Sha-Ting! Keith Lemon: The Movie Gets A Full Trailer

Following the success of his rubber-faced celebrity antics in Bo Selecta, comedian Leigh Francis forged a breakthrough once again in the form of the controversial figure, Keith Lemon. As host of popular quiz panel show, Celebrity Juice, Lemon soon became one of the biggest comedic acts on the television and sooner or later it was bound to happen...


That's right, Keith Lemon now has his own movie and it comes as no surprise that some of his famous (or formerly famous) friends have come along for the ride. From pop stars to American actors, to Kelly Brook, there is a whole host of familiar faces in the trailer.


If you don't believe me, see for yourself below.







Keith Lemon The Film is due for release on 24th August 2012. 

Cinema Review - Avengers Assemble

It's been four years in the making, and after six films of build-up, Avengers Assemble has finally hit cinemas. Undoubtedly this has been one of the most talked about films for 2012, and months of build-up has culminated to the main event. With expectation levels at their highest peak and director Joss Whedon in place to tackle what is one of film's biggest tasks, does Avengers Assemble deliver in aces? Unsurprisingly, it's an astounding yes.


Following on from the events in the most recently released Marvel films, Captain America and Thor, S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) is in possession of the Tesseract, a powerful cosmic cube that, if put in the wrong hands, could mean the end of the world as we know it. When Loki (Tom Hiddleston) infiltrates the S.H.I.E.L.D. base of operations and steals the cube, Fury has no option but to reignite the 'Avengers Initiative' and bring together the world's most mightiest heroes in a fight to save mankind. With Loki banding together an invasion army, it's up to Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Hawkeye and Black Widow to prevent the imminent threat.


With such a heavy burden put on his shoulders, Joss Whedon could have easily crumbled and dashed any hopes of a superhero-ensemble ever working to its full potential; fortunately the man knows his stuff and shows here why he is such an icon. Avengers Assemble is a film that appeals to comic book fans, film fanatics and, basically, people of all ages.


It's without any hesitation that it should be said that Whedon has carefully considered every aspect of the film in order to provide for the masses. With perfectly flowing dialogue as well as action sequences that are nothing short of near perfection, Avengers Assemble wipes the floor with those films Marvel have previously released. It’s testament to Whedon’s directing ability that he is able to conjure up so many memorable moments of sheer humour combined with an impressive character development process and some hard-hitting, pulsating action sequences.

For a film littered with so many high-end stars (as well as characters) the end result could have been a pure mish-mash of personalities that clash rather than accentuate, but the cast all-round is solid as Thor's hammer. Whilst Chris' Evans and Hemsworth continue their sharp performances similar to those in their first outings in costume, it is Robert Downey Jr and newbie Mark Ruffalo who steal the show as Tony Stark/Iron Man and Dr David Banner/Hulk respectively. Downey Jr continues to inject his one-of-a-kind charm and wit to the Tony Stark character, whilst Ruffalo's take on Banner is one of great presence, clearly indicating a man who is still attempting to embrace 'the other guy' in his life. On villain duties, Tom Hiddleston returns as Loki and furthers his performance in Thor in leaps and bounds. Cutting a dark and evil figure, Hiddleston escalates in providing a truly worthy opponent for our heroes and lays the foundations for villains in years to come.

With an impressive showing from all involved, Whedon had to get it spot on with the action sequences and in maintaining pin-point pacing to the film, the anticipation levels heighten with the film's duration, leading to the grand finale battle. Whilst some may cast similarities with the climax of Transformers, Whedon's final battle shys away from the off-putting shaky cam and produces action of such fluidity and grace it wipes the floor with many blockbusters seen previously. Focusing on each character's fight in equal measure, the director teases and taunts with some run-of-the-mill action before unleashing a storm of superb shots involving the heroes banding together throughout the city. 


Avengers Assemble could have easily been a disaster. With a massive audience following and expectations possibly higher than any film before, Joss Whedon and his team had a mountain to climb. Fortunately the man knows what the people want and provides with a well-presented and ultimately astonishing superhero ensemble piece. Heading to the peak and vastly improving on its predecessors that led to this big event, Avengers is a movie experience not to be forgotten and sets the bar for blockbusters to come in 2012.


Film Rating: 5 out of 5 F's

Cinema Review - The Cabin In The Woods

The words 'expect the unexpected' could not be applied to a film more than the latest horror film to hit cinema screens, The Cabin In The Woods. The brainchild of two of the most creative minds in the industry, Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard, it can only be described as the horror event of the last decade.


As such a tale of intricacy and twists, it would not be fair to divulge the full details of the premise of The Cabin In The Woods, as it is essentially a movie you should enter knowing as little as possible. What you should know are the basics. A group of friends are setting off for a break away from everyday life to party and have a good time. Amongst these are your stereotypical horror movie individuals; a jock, a geek, a stoner, a sexy blonde and the virginal shy girl. Heading out to a secluded cabin in the woods, owned by the jock's brother, the gang proceed to get the party started, unaware of the threat that they are about to face.


A simple premise you will agree, but within its simplicity Cabin weaves out what is truly one of the best and cleverly made horrors for a vast amount of time. Whedon and Goddard, who have previously unleashed the likes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Lost and Cloverfield upon audiences, have clearly done their homework on the genre and set out to create something special. and special Cabin certainly is.

As is with many of these films, the acting can become rather one dimensional, but luckily in Cabin we witness some truly brilliant performances from all involved. As the most famous face in the proceedings, Chris Hemsworth takes the role of the jock and this plays out perfectly, with the Thor actor satisfying with another notable performance. Although Hemsworth's status is more established than his co-stars it is in fact Fran Kranz who outclasses his co-stars, with what is a hilarious and well presented representation of the conventional stoner character. Kranz has fun in his role and gradually ramps up the laughter levels to great effect. 


It will have you gasping, jumping in your seat and, most of all, laughing until it hurts. Such is the variety in the source material, that the reactions to the events are ever-changing, and usurping all those previous is the fact that the movie is filled so much with OMG moments you will feel almost perplexed upon exiting the cinema after viewing the incredible 90+ minutes. 


The Cabin In The Woods defines horror on a whole new level. It grabs the audience, throws them in a familiar situation and then pulls the rug from underneath to immerse you into an unimaginable scenario one could never foresee. It's a class above so may horror movies of late and proves that, when handled with care and benefiting from stark originality, the genre can be revitalised and continue to live on. 


Film rating: 5 out of 5 F's

Cinema Review - Battleship

The prospect of a childhood board game turned into a movie no doubt sends the majority of us into a sense of bafflement and, with the release of Battleship, one wonders how this can conjure up a feasible plot and ultimately an entertaining feature length film. Well, Hancock director Peter Berg certainly felt he had the content there to make it happen.


Battleship focuses on Alex Hopper (Taylor Kitsch), who joins his brother, Stone (Alexander Skarsgård), in the Navy for a new start in life, after seemingly serving no purpose whatsoever. Whilst his brother remains an esteemed and highly ranked individual serving his country, Alex is always late for events, unreliable and utterly misplaced. When a routine exercise for the whole Navy arrives, headed up by Alex's girlfriend's father Admiral Shane (Liam Neeson), it is the perfect chance for Alex to show he has what it takes to prove he was born to serve his country.


When the Navy fleet finally hits the seas they soon encounter what is an unforeseen structure of great power. Joined by weapons specialist Raikes (Rihanna), Alex heads out to investigate the unknown entity with the fleet awaiting results. On investigating the huge structure, a rapturous EMP blast is unleashed, along with a series of unimaginable spacecrafts. With the crafts releasing spiked balls of destruction and trapping the fleet in a domed shield there is only one thing to do; lock and load for a fight to save the planet. 

With Hasbro already bringing to screen their most treasured franchise in the form of Transformers, it was almost an inevitability that Battleship would maintain some of the characteristics of the Michael Bay-directed robot actioner. Whilst basing itself on rather diverse source material, Peter Berg almost moulds Battleship into the next sequel in the Transformers universe. 


The crafts he uses are almost identical to those Cybertronian vessels in Bay's third outing and the level of destruction brought to screen almost seems as if Berg is in fact auditioning for the director's chair for Transformers 4. Admittedly, the film sees Berg as an extraordinary visionary in terms of CGI; glass buildings reduced to rubble and vessels feeling the full brunt of the alien attack all impressively captured, but there is little else on offer here.


Where the visuals bring the positives, the acting slowly sinks the ship. As choppy as the waters our characters are working on, there is little to be impressed by from our stars of screen. Kitsch provides little in the way of a lead to root for, only heading back to his poor Gambit performance as opposed to continuing from a star turn in John Carter. Supports in the way of Alexander Skarsgård and Brooklyn Dekker are also key elements of the film that are easily forgettable; the former unable to get to grips with the older brother role and Dekker clearly inserted purely for her 'assets'. 


Disappointing too is Liam Neeson, as the most established actor in the fold, he seems almost resigned to the fact this is an easy pay-day and trudges through his few scenes without so much as an inch of care showing. Last but not least, the film debut of pop star Rihanna has been much talked about and, despite obviously not possessing the acting skills to be a world beater, manages to hold her own and certainly does not stick out like a sore thumb. True, she has very few extensive lines to carry but when she does get involved it is neither terrible nor unbearable as some of the performances we witness. 


In essence, Battleship was always destined to be a film of CGI, explosions and mindless fun. Unfortunately the fun is not quite present and, paired with some cheesy dialogue and disappointing acting, sinks like an anchor. More Michael Bay's ultimate wet dream than a riveting popcorn action flick, it proves to be a pointless affair and conjures up the question, why make a movie out of a board game involving pegs and guesswork?


Interestingly enough, on IMDB those who like Battleship also liked Green Lantern, enough said? I think so! Sink or swim? Battleship certainly sinks to the deepest depths never to be seen again. 


Film rating: 2 out of 5 F's

Cinema Review - 21 Jump Street

There have been plenty of occasions where TV shows have taken the jump to the big screen, and for the majority, they have been adapted to provide comedy value. 21 Jump Street is yet another in that series. This time around, we take a Johnny Depp-starring show from the late 80s / early 90s and place Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill in the lead roles.


Morton Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Greg Jenko (Channing Tatum) never got on a school. Morton was the stereotypical geeky kid whilst Greg was the all-star, all popular jock who could do no wrong. Years later they meet again, this time in the police force. Striking an unlikely friendship in the training process, the two soon become partners on the beat, albeit patrolling parks on their less-than-exciting bicycles.


After busting some drug dealers but failing to read them their Miranda rights, the pair are sent to 21 Jump Street to take part in an undercover case in which they must pose as students in order to infiltrate a drug ring going on within the pupils. Heading back to school soon brings up some old memories for both but things don't quite pan out as they expect, where the expression 'times are a'changing coming into play to the max.


As odd pair-ups go, the joining of Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum appeared as odd casting as there has been in some time. Fortunately though, appearances can be deceiving and 21 Jump Street provides us the audience with one of the most entertaining on-screen double acts to be seen for a long while. Hill provides us with his stereotypical geek with ultimate ease and Tatum, not known particularly for his comic acting, steals the show as the popular high school figure grown to be as non-intelligent as would be expected. 


Include into the proceedings Ice Cube revelling in playing an overly-stressed and unflinching Captain Dickson, a hilarious turn from Rob Riggle's gym teacher and some other masterfully placed roles (most notably a cameo from the legendary Johnny Depp, who incidentally starred in the TV show of the same name), and 21 Jump Street ticks all the boxes for characters who are both memorable and enticing. 


