Now this is how you destroy the world. Roland Emmerich's <em>2012</em> pounces on a Nostradamus-style loophole in the Mayan calendar and rams the apocalypse through it, gleefully conjuring up an enormous amount of Saturday-matinee fun in the process. A scientist (Chiwetel Ejiofor) detects shifting continental plates and sun flares and realizes that this foretells the imminent destruction of the planet. Just as the molten lava is about to hit the fan, a novelist (John Cusack) takes his kids on a trip to Yellowstone; later he'll hook up with his ex (Amanda Peet) and her new boyfriend (Tom McCarthy) in a global journey toward safety. If there is any safety. The suitably hair-raising plot lines are punctuated--frequently, people, frequently--by visions of mayhem around the globe: the Vatican falls over, the White House is clobbered (Emmerich's <em>Independence Day</em> was not enough on that score), and the California coastline dives into the Pacific Ocean. Unlike other action directors we could name, Emmerich actually understands how to let you see and drink in these vast special-effects vistas--and they are incredible. He also honors the old Irwin Allen disaster-movie tradition by actually shelling out for good actors. Cusack and Ejiofor are convincing even in the cheesiest material; toss in Danny Glover (the U.S. president), Woody Harrelson (a nut-bar conspiracy-theorising radio host), Thandie Newton, and Oliver Platt, and you've got a very watchable batch of people. Emmerich hasn't developed an ear for dialogue, even at this stage in his career, and the final act goes on a bit too long. This is a very silly movie, but if you've got a weakness for B-movie energy and hairbreadth escapes, <em>2012</em> delivers quite a bit of both. <em>--Robert Horton</em>

Full of verve and wit Shrek is a computer-animated adaptation of William Steig's delightfully fractured fairy tale. Our title character (voiced by Mike Myers) is an agreeable enough ogre who wants to live his days in peace. When the diminutive Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow) evicts local fairy tale creatures (including the now-famous Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio and the Gingerbread Man), they settle in the ogre's swamp and Shrek wants answers from Farquaad. A quest of sorts starts for Shrek and his new pal, a talking donkey (Eddie Murphy), where battles have to be won and a princess (Cameron Diaz) must be rescued from a dragon lair in a thrilling action sequence. The story is stronger than most animated fare but it's the jokes that make Shrek a winner. The PG rating is stretched when Murphy and Myers hit their strides. The mild potty humour is fun enough for the 10-year-old but will never embarrass their parents. Shrek is never as warm and inspired as the Toy Story films, but the realistic computer animation and a rollicking soundtrack keeps the entertainment in fine form. Produced by DreamWorks, the film also takes several delicious stabs at its cross-town rival, Disney. --Doug Thomas, Amazon.com

On the DVD : DVD could have been invented to showcase Shrek 's stunning computer animation--admirably served here by 16:9 anamorphic widescreen presentation--while the exuberant soundtrack comes alive in 5.1 Dolby Digital.

There are plenty of extras to choose from on this DVD, from The Tech of Shrek and fake Character Interviews to the amusing Swamp Karaoke Dance Party featuring the whole cast. However, none of these features have much depth, nor do they last long and it would be easy to feel slightly disappointed--were it not for the excellent Shrek's ReVoice Studio. This first-of-its-kind feature requires a computer running Microsoft Windows 98SE or higher, Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 or higher, an Internet connection and a DVD-ROM drive. However, once the DVD-ROM is up and running, the instructions could not be clearer and within minutes the whole family will be dubbing their voices over favourite characters and scenes--rendering the other extras almost irrelevant.-- Helen Baker

"I have a bad feeling about this," says the young Obi-Wan Kenobi (played by Ewan McGregor) in Star Wars: Episode I, The Phantom Menace as he steps off a spaceship and into the most anticipated cinematic event ... well, ever. He might as well be speaking for the legions of fans of the original episodes in the Star Wars saga who can't help but secretly ask themselves: sure, this is Star Wars , but it is my Star Wars ? The original elevated moviegoers' expectations so high that it would have been impossible for any subsequent film to meet them. And as with all the Star Wars movies, The Phantom Menace features inexplicable plot twists, a fistful of loose threads and some cheek-chewing dialogue. Han Solo's swagger is sorely missed, as is the pervading menace of heavy-breathing Darth Vader. There is still way too much quasi-mystical mumbo jumbo and some of what was fresh about Star Wars 22 years earlier feels formulaic. Yet there's much to admire. The special effects are stupendous; three worlds are populated with a mélange of creatures, flora and horizons rendered in absolute detail. The action and battle scenes are breathtaking in their complexity. And one particular sequence of the film-the adrenaline-infused pod race through the Tatooine desert--makes the chariot race in Ben-Hur look like a Sunday stroll through the park. Among the host of new characters, there are a few familiar walk-ons. We witness the first meeting between R2-D2 and C-3PO, Jabba the Hutt looks younger and slimmer (but not young and slim) and Yoda is as crabby as ever. Natalie Portman's stately Queen Amidala sports hairdos that make Princess Leia look dowdy and wields a mean laser. We never bond with Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan's day is yet to come. Jar Jar Binks, a cross between a Muppet, a frog and a hippie, provides many of the movie's lighter moments, while Sith Lord Darth Maul is a formidable force. Baby-faced Anakin Skywalker looks too young and innocent to command the powers of the Force or wield a lightsaber (much less transmute into the future Darth Vader), but his boyish exuberance wins over sceptics. Near the end of the movie, Palpatine, the new leader of the Republic, may be speaking for fans eagerly awaiting Episode II when he pats young Anakin on the head and says,"We will watch your career with great interest." Indeed! --Tod Nelson

Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, Daryl Hannah, M. Emmet WalshDirector: Ridley Scott

Iron Man , outside of comic-book circles, was never one of the better-known superheroes waiting to enjoy a big screen adventure, but in the aftermath of Jon Favreau’s superb movie, anticipation for 2010’s Iron Man 2 is rightly sky-high. <br/><br/> Fortunately, there’s the small matter of the excellent Blu-ray release of the first film to enjoy while the wait goes on, which offers reference-quality picture and audio to enjoy. And those combine to bring across one of the most downright-enjoyable superhero movies of recent times. Robert Downey Jr is an inspired casting choice as Tony Stark, whose genesis as Iron Man is covered by this first film. Generous with its humour and yet never afraid to throw a spectacular action sequence at the screen, there’s nonetheless real grown-up thinking sitting underneath Iron Man , and the film benefits enormously from it. <br/><br/> Most Blu-ray recommendations inevitably promote the 1080p picture quality of a movie as one of its major selling points. That’s certainly fair here. But also, the audio work on the Iron Man disc is superb. This is a full surround sound track in every sense, with the soundstage ramping up the noise and the intensity as the action takes hold, but also proving its quality in the film’s slower moments too. Backed up with extra features in high-definition too, it’s a rounded and very welcome Blu-ray release. -- Jon Foster

J.J. Abrams' 2009 feature film was billed as"not your father's Star Trek," but your father will probably love it anyway. And what's not to love? It has enough action, emotional impact, humor, and sheer fun for any moviegoer, and Trekkers will enjoy plenty of insider references and a cast that seems ideally suited to portray the characters we know they'll become later. Both a prequel and a reboot, Star Trek introduces us to James T. Kirk (Chris Pine of The Princess Diaries 2 ), a sharp but aimless young man who's prodded by a Starfleet captain, Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood), to enlist and make a difference. At the Academy, Kirk runs afoul of a Vulcan commander named Spock (Zachary Quinto of Heroes ), but their conflict has to take a back seat when Starfleet, including its new ship, the Enterprise, has to answer an emergency call from Vulcan. What follows is a stirring tale of genocide and revenge launched by a Romulan (Eric Bana) with a particular interest in Spock, and we get to see the familiar crew come together, including McCoy (Karl Urban), Uhura (Zoe Saldana), Sulu (John Cho), Chekhov (Anton Yelchin), and Scottie (Simon Pegg).<br/> The action and visuals make for a spectacular big-screen movie, though the plot by Abrams and his writers, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman (who worked together on Transformers and with Abrams on Alias and Mission Impossible III ), and his producers (fellow Losties Damon Lindeloff and Bryan Burk) can be a bit of a mind-bender (no surprise there for Lost fans ). Hardcore fans with a bone to pick may find faults, but resistance is futile when you can watch Kirk take on the Kobayashi Maru scenario or hear McCoy bark,"Damnit, man, I'm a doctor, not a physicist!" An appearance by Leonard Nimoy and hearing the late Majel Barrett Roddenberry as the voice of the computer simply sweeten the pot. Now comes the hard part: waiting for some sequels to this terrific prequel. --David Horiuchi

Fancy a sci-i movie where you can shift your brain to neutral, and just sit back and watch an alien invasion take place? Then <em>The Darkest Hour</em> presents itself as a fine candidate for a blockbuster night in front of the television.

There's nothing massively radical about the concept. A bunch of five young Americans find themselves in Moscow, just as the world finds itself under the threat of alien invasion. As such, <em>The Darkest Hour</em> trains its focus on its principal quintet, as they battle to survive. Which, as you've probably correctly guessed by now, is all the excuse needed for a mixture of special effects, a few thrillers, and a fun hour and a half of mayhem.



<em>The Darkest Hour</em> doesn't quite have a blockbuster-level budget, but the 3D Blu-ray release nonetheless showcases just how far it's managed to spread its cash. The picture sparkles in particular, with the lively visuals benefiting enormously from the clarity of a 1080p video transfer. The 3D? It's fun, even if you won't be dodging things flying out of your screen with any haste. You will get a decent whistle-stop tour of Moscow, though.



Don't overlook the workout your audio system gets, either. This is a loud, fast film, that's happy to put any half-decent surround sound system through its paces. It gladly does so, too.



