Silver Streak

Director: Arthur Hiller

Starring: Gene Wilder, Jill Clayburgh, Richard Pryor, Patrick McGoohan

Distributed By: 20th Century Fox

Release Date: December 1976

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This is still a fun movie even after all this time!
Gene Wilder is really great and I love that he always looks so shocked when he finds himself off the train...again, but so easily finds the means to get back on!
Things get funny once Richard Pryor shows up and you really get a sense of the chemistry both actors have even in their first movie together.
It's nice to see a laid back funny movie like this that doesn't take itself too seriously and boy would I love to have been on a train with the two of them! Great ending sequence too.
~~Nikki~~

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Director: Peter Jackson

Starring: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellan, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Austin, Andy Serkis, Bernard Hill, Miranda Otto, Karl Urban, David Wenham, John Noble, Jonathon Rhys-Davies, Hugo Weaving, Liv Tyler, Cate Blanchett, Marton Csokas, Orlando Bloom, Dominic Monaghan, Billy Boyd, Ian Holm

Distributed By: New Line Cinema

Release Date: December 2003

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The Return of the King is quite simply movie perfection and is my favourite in the trilogy.
I love that Andy Serkis has a chance to be seen as Smeagol remembers how the ring came to him.
Miranda Otto's Eowyn shines as she completely falls for Aragorn and then steps up and plays a vital role in the battle at Gondor.
Gollum's treachery is deliciously deceitful as he plays up to Frodo and helps to push Sam away and then leads Frodo to Shelob's lair which is one of the most impressive scenes on film.
I'm also really glad that they fleshed out Arwen's role for this last part and her fate being tied to the ring makes Aragorn's choices even more difficult. Every character is faced with challenges and there's so much to enjoy.
The contrast between Theoden and Denethor is brilliant and John Noble totally nails Denethor's descent into madness!
Elijah Wood gives his heart and soul to Frodo and it's so wonderful to follow him on this journey, but of course the background hero of this movie is "Samwise the brave". Sean Astin gives Sam courage, bravery and loyalty and I love seeing each member of the fellowship being so true to each other.
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy is, in my view one of the best movie franchises ever made and I can't imagine my life without these movies!
A true labour of love for Peter Jackson, his team and cast, they have given the world hours of cinematic enjoyment that I for one will never tire of.
A truly magical film, one ring really does rule them all!
~~Nikki~~

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

Director: Peter Jackson

Starring: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellan, Viggo Mortensen, Andy Serkis, Bernard Hill, Miranda Otto, Karl Urban, Jonathon Rhys-Davies, Hugo Weaving, Sean Austin, Liv Tyler, Cate Blanchett, David Wenham, Brad Dourif, Christopher Lee, Orlando Bloom, Dominic Monaghan, Billy Boyd

Distributed By: New Line Cinema

Release Date: December 2002

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 The Two Towers is remarkable, the fellowship has divided and each group have their own stories to tell as they all meet new acquaintances along the way.
There are some wonderful performances throughout and I especially love Bernard Hill as Theoden, Miranda Otto as Eowyn and Brad Dourif as Wormtongue.
Gandalf's re-appearance and Theoden's transformation are both beautiful scenes and the battle of Helm's Deep is completely awe inspiring!
I love that the film spends time throughout with each group of the fellowship especially as we get to learn more about each character. Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli, in particular are a joy to watch as they lead Rohan into battle, but for me, it's the scenes with Frodo, Sam and Gollum that make this movie truly unforgettable!
Peter Jackson's use of motion capture for Gollum is pure genius and Andy Serkis brings such emotion especially during Gollum/Smeagol's various monologues, which are beautiful scenes and Frodo's sympathy towards him leads us into the next part of their journey and once again hints at what's to come.
The Two Towers is a beautiful movie that ensures that the third instalment is worth the wait!
~~Nikki~~

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

Director: Peter Jackson

Starring: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellan, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Bean, Jonathon Rhys-Davies, Hugo Weaving, Sean Austin, Liv Tyler, Cate Blanchett, Christopher Lee, Orlando Bloom, Dominic Monaghan, Billy Boyd, Ian Holm

Distributed By: New Line Cinema

Release Date: December 2001

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There are many movies that I love and enjoy every time I see them, but few are the sort that change everything; that give you a moment in time that brings the world of cinema right into your heart. For me, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy was my moment!
To this day I am in awe of these films so lovingly crafted by Peter Jackson and his passionate team. The Fellowship of the Ring sets the standard as every actor proves their worth. The casting of Elijah Wood as Frodo and Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn are strokes of genius as they carry the emotional weight of the movie. Ian McKellen as Gandalf and Christopher Lee as Saruman bring true depth of character and Liv Tyler as Arwen brings such beautiful femininity to a mainly all male cast. The whole look of the movie is superb; The Shire is so exact that each scene feels like a page of the books and every new location is more breathtaking.
The fleeting glimpses of Gollum lend an air of expectation and all the CGI scenes are outstanding and still impress after all this time. The meeting with the Balrog in particular though a short scene is one of the most remembered and is truly impressive.
A beautiful beginning to one of the most adventurous and compelling journeys on screen, this movie leaves you wanting more as we follow a small hobbit with the fate of the world in his hands and is a movie that I will cherish for years to come...
~~Nikki~~

