I'm not a fan of Ricky Gervais, but I must say...

Cemetery Junction.

Released: April 14, 2010

Dìrectors: Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant

Cast: Christian Cooke, Tom Hughes, Jack Doolan, Felicity Jones, Ralph Fiennes, Ricky Gervais, Matthew Goode.

Running Time: 94mins

“Cemetery Junction” follows three friends - Freddie (Cooke), Bruce(Hughes) and Snork (Doolan)- through a 1970s summer in Britian. It documents the evolution of their friendship when Freddie gets a posh job selling insurance door to door. Clad in a suit and with a real leather brief case, Freddie realises that he is too old to deface signs with genitilia, and moves on to pursue his child-hood sweetheart Julie (Jones) . Bruce slowly begins to recognise his father’s pain from the departure of his wife, and instead of fighting against his father as he has for many years, he begins to empathise with him.

“Cemetery Junction” greatly displays the joys of teenage time-wasting and mucking about, and how the ease of friendships formed during childhood are so hard to let go of. This allows the audience to relate to the movie on a personal basis.

Packed full of drama, witty jokes, and an undercurrent of real social problems, “Cemetery Junction” is collaboration gold from Gervais and Merchant. A feel-good movie, but in a realistic way, everyone will love this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYDeHIszUqA

"Be your own hero."

Whip It.

Running time: 1h, 41minutes

Certificate : Rated 12A.

Director: Drew Barrymore

Stars: Ellen Page, Drew Barrymore, Marcia Gay Harden, Daniel Stem, Alia Shawkat.

“Whip It”, based on Shauna Crosses novel “Derby Girl”, is an up-beat, coming-of-age story that follows indie misfit Bliss as she struggles to discover where she belongs.

Set in Texas, Bliss is a 17year old repressed pageant queen, who doesn’t seem to fit in anywhere. She and her best friend Pash (Alia Shawkat) dream of escaping their small town. Pash is depending on her good grades to get her into an Ivy League school in a big city, however Bliss has yet to find her true calling. Fate intervenes during a shopping trip to Austin with her mother (Marcia Gay Harden) in which Bliss picks up a flyer for roller derby.

Bliss and Pash sneak off to the sporting event held in Austin, and when Bliss decides to tell the losing team that they are her heroes, she is thrown into the idea of playing roller derby herself. The Hurl Scouts’ captain replied to her “Well put some skates on. Be your own hero”.

Bliss attends try-outs for the Hurl Scouts team, and since the Hurl Scouts have never even won a game, she makes the cut with ease. After long hours of training by herself in the hope of catching a love interest’s eye, Bliss establishes herself as threatening blocker, Babe Ruthless. Love follows suit, however this blissful world comes crashing down when the derby Championship Final clashes with a beauty pageant Bliss’ mother is keen for her to compete in. Will Bliss face up to her over-powering mother and stand up for what she loves and believes in, or will she find herself trapped beneath make-up and frocks at the pageant?

A great directorial debut from Drew Barrymore, “Whip It” is playful, comical and positive, bursting with girl power. And with girls skating around in short skirts and fishnets, there’s something in it for everyone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQGPdXnb2Gg

*Warning: Contains Sandra Bullock.

The Blindside.

Released: 30th March, 2010

Certificate: 12A

Director: John Lee Hancock

Cast: Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw, Quiton Aaron, Jae Head

Running Time: 127mins.

This US drama about narrowing racial divisions sees Bullock play Leigh Anne Tuohy, a rich interior designer, stumble across a boy from the "wrong side of town", "Big Mike"(Aaron). She brings him to her home where he stays a few nights, until eventually becoming one of the Tuohy family. Being a black boy in a predominantly white Christian school, Big Mike struggles to fit in until he discovers a gift for american football. Doors are opened in Big Mike's life with the possiblity of college scholarships.

"The Blindside" is a little bit too long, but it is still hugely positive and you'll leave with a smile on your face. Although it stars Sandra Bullock, she does a refreshing performance, dissimiliar to her usual "damsal in distress" characters. But Oscar worthy? I'll let you decide...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hn5-pxWM6k

"Tool up honey bunny. It's time to get bad guys."

Kick Ass.

Released: 26th March, 2010

Cerftificate: 16

Director: Matthew Vaughn

Cast: Nicolas Cage, Chloe Moretz, Aaron Johnson, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Mark Strong.

Running Time: 117mins

Based on the comic book of the same name by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr, "Kick-Ass" follows ordinary teenager Dave Lizewski (Johnson) as he decides to become a real life superhero by the name of "Kick-Ass". Hoping to catch the eye of girl from his school, Kick-Ass starts off with minor deeds like getting a cat down from a tree. However he soon finds himself wrapped up in a bigger fight with fellow superheros "Big Daddy" (Cage) and his eleven-year-old daughter, vigilante "Hit Girl"(Moretz), as they try to expose Strong's gangster mob.

Highly entertaining, but not for the fainthearted, "Kick-Ass" echoes the work of Quentin Tarantino. Hilariously funny, while simultaneously horrifcly gruesome, "Kick-Ass" is a must-see for everyone. Just don't bring your Gran.

If you haven't already seen it, check out the trailer. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrKHu2UX1vA

"This is the Story of Life and What Came After it."

The Lovely Bones.

Released: 24th of February

Certificate: 12A

Director: Peter Jackson

Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz, Susan Sarandon, Stanley Tucci

Running Time: 124mins

Based on the bestselling book of the same name by Alice Sebold, "The Lovely Bones" centres on 14 year old Susie Salmon (Ronan) who is stuck in the "in-between". Having been brutally murdered by her estranged neighbour (Tucci), Salmon watches over her family as her father (Wahlberg) becomes obsessed with finding her killer and her mother (Weisz) leaves under pressure. As her killer carries on his life as normal, Salmon must choose between her desire for vengeance, and her desire for her family to heal.

Directed by the man who brought us "Lord of the Rings", Peter Jackson effectively brings to life a 14 year old's interpretation of Heaven. Although Jackson has been criticised for these interpretations, the essence of Sebold's work is very visible. A heartbreaking tale; there won't be a dry eye in the cinema.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikUWKi0W5_g

"We gotta get off this Island, Chuck."

Thanks to a dull Irish winter and the fact that I am of course a strapped-for-cash-student, I currently find myself at the cinema on a regular basis. It's warm, dry and I can sit in a comfy seat for two hours without being asked to leave. Also, if I go on a Tuesday evening, my student card gets me a ticket for €4.50. Sweet. And since the year's winter was utterly endless (snow in April ?), my purse is exploding with used cinema tickets. I think it's fair to say that if anyone can give you the low-down and what to see, it's me.

Shutter Island.

Released: 19th February, 2010

Certificate: 15A

Director: Martin Scorsese

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Sir Ben Kingsley, Michelle Williams, Jackie Earle Haley

Running Time:138mins.

Shutter Island is the latest movie from director Martin Scorsese, and his fourth movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Mysterious and dark, Shutter Island's thick plot delves into the mind of the viewer for answers.

US Marshall, Teddy Daniels (DiCaprio) is assigned to the prison for the criminally insane on Shutter Island, alongside Chuck (Ruffalo). They are to investigate the disappearance of patient Rachel Salando, who had previously killed her children. The two are stranded on the Island, and as Daniels suffers flashbacks of the tragic death of his wife, both question their own sanity.

At the end end, you'll either be kicking yourself for not catching on earlier, or smitten with yourself for seeing it coming. Either way, Shutter Island is highly entertaining and another stunning performance from both Scorsese and DiCaprio. So good I saw it twice.

Check it out:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYVrHkYoY80