrek before it, I feel that it was a little over hyped, and it's hard to see how these films demand 500% more attention than many other equal quality films. But I guess that's a matter for targeting a particular subject matter or theme at the right time in the public consciousness. At any rate, Wall-E comes highly recommended and even got me choked up at one point, although only briefly.

Kung Fu Panda - Animated feature film - 11th July 2008

Doooood. There is nothing that can withhold the truly awesome awesomeness of Kung Fu Panda. I loved it and laughed all the way. This is a real animator's film. The visuals are glorious, but it's the animation that really screams! I don't usually like films loaded with combat unless they're really inventive and funny and this delivers in spades. Some of the characters are a little light on depth and can't really emote well through their stylised designs but fortunately the important characters really shine. Everything bounces, squashes and wobbles in an appealing a way. I can't really think of much to fault it on right now, I guess it takes what I loved about the idea of Pandas and Kung Fu in my student film Panda Pander and pluses it tenfold. Just brilliant... and ripe for a sequel.

Kinky Boots - Feature Film - 29th June 2008

Perhaps a little predictable but it has all the right ingredients served with a healthy dose of inspiration and earthiness. Most of the films I like to review are what I would call ‘re-charge films’ and this certainly fits the bill. It’s a feel good movie that makes you want to jump up and make a difference. As someone that’s recently started working in Soho from the alien northern lands of the Midlands, Yorkshire and Scotland, this is a big thumbs up for a very good fish out of water story that was uniquely familiar in its setting.

Indiana Jones IV - Feature Film - 29th May 2008

This is a controversial film to review. I actually really enjoyed it in its own right. The only thing that is debateable is whether it really fits in the Indian Jones universe. It steps into territory established very well in earlier Spielberg Sci-Fi films, in particular I’m thinking of A.I. It’s still really good but some people will debate if it’s perhaps a little ‘over egged’ in parts, trying too hard to better previous films whilst also taking advantage of modern techniques. It’s a very character lead film, as they always were, but Indiana Jones has so much character history thanks to the TV series it almost feels like it’s trying a little too hard to stay true to it all while justifying Harrison Ford’s age. On the other hand some of the action sequences are really good, masterfully mixing originality with fun, which is so absent from most other action films. When all is said and done, it’s definitely worth seeing, just try to judge it on its own merits and forget about Indy’s history.

Horton Hears a Who - Animated feature film - 19th May 2008

Not a sublime piece of emotional film making... but never the less beautiful to look at and gorgeously animated. I really enjoyed it, but strangely it wasn't much more than an exploration of an interesting idea. I know it's meant to be based on an existing story but personally I rate films on how they compare alongside any other experience and unfortunately I didn't really feel like I was on the edge of my seat. Some of the scenarios could have been shoe horned in and didn't really feel like they were integral to the film's structure. But the characters were entertaining and it was so gorgeous to look at that I didn't care.

Beowolf - Performance Capture feature film - 17th December 2007

At long last I went to see Beowolf yesterday in a 'Real-D' screen, and I was a lot more impressed than I thought I'd be. It's certainly one of the best 3D film experiences I've had. But controversy aside it's actually a very good film. If I were to judge it on live action standards then, some of the performances could be considered a little weak...and if I judge it on animation standards then many of the performances are a little weak! I say that just so that there's no technical defence angle from which to come at this. But despite that it was still a captivating experience and I really liked the story and characters. I'll put my animator's hat on now and point out the usual flaws. The mouths were not animated as strongly as they could have been, much like Final Fantasy before it although not as noticeable as that. The camera does some very amateurish moves at points, although you can tell it may have something to do with the need to make the 3D experience feel justified. There are a few too many cheap 3D tricks for the same reason which just reminds me that I'm sitting in a 3D cinema instead of being absorbed in the film. There are a few character gestures that seem half hearted, presumably due to the mocap (or an animator that's had enough of the mocap process). But the worst sin of all is the eyes. Most of the time they look like they are either too far apart or too close together, they look dead a lot of the time (I was convinced one of the characters was supposed to be blind for most of the movie). But basically there were too many shots where the characters failed to convince me that they were looking at anything. It's really not that hard to do, but it seems to be an indefinable flaw that I see far to often, and this film is one of the worst examples I've seen. It's possible that the 3D technique make this harder to achieve, so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and hope that it's better next time. Despite all of these flaws, leading me to spend too much time thinking about the process than the story, I still really enjoyed it and would consider it a success as a piece of entertainment. Whether it should sit alongside an animated movie in the Oscars is debatable, since it's not clear whether that category is rating the best film in animation, or the best animation amongst animated films.

Ratatouille - Animated feature film - 18th October 2007

An excellent film, but not quite as inspiring as I was expecting. But that's hardly a criticism after the likes of The Incredibles set the bar so high. On the plus side it's not as commercial as films like Cars and The Incredibles and it doesn't lean on childhood memories like Toy Story and Finding Nemo. In many ways Ratatouille went out on a limb…. a long limb, at least according to the stories that have circulated about how the marketing men didn't like a film about rats, cooking and Paris. Unfortunately the late arrival of the film in England coupled with these fears has meant that we've had large chunks of the film rammed down our throats for some time and much of the surprise is gone before we've even seen the movie, which is a real shame. But I really related to Remy the rat, I see a myself and a lot of my own story in his plight to bring something to the world. Overall, a great movie that will be the pride of any studio's collection. Of particular note was when the critic reads aloud his own final review. It brought a lump to my throat and echoed my inevitable words here. I wonder if that was what Brad was thinking of.

The Iron Giant - Animated feature film - 22nd July 2007

I've just watched the Iron Giant for the umteenth time and it still chokes me up. A classic that grabs your heart and sucks you in, then plays silly putting with it. It's not afraid to pose enormous catastrophe in the service of a good story. Much like ET before it you will fall in love with the Iron Giant and gasp at the horrors that unfold. I wish they'd released a version with all the extra footage that explained the Giant's origins more. Great stuff.

Dream on Silly Dreamer - Animated Documentary - 22nd June 2007

This documentary film spells the end of so many of my dreams. You go through school, college, university and your early career studying and dreaming for the ultimate goal of landing that dream life in Disney as a 2D animator, but before you had a realistic chance of getting there it's all fading away. I could see Disney suffering and 2D teetering off it's pedestal during my University years. I was just lucky that my first job was in computers with a company gracious enough to train me, because that gave me a reformed foundation and a safety net. This documentary just reminds me of all those silly dreams and nails the coffin shut. It's good in a way because it helps the grieving process, and makes it easier to move on. It reminds me of all those less fortunate that may not have had the insight to save themselves before computer animation became the dominant market, and re-affirms my attitude towards helping other worthy artists find their feet in this industry. This film isn't a great new idea or an amazing piece of cinema, it's just a heartfelt and well crafted window into an incredibly personal experience. I can highly recommend it to any animator over the age of 30, it's cheaper than a therapist. Everyone younger than that may just find it depressing, but never the less insightful.

TMNT - Animated feature film - 6th April 2007

I used to be a huge fan of the first cartoon series so this was mandatory viewing. But I wasn't sure what to expect, having heard very little about it. Ultimately I was very impressed. It was a good ride, with gorgeous animation, visuals and cinematography. The plot is a little flawed and feels a bit 'Saturday morning' but it can be overlooked in the light of everything else. The characters were given some meaty twists to deal with even if they weren't taken as far as I'd have liked. The main baddy wasn't your typical black and white foe. There were a few too many side characters thrown in purely to flesh the film out with excuses to fight but that was to be expected of the Turtles. At least the fights were interesting. The biggest draw for me though was the animation. It felt really 2D in many ways and really relished strong, dynamic poses and exaggerated timing. It just made me want to rush off and animate something physical. But even when the animation was acting and performance based (rather than physical) it was really strong (if you can over look a little over mouthing of the lip-sync). I'm looking forward to getting this one on DVD.

The Prestige - Live action film - 6th April 2007

Put simply... I was on the edge of my seat for the whole film and couldn't even pause it to go and get some ice cream! It uses a very layered approach to giving you all the clues to what's happening and cuts forward and backward within the local timeline. It keeps you guessing and had me questioning every aspect for hours after the film. I really enjoyed this. I doubt it would be as good a second time since all it's mysteries are best seen fresh, before you've had a chance to analyse all the possibilities. Overall I loved this and could easily have sat through a longer version, but then I guess it just did a great job of leaving me wanting more!

Batman: The Mask of the Phantasm - Animated feature film - 16th Feb 2007

It's been a while since I'd seen this one but it had always stuck in my mind as one of the best portrayals of Batman there was, and now that I've refreshed my memory... I'm tempted to say it is the best. It has all the elements that so few other versions of Batman are bold enough to address, i.e. his love life, how he became batman and dealt with the day to day trails of coping with his self imposed responsibility, we see cracks form in his relationship with Alfred, we see him go it alone and we see him tortured with the prospect of giving up his responsibility to allow himself to be happy. We learn about who the Joker used to be before his accident and we see the lifelines of several of the more interesting characters in Batman's universe play out in relation to his own developments as a hero. All of this and it has a great art style yet to be beaten. The score is powerful and has been a part of my collection for years. I'm really glad I dug out this classic. Someone just needs to make a slicker CG version of it to introduce it to a new generation that previously would have dismissed it as nothing more than an extension of the cartoon.