Awards aren't going to be lavished at the door of <em>The Darkest Hour</em> anytime soon, but it's an enjoyable film, that notwithstanding. In fact, it's an enjoyable film that's just as entertaining second time round. And while occasionally the economy of its budget is evident, <em>The Darkest Hour</em> nonetheless punches above its weight. --<em>Jon Foster</em>

Superlatives and the Back To The Future trilogy are rarely far apart. With good reason, too. Here’s as complete a science fiction trilogy that you’re ever likely to see, one unsullied by unnecessary extra sequels, and instead standing proud as a genuinely terrific trio of films.

The highlight? You have to hand that to the first film, one of the most perfectly complete blockbuster movies of the past few decades. Brilliantly constructed and exceptionally executed, it’s exciting, funny, imaginative and stands up extremely well to repeated viewings.

But then so do the second and third films in the Back To The Future trilogy, too. The second is arguably the most disjointed, but then it has the most narrative work to do. Picking up directly after the first movie, it covers a heck of a lot of ground, and, in spite of one or two problems, it’s nonetheless a compelling movie in its own right. The third, meanwhile, is an underrated delight, that tails the trilogy with exceptional style.

Accompanying the films is a collection of extras that genuinely dig a bit deeper, and most notably include the infamous test footage of Eric Stoltz in the role of Marty McFly, before he was replaced by Michael J Fox five weeks into production.

Crucially, though, the Back To The Future trilogy has never looked better. And bundled with a package of supplements that offer terrific added value, this is a must-buy Blu-ray collection. -- Jon Foster

Billed as a fantasy to please kids and adults alike in 1988, Willow was revolutionary in its day. Not only did it have a vertically challenged actor (Warwick Davis) as its leading man, it also set new standards for special effects, using the first known"morfing" (sic) systems. To top it all off it combined the talents of two of Hollywood's biggest names, director Ron Howard and writer-producer George Lucas, and changed Val Kilmer's destiny, influencing both his career and love life. In theory all this should have added up to a rip-roaring success of a film.

Alas, the end result has been unkindly if accurately described as the bastard son of Lord of the Rings , with Star Wars as its doting mother. The plot line (plucky young man sent off on a quest to protect something which could change the reign of evil) has obvious links to Tolkien's classic; Kilmer's Madmartigan (the diamond in the rough) has distinct similarities to Hans Solo. And with the great advances in modern cinemas special effects, Willow 's ferocious two-headed dragons now look like something out of 1963's Jason and the Argonauts . However, even though it marked the end of the road for fantasy films in the 1980s, Willow 's combination of locations, set design and groundbreaking SFX set new standards and influenced much modern cinema, including Peter Jackson's epic Lord of the Rings . All in all, this is a movie with its heart, soul and magic in the right place.

On the DVD: Willow is brought up to date on DVD with this excellent special effects enhancing anamorphic transfer of the original 2.35:1 screen ratio; the Dolby 5.1 surround sound boosts the power behind Badmorda's roar as well as spotlighting James Horner's swashbuckling score. A lively commentary is offered by Warwick Davis, although he has a tendency to dwell on his own musings rather than the film as a whole. Other features include"The Making of the Adventure", which is a standard TV behind-the-scenes documentary/advert and a wealth of TV spots, trailers and photos. By far the most interesting feature is the"Morf to Morphing: The Dawn of Digital Film" documentary including interviews with George Lucas, Ron Howard and Dennis Muren (the renowned special effects guru) on the creation of morphing and its influence on later movies. -- Nikki Disney

The long front lawns of summer afternoons, the flicker of sunlight as it sprays through tree branches, the volcanic surge of the Earth's interior as the planet heaves itself into being--you certainly can't say Terrence Malick lacks for visual expressiveness. <em>The Tree of Life</em> is Malick's long-cherished project, a film that centres on a family in 1950s Waco, Texas, yet also reaches for cosmic significance in the creation of the universe itself. The Texas memories belong to Jack (Sean Penn), a modern man seemingly ground down by the soulless glass-and-metal corporate world that surrounds him. We learn early in the film of a family loss that happened at a later time, but the flashbacks concern only the dark Eden of Jack's childhood: his games with his two younger brothers, his frustrated, bullying father (Brad Pitt), his one-dimensionally radiant mother (Jessica Chastain). None of which unfolds in anything like a conventional narrative, but in a series of disconnected scenes that conjure, with poetry and specificity, a particular childhood realm. The contributions of cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki and production designer Jack Fisk cannot be underestimated in that regard, and it should be noted that Brad Pitt contributes his best performance: strong yet haunted. <br /><br />And how does the Big Bang material (especially a long, trippy sequence in the film's first hour) tie into this material? Yes, well, the answer to that question will determine whether you find Malick's film a profound exploration of existence or crazy-ambitious failure full of beautiful things. Malick's sincerity is winning (and so is his exceptional touch with the child actors), yet many of the movie's touches are simultaneously gaseous (amongst the bits of whispered narration is the war between nature and grace, roles assigned to mother and father) and all-too-literal (a dinosaur retreats from nearly killing a fellow creature--the first moments of species kindness, or anthropomorphic poppycock?). <em>The Tree of Life</em> premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and won the Palme d'Or there after receiving boos at its press screening. The debate continues, unabated, from that point. --Robert Horton