“Being There” is a comedy with beauty and charm to match its humour, it is done in the same vein as the more popular “Forrest Gump” film if you wanted a clearer image of what it is like. Peter Sellers (“The Pink Panther”, “Dr. Strangelove”) has appeared in comedies across the quality spectrum, “Being There” was one of his last and surely one of his best.

In “Being There”, a gardener named Chance (Sellers), who have never left his master’s house and enjoys watching endless amounts of tv, finds himself in the real-world. His comments about gardening are mistaken for being metaphorical and he quickly becomes an important figure in economical politics in America.

Peter Sellers is simply wonderful here; he captures the perfect sense innocence the same way Tom Hanks did with the Forrest Gump character. There is never a single frame where Sellers seems to be at fault and I highly applaud and respect him for that. The other characters in the film while they’re good and the people playing them are good, I find them fading into the background as Sellers dominates the screen. His interaction with them is fascinating and is pitch-perfect to say the least.

With all this showering of praise, you may think I should give this top marks but this is an annoying flaw in this movie and that is that we constantly see what Chance is watching on tv, I don’t want to see some boring clip because observing him with his eyes always fixated on any tv is far superior. “Being There” has jokes that are virtually all about miscommunication but this never gets old and what is great is how the quality of jokes far outweighs the quantity. The jokes don’t make you laugh-out-loud as they are more subtle and having you thinking inside, they are the kind of jokes people love to make at dinner parties and other social gatherings but always seem to fail to; the ones who do are just naturals.

“Behind Enemy Lines” is meant to tell a thrilling tale of survival but when the survivor seems incompetent, it becomes hard to get engaged with the film. It’s not thrilling, it’s not exciting and it’s not entertaining.

In “Behind Enemy Lines”, an American navy navigator (Owen Wilson “Wedding Crashers”) gets shot down in Bosnia by Serbians and finds himself on the run from them. Over the course of the film, this American serviceman survives by such unimpressive means as being lucky enough to not get shot at due to enemy incompetence. His commanding officer, Admiral Reigart (Gene Hackman “Superman: The Movie”, “Crimson Tide”), struggles to know what to do when orders come in preventing him from mounting a rescue operation.

Owen Wilson is terrible here. You can’t get involved with the character here as he does nothing remotely interesting. Gene Hackman is really good but the character is really dud and doesn’t get to do that much, in fact his character’s main purpose is to basically just sit there and not be knowing what to do. The bad guys are pretty unmemorable and their incredible ability to not kill or capture Wilson’s character despite him not really doing anything to secure his own safety, is something that only weakens them more.

“Behind Enemy Lines” has a few moments that seem kind-of interesting but I don’t like the acting, I don’t like the way some of it is filmed (when you see it, you’ll know what I mean) and I don’t like how this navy navigator does practically nothing to defend himself. It’s a lot of walking and a lot of enemies that can’t hit a target, that’s what “Behind Enemy Lines” consists of and it’s so disappointing and ruins some real potential. With so many better war movies out there (such as “Black Hawk Down”), I can’t see why anybody would really enjoy “Behind Enemy Lines”.

“Bebe’s Kids” is an unpleasant kids movie based on a stand-up comedy routine about some bratty children. This ugly animated film is littered with bad attitudes and not really anything else. The film is notable for being the first Hollywood animated film with a cast consisting of only African Americans but that really doesn’t say anything about the quality of the picture.

In “Bebe’s Kids”, Robin Harris (Faizon Love “Friday”) tells the story of how he tried to the win affections of a woman by the name of Jamika. However, their date consists of him taking her, her son and the three children of her friend Bebe, to a theme park. It isn’t long before Bebe’s kids are causing trouble for Harris as they terrorise the park.

The kids in this movie are some of the most obnoxious and horrible kids ever in a children’s film. They are complete jerks with annoying personalities and their rapping is an assault on the ears. The Robin Harris character isn’t remotely amusing either. The closest thing to villains that we get are some security guards that don’t take kindly to Bebe’s kids wrecking the place. None of the other characters are funny or interesting.

The animation in “Bebe’s Kids” is terrible, the story is bland and the use of black culture references as a substitute for actual jokes is lousy. There are a few moments here and there that managed to make me let out a mild chuckle but the majority of the movie is really bad. If the animation was a little bit better, the rest of the film may have been a little easier to tolerate. I don’t get why this movie was made because who would even pitch a movie like this? Somebody had to stand there and pitch a movie based on stand-up routine about bratty kids… just think about that.

This is a below average animated comedy. I found this to be a dirty and vulgar experience. I have never seen the tv series, which it is based on and I do not intend to. Although I liked the television series “King of the Hill” made by the same creator Mike Judge (“Office Space”) but sadly this is the one that got the movie made about it.

Beavis (Mike Judge) and Butt-Head (Mike Judge) wake-up to find they have had their television set stolen so they go around in search of it. However, they end up in a circumstance where they are mistaken for international terrorists so, like idiots, Beavis and Butt-Head go around accidentally causing mayhem as they go state to state with their overly moronic behaviour.