Happy Feet Two

Director: George Miller

 

Starring: Elijah Wood, Robin Williams, Hank Azaria, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Pink, Sofia Vergara, Hugo Weaving, Common, Richard Carter, Magda Szubanski, Anthony LaPaglia

Distributed by: Warner Bros. Pictures

 

Release Date: November 2011

 

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I was a little bit sceptical with this as I loved the first film so much but this is a really good sequel.

Mumble is back and is now a father himself and his cute young son Erik is very shy and not at all comfortable with his father's expressive talents.

My favourites The Amigos and Lovelace are back but we also have some new characters which really made me laugh. Every scene with the Krill adventurers Will and Bill wonderfully voiced by Brad Pitt and Matt Damon are really funny and Erik surprised me with his own heart song! The animation is just as beautiful as in the first movie and the various songs are lovely.

The Happy Feet movies are great fun and will put a smile on your face and a song in your heart! Plus I have a renewed respect for Krill!
~~Nikki~~

Snow White A Tale Of Terror

Director: Michael Cohn

Starring: Sigourney Weaver, Sam Neill, Monica Keena, Gil Bellows, David Conrad

Distributed By: Gramercy Pictures

Release Date: August 1997

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If you like your fairytales to be as dark as they were originally intended this movie will not disappoint!
Even the beginning is fairly horrific as we see how snow white is brought into the world! For anyone who is familiar with the Grimm Brothers' tale this is a very good adaptation.
Sigourney Weaver is truly wonderful as she brings jealousy and rage to her wicked stepmother role whilst Monica Keena gives snow white innocence, strength and courage as she meets some quite unfriendly strangers along the way. I really did enjoy this and a lot of that was due to scenes that left me pretty speechless!
Gloriously dark and menacing this version of Snow White is one that will stay with you and just might make you think twice when someone offers you a fruit basket...
~~Nikki~~

Avatar

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Stephen Lang, Michelle Rodriguez, Sigourney Weaver, Joel David Moore, Giovanni Ribisi

Distributed by: 20th Century Fox

Release Date: December 2009

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This has to be one of the best movies of all time! Even the opening scene shows that this is something special. Seeing it in 3D in the cinema was one of those experiences that I'll never forget and even on a smaller screen without 3D this movie is awe inspiring.
A true labour of love for James Cameron, everything he worked hard to achieve pays off. The casting is perfect, Sam Worthington is very likable as Jake and Zoe Saldana brings respect and strength to Neytiri. Sigourney Weaver is great as tough talking Grace and Stephen Lang makes me love to hate his hard as nails Col. Quaritch!
The use of motion capture makes everything about Pandora totally believable and when watching this I too, like Jake, want to remain in Pandora and forget everything else, which is ultimately what great movies are all about!
Jake's first night in the forest is one of the most beautiful scenes ever put on film and is breathtaking every time I see it!
A truly remarkable movie, Avatar is groundbreaking, magnificent and about pure escapism. Perfection!
~~Nikki~~

Puss In Boots

Director: Chris Miller
 
Starring: Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Zach Galifianakis, Billy Bob Thornton, Amy Sedaris
 
Distributed By: Paramount Pictures
 
Release Date: October 2011

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 Puss in Boots quickly became my favourite character in the Shrek movies and he's a star in his own spin-off!
Antonio Banderas brings charisma to Puss as he reunites with Humpty Dumpty wonderfully voiced by Zach Galifianakis, whilst Salma Hayek brings street smarts to Kitty Softpaws who intrigues our hero!
The animation is wonderful throughout and the story brings forth more fairy tale characters for us to enjoy.
The thing I love about this movie is that for me, Humpty almost steals it from Puss, some of his mannerisms and facial expressions are hilarious and make this a movie that I'll happily watch whenever I want to brighten my day!
~~Nikki~~

Titanic

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane, Frances Fisher, Gloria Stuart, Bill Paxton, Suzy Amis, Kathy Bates, Danny Nucci, David Warner, Jason Barry, Victor Garber, Bernard Hill

