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The Help * Set in the 1960’s, this film is about the lives of African American maids as they go through their daily hardships whilst working for white families who treat them as second class citizens. The inevitable soul searching will present itself – when a young, white woman expresses her desire to write a book from the view of the help. You can see where this is going: the expected awards are rolling in, anything racially centred will show a peaceful resolution at the end, characters will learn a lesson, racists get their just desserts and all is well again. I’d like to see this for Emma Stone and Octavia Spencer and it should be a feel good film overall. Probably worth watching and hopefully cliché free.

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The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo * I have been very much looking forward to this, but let me clarify something that a lot of customers are having trouble with. When Swedish author Stieg Larsson died in 2004, he never got to see his Millennium trilogy become the phenomenon it is today. His first book in Swedish literally means ‘Men Who Hate Women’, but became ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ when it was released in the UK and America. The film soon followed and was a celebrated international success with Noomi Rapace (soon to be playing the lead in Prometheus) playing the complicated role of Lisbeth Salander. The two sequels followed (The Girl Who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest) and together they made up the very, very successful version of the Millennium Trilogy in Larsson’s native language. It was only a matter of time until the English language versions would be made – and America got there first. Starring relative unknown Rooney Mara (Nightmare on Elm Street 2011, The Social Network) as Salander, the American version is a coveted edition of a brilliantly popular story – especially by those who can’t be bothered to read subtitles, or even release dates. Customers rent out the Swedish version, bring it back and then complain that the American version isn’t out yet. Annoyance aside, the new version is going to be released in late April and I can’t wait. I want to see how the performances differ, I want to see if the graphic scenes are handled as brutally as the first film and I was to see if Fincher gives needed respect to the subject matter. Quick synopsis – Lisbeth Salander is a researcher/hacker/loner/abused woman, who is thrown together with Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist, Daniel Craig) – a disgraced journalist and the owner of the controversial Millennium magazine. Blomkvist is contacted by a wealthy client who wants to solve a family member’s disappearance a long time ago – so he and Salander travel to his estate, only to find violence, deception and murder. The Swedish versions are fantastic, so the American versions have a lot to live up to.

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Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows * Another outing with Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) and Dr. Watson (Jude Law) in their high budget glory. All I can say is that I enjoyed the first one (even though one of the most famous English characters in history was played by an American), so the second one should be ok if the leads maintain their friendly chemistry. Plus, extra Noomi Rapace as the female lead. Excellent progressions into the mainstream I’d say. Oh, and watching the Oscars last year I’ve realised that Downey and Law made a more entertaining watch than the original hosts – (Anne Hathaway and James Franco) when they presented an Oscar. They should present the ceremony, or Billy Crystal should do it every single time.

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The Thing * This film is the second remake (or prequel as this one likes to be known) of the 1950’s science fiction movie- ‘The Thing from Another World’, a great film but  John Carpenter’s 1980’s version is my absolute favourite, with Kurt Russell and the most excellent creature effects I’ve ever seen. It stars Mary Elizabeth Winestead (Death Proof, Die Hard 4.0) as a scientist (erm...yeah) who, along with her team in the Antarctic discover an alien spacecraft under the ice and bring home what they believe to be a dead creature in the ice. The alien isn’t dead, it comes after them and almost successfully replicates another living thing’s form to survive. Apparently we needed another remake so it’s coming our way at the end of March, yet because it is a creature feature, I’m looking forward to it and I’m feeling slightly ashamed of my biased nature. Remakes and adaptations annoy me, yet anything remade in the horror genre always deserves a watch because A: I love horror and B: They aren’t making anything else good (or original) these days. Might as well give it a go, but don’t expect it to be better than Carpenter’s version.

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Haywire * Basically stealing the idea from the vastly superior Machete, a woman working as a Black Ops agent is betrayed by those in charge – and seeks revenge. I’ve heard good things and we do have an all star cast on show (ironically, not the lead. I’ve never heard of her), but I’ll see it before I make any judgements – although I am hoping that it won’t be as boring as the sequels of Bourne.

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My Week with Marilyn * Heath Ledger’s ex Michelle Williams stars as Marilyn Monroe in this story of her life. I’m going to see it, but to be honest this really isn’t my thing. I love drama and the brilliant acting that comes with it, but Marilyn Monroe isn’t one of my idols. Definitely one for the fans methinks.

Ÿ	Moneyball * Another drama with ‘Oscar gold’ stamped all over it. Brad Pitt produces and stars in this drama about.... baseball. Being that I’m neither an American baseball loving citizen or a great fan of Mr. Pitt – I’ll watch this if I have to.

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The Vanishing on 7th Street * To my knowledge, this film didn’t get released in UK cinemas – and when something goes straight to DVD these days, you know there can’t be much special about it. It seems like a promising plot: a man wakes up to find that the entire city of Detroit has disappeared overnight. He finds some survivors, tries to find out what is going on and then realises that whatever happened to everyone – is about to happen to him. It has a decent B-list cast; Hayden Christiensen (Star Wars 1-3) and Thandie Newton and looks interesting – but there just seems to be something missing about it. I’ll watch it anyway, as I’m intrigued.

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Troll Hunter Norwegian, brilliant and pretty much what it says on the tin. A group of students investigate vicious animal killings in Norway and find out that the culprit is actually something a lot hairier, meaner and bigger than they thought. It’s just great and to the point – something I admire about a film. Unfortunately like everything else good in the world, Americans have purchased the rights to copy this film – that is deeply rooted in Scandinavian folklore. Apparently the Americans have run out of ideas, yet I’ve heard that this remake may have an English director. Interesting....

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In Time * Justin Timberlake is back and this time he wants.... more time. In a world where everyone stops aging at 25 (reminiscent of Logan’s Run – undoubtedly the vastly superior film), citizens of the future have the opportunity to live forever – but only if you can pay for it. One man must fight for his right to party in this futuristic thriller also starring Nolan favourite Cillian Murphy and Amanda ‘Mamma Mia’ Seyfried. An ingenious little idea indeed, it does make me want to watch this film – were it not for popstar school dropout Justin Timberlake. Although he is impressing lately with his natural comedic timing, I’m not sure if he can pull off a leading action man without making me think of his high singing voice. Watch this space.

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Midnight in Paris I’d like to start by saying that I am not a fan of Woody Allen. I hate the fact that he tries to rely on whatever talent he has, refuses to promote films and personally accept any award that has been given to him over the years. I also don’t like Owen Wilson – he is just someone I forget about in every film he is in. The chances of me actually watching and enjoying this film are low, but these are my opinions here and not everyone else’s. Apparently it’s been reviewed well, so watch it if you want to. It also stars the brilliant French actress Marion Cotillard, so I probably will watch it at some point.

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Drive Ryan Gosling is the quiet loner who is a stuntman by day and a getaway driver at night. He obviously loves to drive –which is what the film is about. I personally fell in love with Gosling’s character in this and the way that the film marries themes of softness, passion and violence into a superb film noir package. The result is a film split into two parts,that intertwine at appropriate moments. I can understand why customers come back into the shop and say that this film bored them – but I’m someone watching it a lot more closely, almost studying it. Oh, and who knew that Albert Brooks could be SO mean? Fascinating is the word I’d use here. Gosling is definitely the man to watch though, with his quiet intensity and vulnerability surrounded by the metal shield of his car – which almost seems to be part of him the way he drives it. It’s pretty cool, and the music is perfectly chosen. Watch for something a bit different. Oh, and its Empire Magazine’s best film of last year.