Letterboxd — Your life in film

A Star Trek film that anyone of any level of fandom can enjoy; and quite possibly 'The Dark Knight' of the Trek world. Whilst not as nuanced or as anarchic as Christopher Nolans stellar sequel, Into Darkness offers enough great action, laughs and character development (see; Kirk, Spock and Scotty) to justify its release.

Also, Benedict Cumberbatch is absolutely superb. Once the credits roll, you'll be craving more of his sadistic, ruthless and brilliant portrayal of a severely unhinged mind. I can only hope his character returns in the inevitable sequel.

A tense, claustrophobic and creepy first half lets way to an over the top gore fest in the second half; something I didn't particularly like, but looking at it, perfectly captures the spirit of the original with the latter half and creates it's own image with the former.

Jane Levy is great in the lead role, the practical effects and makeup are fantastic, and the camera work is strong. A little more work on some of the supporting characters and a bit less exposition and this would've been perfect.

Sumptuous visuals make for a visual feast, but a weak script doesn't make for a compelling enough tale to stretch the running time. The ever reliable Tom Cruise is yet again on great form, supported ably by Morgan Freeman and Andrea Riseborough, and Joseph Kosinski confidently directs. A little more work on the script and this would have been a classic.

7/10

A fantastic return to Middle-Earth. The music, scenery, and old favourites like Gandalf, The Shire and Rivendell can't help but bring a smile to your face if you're a Lord of the Rings fan.

Martin Freeman, a particular favourite of mine, wears a look of bemusement for 99% of the film and seems to rely on this to get him through it, but he makes one hell of a Bilbo. Funny, charming and witty, he's on scenery chewing form.

All in all, An Unexpected Journey is a wholly expected joy. December can not come fast enough.

A complex thriller in which James McAvoy tries to recover a memory lost deep within his subconscious. Although it does get a little muddled during the third act, the film is gripping, and will have you talking long after the credits roll.