Distributed By: Paramount Pictures/20th Century Fox

Release Date: December 1997

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I still love this movie even after all this time.
Most people are aware of the tragic events that led to the sinking of the most impressive ship ever built and the huge loss of life that went with it.
I'm so glad that some actual footage was used as this makes the film even more poignant.
I still enjoy seeing Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet as Jack and Rose and I always get caught up in their sudden and brief romance. The casting is perfect throughout and I really like Billy Zane as Cal and Kathy Bates as Molly who brings humour to the first class ensemble!
Gloria Stuart brings an engaging quality to Rose's character and the ship itself is absolutely majestic and seeing its demise is heartbreaking!
A true masterpiece this movie honours the memory of the Titanic and its passengers and deserves to be held in great esteem.
~~Nikki~~

Wrath of the Titans

Director: Jonathon Liebesman
 
Starring: Sam Worthington, Rosamund Pike, Bill Nighy, Édgar Ramírez, Toby Kebbell, Danny Huston, Ralph Fiennes, Liam Neeson

Distributed By: Warner Bros. Pictures

Release Date: March 2012

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I really enjoyed this!
Sam Worthington brings fierceness to Perseus who this time round not only has to battle powerful Ares but also has to stop Kronos from destroying them all.
I'm a sucker for continuity but Rosamund Pike is an excellent choice for Andromeda and lends a good dose of strong femininity to the movie.
Édgar Ramírez was brilliant as Ares and I loved seeing Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes reprise their roles.
I saw it in 3D and thought that it worked really well and the CGI was impressive throughout and these sort of movies are always worth seeing more than once to take more of it in.
I'd happily follow Perseus on more adventures; after all there aren't many guys that can boast they have a Pegasus as a ride!
~~Nikki~~

Unstoppable

Director: Tony Scott
 
Starring: Denzel Washington, Chris Pine, Rosario Dawson, Lew Temple, Ethan Suplee, Kevin Dunn, T.J. Miller

Distributed By: 20th Century Fox

Release Date: November 2010

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Wow! I really enjoyed this movie!
It's packed with action as Denzel Washington and Chris Pine try to prevent disaster as a runaway train goes on the loose in Pennsylvania and they are both excellent and have great chemistry that pushes the story along.
Rosario Dawson is brilliant as Connie and I also really like Lew Temple as Ned.
There's nothing fancy about this movie and this is what makes it so good.
This is pure quality in terms of action and acting that kept me tense for over 100 minutes!
A great thriller that demands repeat viewing!
~~Nikki~~

The Woman In Black

Director: James Watkins
 
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Ciarán Hinds, Janet McTeer, Liz White
 
Distributed By: Momentum Pictures/CBS Films/Alliance Films
 
Release Date: February 2012

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Movies about ghostly goings on can be tricky but what I really like about this story is that the tension is there right from the start and this builds slowly but steadily throughout to a surprising ending.
The cinematography is quite beautiful and I love the setting and the fact that the dialogue is really sparse.
Daniel Radcliffe spends a great deal of the movie on his own and he carries this really well.
He is very suited to serious and somewhat sad roles and I always find myself wanting him to be happy, which just proves what an impressive actor he is, especially when considering the amount of screen time he has had as Harry Potter; it's great seeing him become other characters.
He is definitely one of Britain's most talented young actors.
This is spooky, atmospheric and captivating with every scene. It might not be the scariest movie you'll ever see, but the acting by all is superb and this is a ghost movie that I'll be watching again and again...
~~Nikki~~

Kung Fu Panda

Director: Jon Stevenson & Mark Osborne
 
Starring: Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Ian McShane, Angelina Jolie, Seth Rogan, Lucy Liu, David Cross, Randall Duk Kim, James Hong, Michael Clarke Duncan, Dan Fogler, Jackie Chan

Distributed By: Paramount Pictures

Release Date: June 2008

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I really like this movie, the animation is beautiful and the voice cast is perfect.
Jack Black really steals this and has the best lines, but it’s the way he delivers those lines that really makes this enjoyable!
A clumsy panda learning something that is about finesse and technique is very funny and Dustin Hoffman's Master Shifu really lays it down for our unlikely hero!
A beautiful score by Hans Zimmer also accompanies this movie, so sit back and enjoy!
~~Nikki~~

The Elephant Man

Director: David Lynch
 
Starring: Anthony Hopkins, John Hurt, Anne Bancroft, John Gielgud, Wendy Hiller

Distributed By: EMI Films/Paramount Pictures

Release Date: October 1980

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This is an incredibly moving film about the life of John Merrick who suffered extreme deformity all over his body.
The film is handled with great care and both Anthony Hopkins and John Hurt bring sensitive performances to each character and the fact that it's shot in black and white makes the Victorian setting feel very realistic.
A true classic of cinema; this is a movie that deserves to be appreciated.
~~Nikki~~

Reign of Fire

Director: Rob Bowman

Starring: Christian Bale, Matthew McConaughey, Izabella Scorupco, Gerard Butler

Distributed By: Touchstone Pictures

Release Date: July 2002

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One of my favourite movies in the dragon genre; this doesn't mess around!
This is grim stuff set in an almost completely destroyed world with the dragons supremely in charge, but there are also some sweet moments as the adults try to keep up a sense of optimism for the young.
Christian Bale always portrays serious characters very well and Gerard Butler adds some much needed charm.
Izabella Scorupco is excellent and it's nice to see a woman toughing it out with the men.
Without a doubt this is Matthew McConaughey's movie; his transformation into the character of Van Zan is truly remarkable and his acting is superb.
The story is very believable for a movie of this type and the CGI is outstanding!
The dragons themselves seal the deal, they are beautifully scary creatures that light up the screen as they thwart our hero’s plans!
This is a movie worth repeat viewings; a dark and gritty man vs. nature showdown and its one hell of a show...
~~Nikki~~

The Adjustment Bureau

Director: George Nolfi

Starring: Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Anthony Mackie, John Slattery, Michael Kelly, Terence Stamp, Donnie Keshawarz, Anthony Ruivivar

Distributed By: Universal Pictures

Release Date: March 2011

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This is a stylish thriller with a supernatural twist.
I love how normal the whole movie feels. Nothing is too overdone and each scene feels believable.
Both Matt Damon and Emily Blunt give beautifully understated performances as they meet and feel a spark of what they both want to fulfil and the members of the bureau are mysterious as they become a feature in David's life with Terrance Stamp bringing a creepy factor into the mix and the movie does a good job with its twists and turns.
This compelling story about loss, love and fate is charming in every way.
Now where did I leave my hat?
~~Nikki~~

Limitless

Director: Neil Burger

Starring: Bradley Cooper, Abbie Cornish, Robert DeNiro, Anna Friel, Johnny Whitworth

Distributed By: Relativity Media

Release Date: March 2011

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I love everything about this movie!
Bradley Cooper does brilliantly as his character Eddie goes between being extremely focused to being on very intense downward spirals!
The cinematography is great throughout and I especially love the intense brightness of inspiration as pills kick in!
The cast are all great and Robert DeNiro is powerful in his infrequent moments on screen.
This is a really intriguing movie that's full of action and I found myself equally fearing for Eddie and cheering him on throughout!
Enjoyably tempting!
~~Nikki~~

The Polar Express

Director: Robert Zemeckis

Starring: Tom Hanks, Daryl Sabara, Nona Gaye, Peter Scolari, Eddie Deezen, Charles Fleischer, Steven Tyler, Michael Jeter

Distributed By: Warner Bros.

Release Date: November 2004

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This is quite beautiful.
Tom Hanks brings such warmth to this movie in his various roles and the animation is wonderful to watch.
The story is the sort we are taught to believe as children and makes the movie seem truly magical and the Reindeer bell scene in particular always makes me tear-up!
The music by Alan Silvestri is lovely and I always find that the songs stay with me long after it's finished. 
This is a movie I watch at least a couple of times over the Christmas period each year and should definitely be regarded as one of the most heartwarming Christmas movies ever!
~~Nikki~~

The Muppet Christmas Carol

Director: Brian Henson

Starring: Michael Caine, Steven Mackintosh, Dave Goelz, Jerry Nelson, Frank Oz, David Rudman, Steve Whitmire, Jessica Fox, Meredith Braun, Robin Weaver, Karen Prell, Mike Quinn, Louise Gold, Robert Tygner, William Todd Jones, Don Austen

Distributed By: Walt Disney Pictures

Release Date: December 1992

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I grew up watching The Muppet Show and this takes me right back!
This is a really nice version of the familiar story about Ebenezer Scrooge wonderfully played by Michael Caine.
There’s a lot to enjoy here including sweet songs, funny moments with our Dickensian Muppets and of course the well-known festive tale about morals and Christmas cheer.
A great movie that reminds us about the true meaning of Christmas!
~~Nikki~~

Eight Legged Freaks

Director: Ellory Elkayem

Starring: David Arquette, Kari Wührer, Scott Terra, Doug E. Doug, Scarlett Johansson
 
Distributed By: Warner Bros.
 
Release Date: July 2002

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 I don't like spiders so I wasn't thrilled at the concept of spending nearly 2hrs watching enormous arachnids terrorising a small out-back town! However, this is more of a comedy than a scare-fest!
It has all the classic monster movie scenarios and the cast all do perfectly well in their 'shocked' approach to the creatures that are killing off townsfolk in intriguing ways!
Strangely I thought the biggest spiders looked the best and the CGI was well handled for a movie of this type.
I shall now commence checking my shoes and other nooks and crannies for the next few days...
~~Nikki~~