In 1993, the world was treated to Steven Spielberg’s “Jurassic Park”. The movie combined animatronics with C.G.I. to really make you feel that you were watching dinosaurs onscreen. That same year, we also got “Carnosaur” and it’s pretty clear why people are still talking about “Jurassic Park” and why most people have never even heard of this film.

In “Carnosaur”, a mad scientist (Diane Ladd “Chinatown”, “Wild At Heart”) uses genetic manipulation to create dinosaurs with the hopes of having them wipe out humanity. The creatures escape and go on a killing spree in a small town. A security guard (Raphael Sbarge “Risky Business”) and an environmentalist (Jennifer Runyon “Ghostbusters”) find themselves at the heart of the action.

The characters in “Carnosaur” are really boring and you know it’s bad when a mad scientist character is dull. The dinosaurs in the movie are laughable in comparison to the ones in “Jurassic Park”. At times, the dinosaurs here look about as convincing as the Muppets. However, the scenes with the dinosaurs are easily the most enjoyable moments. Like the monster in “The Giant Claw”, you have to smile every time you see the dinosaurs because they do just look so ridiculous. The dinosaurs definitely upstage the humans.

The plot is genuinely crazy, especially when human women start giving birth to dinosaurs. The characters are not remotely interesting, the special effects are lame and it’s all feels very rushed. I do still like the scenes with the dinosaurs attacking people because even though it’s silly, it’s enjoyably silly. Like giant robots, there is just something greats about watching dinosaurs on the attack. I think everybody else needs to “Jurassic Park” if they want a great movie about dinosaurs and almost everybody will want to skip “Carnosaur”. I think I have be generous with my rating.

Based on the popular children’s book series, “Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie” is a light-hearted animated film that I’m sure will dazzle its intended demographic. I read several of the books as a child and I can safely say that the filmmakers managed to capture the style and the spirit of the source material.

George (Kevin Hart “Ride Along”) and Harold are two imaginative pranksters, who love making comics about a dim-witted superhero by the name of Captain Underpants. They hypnotise Mr. Krupp (Ed Helms “The Hangover”), who is their grouchy principal, and make him believe that he is Captain Underpants. Things soon spiral out of control and the fate of the world is soon at risk.

The George and Harold characters are reasonably funny but I do not know why the filmmakers felt the need to cast Kevin Hart. Captain Underpants is really funny as there is a hilarious scene involving a mime. The villain of the film is Professor Poopypants and he’s a lot of fun too. I also like the nerdy Melvin character. The animation is not amazing but its style very much reminded me of the drawings in the books so I think it works really well.

If you want a funny and enjoyable kids flick then “Captain Underpants” will deliver with its zany plot and charming antics. If you want something serious then the title of this film should be enough of a deterrent but if you are happy to have a few chuckles at something juvenile and exciting then “Captain Underpants” is a good choice. The title implies there will be a sequel, I certainly would not mind seeing one and hopefully they will bring in some more of the villains from the books. This is an imaginative and engaging children’s film that will be fun for the whole family.

“Captain Phillips” tells one of the most courageous true stories of recent years; it’s a movie that is shot so intensely that you’re on the edge of your seat throughout virtually all of it and it scares you far more than any fiction could ever hope to.

Tom Hanks (“Big”, “Saving Private Ryan”) stars as Captain Phillips, who is in charge of a U.S. cargo ship going across the African coast. They get hijacked by Somali pirates, the crew are unarmed and miles away from help. As the film continues its thrills and shocks heighten and it becomes a film not for the faint of heart.

Tom Hanks is a brilliant actor. He takes on such a diverse array of roles but always comes across as a really nice guy. As Captain Phillips Hanks manages to further continue his streak of niceness as he’s thrown into one of the worst scenarios anybody could find themselves in. Hanks shows he’s deserving of an Oscar during his last few minutes onscreen here as he breaks down. The Somali pirates are also really good, especially the leader Muse (Barkhad Abdi). The tension between the crew and the pirates, in particular the tension between Phillips and Muse is very well done.

“Captain Phillips” is a movie that surprised me with its age rating because this really is one of the most disturbing films I’ve ever seen. It’s a movie that perfectly shows the realism of hostage situation, this isn’t “Die Hard” although it’s just as exhilarating. The film highlights how depression and hopeless Somalia is; the film comes out not too long after Somali terrorists staged a multiple day hostage situation in a Kenyan shopping centre, making its messages more prominent than ever. “Captain Phillips” is a remarkable film but perhaps not one that should be seen by everyone.

Marvel’s “Captain Marvel” has come out at roughly the same time as DC’s “Shazam”, which is also about a superhero named Captain Marvel. Are you confused yet? Anyway, Marvel’s “Captain Marvel” is another great addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which just keeps finding new ways to stay fresh and entertaining. It also shows you that DC’s “Wonder Woman” was not a complete fluke and that female-led superhero flicks can work.

Kree warrior Vers (Brie Larson “Kong: Skull Island”) arrives on Earth during the mid-90s after a mission goes awry. She tries to hunt down her Skrull enemies, who are searching for a powerful device hidden somewhere on Earth. She begins to piece together that she has not always been a Kree and is actually a human.

Brie Larson is entertaining as the superheroine. However, I do not think that she actually gets called ‘Captain Marvel’ at any point in the movie. Samuel L. Jackson (“Pulp Fiction”, “Avengers Assemble”) plays Nick Fury once again but this time, he gets a much better role. It’s really nice to see him have more to do. Jude Law (“Enemy At The Gates”) and Ben Mendelsohn (“Ready Player One”) also have significant roles in here. The Stan Lee cameo is particularly great because it references his cameo in the movie “Mallrats”. I also liked the cat in this film.

Like many of Marvel’s better movies, “Captain Marvel” successfully combines action with a bit of comedy to make a very satisfying experience. The only thing I really did not care fore was the twist. The comedic 90s references to Blockbuster and dial-up internet are funny and I’m glad the film did not go overboard with them. It’s not the best Marvel movie but this is another really good one and I look forward to seeing Captain Marvel join the rest of the heroes in “Avengers: Endgame”. Hopefully, DC’s “Shazam” will be as good as this.

I enjoyed “Captain America: The First Avenger” but I think “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” is actually better. This sequel seemed far more interesting than many of the other Marvel movies and it’s got to be one of their best, even better than the first “Iron Man”.

In “The Winter Soldier”, Captain America/Steve Rogers (Chris Evans “Sunshine”, “Fantastic Four”) returns and finds himself having to uncover a mystery after an assassination attempt on Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson “Pulp Fiction”). Captain America joins up with Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson “Lost In Translation”) and Falcon (Anthony Mackie “The Adjustment Bureau”) to face the Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan “The Martian”).

I enjoyed Chris Evans’ performance in “The First Avengers” but I didn’t really care for him in “Avengers Assemble”. In this film, I think they’ve made the character more interesting and that makes the performance more entertaining. Scarlett Johansson is good as Black Widow. I love some of the interactions between Captain America and Black Widow. Falcon is intriguing and I hope he gets more screen time in another Marvel film. Although I really did like the Winter Soldier, I felt his interactions with Captain America were disappointing. Samuel L. Jackson is good as Nick Fury.

The action sequences in “The Winter Soldier” are just incredible and there seems to be so much going on throughout the movie. I think the characters and the plot are handled really well and I thought this was a terrific follow-up to “The First Avenger”. While “The First Avenger” had some wonderful action scenes and a great 40s look, “The Winter Soldier” contains action scenes that are even better and the characters are way more interesting so if you enjoyed “The First Avenger”, you should really check this sequel out. For anybody that missed out on the first “Captain America” movie, I’d recommend watching that along with many of the Marvel movies as the films all take place in the same universe and will help make many of the twists in “The Winter Soldier” more meaningful.

Marvel seems to have been giving us lots of big budget superhero movies. Although some have been good (“X2”, “Spider-Man”, “Iron Man”) there have been some bad ones as well (“Elektra”, “DareDevil”, “X-Men: The Last Stand”) but where does “Captain America” come on the scale?

Set during World War II, the film follows Steve Rogers (Chris Evans “Fantastic Four”). He’s a short man with very little strength, who desperately wishes to join the army but because of his disabilities isn’t allowed. He is then picked for a secret government project to make him a superhero named Captain America. Captain America then must do battle with The Red Skull (Hugo Weaving “Lord of the Rings: Two Towers”) and his evil organisation Hydra in an explosive and rather amusing battle to save the world.

Chris Evans does a good job as Steve Rogers/Captain America. Although I can’t really take him seriously I do think he at least tries to take it seriously. Hugo Weaving had a great voice as The Red Skull but since any time he’s actually doing anything the character is all C.G. I wish we could have him do some of the fighting and I’m not too keen on the use of the C.G. as The Red Skull in the other “Captain America” film looked far more convincing. Another part I would like to mention is the Colonel played by Tommy Lee Jones (“Men In Black”). I really like Tommy Lee Jones and he seems perfect for this part not much else to say except for great job.

In conclusion, I found “Captain America” to be a fun and action packed experience. Although it is overly silly and quite predictable that becomes its advantage over some of the other superhero movies out there. I think if you’re looking for something fun, this is your ticket to a good time so therefore I recommend “Captain America: The First Avenger”.

In the same year that DC gave us the abomination that was “Batman v Superman”, Marvel showed us how you do a movie about superheroes battling one another with “Captain America: Civil War”. It definitely has its faults but I think this is a rather entertaining superhero flick.

The Avengers are facing greater scrutiny from the world after their missions have led to enormous levels of death and destruction. The proposed restrictions on the group’s ability to operate cause a rift as Captain America (Chris Evans “Captain America: The First Avenger”) and Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr. “Iron Man”) form rival collections of heroes but there is a sinister foe pulling the strings.

It’s good to see Captain America, Iron Man and some of the others back and I was particularly pleased to see Ant-Man (Paul Rudd “Ant-Man”) in here. I also really liked how the film introduced the new Spider-Man (Tom Holland), who was great, as well as the Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman “42”). However, I think the villain, Zemo (Daniel Brühl “Rush”) is one of the worst villains I have seen in a film in a very long time. Supervillains need to be superpowered and not just some guy.