Riddled with crass language, stereotypes galore and finger pointing at every possible moment, 21 Jump Street is hardly politically correct but this is what makes it so fun. Its boldness is astounding and even goes to the lengths of even poking fun out of itself, something few films are brave enough to do these days. Putting together a great double team and some superb supporting roles, it's quite simple to say that 21 Jump Street is one of the funniest films to grace the screen in recent months. Laugh-out loud glory. 


Film rating: 4 out of 5 F's

Long Weekend Review - Ridley Scott Classics, Shakespeare And An F1 Legend

With the advantage of a 3 day weekend at my disposal, this week I took the decision to visit some previously uncovered ground in film. Following a cinema trip to see Disney's John Carter (my review for Filmoria can be seen here), things took a more serious turn.

First up was a first watch of Ridley Scott's war epic Black Hawk Down. Featuring an all-star cast including Ewan McGregor, William Fichtner, Josh Hartnett and Eric Bana, it was a superb depiction of a group of U.S. soldiers in Somalia on a mission to capture two lieutenants in conjunction with a notorious warlord. With such an impressive cast and exceptional cinematography, Black Hawk Down is a truly memorable experience. Capturing the devastation and destruction of war seamlessly, Scott provides the viewer with characters we can all root for as well as a story that unfolds spectacularly with every passing minute. At times shocking and constantly keeping you on your toes, Black Hawk Down is as impressive a war film as any you will witness.
Rating: 4 out of 5 F's

From a war-time epic to Shakespeare. The next film I encountered was Roland Emmerich's Anonymous. Taking a break from destroying every known landmark in the world, Emmerich brings us the story of how Shakespeare may not have even been the one who wrote all those sonnets and plays.
In short, it's boring, dull, a yawnfest, you get my drift. What appears to be a somewhat ludicrous storyline only shows in a film that lacks any edge and falls flat. One to avoid.
Rating: 1 out of 5 F's

After a disappointingly terrible film it would take a lot to lift the mood and a move into documentary territory saw me watch Senna. Focusing on the life of Ayrton Senna, the film was 100 minutes of sheer fascinating viewing. From his beginning in kart racing to his tragic death at the age of just 34, Senna was a truly remarkable individual and this BAFTA-winning documentary is a wonderful look into the trials and tribulations of his life in Formula One racing. Looking in detail at his rivalry with one-time team-mate Alain Prost and focusing on the politics involved in the sport, this is one for all interested in the sport and viewers who want an insight into a truly gifted person. Well worthy of its accolade and a joy to watch.
Rating: 4 out of 5 F's

From a modern classic of a documentary to yet more Ridley Scott and finally I got the chance to watch not one but two science fiction behemoths of film. shocking as it sounds I had never watched the two giants that are Blade Runner and Alien (plenty of Twitter backlash on this one, rightly!). Fortunately yesterday broke that revelation.

Blade Runner has a simple yet superb plot. Harrison Ford is a retired 'blade runner', a law enforcement officer whose job was to hunt down 'replicants' and dispose of them. In 2019, replicants, formerly used as slaves to the humans, are illegal and any found are to be eliminated. When rogue replicants steal a ship and return to Earth in search for their maker Ford's Deckard is tasked with sorting the problem, but Roy (Rutger Hauer) the leader is one hell of a formidable foe.
Ridley Scott's vision of the future looks as impressive in this day and age as it would have in 1982. This speaks volumes and shows how magnificent Blade Runner looks. I admit, I had slight doubts that this would be the 'classic' that all and sundry have dubbed it but it has to be said it is one of the best science fiction movies ever made. Ford is the perfect lead and his opponent Rutger Hauer oozes evil with his own unique style.
Rating: 5 out of 5 F's

My final film of the weekend came in the form of THE best sci-fi horror of all time. You know I can only be talking about Alien.
When the crew of the Nostromo receive an unknown distress signal they investigate a planetoid only to find the remains of an alien and a large group of eggs ready to hatch. When one does hatch and a creature latches itself onto one of the crew, he is returned to the ship and, after that shocking and iconic chest-bursting scene, an alien is let loose aboard the craft.
As each of the crew falls to the formidable evil lurking in the shadows, only one individual has the courage to face up to the monster, that woman is Ripley (Sigourney Weaver).
A lesson in how to create tension, Alien is a terrifying ordeal once the monster itself is unleashed on the spaceship. Claustrophobic, scary as hell and ultimately the most tense sci-fi to ever hit screens, Alien is a pure master class of film-making.
Rating: 5 out of 5 F's

Cinema Review - Project X

It's common law upon friends that when parents leave you to take care of the house whilst they enjoy some time away it is absolutely necessary for a house party to be organised. Low and behold this is the basis for the latest comedy produced by 'he of The Hangover fame Todd Phillips. We're talking about Project X. 


Thomas (Thomas Mann) is turning seventeen and coincidentally his parents celebrate their anniversary on exactly the same day and are off for the weekend to celebrate. This leaves their son, along with his two friends, the unflappable Costa (Oliver Cooper) and the overweight and diffident J.B. (Jonathan Daniel Brown) to begin organising the celebrations. In order to get the most out of the experience, the relative loners look to Dax (Dax Flame), a student who will film the whole event. 


With their current popularity status at a low, Thomas insists on a simple and low-key party, half in fear of no-one turning up and the other half in the mindset that his parents are always keeping tabs via phone at every opportunity. Unfortunately for him, the over-excited and ardent Costa wants to take the party to the next level and proceeds with his plans to make the most epic party ever. Sending out text messages, emails and so forth, the party is all set and the boys soon find a prodigious number of students embarking upon the residence. 


What ensues are the most unbelievable party antics you will ever witness on film. Everything from topless women, guys getting a dog high, a bouncy castle and even a seriously angry midget are on show in an incredibly mental series of events. 

With British first-time-feature director Nima Nourizadeh at the helm, Project X thrives through his previous experience in directing music videos (most notably for Lily Allen and Hot Chip) and the Adidas 'party' advertisements. Bringing to screen plenty of 'what the hell' moments and utter carnage, Nourizadeh knows his target audience and develops a story we all know about into one of the biggest house parties we will ever witness.


In introducing our three main characters, we are quickly accustomed to their altering personalities and without a doubt we can relate to at least one of them when it comes to looking back at ourselves at that age. Whether we relate to Thomas, Costa or J.B. we all know how this story is going to unfold, it's just how far it will escalate is the real draw. All three actors do a splendid job with their individual characters, especially as only Thomas Mann had any previous filming experience. 


With his experience in the Adidas advertisements, Nourizadeh enjoys some brilliant almost montage moments of partying individuals and this plays out perfectly in a film where so much is going on that we want to know about. Focusing mainly on the action through different camera sources is an ingenius way of getting the audience to maintain their belief in the reality of these events and at no point does it feel uncomfortable presented in such a way. 


Admittedly the film does falter on copious amounts of sexism but this is a film revolving around a high school party so this content is almost expected in these types of genre films on a regular basis in the film world. Couple that with a climax which results in an absolutely unnecessary showcase of utter carnage and the film is left slightly bitter tasting. Luckily though, its plus points by far outweigh these very minor negatives. 


As a result, Project X is one of the most enjoyable films for some time, and, with its elements of real-life and a focus on attaching its characters to the audience it succeeds in providing plenty of 'wow' and reminiscent moments. Clearly Todd Phillips' involvement has had an impact with some Hangover similarities creeping in but this is very much different from what we have seen before. Think of Superbad meets handheld cameras multiplied by a thousand and Project X is the film you have. Brilliantly fun and completely mental, bring your friends and have a raucous time!


Film rating: 4 F's out of 5