The Perks Of Being A Wallflower

Today at Cineworld Bolton I have been to see The Perks Of Being A Wallflower

Emma Watson stars in Stephen Chbosky's adaptation of his funny and touching coming-of-age novel. Charlie (Logan Lerman) has never stood out from the crowd. But after a close friend commits suicide, this shy and awkward outcast teen is determined to turn his life around during the new school term. Charlie soon makes friends with flamboyant Patrick (Ezra Miller) and his beautiful step-sister Sam (Emma Watson), who introduce him to a new world of fun. His teacher Bill (Paul Rudd) also broadens Charlie's horizons by developing his appetite for great literature. He soon begins to fall in love with Sam, but matters are about to get complicated. Stephen Chbosky's 1999 novel was hugely acclaimed for its wit, truthfulness and courage in tackling difficult subject matter. In adapting his own book for the screen, he has assembled a dream cast headlined by Emma Watson. It's also our first chance to hear her speak with an American accent!

Looper

Bruce Willis stars in a mind-boggling sci-fi action movie about a time-travelling assassin hired to kill his future self! One of the biggest problems facing any mobster is how to whack someone without leaving messy evidence behind. By 2072, the technology for time travel exists, even though it's illegal to make use of it. This doesn't stop the criminals, who employ assassins known as loopers. Their job is to nip back 30 years to 2042, before the advent of time travel, and eliminate targets sent from the future. That way, there's no evidence the victim ever existed. There's just one rule: never let your target escape. But that's exactly what happens when looper Joe (Joseph Gordon Levitt) finds that the man who's just materialised in front of him is his future self (Bruce Willis)! From the director of cult hit 'Brick', 'Looper' is a ferociously clever and exciting time travel thriller.

Now Is Good

Tonight I have been to see Now Is Good.

Moving drama about a young woman determined to live life to the full after being diagnosed with a terminal illness.

Tessa Scott (Dakota Fanning) carries a burden that no 17-year-old old should have to endure. She knows her time is short. Having taken the decision to give up treatment for the illness that will claim her life, Tessa decides to spend her remaining days doing everything a normal teenager could hope to experience. With best pal Zoey (Kaya Scodelario), she draws up her own 'bucket list'. This proves especially difficult for dad (Paddy Considine) and mum (Olivia Williams) as it includes such risky behaviour as taking drugs and losing her virginity. But until she meets new neighbour Adam (Jeremy Irvine), Tessa doesn't expect to experience the exhilarating intensity of love. Adapted from Jenny Downham's bestseller, British director Ol Parker's uplifting drama is a dizzying, romantic and profoundly emotional celebration of life.

Anna Karenina

Tonight I have been to see Anna Kerenina.

Keira Knightley and Jude Law star in a spectacular new adaptation of Tolstoy's epic love story.

Trapped in a loveless marriage to Alexei (Jude Law), aristocrat and socialite Anna Karenina (Keira Knightley) falls for the dashing Count Vronsky (Aaron Johnson). But this is late 19th century Russian high society, where such scandalous affairs rarely go unpunished. The price of her passion proves very high indeed as she is shunned by her peers and even threatened with separation from her son. Frequently described as the greatest novel of all time, Leo Tolstoy's romantic tragedy centres on one of literature's great heroines. This sumptuously staged new screen version is scripted by Tom Stoppard, who won an Oscar for 'Shakespeare in Love'. It also reunites Keira Knightley with director Joe Wright after their acclaimed collaborations 'Pride & Prejudice' and 'Atonement'. The outstanding supporting cast includes Kelly Macdonald, Matthew Macfadyen, Emily Watson and Olivia Williams.

The Sweeney

This afternoon I have been to see The Sweeney.

Ray Winstone and Ben Drew explode onto the screen as the legendary London crime fighters!

Nailing villains is all that matters to Flying Squad officers Jack Regan (Ray Winstone) and his loyal partner George Carter (Ben Drew). They get results by ignoring the rulebook, much to the exasperation of the Guv (Damian Lewis). But when a bank heist takes place, they suspect an old adversary has returned. As the stakes are raised, hard-as-nails Regan will stop at nothing in pursuit of the wrong 'un. From Nick Love, director of 'The Firm', this is an exhilarating, eagerly anticipated update of the great '70s TV series. It tears up the capital's streets, slamming our favourite old school coppers brutally into the modern age. Ray Winstone is perfectly cast as uncompromising Regan. Rising star Ben Drew - aka rapper Plan B - makes a terrific sidekick. The thrilling script is co-written by John Hodge, of 'Trainspotting' fame.

The Possession

Last night I went to see The Possession.

A horrifying tale of a family menaced by a box containing an evil spirit.

When a husband (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and wife (Kyra Sedgwick) buy an antique box at a yard sale, they little realise that they're making the biggest mistake of their lives. Bringing it home, they become plagued by mysterious and terrifying events. But even more disturbing is their youngest daughter's growing obsession with the peculiar object. After some investigation, they uncover its secret. The box was originally made to house a 'dibbuk' - a malevolent spirit that takes over and eventually consumes its human host. Now the couple are in a frightening race against time to save their family. From 'Evil Dead' and 'Drag Me to Hell' director Sam Raimi's Ghost House Pictures, this is a spine-tingling supernatural story. Chillingly, it was inspired by a 2004 'LA Times' article reporting a 'Dibbuk Box' that was offered for sale on eBay.

Lawless

Tonight I have been to see Lawless.

A bootlegging clan take on a corrupt lawman in this stylish true-life gangster epic set in Prohibition-era America.

In defiance of Prohibition, Franklin County, Virginia, has acquired a reputation as "the wettest county in the world". That's thanks largely to the tough, seemingly invincible Bondurant brothers: Jack (Shia LaBeouf), Forrest (Tom Hardy) and Howard (Jason Clarke). Their powerful and popular brand of moonshine has made them local legends. But everything changes in 1931 with the arrival of Special Deputy Charlie Rakes (Guy Pearce). He's something of a psychopath, whose mission is to crack down on bootlegging. But the siblings aren't about to give up their empire without a bloody and brutal fight. Mia Wasikowska and Jessica Chastain have key love interest roles in this visceral gangster thriller, adapted by Nick Cave from Matt Bondurant's fact-based novel about his relatives. It's the third superb collaboration between Cave and 'The Proposition' director John Hillcoat.