Beavis and Butt-Head are frighteningly dumb. They’re far stupider than the guys from “Dumb and Dumber” and they even make Homer Simpson look like Albert Einstein. Beavis and Butt-Head have no respect for anything (I don’t think they even know what the word means), they’re annoying, disgusting and only occasionally do something amusing. I heavily disliked their constant use of the word ‘sluts’. I don’t see why they have such a large fan base. Bruce Willis (“Die Hard”) is forgettable as Muddy. The rest of the cast are mediocre and the characters around Beavis and Butt-Head are only marginally smarter.

The animation is good and the film has several mildly funny moments but for the most part, this isn’t enjoyable. The main characters are too vulgar and too idiotic for me, the characters around them aren’t much better. The plot is a bit thin for me also. I think that fans of the television series will eat this one up but for anyone else I recommend avoiding it as I don’t think you’ll find it particularly funny.

Often cited as one of the worst films of all-time, “Battlefield Earth” is pretty darn terrible. Based on a novel by L. Ron Hubbard (the founder of Scientology), this sci-fi flick is poorly made and contains a plot so illogical that it will make you feel dumber after watching it.

In the year 3000, mankind faces extinction as an alien race, known as the ‘Psychlos’, has conquered the Earth and is taking its resources. The alien Terl (John Travolta “Hairspray”, “Pulp Fiction”) hopes to use humans for mining will lead to one man (Barry Pepper “Saving Private Ryan”, “The Green Mile”) having the potential to lead humanity to stage a final battle against the invaders for the fate of planet.

The characters in “Battlefield Earth” is atrocious and the dialog is stupid. We are meant to believe that the Psychlos are an advanced alien race but all we see is Travolta goofing around in a ridiculous costume. They supposedly can destroy our armies and know about our history but do not know what food we like to eat. The human characters are really boring. The main human, Jonnie, learns about the Psychlos and even their language after blasted by some sort-of ray, which seems like a very convenient plot device.

This movie is horribly made; the special effects are really bad, the camerawork is disgraceful and there are countless shots that are needless in slow-motion. “Battlefield Earth” is laughably bad and it is shocking that Travolta genuinely thought that this would help start a franchise. He allegedly referred to it as ‘better’ than “Star Wars”, a statement that seems unbelievable but sadly seems to confirm his loyal commitment to the film. Maybe it’s not the worst film ever made but “Battlefield Earth” is an awful film that has to be seen to be believed.

“Battle Royale” is essentially the Japanese version of “The Running Man” as it uses the same premise of a futuristic competition in which people must battle to the death. “Battle Royale” is over the top fun and it helped inspire films such as the “Kill Bill” movies.

“Battle Royale” takes place in a futuristic Japan where the country is suffering due to the lack of discipline among the country’s youth population. In response, the Japanese government has passed a law so that each year, a class of teens in randomly selected and taken to an uninhabited island. There the schoolkids must battle to the death over 3 days.

Takeshi Kitano (“Johnny Mnemonic”) plays the class’ teacher and he does a really good job. He is the one that explains the situation to the teens and he also gives updates every now and then of who has died and which areas of the island are going to be restricted. The teens themselves are not interesting but some of them are pretty amusing and generate laughs as they die in ridiculous but spectacular fashion. I also like how each pupil is given a different weapon with the weapons ranging from guns to a pan lid. There are clearly some scenes where we are meant to empathise with the characters but it becomes hard to do so when the rest of the film is so crazy.

The action sequences are absolutely hilarious and done rather well so I definitely recommend this for those looking for a cheesy action flick. My big problem with the film comes with the story (or lack of it) and I didn’t really care for the ending. I hear that the film is meant to be a satire of Japanese societal issues but most of that stuff didn’t really register with me. If you are not into crazy Japanese action then you will probably just find this loud, dumb and irritating. However, I recommend this film and I think it is just as good as “The Running Man”.

The original “Battle Royale” was a very cheesy but very enjoyable Japanese action flick that followed the same basic premise as “The Running Man”. Most people seemed to like the first film but not many seem to care for its sequel. I must be in the minority because I actually enjoyed this one more.

The survivors have the first movie have formed a terrorist organisation and are waging war against all adults. The politicians decide to pass a new law that leads to a new class of school students being sent on a perilous mission to hunt down and kill the terrorist leaders.

Some people seem to dislike the controversial political statements by having the children become terrorists to fight against the state and there are several occasions when characters espouse anti-American views. I do not get why everybody takes the politics of this one so seriously and was happy to ignore the fact that the first film showed a Japanese government that would order children to kill one another. Riki Takeuchi plays the role of the teacher and he is just as good if not better than Takeshi Kitano was in the first movie. The teens in the film are not the most interesting but this one certainly features some layers of depth that the first movie was missing.

The first “Battle Royale” was an over the top action film but this one is almost like an over the top war movie. There are some terrific action sequences that are filled with explosions and it’s all very exciting. Once the action starts, it’s pretty much non-stop, just like the original. One early action scene sees the teens having to storm a beach and it’s almost like a parody of the opening of “Saving Private Ryan”. Don’t think too much about the politics and just enjoy the crazy experience that is “Battle Royale II: Requiem”.