“Captain America: Civil War” features some really impressive action sequences as we see the superheroes battle it out an airport. I was less enthusiastic by some of the political elements of the story and I despised the villain but overall, this movie is a blast. I was left a little underwhelmed by “Avengers: Age Of Ultron” but “Captain America: Civil War” throws in enough creativity to make a really satisfying addition to the Marvel movies. Marvel does what DC could not as it has made an entertaining superhero flick that helps expand its universe without feeling as though it is just there to promote more movies.

No not the decent 2011 remake you’re thinking of, this is the long-forgotten realm of the dumb, boring and pointless “Captain America” of the 90s. This is a superhero film so bad the special effects and the all-round production value make it look like a 70s film… and a cheap one at that.

In “Captain America”, Steve Rodgers (Matt Salinger “Revenge of the Nerds”) is a crippled man, who is used in a secret government project to make him the strong and heroic Captain America to thwart the Nazis and their evil creation the Red Skull (Scott Paulin “I Am Sam”). Unfortunately, Captain America is beaten by the Red Skull and strapped to a rocket that’s heading for the White House. Captain America makes the rocket miss and he finds himself frozen. He then is thrown into a world he doesn’t understand when he wakes up in the 90s.He then must finish the battle he started all those decades ago.

Everyone in this film is unmemorable as they’re bland or memorable for being horrific. No one gives any believable depth to their character and they all come across as overly cartoony and horrifically boring. I think the worst is Matt Salinger as Steve Rodgers/Captain America.

“Captain America” is a painful movie to watch. Although it has a good premise it’s just so awful to watch. The action is rubbish and Captain America comes across as a right wimp at times as he looks pathetic when he fights the Red Skull as he doesn’t inflict any damage whatsoever on his enemy and just takes a harsh beating even though it seems he has the advantage since he is carrying a weapon (his shield, which he uses to fight baddies and protect himself). The acting is atrocious, the dialog is boring and the overall production value really makes it seem like the studios had no belief that this movie would do well.

The first film from Trey Parker and Matt Stone, who are of course best known for tv’s “South Park”. “Cannibal! The Musical” (or “Alferd Packer: The Musical” as it is sometimes known) is a surprisingly funny film made on a very low budget and centred on an incredibly weird concept. If you like “South Park” then you might get some kicks out of this but I don’t think this is a film for everybody out there.

“Cannibal! The Musical” tells a comedic version of Colorado’s first cannibal, named Alferd (not Alfred) Packer (Parker). Blood, guts, music numbers and some very witty humour is present as we see how a simple miner’s journey for gold turns ugly.

Parker and Stone are of course best known for providing voices in “South Park” but they do a pretty good job here. Although the performances themselves are quite funny, I’m always impressed how talented Parker actually is as a singer; he always sounds just right to do a mockery of whatever song type he is ridiculing. Alferd Packer isn’t really that great of a character and to be fair none of them really stick out that much. By far the best characters are the American Indians as they’re all played by Japanese people and do karate… comedic genius.

“Cannibal! The Musical” has some really funny song numbers and some great little bits here and there. As I said earlier, not everybody is going to get this film; it’s not a mainstream picture by any means. Some may find the film slow and boring while others just won’t get exactly what the filmmakers were trying to do here. If you’ve seen some of Parker and Stone’s other films such as “Orgazmo” and you were disappointed, I’d still give this one a go. Perhaps the greatest contribution this film makes to the world is its invention of the word ‘shpadoinkle’.

“Candyman” is essentially a rip-off of the “A Nightmare On Elm Street” movies and it has got to be on the dullest horror movies I’ve seen. It’s a gruesome picture without any hint of an interesting story.

In “Candyman”, Helen Lyle (Virginia Madsen “Sideways”, “The Number 23”) and Bernadette Walsh (Kasi Lemmons “The Silence of the Lambs”) are researchers out to debunk urban myths such as the murders attributed to ‘Candyman’ (Tony Todd “The Rock”, “Platoon”). Unfortunately for them, the two researchers are about to find out that Candyman is very real. As the movie continues, the violent imagery gets more and more graphic while the plot becomes thinner and thinner.

The two researchers are painfully bland. You spend the most time with the Helen character and she isn’t remotely interesting. The character of Bernadette is slightly more tolerable than the character of Helen. Candyman has a booming voice but nothing interesting to say. He practically begs for one of the characters in the movie to believe in him because much like Freddy Krueger, he relies on people’s fears of him in order to exist. The Candyman sometimes has a large number of bees with him and in one scene they are in his mouth. Apparently, the actor really had bees put in his mouth (he did have a mouth guard) and what a terrible price to pay for such a poor movie. Ted Raimi (“Spider-Man”) has an early cameo that adds practically nothing to the movie.

Movies such as “Candyman” are not scary, they are merely desperate attempts to scare. Many horror filmmakers seem to be under the impression that flesh and blood being in front of the camera is a suitable substitute for atmosphere, story and characters. Candyman comes after Jason Voorhees, Freddy Krueger, Pinhead and so many others yet it brings very little new to the table.