There’s Only One Jimmy Grimble (2000)
Jan 11, 2009Magic Soccer Boots
Film about a pair of magical soccer boots, so centred in its local sports culture that it is unlikely to have much appeal outside of its Manchester setting
Ray Winstone
King Arthur (2004)
Aug 14, 2004Arthurian Legends
A big-budget version of the Arthurian legends that makes dubious claim about being rooted in historical fact. Thus the fantasy elements are stripped out and what we have is more an historical spectacle
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)
Dec 15, 2005Epic Fantasy Adventure/Magical Otherworld
The film adaptation of C.S. Lewis's book sought to appeal to audiences for the Lord of the Rings films but between Lewis's heavy-handed Christian allegories and Andrew Adamson's inexperience as a director fails to fly
Sweeney Todd (2006)
Dec 15, 2007Murderous Barber
Released before the Tim Burton version, this is a British tv production that offers a grimly realistic, non-musical historical portrait of Sweeney Todd with Ray Winstone in the title role
Beowulf (2007)
Dec 2, 2007Epic Legend/Animation
After the success of the motion captured animated The Polar Express, Robert Zemeckis turned his attentions to the classic legend. Armed with a Neil Gaiman script and a host of name actors in the mocap suits, the result is a soaring fantasy
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
May 25, 2008High Adventure/Alien Artefacts
The fourth of the Indiana Jones films, returning after a 19 year gap to general disappointment. Largely a film about Indy getting old and coming to terms with it, this tries but the action scenes pale against what the series was back in the heyday
The Devil’s Tomb (2009)
Apr 17, 2025Tomb of Evil Forces
Jason Connery directs a film that draws upon the basics of The Keep about soldiers venturing into a tomb in Iraq where they awaken a great evil housed there
Edge of Darkness (2010)
Jan 31, 2010Nuclear Conspiracy Thriller/TV Series Remake
A film remake of one of the great tv series of the 1980s. A complete betrayal by the original’s director Martin Campbell that strips all the politics and simply makes it into a Mel Gibson revenge film
13 (2010)
Jan 12, 2011Russian Roulette Gambling
The English-language remake of the Georgian 13 Tzameti about underground Russian Roulette gambling. This has an impressive cast line-up but lacks the stark tension of the original
Hugo (2011)
Dec 15, 2011Children's Film/Georges Melies Tribute
Martin Scorsese’s venture into making a children’s film is a beautiful production but must have been a studio nightmare – while they try to sell it as a magical fantasy film, Scorsese wants to pay tribute to silent filmmaker Georges Melies
Rango (2011)
Mar 13, 2011Animation/Talking Animal Western Homage
Gore Verbinski makes an eccentrically different animated homage to the Western, all cast with talking animals. The animation comes from Industrial Light and Magic and is quite unlike any other animated film.
Snow White and the Huntsman (2012)
May 31, 2012Adult Fairytale Adaptation/Epic Fantasy
The second of 2012's Snow White films after Mirror Mirror, this turns the fairytale into an epic fantasy. Well produced but ultimately a film that lacks anything unique nor pushes far enough into the dark fantasy it promises to be
Noah (2014)
Apr 12, 2014Biblical Legend
Darren Aronofsky's adaptation of the Biblical legend was mired in controversy. I can only applaud his decision to defy those who claim ownership of the story and set out to make an interesting film. Yet Noah remains an epic that never seems to quite fill the screen and a human drama that never quite comes to life
Cats (2019)
Mar 29, 2020Musical/Singing Cats
The film version of the smash Andrew Lloyd Webber musical phenomenon was widely ridiculed. Seen, it is a colourful and absorbing entity and by no means as bad as its rap gives it
Black Widow (2021)
Jul 17, 2021Marvel Comics Adaptation
The first MCU film to emerge since the Great Pause of the pandemic, the question is whether one of the least interesting characters in The Avengers can carry a film all by herself
Damsel (2024)
Mar 22, 2024Dragon Fantasy
A dragon fantasy where Stranger Things’ Millie Bobby Brown plays the damsel who sets out to save herself. A fantasy film made for people who don’t like fantasy films