When published in 2002 The Lovely Bones was an instant success, climbing to top of the UK as well as US book charts. So how do you tell a tale about the grizzly rape and murder of a 14 year-old girl onscreen, whilst making sure it can be released a PG? By getting rid of that pesky rape and muder part, of course! Peter Jackson’s take on Alice Sebold’s novel is certainly beautiful to look at, but it has to be asked, is that really the point?

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.

The furry fiend known as The Wolf Man first howled at the silvery moon in 1941 with a suitably hirsute Lon Chaney Jr in the lead role., joined in the golden age of beasty baddies like Frankenstein and Dracula back in the 40s. Almost 70 years later, the eponymous beast runs free again across the blood-spattered English countryside in director Joe Johnston’s tongue in cheek -and exceedingly bloodthirthy – remake.

Valentine’s Day eh? There’s no getting away from the hatred of it. Either you’re not in a relationship and you’re sick of being reminded of the fact, or you are and you’re sick of being reminded that you’re not the lover you should be. It’s lose/lose. And no number of happy cuddly bears are going to change that. Nothing demonstrates this collective bitterness better than the natural reaction to Valentine’s Day – Garry Marshall’s sugar-coated tale of romance and heartbreak.

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

Ah, Michael Cera. He’s a tricky wee tyke isn’t he? The problem with Michael Cera is that for an actor to be judged as great, he has to be able to pull off more than the one part. And we’re not sure he can. Part of the issue is his face. Moony eyed, bland and permanently worried, he is destined for the under-dog role and it’s not really his fault. But by picking roles like the one he plays in Youth In Revolt, he continues to re-affirm the fact that this is all he can play. However, we have to admit, he does play them very well.

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.