Monster House - Animated feature film - 7th of August 2006

I didn't expect much from this at first but was pleasantly surprised with what feels like a fresh take on an animated film. Granted, we've seen films like this (think Spielberg's early years) and we've seen CG movies using mocap, but some how this came across as a fresh mix. It kept the audience laughing and kept me interested. It's good solid, but simple, story with (admittedly) stereotyped characters... but never the less strong characters. The faces weren't 100% right (as was expected) but they were so much better than the last film to feature a similar approach (not naming names), that you forgive it. In fact it was interesting seeing just how much of the subtle performance you usually don't see in animation managed to seep through (although a little muted by the technique). When the film finished the director took centre stage to discuss his work and answer questions. All in all a good film and a fascinating evening.

Over the Hedge - Animated feature film - 27th of June 2006

So funny it nearly brought a tear to my eye (during the slow-mo scene)! The audience was consistently in stitches. I don't remember a film so infectiously funny, but then there were a lot of animators in the room so it may have been a little biased - it was a real animator's movie! I've seen better stories and it reminded me a little too much of Toy Story (because it hit so many of the same themes and settings), but if you can get over that it was highly entertaining.

The Prince of Egypt - Animated feature film - 21st of April 2006

Untouchable! This movie gives me hope for my medium of choice. I can't praise it enough, and I just wish the audience had been there when it deserved it. Still, to this day, it goes unrecognized and overlooked. It's a powerful tale of intolerance, betrayal, altered perceptions, racism, love, and responsibility. The Pharaoh's blindness to the slaves he commands is masterfully balanced by his lifelong burden of upholding his father's misconceived ideals. Moses' character arc swings gracefully and convincingly from that same blindness to one of defiance against it, posing an unbearable conflict against his childhood brother, the Pharaoh. This brings to screen probably the best portrayal of an animated relationship I've ever seen. Their bond is deep and meaningful, and their opposition painful and captivating. The performances are spot on, the animation superb and... well I could go on... suffice to say there is so much to praise. The soundtrack is astonishing and some of the scenes have been the mainstay of my demonstration material every time someone wants to see my home cinema at it's best. Sure... there are a few flaws; it didn't really need the comic court jesters and Moses' relationship with his wife doesn't have the magnitude it could have had, but it was inevitable that it wouldn't with the amount of screen time the story has to play out on. Make no mistakes this film is a dramatic piece and deserved the canvas of an epic, but unfortunately faced the preconceptions of a narrow minded audience that was expecting another animated comedy. Then there is the other school of thought that it's a religious film and therefore may contain preachy or inaccurate material (depending on your religious persuasion), but personally I judge it as a film first, and on that ground it's awe-inspiring. I'll die happy if I can accomplish something this strong in my lifetime and reach the hearts of the masses.

The Notebook - Live action film - 9th of February 2006

You've seen this film before. The characters, the clichés, the situations - boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl back. It doesn't even follow the usual formula to raise the stakes before the end of the movie. It just is, what it is... and what it is... is beautiful. A simple, touching and romantic tale that gives you exactly what you want. It's a little fairytale like in it's idealization of true love but in this day and age that is truly refreshing.

Minority Report - Live action film - 30th of December 2005

I never used to like Tom Cruise during his Top Gun years but I've definitely grown to have a great deal of respect for his work now. I watched this practically back to back with Jerry Maguire and he consistently gives an intense performance that it utterly watch-able. Some people don't like his style and it doesn't always suit every movie but fortunately he's very picky about his projects and this was right up his ally. There's a sprinkling of Spielberg's humour in there that some people have said ruins the mood but I like it. In the end it's the film noir stream of twists in the last third of the film that have been perfectly built up to, that really nail it. It makes me want to turn straight to my keyboard and dive into my own stories, and anything that can inspire me like that (especially after seeing it a few times already) is definitely worthy of my attention.

Toy Story 2 - Animated feature film - 30th of December 2005

I was watching this over the Christmas holiday with the family on TV and, having seen it numerous times (we all had), I was fully prepared to kick back and read a book. Generally I'm not into seeing repeats and if I'm seeing a classic from my DVD collection I'd rather appreciate it on a decent home cinema setup so I wasn't going to bother watching this. But I simply couldn't do it. I was captivated and while I occasionally wrestled with the idea of returning to my book, I simply couldn't take my eyes off it. It just keeps you glued to the set. Every new piece of jeopardy the characters go through is an unexpected twist and perfectly believable, but more than that it's compelling and unpredictable. Other animated features fall way to quickly into the usual clichés of good versus evil with set pieces designed simply to tick all the boxes, and your average audience can tell (I've recently found myself giving up on some animated features before they've finished - that's not like me at all!). It's the characters and the believable situations that are built on a spin on life as we know it that draw you in. Fantastic stuff.

Inside I'm Dancing - Live action film - 10th of December 2005

This is a realistic and utterly refreshing depiction of two severally handicapped young men trying to make a life for themselves outside of the system they have been left in by their families. It will bring a lump to the throat of anyone with half a heart. Touching and considerate film making, that leaves you feeling nothing but good will. There's no black and white in this. Worth seeing.

The Passion of Christ - Live action film - 5th of December 2005

I think I was grimacing throughout the entirety of the film! It was gruesome and powerful but strangely compelling. I do think, however that a period of getting to know the principle characters would have helped me feel more involved. You can argue that we know them all already, but that doesn't change the fact that you need a warm up in order to get you in the right frame of mind to really relate to them. Of course Arguably you wouldn't want to relate to this film. It's not really a story, it's more of a cleansing experience. It sits along side films like 'Schindler's List' as one that I never want to put myself through again (despite having seen that one three times now), but I don't regret having seen it and I believe it is a very strong piece of cinema that I will forever remember.

Pieces of April - Live action film - 23rd of March 2005

It won’t knock your socks off or even make it into your top ten. Chances are you’ll have forgotten it a week later, but Pieces of April stands out as one of the most touching and “real” films I’ve seen in a long time. It’s refreshingly free of gloss and glamour, and yet grabs you from the first frame to the last. It’s not “kitchen sink”, but it manages to show us some very real characters in a rundown setting. Yes, it pulls off a happy ending, but it takes us everywhere else first in a way that is so realistic that we really appreciate the relief from the pain at the end. Not that it’s unpleasant viewing, far from it. It will make you laugh out load and most importantly identify with the experiences laid bare on the screen. I’d like to say I can heartily recommend it, but it won’t be to everyone’s tastes and it’s likely that some people just won’t be able to relate to it. For those that can it’s well worth a couple of hours of your time.

Black and White - PC game - 7th Feb 2005

This is the God im to end all God Sims created by the master of the original God Simulation, Populous (Peter Molyneux). I'd been anticipating it's arrival for some time and when I started it I couldn't put it down (which takes some doing for me - I'm not easily impressed). It's hard to outline what it's all about, so I won't I'll just say that no other game has made as much of an impression on me. In a market full of so much dross it stands out as a beacon of hope for the games industry. It's innovative, completely unique, satisfying, engaging, beautiful, and re-playable.

I liked it so much that I even played through the expansion pack, but aside from some new abilities and monsters it's best to stick the the original. Even to this day I'm tempted to go back and play through it again - if only I had that much time to spare! I look forward to the sequel but I know that the chances of it having as much impact are slim, still... here's hoping.

Aladdin - Animated feature film - 7th Feb 2005

This was the one that clinched it! I had a pretty good idea I wanted to be an animator before Aladdin, but it was sitting in the cinema watching this for the first time that I knew it.

The score is still one of Disney's best and most powerful, while the songs ring true to me even today (especially Aladdin's solo in his den). The colour pallet for the entire film is rich and varied. The animation is spot on (I'd do anything to have been a part of it's creation) and some of the transformations are fantastic. The story is rock solid and manages to keep itself alive and kicking with surprises even after you think it's all over. The characters are perhaps a little stereotyped but I can't fault them, Jafar is still my favourite bad guy of any movie (my hat's off to Andreas Deja and his team of animators). You have to respect the nemesis for them to be formidable, that's why I can't stand zombies they're just cardboard ducks flipping up to be knocked down in a shooting range - pointless, mindless and unworthy of my respect. But Jafar just oozes deception and cunning with every turn of his eye, add to that an excellent design and he'll take some beating.

Aladdin still ranks as one of a handful of my absolute favourite films, absolute magic.

The Incredibles - Animated feature film - 26th Nov 2004

The words "Dude"... and... "Awesome" don't come out of my mouth very often but... awesome dude! I just came out of The Incredibles and I can heartily recommend it. Everything seems Super-ised since I walked out of the cinema. I had to check the tyres on my vehicle to be sure they weren't flat... my car looked lower to the ground and more streamlined than I remember!

It doesn't pander to the kids as much as previous Pixar movies either, which will please the teens, but will probably concern the parents when they have to keep their rascals occupied during the less action oriented portions of the film. In my view this isn't a criticism, but a step in the right direction. Pixar is making enough films now to allow itself the opportunity to target older audiences. After all animation is just a medium, it isn't the exclusive domain of the family audience.

Great stuff! I don't often get a buzz like this from a movie these days (too jaded!) but this reminded me why I do what I do.