Oz The Great And Powerful

Tonight I have been to see Oz The Great and Powerful.

It's time to follow the Yellow Brick Road once more as we return to Oz for this spectacular prequel! First released in 1939, The Wizard of Oz is a cinematic masterpiece, beloved by millions around the world. Now Spider-man director Sam Raimi ventures back in time and shows us where the eponymous wizard came from. The story begins with small-time circus magician Oscar Diggs (James Franco) - a man who aspires to greater things. One day, his air balloon is suddenly swept inside a raging, violent tornado and whisked away to the weird and wonderful world of Oz. He then meets three witches - Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams) - who are convinced that he is the saviour everyone has been waiting for. Is Oscar indeed destined to become the fabled Wizard of Oz - one who can save the land from great evil? Filled with Raimi's boundless energy and visual flair, this lavish, big-budget fantasy takes viewers on an incredible journey.

Hansel & Gretel : Witch Hunters

Tonight I have been to see Hansel & Gretel : Witch Hunters.

The classic Grimms fairy tale gets an action-packed fantasy twist replete with weapons and lashings of gore! Ever since a witch attempted to take their lives as children, Hansel (Jeremy Renner) and Gretel (Gemma Arterton) have dedicated themselves to hunting the fiends down. The memory of what happened in that gingerbread house has never left them, and they've grown up to become proficient bounty hunters with an arsenal of high-tech weaponry. The brother and sister duo are a deadly force to be reckoned with - but now they face their greatest foe yet! Several children have disappeared from the German town of Augsburg. Hansel and Gretel are tasked with saving them and exterminating the threat - only to come up against deadly sorceress Muriel (Famke Janssen). Muriel is planning to sacrifice the children at a witches gathering in two days time, and brother and sister are thrown into a fight unlike anything they've ever known.

Arbitrage

Tonight I have been to see Arbitrage.

The life of a millionaire hedge-fund magnate unravels in this engrossing corporate drama. Robert Miller (Gere) is approaching his 60th birthday and has established a multi-million dollar trading empire. He appears to be the epitome of personal and financial prosperity. However, panic is brewing behind the scenes. Miller is attempting to sell his vast empire to a major bank whilst avoiding detection for his fraudulent activities. Not only that, he's also cheating on his wife Ellen (Susan Sarandon) with art dealer Julie (Laetitia Casta). One false move later and he arouses the suspicions of NYPD Detective Michael Bryer (Tim Roth). As his world begins to unravel, Robert strives to maintain the image of the successful, all-American businessman. He's the man who appears to have it all - but is he on the verge of losing everything? Nicholas Jarecki's thoughtful directorial debut features a superb, Golden Globe-nominated performance from Richard Gere.

Cloud Atlas

Yesterday in Llandudno I went to see Cloud Atlas.

This sweeping drama examines the connection between the lives of several characters across the centuries. Stretching across a vast expanse of time, Cloud Atlas is a hugely ambitious epic about the spiritual link between people from different eras. The film interweaves six different stories ranging from the 19th century to the distant future, each one forming part of a glorious tapestry of human existence. Beginning in 1849 with an American lawyer who is travelling across the South Pacific Ocean, the narrative then encompasses a composer in the 1930s, a journalist in the 1970s, an author in 2012, a clone bred for a life of servitude in 22nd century Korea, and a tribesman living in post-apocalyptic Hawaii. Adapted from David Mitchell's extraordinary novel by Tom Tykwer and Matrix filmmakers Lana and Andy Wachowski, this kaleidoscopic, visually dazzling feast features a superb cast including Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Hugh Grant and Jim Broadbent.

Broken City

Today in Llandudno I have seen Broken City.

Sparks fly between Hollywood heavyweights Mark Wahlberg and Russell Crowe in this riveting thriller. Disgraced ex-cop turned private detective Billy Taggart (Mark Wahlberg) is thrown a lifeline. The Mayor of New York City Nicholas Hostetler (Russell Crowe) is set on cleaning up the apparently 'broken' city and hires the former lawman to act as his eyes on the ground. But events take an unexpected turn when Billy is hired to trail Hostetler's glamorous wife Emily (Catherine Zeta-Jones) and capture evidence of her rumoured infidelity. A seemingly straightforward assignment soon turns out to be anything but, as Billy uncovers shocking scandal. Soon he's double-crossed and betrayed by Hostetler, the most powerful man in the city. Now streetwise Billy is out for justice! A-list stars Mark Wahlberg and Russell Crowe bring their commanding talents to this riveting mano-a-mano thriller, one that plunges audiences into a world where loyalty and trust are built on corrupt foundations.

Safe Haven

Today in Llandudno I have been to see Safe Haven.

This deeply romantic drama centres on a woman who flees her troubled past to start a new life in a small American town. Katie (Julianne Hough) has recently arrived in the close-knit community of Southport, prompting questions among the locals. As they strive to know where she came from, Katie appears resistant to forming emotional ties with anyone. That is until she meets Alex (Josh Duhamel), a widowed storeowner with two children. The pair eventually form a connection and begin a passionate affair - but Katie is haunted by a dark secret that she finds impossible to truly escape from. Soon, she senses that danger is starting to encroach on her life in Southport and her newfound romance comes under threat. This latest adaptation of a Nicholas Sparks novel features the author's winning mixture of tender intimacy and swooning romance, this time infused with a suspenseful edge as the shocking details of Katie's past come to light.

Warm Bodies

Today in Llandudno I have been to see Warm Bodies.

Can zombies fall in love? That's the irresistible question at the heart of this quirky comedy horror. Based on the debut novel by Isaac Marion, Warm Bodies is the darkly comic story of romance between two complete opposites. In the wake of a devastating zombie apocalypse, America is now populated with hordes of the undead. Among them is R (Nicholas Hoult). Incapable of communicating beyond a few basic grunts and groans, R is lonely and simply wants to connect with somebody - a tricky proposition given his penchant for human flesh! But then he encounters human survivor Julie (Teresa Palmer), who sets his heart pounding - literally. R immediately falls in love with Julie and in the process starts to become more human. If only he could convey this to her father General Grigio (John Malkovich) who's intent on blasting all walking corpses on sight. R's change of heart sets in motion a brilliantly funny spin on the zombie movie, in which love really does conquer all.

Les Miserables

Today in Llandudno I have been to see Les Miserables.

A ground-breaking film adaptation of the global hit stage musical, with an all-star cast singing their parts live. After serving a long prison sentence for a petty crime, Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) becomes a noble force for good. But he reckons without Inspector Javert (Russell Crowe), the policeman who pursues him obsessively for breaking his parole. Set against the tumultuous backdrop of French revolutionary history, Victor Hugo's classic 1862 novel has been adapted for stage and screen many times. But no version is better loved than the stage musical, which continues to break records in its 27th year. In bringing this powerful story of broken dreams and unrequited love to the screen, 'The King's Speech' director Tom Hooper decided to have the performers sing live rather than miming to a recording. The result is a spectacular musical epic of extraordinary immediacy. Its superlative cast also includes Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen.