“Pacific Rim” is a very fun film that combines “Transformers”, “Power Rangers”, “Mobile Suit Gundam” and “Godzilla”. The movie knows its audience and it delivers an exciting ride.

In the near future, giants aliens known as the ‘Kaiju’ are coming out of a interdimensional portal in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Coastal cities are frequently faced with destruction so the world has responded using ‘Jaegers’ (large robots piloted by humans). After several years of warfare, the world’s governments have stopped funding the Jaeger and instead favour methods of containment but they will soon discover the Jaegers are the only thing that can prevent global destruction.

Charlie Hunnam (“Green Street”), Idris Elba (“Star Trek Beyond”) and Rinko Kikuchi (“Babel”) are the stars but you did not come here for the humans, you want to see the giant robots and the aliens. The aliens look fantastic and I like the idea of them coming out of the sea, I was reminded of the beasts spoken about in “Revelation”. The robots are also great. Each robot has two pilots that have to engage in something the film calls ‘drifting’, it makes little sense but feels appropriate for this type of movie. I loved seeing the robots and the aliens fight.

If you like giant robots and/or giant monsters then you have to see “Pacific Rim”. It’s surprising how polished the whole product feels. Many monster giant movies may deliver the carnage but this movie seems to bring you something that will keep you entertained for the full runtime. Director Guillermo Del Toro “Pan’s Labyrinth”) has created something thoroughly enjoyable that may serve as a gateway for mainstream audiences into the giant monster movie genre. Watch “Pacific Rim” if you want a thrilling sci-fi/action flick that offers you all the mayhem and fun that you could possibly want.

The 1939 “The Wizard Of Oz” is a masterpiece and milestone in cheerfully imaginative filmmaking, the 1980s’ sequel “Return To Oz” isn’t as good but it still a worthy follow-up that is also innovative. “Oz The Great And Powerful” comes along and it lacks the true magic the earlier films had. It’s all about the special effects but it fails to have that wonderful inner beauty.

Carnival magician Oz (James Franco “127 Hours”) is whisked away by a twister (in a scene that will remind people of the laughable film “Twister”) to the merry old land of Oz. The magician is said to be the prophet that can save the land from the evil Wicked Witches (Mila Kunis “Ted”, Rachel Weisz “The Mummy”).

James Franco is okay as Oz but his lines aren’t great. Mila Kunis’ Wicked Witch of the West looks more like the Mask than anything else and is just terrible really. I disliked the meanness of some of the good people such as the little girl made out of china that pulls out a knife and suggests it is used to kill the witch. Some of the creature characters look really good with the special effects that have been utilised.

“Oz The Great And Powerful” is a wonderful film to look at but it is missing the heart that makes the older films so much better. I don’t like the uncomfortable moment where a young girl in the audience of Oz’s show wants him to make her walk and there is also a very creepy scene in which a woman’s tears burn her face; this is too scary for a little kid. It’s done in the same style as Tim Burton’s recent “Alice In Wonderland” and it is a bit better as it is cheerier for the most part but I still don’t recommend it.

Here is a collection of several crazy cameos from across cinema history.

5. Matt Damon – EuroTrip

Matt Damon is used to starring in big movies such as “Saving Private Ryan” and “The Bourne Identity” so it’s hilarious to see him give it his all in “EuroTrip” as the singer of a rock band. He’s really out of control here for a guy that normally appears very measured in his performances.

4. Adam Sandler – Dirty Work

Adam Sandler has brought misery to many audiences with his comedy films. If anybody in the filmmaking industry is worthy of playing Satan himself it is Adam Sandler and he does just that during a hallucination sequence in “Dirty Work”.

3. Michael Jackson – Men In Black II

Michael Jackson has always been seen as strange by the rest of the world and he’s become an increasingly controversial figure due to all the allegations surrounding him. While undeniably a talented entertainer, his eccentric behaviour may make people wonder if he is really of this world. Therefore, it seems incredibly fitting when we see him appear as a fictionalised version of himself in the sci-fi/action flick “Men In Black II”.

2. Clint Eastwood – Casper

Clint Eastwood was never known as the type of actor to appear in family films. He had come somewhat close with “Everything But Loose” and “Bronco Billy” but the first true family film he appeared in was “Casper”. It’s made more hilarious by the fact that all he does he threaten extreme violence during his cameo.

1. Nicolas Cage – Grindhouse

Nicolas Cage is a pretty crazy guy at the best of times and one of his most memorable performances surprisingly comes from a little cameo role during a fake trailer in “Grindhouse”. During the trailer for the fake “Werewolf Women of the S.S.”, Cage appears as legendary film character Fu Manchu as he laughs maniacally.

“Dracula A.D. 1972” is an interesting addition to the Hammer “Dracula” series. It moved the story to the present time and it also had a whole psychedelic angle to it all. Some fans see this is as one of the weaker instalments but I still had some fun with it.

A century after his defeat, Count Dracula (Christopher Lee “Dracula: Prince Of Darkness”, “The Wicker Man”) is resurrected by Johnny Alucard (Christopher Neame “Licence To Kill”) and his unwitting friends. Now, Van Helsing’s descendant (Peter Cushing “Star Wars”, “Top Secret!”) must find a way to defeat Dracula, who is terrorising the streets of 70s London.

It’s always great to see Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing together. They had not appeared in a “Dracula” film with one another since 1958 in “Horror Of Dracula”. The performances from both are really impressive and I’m glad that Dracula actually gets to speak in this one. The final battle between the two is moderately engaging. The partying youngsters are not exactly great to watch but it is pretty funny to see them having to deal with Dracula. Some of the early sequences are a little dull as we focus on the teens and it takes a while before Dracula gets resurrected.

“Dracula A.D. 1972” is a goofy movie with a silly 70s disco soundtrack but it is fun to watch. It’s also nice to see the filmmakers do something different rather than keep recycling the same formula with no substantial changes. People wanting a more serious horror flick are likely to be disappointed with this one. However, I think those that are familiar with the other Hammer films and don’t mind seeing things get a little sillier than usual should actually enjoy it. It’s a modest recommendation from me but it is still a recommendation.

With all the sex, violence and bad language in most mainstream movies, it’s no surprise that Hollywood is often associated with godless immorality. If a good, old-fashioned Christian household wants some wholesome entertainment, where are they meant to turn? Do not fear, Pure Flix are here. Pure Flix specialise in releasing films that appeal to Christian viewers (particularly Christian conservatives).

Their first big success was with “God’s Not Dead”. A film that was ridiculed by internet atheists, who seemingly have nothing better to do than whinge about movies that discuss faith and morality. However, the mean comments on the internet will not deter the righteous and Pure Flix have pressed on and churned out a fairly sizeable library of films.

All of their movies want you to know that they are Christian films with a strong spiritual message. We got “I’m Not Ashamed” about the religious convictions of the first victim of the Columbine shooting. Also, despite having nothing to do with the original film, Pure Flix did “Unbroken: Path To Redemption” about athlete Louis Zamperini’s experience at a Billy Graham Crusade.

They have also done some films that focus on some of the more controversial elements of Christian theology. “Jerusalem Countdown” might look like your average action flick at first but the plot involves the rapture and Muslims trying to destroy the nation of Israel. It does not exactly sound like normal family viewing.

Prior to its release, there was speculation that “Overlord” might be the fourth entry in the “Cloverfield” series. It proved to be nothing more than pure speculation but “Overlord” does still have science-fiction elements in it. This is an impressive mix of the war, sci-fi and horror genres.

Set on the eve of the D-Day landings that would change the course of WWII, “Overlord” follows a small group of American soldiers tasked with destroying the control tower that is preventing air support being given to the troops storming the beaches. On their mission, the soldiers uncover that the Nazis are performing sickening experiments on the locals with seriously dangerous results.

The main soldier is Boyce (Jovan Adepo “Fences”) and he’s pretty entertaining to watch. The other soldiers are okay. The Nazi villains are portrayed as completely evil so do not expect any complex depiction of the bad guys. The American soldiers get help from a French woman by the name of Chloe (Mathilde Ollivier) and it’s good to see that she actually gets to help out. The individuals that have been experimented on by the Nazis look pretty disturbing. I really do have to applaud the make-up and special effects people there.

“Overlord” features some really good action sequences and some real moments of tension. The movie is a little generic at first but once you get to the mad scientist stuff, it drastically improves. Although I think that the special effects throughout the movie are generally rather good, there is an embarrassing poor scene where Boyce is parachuting. It looks just like the actor is in front of a screen. This is probably not a movie for everybody and if you go in expecting a realistic war movie, you will most likely not like the sci-fi twist. Still, I think “Overlord” is very entertaining and worth a watch.

“Outpost” is a 2008 British sci-fi/horror film that definitely had the potential to be quite entertaining but the weak script ruins the premise. Also, it’s sadly not very interesting to look at as most of it takes place it a dark underground bunker.

A shady businessman (Julian Wadham “The English Patient”) hires a team of mercenaries to protect him as he inspects an underground facility located in the middle of a conflict zone in Eastern Europe. After securing the area, they realise that this a WWII-era Nazi bunker where horrifying experiments took place. The team members soon find themselves up against zombie Nazi soldiers.

The characters are not particularly interesting. The main one is played by Ray Stevenson (“Punisher: War Zone”, “Accident Man”) and he does a decent job but really it could have been anybody in the role. Many of the conversations that the team members have are just boring. The Nazi zombies really confused me. They have rotten flesh like zombies but they seem to possess ghostly powers like being able to turn invisible and pass through walls. They also do not seem to be hurt by bullets yet the mercenaries still bother shooting at them throughout the movie even after that fact has been established. The inconsistencies in their abilities show that the writers must have not cared about the consequences of their work.

