X-Men Origins: Wolverine is the first of the X-Men prequel series, giving Hugh Jackman another chance to show off his animal magnetism as we get the back story behind James Logan’s transformation into the fearsome and conflicted Wolverine.
The action is as well-choreographed as you might expect with Jackman showing his formidable claws. And there’s plenty of backup in the form of Danny Huston as Stryker and Liev Schreiber as Wolverine’s half brother. But the plot doesn’t quite hold up under the weight of expectation, and occasional moments of introspection aside, we never really get close to the core of Wolverine’s character. Disappointingly, it’s certainly the weakest of the X-Men movies to date and if Wolverine’s powers suggest he will live forever, just how many of these titles will we eventually have to watch?
The Uninvited is a supernatural horror based on the South Korean movie A Tale of Two Sisters. Troubled teenager Anna, played by Emily Browning, is recovering from witnessing the death of her mother. But her return home is overshadowed by ghostly apparitions and the arrival of a new stepmother. When Anna decides to investigate the unwelcome arrival, she uncovers some shocking secrets. Perhaps a little mild for horror devotees, the plot is nicely placed and while the big twist might not surprise everyone, it makes for an entertaining finale.
Katyn is a troublingly bleak account of how 15,000 prisoners were massacred by the Soviet army at the beginning of World War II.
Told through the eyes of a young Polish army captain played by Artur Zmijewski and his young wife and daughter who await his return home, we witness horrific scenes of brutality and slaughter. Kept secret for decades, Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev finally admitted his country’s responsibility for the killings, which formed part of Stalin’s plan to eliminate resistance to Soviet control among Poles. Director Andrzej Wajda lost his own father in the massacre, making this chilling account all the more poignant.
Steven Seagal wrote and stars in The Keeper, a rollicking tale of an LA cop who flees to New Mexico to work as a bodyguard. Cue the kidnap of his client – naturally a foxy young lady – a plethora of gangsters, and a customary race against time to plot a rescue. Seagal plays mean-with-a-heart-of-gold to a tee and, in truth, it’s all quite good fun.
Gamezone
South Park Let's Go Tower Defense Play! Xbox 360
Protect South Park city against waves of rampaging hippies, ginger youngsters, and old people! Stylish graphics and great gameplay make this easily the best South Park title so far.
Borderlands, PS3
Pretty run-of-the-mill combat set-up as you battle aliens on planet Pandora. But superb co-op play makes this stand out from the crowd.
A Boy and His Blob, Wii
Platform puzzle game with a cute backdrop. You guide our young friend and his loveable blob on a diet of jelly beans as he battles back against the evil king who has imprisoned all the blobs in blobolonia. Charming and addictive.