“Battle: Los Angeles” it is pretty much a mix of “Black Hawk Down” and “Independence Day”. Sadly, the movie has no substance and what we get is one mediocre sci-fi/action flick. This movie must have cost a lot and it wasn’t worth it.

The movie wastes no time in throwing a group of American Marines in the middle of a massive fight against unknown alien invaders. They search the streets for civilians as the air force intends to level the coastal areas in a matter of hours and every few minutes, aliens jump out and the shooting commences… it gets old very quickly.

Aaron Eckhart (“The Dark Knight”) plays Staff Sergeant Michael Nantz and he’s good but the rest of the characters are really dull. It’s easy to forget how films such as “Black Hawk Down” made you care about the soldiers but “Battle: Los Angeles” completely fails in that area. The aliens themselves are some of the worst aliens I’ve ever seen; clearly no effort went into their design as they are incredibly generic. I miss the Xenomorphs from the “Alien” franchise and Predator because those aliens were creatively designed… heck, even Ro-Man from “Robot Monster” looks better than the aliens in this movie.

“Battle: Los Angeles” is not a terrible movie but it had the potential to be a slick and engaging sci-fi/action movie but it opts for giving us generic targets for lifeless characters to shoot at. If you want to see a big movie where aliens attack the Earth blow lots of stuff up, you have “Independence Day” and if you want to see a movie about a group of soldiers struggling to survive, you have “Black Hawk Down”. This is a movie where endless generic foes are blasted away by characters you couldn’t possibly care about.

When you think of superheroes; usually images of powerful individuals in bright Lycra spring to mind. Then there’s Batman. He’s much darker than the majority of superheroes and doesn’t even possess any superpowers but he’s still one of the world’s most cherished comic book characters. With the various incarnations it is hard to choose which one is my favourite version but I think this is the best.

It follows Batman (Michael Keaton “Beetlejuice”) as he battles against the crime in his city. He then must a face a new threat when the Joker (Jack Nicholson “The Witches of Eastwick”) starts putting Gotham City in mass hysteria as he mindlessly kills innocent people through various psychotic means. Also, Batman is being pursued by a reporter but he falls for the journalist’s his photographer Vicky Vale (Kim Basinger “L.A. Confidential”).

Batman is played brilliantly by Michael Keaton. He perfectly captures the tortured soul persona of Bruce Wayne as well as the revenge wanting Batman. But the one who steals the show is Jack Nicholson as the deranged, psychopathic prankster the Joker. He’s terrifying yet hilarious. You’ll laugh at his behaviour then in the next scene regret it deeply. Also, I think the relationship between Batman and the Joker as hero and villain is one of the best I’ve ever seen.

“Batman” is an adventurous classic that dares to be more violent and more intellectual than your average comic book fare. “Batman” is more compelling and captivating with its extraordinary universe that it creates by utilizing a dark, eerie and moody atmosphere that only Tim Burton (“Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure”) could pull off. I think “Batman” is brilliant movie. It contains all the explosive action and the over the top scenarios you’ve come to know from the genre as well as a dark and interesting look brought to you by the talented Tim Burton.

“Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice” finally brings us a crossover between Batman and Superman but I wish they hadn’t bothered. It’s been in comics and cartoons but as the years have gone by and we’ve seen the likes of “Freddy vs. Jason” and “Alien vs. Predator”, people have been begging to see this film but now that it’s here, I think most have disappointed. It’s not only the worst “Superman” film or the worst “Batman” film but it’s among the worst superhero films, down there with “Howard The Duck” and “Catwoman”.

In “Batman v Superman”, the world is struggling to come to terms with the existence of Superman (Henry Cavill “Man Of Steel”). After several dozen subplots, Batman (Ben Affleck “Argo”) fight in one of the worst fights in a Hollywood film before they team up to fight a giant monster.

Henry Cavill is bland as Superman. Ben Affleck is terrible as Batman and probably gives the worst performance of Batman I’ve ever seen. The outfit he has with the glowing eyes look ridiculous and the voice-altering mechanism is just horrendous making him sound like some sort-of machine rather than a man. The characters have very few interactions and they’re awful. Jesse Eisenberg (“The Social Network”) comes across as awkward as Lex Luthor. Doomsday looks terrible and the other heroes are bland.

“Batman v Superman” could’ve been great but instead it’s overly politicised drivel. Remember how in “Iron Man”, Iron Man actually fought terrorists like the ones in the real world? This film copies that. Remember how “Avengers Assemble” had a bunch of superheroes team up to fight a big threat? This film copies that. Remember Iron Man sitting in front of a committee in “Iron Man 2”? This film copies that. The film so desperately wants to copy the success of the Marvel films that it becomes shameless. I hated the action scenes, I hated the story, I hated the acting and I hated the political themes littered throughout. I miss “Superman: The Movie” or the 1989 version of “Batman”.