“Outpost” could have been really entertaining but the confusing abilities of the Nazi zombies mean that it’s just a mess. It also takes way too long for the zombies to start attacking so we have to sit through countless bland conversations between the main characters. If you want a better Nazi zombie movie then check out the far superior “Overlord” as that is actually set during World War II and delivers everything you could want from the premise.

“Outland” is a terrific sci-fi that creates a very believable futuristic world. The film’s style reminded me so much of the first “Alien” movie that this movie could practically take place in the same universe.

Set on a mining colony of the Jupiter moon of Io, “Outland” follows a tough police marshal by the name of William T. O’Niel (Sean Connery “Goldfinger”, “Highlander”). Many of the workers on the mining colony are dying but nobody seems all that interested in investigating and they seem to actively discourage the efforts of O’Niel. When he uncovers a drug smuggling operation, he sticks to his principles and refuses to be bought or bullied into turning a blind eye.

Sean Connery is great as O’Niel. We have seen Connery play the sophisticated spy in the “James Bond” films but here we see him master the role of a tough cop. He seems perfect for the role and I cannot imagine anybody else being as good in the role. Peter Boyle (“While You Were Sleeping”, “Young Frankenstein”) plays the man in charge of the mining colony and he does not take kindly to O’Niel snooping around. He is okay but I think the character could have been made a little more interesting.

“Outland” is a really gritty piece of science-fiction and I loved almost every minute of it. There is a fantastic chase scene in the middle of the film where Connery pursues a suspect and I was on the edge of my seat. The film seemed to go under the radar and that is genuine shame because this is a great film that I think a lot more people should see. The sets are incredible, Connery is brilliant as the hero and there are some truly tense moments here. If you have seen “Alien”, “Total Recall”, “Soylent Green” and “The Abyss”, you need to check out “Outland”.

“Out For Justice” is a rough and tough cop movie starring Steven Seagal (“The Glimmer Man”, “Half Past Dead”) but it is unfortunately, a rather dull movie. It’s pretty sad when a film that is little over 90 minutes in length feels more like a few hours but sadly, that’s the case with “Out For Justice”.

After the brutal murder of a fellow police officer, Detective Gino Felino (Seagal) stalks the streets of Brooklyn for the man responsible (William Forsythe “The Rock”). There are car chases, shootouts, fistfights, barfights, knife fights and every other type of fight you could want but hardly any of it feels very interesting because the film fails to create a sense of danger.

Action stars such as Jackie Chan (“Rush Hour”), Jean-Claude Van Damme (“Sudden Death”) and Arnold Schwarzenegger (“Predator”) usually finish most fights with cuts and bruises but Seagal rarely gets a crease in his clothes and this is why you can’t invest his characters because you know he’s never in any danger. Seagal’s attempt at a Brooklyn accent is quite funny. The other characters in the film aren’t very entertaining and the main bad guy gets very little screen time (many of his scenes were apparently cut) so it is hard to find him particularly interesting.

“Out For Justice” features a fun car chase early on in the film followed by a relatively decent fight in a shop but after that, the energy of the filmmaker’s must have been evaporated because the action sequences in the rest of the movie feel very mundane in comparison. The story is minimal and it feels that there is a lot of going backwards and forwards between several locations and several characters, which becomes a little tiresome. Fans of Seagal will no doubt enjoy this corny action flick but I think the masses will find it a dull experience.

“Osmosis Jones” is a combination of live-action and animation. I get what it is trying to do and it is very creative but it ultimately doesn’t work.

In “Osmosis Jones”, an unhygienic zookeeper, named Frank (Bill Murray “Groundhog Day”), finds himself infected with deadly virus Thrax (voiced by Laurence Fishburne “The Matrix”). It is up to police officer white blood cell Osmosis Jones (voiced by Chris Rock “Grown Ups”, “Lethal Weapon 4”) and a special agent pill, named Drix (voiced by David Hyde Pierce), to take him down and save Frank. Basically, everything inside Frank is like a city and it’s an interesting concept but it could have been done a lot better.

I like the live-action segments with Bill Murray the most as he’s really funny and I wish we’d have got more of those moments. I really didn’t care for Osmosis Jones and Drix as much as I should have and a large reason behind that is the poor voice acting by Rock and Hyde Pierce. I’m not sure who I would have liked to do the voice acting but anybody other than Chris Rock would have been an improvement, I’m sure. The villain works for this type of film and Fishburne is good at voicing him. The animation is very good and there is lot of flexibility in the characters’ movement.

“Osmosis Jones” has a lot of things going for it but the writing doesn’t back up the animation and the amusing performance of Bill Murray. Young kids will probably find this film somewhat enjoyable and it might be useful in teaching them about the immune system but for the wider audience, there isn’t enough to recommend it. That’s a shame because this is one of the best looking animated films I’ve seen but it certainly isn’t one of the best written ones.