The Indie Spirit Awards must be wack

Musical drama from writer of Rock Of Ages picks up a odd mix for its leads

Best For Film’s Cheat Sheets are a weekly look into some of our most beloved Hollywood stars. But even we like a break once in a while. With Kevin James threatening to take the Charmless Comedian Crown away from Adam Sandler in his latest film Here Comes The Boom, we investigate our sentient sack of apples to see if there’s more than meets the eye. (Spoiler! There’s not.)

Kevin James wafts back onto our screens as a listless biology teacher who just wants to chip in a few bucks and save his school when budget cuts loom. No bake sales here, as good-natured Mr. Voss enters the Octagon in a bid to literally fight for what he believes in. Take note, Here Comes the Boom is here to impart laughs and lessons in equal measure. Achieving neither, at least Kevin James gets a pummeling.

In a month that’s already overcrowded with supernatural themed animations, Hotel Transylvania is the runt of the litter. Frantic, over-manic direction, a severe dearth of laughs and a predictable plot are bad enough, but when you factor in Adam Sandler trampling all over proceedings and doing another Stupid Fucking Voice, then you’ve really got problems.

Adam Sandler’s voice is unfortunately still part of Adam Sandler

Wondering what to fill your days with in 2012? We recommend some light viewing, considering the world will probably be over then. Here are our best and worst for next year. Prepare to be angry, then a little happy, then quite confused, and then happy again.

There’s no denying that the ‘size zero’ culture has taken over the entertainment industry, and there is now an increasingly huge amount of pressure on film and TV stars to conform to Hollywood’s idea of perfection. But that idea is changing all the time – skinny was in, then curvy was in and now they just can’t make up their minds.

The word ‘formulaic’ is bandied about quite a lot by us cinema lovers, and we’ve noticed that if often occurs just after watching a Kevin James film. This week saw his latest offering, Zookeeper, besmirch screens across the country, so to celebrate / commiserate / royally take the mickey we take a gander at some of the parts which are undoubtedly going to be offered to him in the near future.

It’s summer, the kids are bored and the grown-ups are too warm for Twister – it’s time for family cinema gold. Why not bring out yet another movie in which animals can talk, couple it with a lack-lustre storyline, and a mish-mash of actors. Cook it for about a year, let it cool for a month and what are we left with? Zookeeper.