After hearing so much about the weird, wonderful and utterly bizarre world Tim Burton creates in Alice In Wonderland, we entered the cinema with no small amount of excitement. Alice has had the best opening week in US history, grossing $116 million and getting rave reviews for it’s gloriously inventive visuals. There’s no denying that visually, Alice is a treat. But despite the exuberant effects, the story is more than lacking.

Bloomin typical. You wait years for an all-action adventure inspired by Greek mythology, and then two come along at virtually the same time. Next month promises the remake of the..

Ponyo is a visually arresting addition to Miyazaki’s impressive portfolio. The opening underwater sequences take the breath away with hundreds of jellyfish, crustaceans and schools of fish swarming across the screen in a dazzling display of colour. However, Ghibli’s work is usually distinguished by its attention to the emotions of the characters and here, this charming escapade doesn’t quite stay afloat. The makers seem a little too preoccupied with hitting home (over and over again) its central eco-friendly message, and this somewhat hampers the natural flow of the plot.

Surrogates shows us a bleak vision of the future (seriously, is there any other type of future according to films?) in which people have the power to create flawless robot versions of themselves. Why, you may ask? Well that’s not really the point, is it? Cos it’s cool. This film explores – with predictable pessimism – a future in which our lives are controlled by machines. And though it’s a little dull in terms of overall message, this is still good, Bruce-Willis-based fun, ensuring you 88 minutes of non-stop action.

The Firm is a re-make of a classic TV film of the same name, originally directed by Alan Clarke for the BBC. Not only was it critically acclaimed, but it also Gary Oldman his springboard into stardom. Well done all round, we’re sure you’d agree. So could this re-make push the accolade of the original? Considering the director is Nick Love, a man well versed in football hooliganism having directed both The Football Factory and The Business, we went into this rather optimistically. The result? A well paced, humourous and action-filled hooligan romp which is well worth a watch, without really adding anything new to the original

Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett star in the tale of a man who grows younger. Based on a 1922 short story by F Scott Fitzgerald, The Curious Case Of Benjamin..

Based on the novel of the same name, The Time Traveler’s Wife explores a sometime traditional love story in a very untraditional way. It centes on the lives of two people ‘fated’ to be together, but one is plagued by a (very) rare disease; that he randomly jumps through time, so that their relationship is fundamentally fragmented, heartbreaking and frankly, very, very confusing.

Astro Boy is the classic tale of a young boy trying to get along with what life gives him. Making friends, getting by and generally having a good old time, he’s just like you and me. The only difference is that this kid is a robot. And people want to kill the death out of him. It’s a futuristic Pinnocchio-inspired CGI romp, and whilst it has a lot to recommend it, ultimately there’s not a lot of human heart beating behind it.

Space travel has always been an inexhaustable topic for film-makers, but upon watching Pandorum, you can’t help but feel like you’ve seen everything it has to offer before. And you’ve seen it done better. Though it’s made by the same guys who brought us Resident Evil, this film lacks any real originality and it’s consistantly dark and moody shots are more likely to leave you with eye-damage than anything else.

It may be strange to think it, but in an age where we’re so used to 3D creatures, pixilated flying houses and talking toys, a 2D film can be considered pushing the boundaries of today’s kids entertainment. Gone is the golden age of Disney classics- The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin – all-singing, all dancing, all bloomin’ marvelous. Today what kids want is action explosions, nifty special effects and some smooth-talking robots, right?