Shrek- a- holic!

Starring: Mike Myers(Shrek 3,The Love Guru,Inglorious Bastards)
Eddie Murphy(Shrek 3,Meet Dave,Imagine That)
Antonio Banderas(Shrek 3,The Other Man,Thick As Thieves)
Cameron Diaz(Shrek 3,My Sister's Keeper,Knight and Day)
Directed by: Mike Mitchell(Sky High,Deuce Bigelow:Male Gigolo)
This is an animation/adventure/fantasy based on fairytale themes with Shrek 5 being scrapped as Dreamworks decided that Shrek 4 was the final installment.
Shrek is bored as a domesticated father and longs for the simple things in life - feeling like an ogre again. He makes a pact with Rumpelstiltskin but instead of being ogreish he is sent into a version of Far Far Away where he has never been born.And to top it all off, Shrek discovers he has never met Fiona. Shrek must save his friends and reclaim his 'one true love' before time runs out and he is sent into oblivion!
This movie was a bit of fun but felt like it had been done before. Donkey gets some great lines and the 'fat cat' Puss in Boots is always good for a laugh. Mike Myers tries hard but some of his lines were a little forced. Fiona is good as her 'Xena warrior princess take no prisoners' attitude suits her to a tee. Walt Dohrn as Rumpelstiltskin is a fine character - a take no prisoners kinda guy!
Overall a solid cast provides a solid performance , a good place to finish the story.
I give it three stars out of five.

Prince of Priceless!

Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal(Jarhead, Proof, Brothers)
Gemma Arterton(Quantum of Solace, The Boat That Rocked, Clash of the Titans)
Ben Kingsley(The Love Guru, Fifty Dead Men Walking, Shutter Island)
Alfred Molina(An Education, The Pink Panther 2, The Lodger)
Directed by: Mike Newell(Mona Lisa Smile, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Love in the Time of Cholera)
This is a fantasy/adventure film based on the three-dimensional video game Prince of Persia:Sands of Time created by Jordan Mechner.The film is produced by Jerry Bruckheimer.
Dastarn is an orphan boy adopted by the King after he shows courage in the marketplace. He and his adopted brothers Garsiv and Tus lead the soldiers on to victory against Alamut , a sacred city which is believed to have sold weapons to other enemies of Persia. Princess Tamina is captured and offered as a wife to Dastarn to make Alamut a part of the Persian empire. However things take a turn for the worse as the king is killed and Dastarn blamed for the murder. How do him and Tamina get out of this mess?
I really enjoyed this movie - fun all along the way!The costumes were well done as were the sets. Jake Gyllenhaal played a boys own hero with a bit of pizazz while Ben Kingsley was great as an evil mastermind. The standout for myself was Alfred Molina - he was having a grand time as Sheik Amar. Also worth mentioning was a solid performance by Steve Toussaint as Seso.
If you suspend belief and enjoy the ride for a couple of hours then you will be rewarded.
I give it four stars out of five.

Back to Basics!

Starring: Jennifer Lopez(Shall We Dance, Monster-in-Law, Bordertown)
Alex O'Loughlin(Whiteout)
Linda Lavin(The Ring)
Danneel Harris(Fired Up)
Directed by: Alan Poul(Inside Out, Woman On Top)
This is a comedy/romance that looks at the ins and outs of love and having kids - but not in that order!It is a first release film with Kate Angelo having written the screenplay.
Zoe(Lopez) is tired of waiting for the right man to come along so she decides to take matters in her own hands and visit a sperm bank. As she gets into a cab she meets the man of her dreams and ends up pregnant and in love. But-will he stay or will he disappear like so many others have done?
This was a comedy/romance that should have ticked all the right buttons but it seemed to miss out on something. Jennifer Lopez tried hard but Alex O'Loughlin seemed a little weak as what should have been a strong character. Jennifer Elise Cox as the salesgirl was a bit of welcome relief in a very pedestrian outing . Overall a bit of a fizzer for what should have been a laugh.
I give it 2.5 stars out of five.